Has Windows 10 November Update (Threshold 2) reset your privacy settings and default apps?

Windows 10 has caused greater privacy concerns than any previous version of the operating system. You may well have spent some time tweaking settings so that you are in control of your privacy and limit the tracking that Windows 10 is able to do, but if you have installed the latest big update you may well have to do it all again.

In addition to resetting their privacy settings to their defaults, many people have reported that installing Windows 10's November Update has wiped out any personalization of default apps. This is just the latest in a series of slip-ups which sees Microsoft upsetting Windows 10 users. So how do you know if your settings have been changed?

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Delete the Scan With Windows Defender content menu entry from Windows 10 (Threshold 2)

If you've installed the November Update for Windows 10 (or Threshold 2 if you prefer) there are a number of changes for the better to enjoy. But there are some changes that you might not be happy with, and the arrival of a new Scan With Windows Defender entry in context menu is something that is likely to grate with many people.

It might be that you have no intention of using Windows Defender, or your context menu may have become unwieldy and need a little trimming. Either way, a quick registry hack is all that's needed to banish the unwanted option. Here's what to do.

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How to avoid online surveillance -- the essential guide

It would appear that mass surveillance of the Internet is here to stay. We can rage against the machine, but ultimately we're powerless to stop the likes of the NSA and GCHQ prying into whatever they want to pry into. More and more people are turning to the dark web to help cover their tracks, but even the supposedly anonymous haven of Tor can be cracked for a price.

Last week in the UK, the draft Investigatory Powers Bill was published outlining proposals for ISPs to retain user's browsing histories for a full year. Governments want to weaken encryption. The FCC ruled that Do Not Track requests are essentially meaningless. The NSA finds and takes advantage of vulnerabilities. It's little wonder that privacy groups are up in arms -- the erosion of online rights continues with terrifying speed. But all is not lost. There are still things you can do to help maintain your privacy. If you're concerned, here's what you can do.

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Experts warn that placing your router near a lamp slows down internet speeds

Few people would argue against the idea that router placement -- particularly when it comes to maximizing Wi-Fi footprint -- is important. But it is not just the location that's key; broadband speeds could also be affected by seemingly innocuous objects in the home.

The head of the UK's communications regulator Ofcom warns that numerous electrical goods in the home can interfere with signals and slow down the internet. It's a problem that affects around 20 percent of households, and while there are some obvious culprits on the list of web-killers such as stereos and baby monitors, there are also some surprises.

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Tip: how to fix a slow Wi-Fi connection on Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book

The recently released Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book have generated waves of interest, but the devices have not been without problems. Some owners have complained about flickering screens, while others have experienced issues with charging.

There are also some users who complain that their wireless connection is much slower than other devices. If you are one of those affected by the problem, a simple registry hack is all that's needed to get things back up to speed again.

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Three things to consider before migrating to Windows 10

As Microsoft announced its first flurry of Windows 10-ready devices at its recent Windows 10 Devices event, businesses everywhere will be beginning to wonder how the new OS is going to affect their carefully organized (yet often fragile) IT policies.

As Microsoft’s marketing campaigns have made clear, through natural ties to OneCloud and Office 365, Windows 10 is designed with flexible working and BYOD at its heart. Unfortunately for businesses however, while Microsoft may be ready for the workplace of tomorrow, a lot of IT departments are still struggling to manage the workplace of today.

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How to protect your network in the BYOD era

The consumerization of business technology is picking-up speed. This trend towards the introduction of consumer technology within the corporate environment for the use of work activities is best reflected in policies like Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).

These policies have become prevalent in most corporate environments, and have kept many network administrators awake at night worried about the potential data breaches that could occur.

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How to stop Windows 10 messing up your drivers

The update process in Windows 10 has proved controversial. There was upset at the fact that updates are not optional, and this in turn led to driver updates breaking people's computers.

We have already looked at the steps you can take to stop Windows 10 installing automatic updates, but what about if you want to keep Windows 10 up to date while retaining manual control of when drivers are updated? Read on to find out how to stop Windows 10 messing up your drivers.

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Choosing a VoIP system: 7 things to consider

As the world grows increasingly digitalized, it is no surprise that companies are making the switch to Voice over IP (VoIP) for a more versatile and affordable solution to their unified communications (UC) needs.

Not only is VoIP able to improve a business’s operating effectiveness, but it can cut telecom costs while increasing overall performance. Choosing the right telephony system, however, is a huge decision with warranted risks. Below, we discuss seven topics to mitigate those risks and help you find the best VoIP solutions for your business.

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Prepare a disaster recovery plan for your business

disaster plan

This year, disaster recovery (DR) has been a top priority for 45 percent of UK IT departments. With the increase in legal and regulatory compliance coupled with virtualization and cloud-based strategies for disaster recovery, more IT departments (five percent more than 2014, to be exact) are recognizing the importance of DR.

But knowing DR is necessary and implementing it effectively are two separate things. In a separate study by Timico, only five percent of respondents said they were totally confident that their DR plan was adequate.

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Don't like Skype? Here are 5 great alternatives

Communication is absolutely vital to businesses and consumers, particularly in the always-on world that we inhabit. Increasingly, it is digital communication tools that enable us to stay connected and Skype is one of the most popular across the globe.

With an estimated 300 million users, Skype has enabled family members to remain in touch, long-distance relationships to endure and businesses to strengthen global ties, but it shouldn’t necessarily be the go-to video messaging app for you. There are a number of alternatives to Skype that offer great features in their own right and we’ve listed five of the best below.

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Microsoft Excel: 7 top tricks that you should know [Infographic]

Microsoft Excel has been around for 30 years, it’s one of the most popular programs in the world and it’s likely that most of us at some point or other have used spreadsheets at work.

Recent reports show that, 78 percent of middle-skill jobs require digital literacy and 67 percent of office roles require expertise in Microsoft Excel. So sharpening up your Excel skills really can help improve pay and job prospects.

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An SSD should be the first upgrade for your PC

If you are not happy with how your desktop PC or laptop performs, chances are it has a plain-old HDD inside. It is likely large enough to store all your files, but the old technology it is based on makes it extremely slow by modern standards -- apps and programs take a long time to load and transfer speeds are low. Basically, it is the reason why your device does not feel as fast as a new, high-end PC. Fortunately, you can give it a new lease on life.

The first upgrade that you should consider is an SSD. It is a huge improvement over virtually any HDD, as it will greatly improve load times and transfer speeds, making your device feel much more responsive, and reduce noise and power consumption. To show just big a difference it can make, I have tested an Emtec SSD Power Plus drive, in 120 GB trim, with an old HP Compaq 610 laptop.

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Document your desktop activity with StepsToReproduce

Whether you’re asking for help with a PC problem, or trying to explain a point to someone else, it’s often important to clearly document a series of steps.

StepsToReproduce is a free application for Windows Vista and newer which makes it easy to record, annotate and share a sequence of screenshots.

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How to: Enable OK Google on the LG G4

LG G4 Available Colors Back Covers

The LG G4 is making quite a splash and being advertised seemingly everywhere. There's good reason for that as I previously explained in my review. Overall it's a nice phone, but there are a few things you need to know before getting underway with it.

One is that OK Google is not enabled by default, you'll need to do so yourself. It isn't intuitive, either. But the good news is that it isn't hard once you know how to do it. Here are some simple steps to get you going.

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