Adobe logo on wall

US sanctions force Adobe to close down user accounts in Venezuela with no refunds

Adobe is in the process of closing down services in Venezuela in line with US sanctions. Back in August, president Trump barred pretty much all trade with the country (Executive Order 13884).

Adobe's compliance with the sanctions means that Venezuelans will soon lose access to products such as Photoshop and -- more importantly -- have only until October 28 to save their files before they are deleted and accounts are closed.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
macOS Catalina

Apple releases macOS 10.15 Catalina -- and it's breaking some apps

After a period of beta testing, Apple has released macOS 10.15 Catalina for everyone. There's quite a lot to the latest version of the operating system, including the break-up of iTunes, an update to Sidecar that lets you use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac, and numerous security updates.

However, the dropping of support for 32-bit apps (Catalina is fully 64-bit), means some people installing the free update are finding that the apps they rely on no longer work. More than this, Apple has even gone as far as warning people who are reliant on XML files -- such as DJs -- to hold off installing the update for the time being

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Amazon Kindle Kids Edition

Kindle Kids Edition -- Amazon launches ebook reader for younger bookworms

Amazon has launched a child-friendly version of its Kindle ereader -- the Kindle Kids Edition.

At $110, this special edition device is slightly more expensive than the cheapest Kindle, but it has one massive advantage that will appeal to parents, kids and others: it is free from ads. But there are lots of other features to cater for young readers, including access to more than 1,000 books, and achievements to encourage reading.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Samsung Galaxy Fold teardown

Teardown of 'alarmingly fragile' Samsung Galaxy Fold suggests 'screen replacements seem inevitable'

Back in April, teardown site iFixit took an in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Following complaints and intervention from Samsung, however, the teardown was removed from the site.

Now iFixit has taken a look at the redesigned Galaxy Fold and, while it found that things have improved since the first version, there is still cause for concern. As well as pointing out that there are plenty of points of entry for dirt, dust and other debris, iFixit also says: "You wouldn't even have to drop this thing to break it, meaning screen replacements seem inevitable, and that's a scary thought".

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Hacker

Developer of HildaCrypt ransomware releases decryption keys for free

Ransomware is a pervasive problem, and for victims it can be difficult to know whether paying up will help them to regain access to their maliciously encrypted files. So when ransomware decryption keys are released free of charge, it's always good news -- and this is exactly what has happened for HildaCrypt.

The developer of this particular strain of ransomware has released the decryption keys after a security researcher shared detailed of what was initially thought to be a new type of ransomware.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Frustrated with computers

KB4517211 update is breaking search and VMWare Workstation in Windows 10

Microsoft has had an appalling run of problematic Windows 10 updates recently, and the spate of dodgy patches shows no signs of letting up.

With the recently released KB4517211 update, users are now reporting problems using Windows 10's search function, as well as finding that the update is preventing VMWare Workstation from launching.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
iPhone

Apple acknowledges that some iPhone 6s and 6s Plus handsets do not turn on, and launches free repair program

If you have an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus that won't start up, you are not alone. Apple has acknowledged a problem with a batch of handsets that means some iPhone purchased in the last year cannot be turned on.

Apple says that handsets bought between October 2018 to August 2019 are affected, and the problems stems from the failure of an unnamed component. The company has launched a free repair program for anyone experiencing the issue.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Frustrated computer user

Printer-fixing KB4524147 update is breaking the Start menu in Windows 10

Another update for Windows, and another set of unwanted side effects. Continuing Microsoft's recent run of problematic updates, users are reporting that KB4524147 is killing the Windows 10 Start menu.

KB4524147 was supposed to fix -- among other things -- a printing problem that was introduced by the KB4522016 cumulative update. But rather than helping, this latest update seems to be making things worse, resulting in people seeing the error message "Your Start menu isn't working. We’ll try to fix it next time you sign in".

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
OnePlus 8

OnePlus 8 leaks months ahead of launch

OnePlus fans may still be waiting for their OnePlus 7T to arrive, but a new leak gives us a glimpse further into the future, revealing what the OnePlus 8 (probably) looks like.

A series of renders show off the unreleased handset, showing it to have a curved screen, a hole punch camera on the front, and a triple camera arrangement on the rear.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Microsoft glass building logo

Microsoft fixes Windows 10 printer problems with yet another patch

Microsoft's game of patching catch-up continues this week. After a raft of problematic updates, some Windows 10 users found that a recent update was causing problems with printing.

The company has now released a new update that addresses this and other issues in both Windows 10 and Windows Server.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Smashed printer

Another Windows 10 update is causing problems, this time with printing

There have been a series of problematic updates for Windows recently, and now yet another one has popped up, this time affecting not only Windows 10, but also Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and Windows Server.

The KB4522016 cumulative update is interfering with printing. The update is causing issues with the printer spooler service, leading to print jobs failing or being canceled without user intervention.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Microsoft Surface Duo

Surface Phone is real! Microsoft unveils foldable, dual-screen Android-based Surface Duo

At today's Surface event, Microsoft had a surprise for everyone -- its version of "one more thing", if you will. In addition to the Surface Laptop 3, the Surface Pro 7 and the Surface Pro X, the company also revealed the Surface Duo, a foldable Android-based phone with two screens. No, it's not running the new Windows 10X operating system.

If you have concerns about this device being foldable, don't worry, it's not like the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Rather than having a single screen that actually folds, this is a dual-screen clamshell style handset, and it's due for release next year.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Surface Laptop 3

Microsoft reveals Surface Laptop 3 -- available to pre-order today

After a series of leaks, Microsoft today officially unveiled the latest additions to the Surface lineup. Kicking things off is the Surface Laptop 3, available in 13- and 15-inch models.

Produced in partnership with AMD, the Surface Laptop 3 features a custom Surface Edition Ryzen processor for the 15-inch model. The 13-inch device features a quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core processor. Both retain the 3:2 aspect ratio. Let's dive in and take a look at the full specs.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Google privacy shields

Google introduces more privacy controls for Maps, YouTube and Assistant

Google has today announced a raft of a new privacy features across a swathe of its products and services.

Google Maps is going to benefit from a new Incognito Mode just like Chrome and YouTube. YouTube itself is gaining a new option for automated history deletion, and Google Assistant -- recently dragged through the privacy mud along with other digital assistants -- is also getting new deletion options.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Windows 10 desktop background

Windows 10 is pretty much forcing users towards Microsoft accounts rather than local ones

The recent news about Windows 10 has been focused primarily on a series of faulty updates that caused a range of problems for users. But now something new has come to light that will take attention away from Microsoft's shoddy quality control -- the fact that it is starting to practically force users into using an online Microsoft account rather than a local, offline one.

The change was noted in the Home edition of Windows 10 version 1903 (Windows 10 May 2019 Update). During the installation of the operating system, users are presented with the option to "Sign in with Microsoft", with no mention of alternatives. So, what's going on?

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
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