Microsoft has deleted a database containing around 10 million photographs that was being used to train facial recognition systems.

Known as MS-Celeb-1M, the database was created in 2016, and originally contained photos of celebrities. Over time, however, images of writers, journalists and others crept in, and ultimately 100,000 individuals were to be found in it. Microsoft has not made much noise about the deleted content, but has said that the database was wiped as the person maintaining it was no longer a company employee.

Continue reading →

Thanks to Bluetooth technology, people are able to connect several devices to their Windows 10 computer wirelessly. You can use it to transfer your files or to operate electronic devices, including wireless headsets, gaming consoles, and other computer peripherals. While Bluetooth has certain limitations, like lower bandwidth than Wi-Fi and a shorter range, it can still provide a reliable connection between your devices.

Now, if you are using Bluetooth devices like a keyboard, stylus, mouse, or headset, you'll likely need to know if their battery levels are still sufficient. If you’ve installed Windows 10 version 1809 -- also referred to as the October 2018 Update -- you will be able to check your Bluetooth peripherals' battery levels, using the Settings app. Keep in mind that you can only do this if your device supports the feature.

Continue reading →

It's around three weeks since Microsoft first urged Windows users to patch their systems against the BlueKeep (CVE-2019-0708) vulnerability. Concerned that not enough people were taking notice, the company then issued a further warning stressing the importance of installing a patch.

Now the NSA has got involved, joining Microsoft in begging users to secure their Windows XP and Windows 7 computers. The agency says that is "concerned that malicious cyber actors will use the vulnerability in ransomware and exploit kits containing other known exploits, increasing capabilities against other unpatched systems".

Continue reading →

While the Windows 10 May 2019 Update is slowly making its way to mainstream users, Microsoft is busy working on Insider builds from the 20H1 branch, the feature update set to be released in the first half of next year.

A week ago, Microsoft rolled out Build 18908 with more features for its Your Phone app, and today it follows it up with Build 18912.

Continue reading →

Two of the giants of enterprise cloud technology have today announced a cloud interoperability partnership, enabling customers to migrate and run mission-critical enterprise workloads across Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud.

Enterprises can now seamlessly connect Azure services, like Analytics and AI, to Oracle Cloud services, like Autonomous Database. By enabling customers to run one part of a workload within Azure and another part of the same workload within the Oracle Cloud, the partnership delivers a highly optimised, best-of-both-clouds experience.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is refocusing its retail presence, taking the decision to close all of its remaining "speciality stores".

The last 17 in-mall kiosks have been closed with immediate effect, and Microsoft will now put its efforts into its growing chain of bricks-and-mortar retail stores around the world.

Continue reading →

Google is the best search engine; it is indisputable. Of course, the downside to Google is that it is a privacy nightmare, tracking you and logging your search history. While there are alternatives, such as DuckDuckGo and StartPage.com that focus on protecting your privacy, Google still provides the better search experience.

And then there is Bing -- the search engine people love to hate. Yes, it is fashionable to bash Microsoft's search engine, but the truth is, it's not that bad. In fact, it is fairly good. And that is the problem -- it is just mediocre, never really catching on with consumers. Google is just better. Despite Bing's lack of success, Microsoft has surprisingly stuck with it. As a result, today, Bing celebrates a 10th birthday -- a full decade of mediocrity. Huzzah!

Continue reading →

Having already announced that PowerShell 7 will be the next version of PowerShell, Microsoft has released the first public preview. For the first time, PowerShell is based on .NET Core 3.0.

The command-line shell and scripting language is set to be updated on a monthly basis, so we can expect a few more preview versions before it hits general availability around a month after .NET Core 3.0. As well as releasing this first preview, Microsoft has also shared details of the PowerShell 7 roadmap.

Continue reading →

Two weeks after warning about a critical Remote Code Execution vulnerability in Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft is concerned that around a million internet-connected computers remain unpatched and vulnerable to attack.

The company says that there is a risk that CVE-2019-0708, or BlueKeep, could turn into the next WannaCry if steps aren't taken to secure systems. While there is not yet any sign of a worm that exploits the vulnerability, proofs of concept do exist, and it could only be a matter of time before this changes. Microsoft is taking the matter so seriously, that it even released security patches for the unsupported Windows XP, Vista and 2003 -- people just need to install them.

Continue reading →

Back in 2015, Microsoft said that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows. The software giant views its newest operating system as a service that’s continually updated. Although problems with both the October 2018 Update and May 2019 Update mean that’s not really true at the moment. Most Windows 10 users are still on the April 2018 Update.

Device manufacturers are continuing to innovate, and Chromebooks are showing a very different future from the one Windows 10 is offering us. This is where the modern "Windows Lite" comes in.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has been teasing us with talk of a new "modern" operating system, but that doesn’t mean it’s forgotten about Windows 10.

Today it releases a new Fast ring build on the 20H1 branch -- the feature update set to roll out to users a year from now -- and adds a wealth of new features to the Your Phone app.

Continue reading →

Microsoft’s original grand plan for Windows 10 was an operating system that was always up-to-date. Updates were intended to be mandatory, and while you could delay them a bit, you couldn’t opt out of them entirely. And the software giant was committed to rolling out two major feature updates a year.

Fast forward to now, and things are very different. You can delay, or avoid, most updates, including feature updates -- assuming you’re even offered them in the first place.

Continue reading →

It’s been hinted for a while that Microsoft is working on a new operating system for dual-screen and Chromebook-like PCs, and while the software giant has yet to confirm the existence of the rumored "Windows Lite" OS, Nick Parker, Corporate Vice President, Consumer and Device Sales, did drop some pretty big hints about it at Computex 2019 in Taipei.

While on stage he referred continually to a modern operating system designed to run on "modern PCs and innovative devices" that offers seamless background updates and zero interruptions, greater security, and always on connectivity.

Continue reading →

If you need a mouse, there are two companies that very rarely disappoint -- Logitech and Microsoft. Not only are their mice often accurate and comfortable, but very durable too. Sure, there are other brands that produce solid mice, but Microsoft and Logitech pointing devices will probably survive a nuclear war, outlasting humanity.

Some of the greatest mice of all time were from Microsoft's IntelliMouse series. The IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 was a personal favorite of mine -- it is so comfortable, and the thumb buttons are absolute perfection. I am pretty sure I still have it in a box somewhere, and if I plugged it into my PC today, it would work flawlessly. IntelliMouse was so beloved by many computer users, that Microsoft released the refreshed Classic IntelliMouse in 2017. Today, the Windows-maker takes things even further, with the all-new "Microsoft Pro Intellimouse" -- a beautiful blend of retro design and modern specifications.

Continue reading →

If you have a computer with a Qualcomm Wi-Fi adaptor, you could well find that you suffer from random connection dropouts after installing Windows 10 May 2019 Update.

The problem stems from a problem with older Wi-Fi drivers, and to avoid problems for user Microsoft has chosen to halt the rollout of the update to systems that could be affected. In addition, the company has issued a warning against manually or forcibly installing the May 2019 Update.

Continue reading →