Say goodbye to Microsoft Windows 11 and hello to Nitrux Linux 5
Windows 11 remains familiar territory for many users, but it continues to frustrate those dealing with sluggish performance and high system demands on older machines. Frequent updates often fix some problems while introducing others, leaving users searching for an alternative. For those ready to move away from Windows, there's Nitrux Linux 5.
After a long wait, the latest version of the Debian-based Linux distribution has arrived, bringing with it a wealth of changes and improvements. Top of the list is the Hyprland desktop which replaces KDE Plasma.
Connection Explorer shows where your PC is sending data in real time
Stardock has launched a new application for Windows called Connection Explorer, a beta tool designed to reveal and visualize every network connection made by a PC. Aimed at improving data transparency, it allows users to monitor, understand, and control how their devices communicate online.
The software maps out every connection a computer makes, transforming complex background activity into a readable visual interface. Stardock says the goal is to give users direct insight into how data flows between their systems and the internet, removing the guesswork from identifying unfamiliar or unwanted activity.
New year, new Microsoft OS -- the stunning Windows 26 is everything Windows 12 should be
Every so often, we get hints about Windows 12, but Microsoft has yet to announce it. Now that the tech giant is only officially supporting one Windows OS, perhaps that will change.
But as 2025 draws to a close, and with a new year on the horizon, it’s time to look forward to fresh beginnings and groundbreaking innovations. It’s time for a new Microsoft operating system. Let me introduce you to Windows 26.
Better cyber hygiene could have prevented 92 percent of incidents
A new report reveals that 92 percent of organizations that experienced a security incident in the past year believe stronger cyber hygiene could have prevented it, underscoring how persistent execution gaps continue to leave organizations exposed to preventable risk.
The study by Sapio Research for Swimlane shows that despite unprecedented spending on cybersecurity tools and services, foundational security practices remain inconsistent and often overlooked.
OWC expands Thunderbolt 5 range with StudioStack and Mercury Helios 5S
Other World Computing has added two new products to its Thunderbolt 5 lineup with the launch of the OWC Mercury Helios 5S and OWC StudioStack. Both devices are designed to provide professionals with faster data transfer, expanded connectivity, and flexible upgrade options across Mac and PC.
SEE ALSO: OWC's latest portable SSD offers up to 8TB in a palm-sized design
1 in 7 consumers fall victim to online scams
A new survey from Bitdefender, of more than 7,000 consumers worldwide, finds that 14 percent of respondents (one in seven) report falling victim to scams in the past year, with an additional four percent unsure.
Based on an average scam loss of $545, that equates to over $534,000 lost among survey participants alone. The US led in scam victims at 17 percent, followed by the UK (16 percent) and Australia (16 percent), while France had the lowest at 11 percent.
More than half of IT leaders lack resources despite increasing budgets
Although 74 percent of IT leaders expect budgets to rise in 2026 more than half say they still lack the internal resources to fix issues quickly or drive innovation.
A new report from DataStrike also finds 60 percent of organizations now rely on MSPs to manage data infrastructure, more than double the rate reported last year. This highlights a growing dependence on external expertise as teams tackle modernization and technical debt.
Avast launches Scam Guardian for smartphones and tablets
Avast has introduced Scam Guardian and Scam Guardian Pro for mobile devices, expanding its AI-driven scam protection from desktop to smartphones and tablets. The new tools, part of Avast Mobile Security and Avast Premium Mobile Security, aim to address the rising wave of scam and social engineering attacks on mobile platforms.
Avast, part of Gen, said that over 80 percent of mobile threats blocked by Gen Threat Labs this year were scams. In fact, on average, four mobile scam attempts are stopped every second. Scam Guardian and its Pro version extend Avast's existing protection ecosystem to mobile users on Android and iOS.
AI use in the workplace soars with testing leading the way
A new report, based on data from 3.9 million skills tests taken by employment candidates globally, reveals a dramatic shift towards AI proficiency and cognitive capability across the global workforce.
The data from TestGorilla shows AI testing recorded the highest growth, up 166 percent in comparison to the previous year. Following closely are coding debugging (+133 percent), computer literacy (+77 percent) and data structures/arrays (+73 percent). Together, these underline the urgent demand for practical coding competence and AI fluency.
Your company might be secretly recording your ChatGPT conversations -- here's why
A new compliance report shows a sharp rise in financial institutions capturing ChatGPT communications. Global Relay’s Communication Capture Trends Report 2025 found a 3,000 percent increase in the number of firms recording ChatGPT data compared with a year ago.
The report analyzed data from more than 12,000 financial institutions and over 200 communication channels to see how firms are adapting to changing workforces and the introduction of new communication tools.
Maximizing AI ROI In healthcare by establishing an automation-first mindset [Q&A]
AI use cases in healthcare continue to expand, and organizations are identifying opportunities to leverage automation technologies to improve existing workflows.
However, after years of implementing new tooling and expanding tech stacks for better efficiency and backend processes, most organizations are left with disparate systems and datasets that make AI initiatives difficult to put into practice. IT teams are now forced to work backwards, embarking on time and resource consuming efforts to determine how automation can work within the parameters of these fragmented processes.
Google is enhancing Gmail with new organizational labels
For anyone embedded in the Google ecosystem, Gmail is indispensable. The search giant’s email tool has an extraordinarily large userbase, and Google continues to find new ways to make it more useful. The focus of so much of the company’s efforts have been AI-related in recent times, so it is refreshing to see that other options have not been completely abandoned.
With email communication now the default for pretty much everything, it is little wonder that inboxes are chaotic explosions. And it is with a simple change that Google is looking to make it easier to manage your emails with as little effort as possible.
Microsoft adds new screen recording capabilities to Sysinternals ZoomIt
Microsoft’s suite of Sysinternal tools is an interesting collection. While not as exciting – or as frequently updated – as PowerToys, it is home to a number of incredibly useful utilities, especially for power users and system administrators.
But there are also instances of crossover, and the screen recording tool ZoomIt is a perfect example. Although ZoomIt has been merged into the PowerToys utility suite, a standalone version remains available for Sysinternal fans who want to steer clear of PowerToys. In an interesting move, Microsoft has pushed an update to the standalone version of ZoomIt with new features which are not available in PowerToys.
The first Extended Security Update for Windows 10 is here
The end has been nigh for Windows 10 for what feels like an eternity, but Microsoft finally pulled the plug on mainstream support last month. After a confused period of communication and a few niggles, the company has now released the first Extended Security Update for the operating system.
With the release of the KB5068781 update, Microsoft is now only addressing problems with Windows 10. With the ESU program now in operation, no new features should be expected.
One in 44 GenAI prompts risks a data leak
In October, one in every 44 GenAI prompts submitted from enterprise networks posed a high risk of data leakage, impacting 87 percent of organizations that use GenAI regularly.
A study from Check Point Research finds an additional 19 percent of prompts contained potentially sensitive information such as internal communications, customer data, or proprietary code. These risks coincide with an eight percent increase in average daily GenAI usage among corporate users.
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