AI firm Perplexity makes ridiculous bid to buy Chrome from Google
Chrome has not been put up for sale, but that has not stopped AI startup Perplexity from putting in a bid to buy the web browser from Google.
While on the face of things the $34.5 billion bid seems large, it has been widely dismissed as being a fraction of Chrome’s real value. So, what is the deal with Perplexity trying to snap up the most popular web browser in the world?
Excel can now explain formulae with Copilot
Microsoft just found a new use for AI. Excel users can now turn to the new Explain Formula feature which uses Copilot to use artificial intelligence to understand how a formula works.
There are many advantages to this. It can serve as a way to learn about how to create new formulae of your own, but it is also a handy way to not only understand how a formula works as well as a means of debugging if the output is not what you were expecting it to be.
Microsoft OneNote finally gets unformatted text pasting
Microsoft OneNote is an incredibly useful tool, and a clever one – sometime too clever. After being absent for far too long, it now finally has an unformatted text pasting option.
It is hard to believe that it has taken over twenty years for this to arrive – and it is not clear why it has taken so long – but it is finally here. No longer will you have to strip out unwanted formatting, change color and so on. Unformatted text pasting is now just a keyboard shortcut away.
Microsoft launches Windows 365 Reserve preview to reduce downtime
Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of Windows 365 Reserve, a new cloud-based service to help reduce downtime and disruption for business when disaster strikes.
Whether there is a system failure, a cyberattack, or something else goes wrong, Windows 365 Reserve provides access to a Cloud PC to help reduce disruptions. Microsoft says that it offers businesses “secure and on-demand Cloud PC access from anywhere when you need it most”.
How to stop Instagram sharing your location
Instagram recently added a number of new features, including sharing your location. While some additions – such as reposting – were welcome, location sharing sparked concerns.
The new Instagram map feature allows the people you are connected to on the social media platform to see your location – and you can see theirs. Instagram has pitched this as being useful to parents, but many users are worried about the privacy implications of location sharing.
Copilot 3D is Microsoft’s latest generative AI experiment
There is no shortage of generative AI tools out there, and the latest is Copilot 3D. This experimental tool from Microsoft does very much what you would expect of it – it creates three-dimensional images using artificial intelligence.
As this is an experimental tool, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Firstly, it is not a completed product so there may be issues with it. Secondly, this is an experimental tool which is still being developed, so it could change dramatically or even disappear altogether. But let’s take a look at what is currently available.
PowerToys may get a new clipboard tool called ClipPing
A proposal has been put forward to add a new clipboard tool to the PowerToys utility collection. Already available as a standalone app, ClipPing is a simple tool that provides a visual notification whenever the clipboard is used.
Although still in relatively early stages of development, both the tool itself and the suggestion of integrating it into PowerToys have been well-received. ClipPing serves at least a couple of purposes – both useful and security-focused.
Microsoft ‘rationalizes’ Windows Search settings in latest Windows 11 build
Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27919 to Windows Insiders signed up for the Canary channel. While not a release that is jam-packed with new treats, it does include important changes to Windows Search.
Describing the changes, Microsoft uses very curious language saying that it has taken steps to “rationalize and organize Windows Search settings”. What this means in practice is that things are being made more logical, with the company apparently taking time to focus on user experience a little more.
Salesforce attack exposed Google Ads customer data
Google has revealed more details about an attack on one of its corporate Salesforce instances. The company now says that the attack exposed user data of Google Ads customers.
The security issue was spotted by Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) back in June. Activity by UNC6040 – described as a financially motivated threat cluster that specializes in voice phishing (vishing) – hit Salesforce and subsequent investigations have revealed the extent and impact of the attacks.
Extended Windows 10 support means ditching your local account for a Microsoft Account
The drum heralding the end of support for Windows 10 has been beaten almost to death, but even at this late stage there is more news about the death of the operating system.
With the mid-October date for mainstream support fast-approaching, there are still plenty of people using Windows 10. Some have opted to take up Microsoft on its last-minute offer of extended support – but a new catch has just been revealed.
Microsoft Lens is the latest victim of AI
Users of Microsoft Lens – originally launched several years ago as Office Lens – have just a few short weeks left to use the tool.
Microsoft has announced that the incredibly popular iOS and Android app is to be “retired” (translation: killed off). Having started life under a different name over a decade ago, the app provides a way to convert images to PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files and much more. But not for very much longer.
Microsoft warns of serious vulnerability in hybrid Exchange deployments
Microsoft has issued a warning about a high-severity vulnerability in hybrid Microsoft Exchange Server deployments.
Tracked as CVE-2025-53786, the vulnerability could allow for privilege escalation by cyber threat actors with administrative access to an on-premise Microsoft Exchange server. Although there is not currently any indication of active exploitation, the issue is considered extremely serious and requires immediate attention.
Microsoft brings AI to the Game Bar with Gaming Copilot
It seems that nothing is immune to being injected with AI – certainly not if Microsoft is involved. Now the company is bringing Gaming Copilot to the Game Bar.
Currently in beta testing, Gaming Copilot is now available in Game Bar for Windows PC for Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview. The arrival of Copilot in another Microsoft tool is far from being surprising, but just what does this mean for gamers?
Disney is killing off the Hulu app, bringing all content to Disney+
Disney has announced major plans for Hulu – in short, it is getting rid of the Hulu app. This does not mean, however, that Hulu itself is going away.
During an earnings call, Disney revealed that rather than maintain the Hulu app and Disney+ app separately, Hulu content will instead be made available via Disney+. This is a significant change, but it is not going to be happening immediately.
You can finally repost content on Instagram
Whichever social media platform you prefer, the range of features is pretty similar across all of them. Instagram, however, has only just added the option to repost content.
Instagram has been testing the reposting of reels and posts for some time, but it has only just officially launched to all users. But this is not all. Reposting is just one of a trio of new features to hit Instagram.
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. She is currently training to be an LGBTQ+ affirmative psychotherapist. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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