Microsoft forcing Windows 10 onto people is wrong
Microsoft says it wants to get people to a "safer place" and that’s why it’s so aggressively pushing Windows 10. But it’s one thing to advertise the new OS on someone’s computer, and another thing entirely to force them to upgrade to it.
Microsoft Marketing Chief Chris Capossela, says a lot of people are putting off upgrading to Windows 10 ("constantly kick[ing] the can down the street" in his words), and so the software giant is taking steps to give them a "push" into taking action. But not with a gentle reminder, or even full on nagging, but by downloading and then starting the OS installation without permission, and that sucks.
Just how successful is Windows 10?
As you’ll have seen earlier, according to figures from NetMarketShare, Windows 10 overtook Windows 8.1 in January, taking just six months to do so. StatCounter, which also measures operating system usage, shows Windows 10 achieving the same feat in that month, although its figures are slightly different.
To mark this achievement it seems only right to compare Windows 10’s growth with that of past Windows releases to see how the new OS is really doing.
Microsoft's aggressive tactics pay off as Windows 10 overtakes Windows 8.1
A month ago, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 was on over 200 million devices. It also claimed that Windows 10 adoption was accelerating, which seemed to be in clear contradiction of NetMarketShare’s monthly usage figures. The pattern there showed adoption of the new OS to be slowing month after month.
That wasn’t the case in January however, as the latest usage figures from NetMarketShare show Windows 10 starting the new year at a fair pace and finally doing something it’s been threatening to do for the past couple of months -- overtaking Windows 8.1.
Act now! You only have this weekend to save your free OneDrive storage before Microsoft takes it away for good
Free online storage space is something many of us really appreciate. Quotas are usually so generous that’s there’s rarely a need to spend money on a paid subscription.
However, Microsoft recently announced plans to cut back on the amount of free storage offered to OneDrive users. As a recap, the base storage will drop from 15GB to 5GB, the 15 GB camera roll storage bonus is being discontinued, Office 365 Home, Personal, or University users will no longer get unlimited storage, and some paid tiers are going away also.
Now it's Apple's turn to recall a potentially dangerous power adapter
Last week Microsoft issued a voluntary recall for AC power cords for its Surface slates, after reports they could overheat and potentially catch fire.
Today, Apple follows suit, issuing a voluntary recall for certain AC wall plug adapters which could break and potentially "create a risk of electrical shock if touched".
This is Bill. He is cluttering up Facebook. Be smart. Block Bill.
The first half dozen times I encountered the Bill meme on Facebook, I found it amusing. But after a while, the sanctimonious stick man -- who explains how people should use the web, among other things -- began to grate.
And then everyone started to make their own versions, using their own names. At that point, it was clear, enough was enough. If you feel the same, be like me, and block Bill, and all of the other variations by following these steps.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14251 arrives on the Fast ring
For Windows Insiders, the Fast ring used to be something of a misnomer, with new Windows 10 preview builds trickling out on a rather infrequent basis. Microsoft promised to change that in the new year, and it’s already been as good as its word. Six days after the last new build, there’s already another available to install.
There’s a big jump in build numbers too. Last week’s release was Build 11102, and the new version is 14251. That might signify a major leap forward, with loads of changes and new features, but don’t get too excited.
Safari on iOS crashing for you? You're not alone, but here's a workaround [Updated]
As an iPhone and iPad user, I spend a fair amount of time in Safari. Today, however, the browser has been crashing for me every time I carry out a search via the address bar.
I first thought it was a problem with my iPhone, but then I had the same problem with my iPad. It turns out to be a problem that's affecting a lot of users.
Not a fan of Microsoft Edge? Here's how to block the new browser in Windows 10
Microsoft Edge is deeply integrated in Windows 10, but while it’s a reasonable browser it still has a long way to go before it even comes close to rivaling the likes of Google Chrome or Firefox.
If you don’t use Edge, and I don’t, then its presence in Windows 10 might be a bit of an annoyance, especially when it sets (and occasionally resets) itself to not only be the default browser, but the default PDF reader too. Fortunately, you can block the browser, so you don’t need to ever worry about it again.
Microsoft debuts more powerful models of Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book… and a new gold pen too
If you’re thinking of buying either Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book, there’s quite a few variations in the range to consider, with different capacities for different budgets.
Today Microsoft launches the most powerful versions yet of both devices, and also introduces a new Gold Surface Pen for people looking to make a "bold statement" (Microsoft’s words, not ours).
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 11102 arrives on the Fast ring
Microsoft promised late last year that it would be speeding up the rate that new Windows 10 preview builds arrived on the Fast ring in 2016, and (so far) it’s been as good as its word. A mere week after Build 11099 was pushed out to insiders, there’s a new build ready to install.
Build 11099 was rather unexciting for the most part, as it simply introduced structural improvements to OneCore, the core that Windows 10 shares across devices. Build 11102 is a little more interesting and introduces one welcome new feature for Microsoft Edge.
This is how to get a free replacement power cord for your Surface Pro
As you may already be aware, Microsoft has discovered that in certain situations the Surface Pro’s power cable could overheat, making it a potential fire hazard.
This is a problem that affects cables for the Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, and Surface Pro 3 on devices purchased before March 15 2015 (in the US) or July 15 2015 (in all other territories). Microsoft has issued a voluntary recall, and you can now request a replacement power cord. The process is fairly simple, and this is what you need to do.
Would you pay up if you received an Ashley Madison blackmail letter like THIS?
So many companies get hacked these days that it’s almost easy to be blasé about the news of another data breach. If your password gets compromised, you can change it. If your credit card details leak, you can cancel the card. But what happens when an extramarital affairs website you’re a member of gets hacked, and your personal details fall into the wrong hands?
When Ashley Madison was hacked last year, members had two straight choices -- come clean to their other half, or stay calm and hope it all blew over. Unfortunately, the fallout from the hack continues unabated, and some unfortunate Ashley Madison users have started to receive blackmail letters through the mail. And, for the recipients, the letters are truly terrifying.
Don't open that Facebook email attachment -- it could be malware
Two weeks ago, the Comodo Threat Research Lab discovered a malware campaign aimed at businesses and consumers using the WhatsApp mobile messaging service. That attack used official looking emails masquerading as WhatsApp content.
Now Comodo’s researchers have identified a similar phishing campaign targeting Facebook users, which it believes was created by the same group behind the WhatsApp malware.
IEEE: 2016 will be the year of the drone, but there's bad news for MP3 players, digital cameras, and wearables
43 percent of UK consumers expect drones to be the most influential technology in 2016, according to IEEE’s annual survey, with smart phones (38 percent) and 3D printing (31 percent) close behind.
The online survey, conducted in November 2015, questioned over two thousand adults to find out what technology they expected to see more/less of. While the list of devices predicted to fall from favor included obvious tech like digital music players, standalone digital cameras (both 15 percent), and ebook readers (9 percent), some 8 percent of respondents declared wearables had had their day.
Wayne's Bio
Wayne Williams has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for over 30 years now. He’s written for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a fair few of them in his time also. If you like what you read, you can Buy Me a Coffee!
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