• Article
• Commentary

Microsoft has quietly announced a significant change to the sign in/out process for Microsoft accounts. The change could have massive security implications for many people.

As of next month, when you sign into your Microsoft account, you will remain signed in until you opt to sign out manually. At the moment the (arguably more secure) approach sees users signed out automatically after a period of inactivity, helping to protect anyone using a public computer.

Continue reading →

Kodi 21.2 Omega has just been released, bringing with it a range of fixes and improvements. It is the latest update for the hugely popular home theater software, coming ahead of the launch of Kodi 22 Piers, which is expected to arrive (in Alpha form) in the coming months.

For a lot of users, running Kodi on an Amazon Fire TV Stick (or Firestick as it’s more commonly known) is the best way to enjoy the software and everything it has to offer, giving users access to a wide array of streaming services and media libraries.

Continue reading →

If you've ever wished you could play AAA PC games on your Android phone or tablet, so you can enjoy them on the go, there's some good news. Winlator is a free Android app that lets you do exactly that, and it's incredibly easy to get started with it.

The program has just been updated to version 9 and it gains a number of important fixes and new features, ensuring an even smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.

Continue reading →

While it has its fans, Bing trails behind Google in user numbers and in other areas. The search engine wars of recent years have major echoes of the battle of the browsers of yesteryear, and the latest development sees Microsoft adopting rather underhand tactics.

For many people, Bing has been set as the default search engine, but this doesn’t mean that it is what users want. Currently, if you perform a search for the term “Google” using Bing, you’ll find that the results page has been given a very, very Google-like makeover -- seemingly in a bid to fool people into thinking they are already using Google.

Continue reading →

Berlin developer O&O Software has rolled out O&O DiskImage 20 Pro, offering Windows users imaging and file backup in a single application. While version 20 is a relatively minor release, it does at least continue O&O’s commitment to providing lifetime licenses for its products.

While rival backup products -- including Acronis and now Macrium -- have switched to a subscription-based model, forcing users to continue paying in order to not just back up their data but restore it in the event of an emergency, O&O Software is keen to highlight that O&O DiskImage 20 Pro, like every release before it, comes with a pay-once, use-forever lifetime license.

Continue reading →

We've probably all shouted at an advert on TV or muttered darkly at one that pops up when surfing the web, but how would you feel about ads you can actually converse with?

Communications company GMS has developed Generative Response Ads, a technology that enables consumers to engage in real-time conversations directly within ad spaces using AI.

Continue reading →

If you've ever tried to save a file in Windows and ended up playing a game of "hide and seek" with your own folders, you're not alone. It seems Microsoft has a grand vision for where our files should live, even if it has little to do with what we actually need.

Open the "Save As" dialog, and you'll find that Windows is practically begging you to save in its favorite spots -- like OneDrive, the Documents folder, or any other “default” that Microsoft has deemed worthy of your files.

Continue reading →

Are you still on Twitter (sorry, X)? You can tell us, we won't judge. If you are you may have noticed something interesting since the recent US election.

Celebrities along with people and organizations of a left-wing persuasion have been announcing -- in a markedly flouncy manner it must be said -- that they're leaving the platform. This peaked yesterday with the UK's standard bearer of the liberal left the Guardian broadcasting its intention to depart X -- on X, ironically.

Continue reading →

Rick Brewster and dotPDN LLC has released Paint.NET 5.1, the first major point release in the Paint.NET 5.x series. It comes just under two years after Paint.NET 5.0 first saw the light of day.

The major highlight is support for color management -- ensuring images with embedded color profiles can now be displayed correctly in Paint.NET. The feature is effectively automatic -- when an image containing an embedded color profile is loaded into Paint.NET 5.1, it’ll display according to the embedded profile. Users can then switch to different ICC color profiles via the new Image > Color Profile… dialog.

Continue reading →

Static Windows wallpapers can often feel a bit uninspiring, especially if you don’t change them regularly. Sucrose offers a solution by bringing a dynamic, customizable approach to desktop backgrounds.

The versatile wallpaper engine allows you to animate and personalize your desktops with interactive wallpapers and it supports both light and dark themes. Sucrose works across multiple screens and in a range of resolutions, making it compatible with different display configurations.

Continue reading →

Subscription-based software isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some of us would prefer to pay a one-off fee upfront for a software package we know will last us years without any significant changes. Thankfully, Microsoft caters to both types of user, both with the subscription-based Microsoft 365 range of products and now with a brand new version of its flagship product, Microsoft Office 2024.

Office 2024, which starts from $149.99 for its Home edition, replaces Microsoft Office 2021 and brings the feature set bang up to date. It’s also joined by a new Office LTSC 2024 release aimed firmly at larger organizations who want an on-premises edition for a disconnected or restricted environment.

Continue reading →

Adobe’s consumer photo and video range gets its annual refresh with the twin release of Adobe Photoshop Elements 2025 and Adobe Premiere Elements 2025 for Windows and macOS.

Alongside the usual slew of new features, tools and improvements comes one nasty sting in the tail: a non-renewable 3-year license after which the programs’ editing facilities will stop working. The program’s trial length has also been reduced to just seven days from the previous 30-day period.

Continue reading →

Running Android games on a PC is straightforward with emulators like Bluestacks or NoxPlayer. If you want to play popular AAA Windows PC games on an Android device, things get a bit trickier.

This is where Winlator comes in. Winlator is a free Android app that allows users to run Windows (x86_64) games using Wine 9.2 (custom) and Box64 (0.3.0), and it has just received an update to version 8.0 which includes a lot of new features and improvements.

Continue reading →

A new report from Orca Security highlights that, as organizations invest in AI innovation, most of them are doing so without regard for security.

The report uncovers a wide range of AI risks, including exposed API keys, overly permissive identities, misconfigurations, and more.

Continue reading →

While the standard versions of Windows 10 and 11 are designed to be all-encompassing, catering to a broad audience with varying needs, they can often be bogged down by features and services that not everyone needs, like Copilot in Windows 11 for example. Whether you're a professional needing a responsive system or a casual user looking for a smooth experience, the default versions of Windows 10 and 11 might not always offer the peak performance you desire.

Fortunately, there are customized versions of Windows that can help you unlock your PC’s full potential. These builds are designed to speed up your system by stripping away unnecessary features, optimizing resources, and delivering a leaner, faster operating system. Here’s a look at the five best custom Windows 10/11 builds that can help you achieve superior performance.

Continue reading →