YouTube is finally coming down hard on antivaxxer videos
As is the case with just about any big news story, particularly one relating to health, the coronavirus pandemic has led to a serious problem with misinformation. And as governments around the world try to encourage citizens to get vaccinations, so the antivaxxer movement has been trying to control the narrative surrounding the global crisis.
Conspiracy theories abound, and antivaxxers have had a field day casting doubt on the efficacy, purpose and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Social media platforms have been fighting to ensure that incorrect or misleading information about vaccinations are either kept offline, or flagged up with warnings, and now YouTube has finally followed suit, implementing new rules that equate to a complete ban on antivax videos.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.47.0 -- download it now!
Microsoft has released an update to PowerToys, taking the utility collection up to version 0.47.0. Although the company has said that this release cycle would be focused on stability updates and optimizations, installer updates, general bug fixes, and accessibility improvements, there's still a welcome change for the Shortcut Guide tool.
Perhaps more interestingly, there is also news about the next experimental release -- PowerToys v0.48 -- which will appear just before the rollout of Windows 11 begins.
How to install Windows 11 on any computer, even those without TPM 2.0
Windows 11 is now less than a week away from rolling out to people around the world. Despite the launch being so close, there is still great confusion surrounding system requirements for the operating system, especially the need for TPM 2.0.
Many people using the PC Health Check app to test their system's compatibility with Windows 11 have been disappointed to learn that they do not have TPM 2.0 and therefore will not be able to upgrade. But a new, open-source install script has been released that makes it possible to install Windows 11 on just about any hardware, bypassing the TPM check. Say hello to MediaCreationTool.bat.
Microsoft promises big changes for Skype
In a world of Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, Microsoft Teams et al, Skype has somewhat fallen out of favor. But this does not mean that Microsoft has given up on this particular messaging tool, and the company is keen to let users know that they have not been forgotten.
Promising that it will be "fast, playful, delightful and buttery smooth", Microsoft has revealed some of what it has in store for Skype. In addition to a makeover, in the pipeline is a raft of new features including call recordings, animated backgrounds and support for multiple cameras across multiple devices with TwinCam.
Most people neither know nor care about Windows 11
Microsoft is gearing up for the big launch of Windows 11 next month, and while there is enthusiasm in certain sectors, this is certainly not true across the board . The roll-out of the latest version of the operating system starts on October 5, but it seems like the company has an uphill battle on its hands to increase awareness and interest.
A new survey shows that almost two thirds of Windows users are unaware of Windows 11. Perhaps even more concerning for Microsoft is the news that of the 38 percent of users who know about the impending arrival of the new version of the operating system, a mere 41 percent intend to upgrade to Windows 11. The survey also gives an insight into what people are looking forward to in the operating system.
How to sign into Windows 11 automatically
Although there is a deal of sense in having to enter a password to access your computer, it's also a pain. Over the years, users have been gradually encouraged into creating and using a Microsoft Account to sign into Windows and other Microsoft software and services.
With Windows 11 the push has been even stronger, and this means that you have almost certainly password-protected your Windows login regardless of whether you share your computer with anyone else or not. If you've been looking for a way to sign into Windows 11 automatically, to have your password entered for you, here's what you need to know.
Microsoft rolls back KB5005101 update for Windows 10 following app launch problems
Microsoft has performed a relatively rare Known Issue Rollback (KIR) to fix an issue caused by an update to Windows 10. The update was found to cause problems opening files and apps.
The issues followed the release of the KB5005101 update earlier this month, and several versions of Windows are affected: Windows 10 versions 21H1, 20H2, 2004, 1909 and 1809, as well as Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 and Windows Server 2019 and newer. Manual instructions to address the issue are also available.
How to upgrade to Windows 11 for free right now
Windows 11 is now just over two weeks away from launch, but there is no need to wait until then to upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft's operating system. While there has been a great deal of interest in the new features being added to Windows 11's Beta and Dev builds over the last few months, Microsoft has just pushed out build 22000.194 to the Release Preview Channel.
Assuming no serious issues are found in the next couple of weeks, this is the final RTM build of Windows 11 that will roll out to everyone soon, but you can grab it right now and stay ahead of the game. So, if you're interested in upgrading to Windows 11 right now rather than having to wait until October 5 -- or even later -- here's what you need to know.
Microsoft is giving its Your Phone app a great redesign for Windows 11
Microsoft is busy putting the finishing touches to Windows 11 ahead of the launch at the beginning of next month. With the updated operating system comes a completely new look and design language, and this is seeping into apps as well.
We’ve already seen the likes of PowerToys getting a Windows 11 makeover, and the latest app to get the redesign treatment is Your Phone. At its Surface event earlier this week, Microsoft gave us a glimpse of the app’s new UI running on a Surface Duo 2.
Twitter embraces cryptocurrency by rolling out Bitcoin tipping
It is a few months since Twitter added Tip Jar -- now simply known as Tips -- giving users a way to receive donations and appreciative financial tips from followers. Now the company has expanded the capability two key ways, in a move that will be welcomed by creators and entertainers alike.
Firstly, the Tips option is being made available globally to iOS users, with the promise that Android users will get it in "the coming weeks". Secondly, and more interestingly, Twitter is also making it possible to send and receive tips using Bitcoin.
macOS has an unpatched Finder vulnerability that hackers can use to run arbitrary commands
Apple makes much of the security of its products, but vulnerabilities are certainly not unknown. SSD Secure Disclosure has revealed details of a zero-day flaw affecting Finder in macOS. It can be exploited to run arbitrary commands without displaying any messages, prompts or warnings.
The vulnerability was discovered by independent security researcher Park Minchan, and it is present in macOS Big Sur and earlier. The flaw relates to the way macOS processes .inetloc (internet location) files and Apple has made a poor, easily circumvented attempt to fix it in the most recent version of its Mac operating system.
Lithuanian government warns consumers not to buy new Chinese phones and to throw out old ones ASAP
The Defence Ministry of Lithuania has issued a warning that people should stop buying phones from China and should "get rid of those already purchased as fast as reasonably possible".
The extraordinary advice comes after a government report found that handsets produced by Xiaomi and Huawei include a feature to detect and censor certain words and phrases. On the blacklist are terms such as "free Tibet", "long live Taiwan independence" or "democracy movement", and while the censoring functionality was disabled for the European market, there is the potential for it to be remotely activated at any time.
Microsoft may not block installing Windows 11 on PCs that do not meet minimum requirements
The issue of Windows 11's hardware requirements has reared its head once again, just after Microsoft publicly released an updated version of its PC Health Check compatibility checker. For people with computers that do not meet the minimum requirements, there may be some good news from the last twist in the mixed messaging from Microsoft.
While it was looking rather like installing Windows 11 on incompatible hardware was going to be blocked, now it appears that Microsoft is going to let people go ahead with the installation -- with a caveat. The installation can only proceed on systems that do not meet minimum requirements if users agree to a statement acknowledging the fact that any damage caused by installing Windows 11 on such hardware is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty,
You will need to download many of Windows 11's 'pre-installed' apps in order to use them
Here's an odd one: when Windows 11 launches in a couple of weeks, it will include a number of pre-installed apps... except they won't really be pre-installed. Eh?
This slightly strange state of affair comes as a result of Microsoft taking steps to reduce the size of Windows 11's footprint to help improve performance. What it means in practice is that in order to use apps such as Microsoft To-Do, you'll click the shortcut -- which is really just a placeholder -- and the app will then be downloaded for you.
Check if your PC is Windows 11-compatible with Microsoft's updated PC Health Check app
Windows 11 starts to roll out as a free upgrade in just two weeks and there is still great confusion about the system requirements for the operating system. Microsoft had released a compatibility testing tool called PC Health Check, but the launch of this utility was fraught with issues.
Having released, pulled, updated and made the app Insider-only, Microsoft has now released a new version of the PC Health Check app -- and this time everyone can download it, regardless of whether they are an Insider or not. This means that you can now find out -- hopefully once and for all -- whether your computer can run Windows 11 or not.
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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