Pipes Feed Preview: gHacks Technology News

1. How to restore the full date and time format on Windows 11's taskbar

   Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:05:32 -0000

   Microsoft rolled out a change recently on Windows 11 that removed some bits of information from the taskbar. For the date, only day and month are shown, while the year has been […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to restore the full date and time format on Windows 11's taskbar appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Microsoft rolled out a change recently on Windows 11 that removed some bits of information from the taskbar. For the date, only day and month are shown, while the year has been removed. For the time, only the hour and minute is shown. Information such as AM or PM has also been removed.</p> <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206586" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/simpler-date-time.png" alt="Windows 11 Simple Date and Time" width="500" height="328" /></p> <p>Microsoft says this was done to free up space on the taskbar. While some users may like the change, as it gives them more room for other icons and information on the taskbar, others may dislike it.</p> <p>Good news is that Microsoft added a new preference as well that allows users who do not like the change to restore the classic behavior.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: You can hover with the mouse cursor over date and time to get a small popup with the full information.</p> <h3>How to restore the full date and time on Windows 11</h3> <p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206587" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-abbreviated-date-and-time.png" alt="Windows 11 Simplified Date and Time" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-abbreviated-date-and-time.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-abbreviated-date-and-time-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-abbreviated-date-and-time-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-abbreviated-date-and-time-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-abbreviated-date-and-time-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>Here is a step-by-step guide to restore the classic taskbar behavior:</p> <ol> <li>Right-click on date and time on the taskbar.</li> <li>Select "adjust date and time". You can also open Settings &gt; Time &amp; language &gt; Date &amp; time manually instead.</li> <li>Expand "Show time and date in the System tray" by clicking on the down-arrow icon.</li> <li>Uncheck "Show abbreviated time and date".</li> </ol> <p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206588" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/full-date-and-time-restored.png" alt="Windows 11 full date and time" width="566" height="178" /></p> <p>The change is immediate. You should see the full date and time again on the taskbar.</p> <h3>Using the Registry</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206589" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-shortened-date-time.png" alt="Registry Show full date and time Windows 11" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-shortened-date-time.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-shortened-date-time-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-shortened-date-time-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-shortened-date-time-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/show-shortened-date-time-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>Administrators may modify the Registry to restore the classic display of date and time on Windows 11's taskbar.</p> <ol> <li>Open the Start menu.</li> <li>Type regedit and press the Enter-key.</li> <li>Confirm the security prompt that is displayed.</li> <li>Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced</li> <li>Check if ShowShortenedDateTime exists on the right. <ol> <li>If it does, go to step 6.</li> <li>If it does not, do the following: <ol> <li>Right-click on Advanced.</li> <li>Select New &gt; Dword (32-bit) Value.</li> <li>Name it ShowShortenedDateTime.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> </li> <li>Double-click on ShowShortenedDateTime.</li> <li>Set its value to 0.</li> <li>Restart the PC.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: To restore the default, delete the key ShowShortenedDateTime, or set its value to 1.</p> <h3>Using the Group Policy Editor</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206590" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/group-policy-turn-off-abbreviated-time-date-format-windows.png" alt="Group Policy Editor: turn off abbreviated date time Windows 11" width="1508" height="1060" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/group-policy-turn-off-abbreviated-time-date-format-windows.png 1508w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/group-policy-turn-off-abbreviated-time-date-format-windows-768x540.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/group-policy-turn-off-abbreviated-time-date-format-windows-1200x844.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1508px) 100vw, 1508px" /></p> <p>Note: the Group Policy Editor is only available in Pro, Enterprise, Workstation, or Education versions of Windows 11. Home users may want to use the Registry directly to make the change, as described above.</p> <ol> <li>Open the Start menu.</li> <li>Type gpedit.msc and press the Enter-key.</li> <li>Navigate to User Configuration &gt; Administrative Templates &gt; Start Menu and Taskbar.</li> <li>Double-click on "Turn off abbreviated time and date format".</li> <li>Change the value from "Not configured" to "Enabled".</li> <li>Click on ok.</li> <li>Close the Group Policy Editor.</li> <li>Restart the PC.</li> </ol> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>There you have it. It takes just a few clicks to restore the full date and time format on the taskbar on Windows 11 devices.</p> <p><em>Now it is your turn. Do you like the new format? Or do you prefer the old? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/11/how-to-restore-the-full-date-and-time-format-on-windows-11s-taskbar/" data-wpel-link="internal">How to restore the full date and time format on Windows 11&#039;s taskbar</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

2. Microsoft releases the December 2024 security updates for Windows

   Tue, 10 Dec 2024 18:41:05 -0000

   Welcome to the last Windows security updates overview of 2024. Microsoft released security updates for Windows, Office, and other company products today. Our monthly guide helps home users and system administrators alike, […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft releases the December 2024 security updates for Windows appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Welcome to the last Windows security updates overview of 2024. Microsoft released security updates for Windows, Office, and other company products today.</p> <p>Our monthly guide helps home users and system administrators alike, as it provides an overview of the released security updates. It furthermore includes information about known issues, non-security updates, links to support pages, and download links among other useful information.</p> <p><strong>Good to know:</strong> Microsoft has recently <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/11/update-for-windows-update-adds-end-of-support-actions/" data-wpel-link="internal">pushed an update</a> to devices that are no longer supported and the current version of Windows 10. These are designed to notify users about the support status and to push feature updates, if available.</p> <h2>Microsoft Windows Security Updates: October 2024</h2> <p>You may download the following Excel spreadsheet to get a list of released updates. Click on the following link to download the archive to the local device: <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-security-updates-december-2024.zip" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows Security Updates December 2024</a></p> <p><strong>Executive Summary</strong></p> <ul> <li>Microsoft released a total of 72 security updates for various Microsoft products and 1 security update for non-Microsoft issues (e.g. Chromium).</li> <li>Windows clients with issues are: <ul> <li>Windows 11 version 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2</li> </ul> </li> <li>Windows Server clients with issues: <ul> <li>Windows Server 2008</li> <li>Windows Server 2025</li> </ul> </li> <li>Windows 11, version 22H2, Home and Pro, have reached end of support. <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/07/09/windows-11-version-21h2-and-22h2-end-of-life-support/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft will force upgrade</a> devices to newer Windows versions.</li> </ul> <h2>Product overview</h2> <p>Each supported version of Windows and their critical vulnerabilities are listed below.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2: </strong>44 vulnerabilities, 8 critical, 36 important <ul> <li>Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49112" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49112</a></li> <li>Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49118" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49118</a></li> <li>Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49122" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49122</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49123" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49123</a></li> <li>Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49124" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49124</a></li> <li>Windows Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49126" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49126</a></li> <li>Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49127" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49127</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49132" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49132</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2</strong>: 44 vulnerabilities, 9 critical, 35 important <ul> <li>Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49117" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49117</a></li> <li>Plus the critical fixes of Windows 10 version 22H2</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong>: 45 vulnerabilities, 9 critical, 46 important <ul> <li>same as 22H2 / 23H2.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows Server products</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Windows Server 2008 R2 (extended support only):</strong> 22 vulnerabilities: 6 critical,  16 important <ul> <li>Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49112" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49112</a></li> <li>Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49122" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49122</a></li> <li>Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49124" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49124</a></li> <li>Windows Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49126" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49126</a></li> <li>Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49118" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49118</a></li> <li>Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49127" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49127</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows Server 2012 R2 (extended support only)</strong>:  unknown</li> <li><strong>Win</strong><strong>dows Server 2016</strong>: 33 vulnerabilities: 13 critical, 20 important <ul> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49106" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49106</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49108" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49108</a></li> <li>Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49112" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49112</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49115" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49115</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49116" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49116</a></li> <li>Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49118" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49118</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49119" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49119</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49120" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49120</a></li> <li>Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49122" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49122</a></li> <li>Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Client Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49124" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49124</a></li> <li>Windows Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49126" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49126</a></li> <li>Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49127" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49127</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49128" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49128</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows Server 2019</strong>: 56 vulnerabilities: 15 critical, 41 important <ul> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49123" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49123</a></li> <li>Windows Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49132" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49132</a></li> <li>Plus updates for all critical issues of Windows Server 2016</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows Server 2022:</strong> 41 vulnerabilities: 16 critical, 25 important <ul> <li>Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49117" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-49117</a></li> <li>Plus updates for all critical issues of Server 2019 and 2016.</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows Server 2025</strong>:  57 vulnerabilities: 16 critical, 41 important <ul> <li>Same as Windows Server 2022-</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2>Windows Security Updates</h2> <p><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support Page: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/december-10-2024-kb5048652-os-builds-19044-5247-and-19045-5247-454fbd4c-0723-449e-915b-8515ab41f8e3" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048652 </a></li> </ul> <p>Updates and improvements:</p> <ul> <li>Security fixes.</li> <li>Fixed an issue that prevented Windows activation after replacing the motherboard.</li> <li>Updates Country and Operator Settings Assets.</li> <li>Fixed an IPP USB printer issue.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support Page: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/december-10-2024-kb5048685-os-builds-22621-4602-and-22631-4602-ea3736d3-6948-4fd7-9faf-8d732ac2ed59" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048685 </a></li> </ul> <p>Updates and improvements:</p> <ul> <li>Security fixes.</li> <li>Tailored Experiences is now Personalized offers in the Out of box experience. Turn off under Settings &gt; Privacy &amp; Security.</li> <li>System Tray shows a shorter date and time. For date, the year is removed. For time, am/pm is removed. Can be restored under Settings &gt; Date and Time.</li> <li>Start menu apps support jumplists now. Reveal with a right-click. Hold down the Shift-click before right-clicking to start as admin.</li> <li>New options for touchscreen edge gestures to turn off left or right screen edge gestures. Configure under Settings &gt; Bluetooth &amp; devices &gt; Touch.</li> <li>IME Toolbar hides when apps are in full screen mode.</li> <li>File Explorer option to share content to Android devices. Requires the Phone Link app for PC.</li> <li>Dynamic Lighting got some new effects. Also placeholder if no compatible devices were found.</li> <li>Speech-to-text and Text-to-speech improvements. Needs an update via Microsoft Store, which is displayed to the user, if the update is required.</li> <li>Plenty of non-security fixes.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support page: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/december-10-2024-kb5048667-os-build-26100-2605-708755a6-d809-4a8a-8d20-53c4108590e6" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048667 </a></li> </ul> <p>Updates and improvements:</p> <ul> <li>Same as Windows 11 23H2.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows Security updates</strong></p> <ul> <li>2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1507 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048703" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048703</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048652" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048652</a>)</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048703" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Server</a></p> <ul> <li>2024-12 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2008 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048710" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048710</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Server 2008 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048744" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048744</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048676" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048676</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048695" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048695</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2012 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048699" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048699</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2012 R2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048735" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048735</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 Version 1607 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048671" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048671</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048661" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048661</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Cumulative Update for Microsoft server operating system, version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048654" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048654</a>)</li> <li>2024-12 Cumulative security Hotpatch for Azure Stack HCI, version 21H2 and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048800" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048800</a>)</li> </ul> <div id="td-incontent-1487325214072" class="rvloader-container mb--10"> <h3>Known Issues</h3> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>(<strong>OLD</strong>) OpenSSH may fail to start, which prevents SSH connections. <ul> <li>Workaround: Microsoft suggests updating permissions to temporarily address the issue. Instructions found <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/november-12-2024-kb5046633-os-builds-22621-4460-and-22631-4460-6ff7b117-cd80-471a-a9ac-48a794bda2d6#ID0ELBD=Catalog" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">here</a>.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>(OLD)</strong> Players on ARM devices may not be able to play Roblox via the Microsoft Store. <ul> <li>Workaround: download and play the title directly from the <a href="https://www.roblox.com/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">developer website</a>.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h3>Security advisories and updates</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-us/vulnerability/ADV990001" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-us/vulnerability/ADV990001">ADV 990001</a> -- Latest Servicing Stack Updates</li> </ul> <p><strong>Microsoft Office Updates</strong></p> <p>You find Office update information <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/office-updates-msi" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/office-updates-msi">here</a>.</p> <h3>How to download and install the December 2024 security updates</h3> <p>Important updates, including most security updates, get downloaded and installed automatically on most unmanaged Windows devices. This includes the majority of home devices.</p> <p>Home administrators may run a manual check for updates. Note that this may also reveal Feature Updates that are available for the PC.</p> <p>Step-by-step instructions:</p> <ol> <li>Open the Start menu, type Windows Update, and select the result.</li> <li>Activate the "check for updates" button. This runs a manual check for updates.</li> <li>Activate the "download &amp; install all" button, if the update is not downloaded automatically.</li> </ol> <p>Updates are also published on the Microsoft Catalog website. You find them linked below.</p> <h4>Direct update downloads</h4> <p>Below are resource pages with direct download links, if you prefer to download the updates to install them manually.</p> <p><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5048652" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048652</a> -- 2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 21H2</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5048685" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048685</a> -- 2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 version 22H2</li> </ul> <section class="entry"><strong>Windows 11 version 23H2</strong></section> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5048685" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048685</a> -- 2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 version 23H2</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong></p> <ul> <li id="page-header"><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5048667" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048667</a> -- 2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 version 24H2</li> </ul> <h4 class="entry"><strong>Additional resources</strong></h4> <section class="entry"> <ul> <li><a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2024-Dec" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2023-Jul">December 2024 Security Updates release notes</a></li> <li><a class="ext-link" title="" href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/description-of-software-update-services-and-windows-server-update-services-changes-in-content-for-2021-kb894199-0c540f4f-60c8-7dc2-23c9-48153749966d" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/description-of-software-update-services-and-windows-server-update-services-changes-in-content-for-2021-kb894199-0c540f4f-60c8-7dc2-23c9-48153749966d">List of software updates for Microsoft products</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/01/16/latest-windows-updates-and-service-packs-overview/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/01/16/latest-windows-updates-and-service-packs-overview/">List of the latest Windows Updates and Services Packs</a></li> <li><a href="https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance">Security Updates Guide</a></li> <li><a href="https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/">Microsoft Update Catalog site</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2010/12/20/microsoft-windows-update-overview-all-you-need-to-know/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2010/12/20/microsoft-windows-update-overview-all-you-need-to-know/">Our in-depth Windows update guide</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/02/15/how-to-install-optional-updates-on-windows-10/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/02/15/how-to-install-optional-updates-on-windows-10/">How to install optional updates on Windows 10</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-version-24h2-update-history-0929c747-1815-4543-8461-0160d16f15e5" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">Windows 11 24H2 Update History</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-version-23h2-update-history-59875222-b990-4bd9-932f-91a5954de434" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-update-history-a19cd327-b57f-44b9-84e0-26ced7109ba9">Windows 11 23H2 Update History</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-10-update-history-8127c2c6-6edf-4fdf-8b9f-0f7be1ef3562" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-10-update-history-857b8ccb-71e4-49e5-b3f6-7073197d98fb">Windows 10 Update History</a></li> </ul> </section> </div> <div></div> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/10/microsoft-releases-the-december-2024-security-updates-for-windows/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft releases the December 2024 security updates for Windows</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

3. OpenAI launches Sora, an AI tool that generates videos from text

   Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:43:18 -0000

   OpenAI has announced a new AI model that can create videos from text. Say hello to Sora.   Sora was introduced earlier this year in a preview, but now the AI-powered tool […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post OpenAI launches Sora, an AI tool that generates videos from text appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>OpenAI has announced a new AI model that can create videos from text. Say hello to Sora.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Sora was introduced earlier this year in a preview, but now the AI-powered tool has graduated from beta, bringing a newer model called <a href="https://openai.com/index/sora-is-here/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Sora Turbo</a>.</p> <h3><strong>OpenAI's Sora can generate videos based on text, images and videos</strong></h3> <p>The video generator's primary feature is easy to use, it's very similar to how artificial intelligence tools can be used to generate images. You enter a text prompt, describing the content of the video, and Sora creates the video for you. It offers additional features, such as allowing you to import images and video files.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206577" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/OpenAI-Sora-Video-Editor.jpg" alt="OpenAI Sora Video Editor" width="1091" height="617" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/OpenAI-Sora-Video-Editor.jpg 1091w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/OpenAI-Sora-Video-Editor-768x434.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1091px) 100vw, 1091px" /></p> <p>Sora Turbo can replace, remove and re-imagine, remix your videos based on your requirements. You can edit the content of your timeline, aka the Storyboard, by cutting, organizing the frames to create a personal timeline, looping videos, or combine two videos into a single clip. Sora can create videos based on a collection of photos. The AI offers presets with styles and filters that you can choose from. You can watch videos that were <a href="http://sora.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">created by Sora</a> at OpenAI's website.</p> <p>The maximum length of a video that Sora can create is 20 seconds, and there are more limitations in how one can use the tool. Videos generated by Sora have a watermark. There are many precautions in place, users cannot use the service to create illegal, explicit, or violent content.  Sora is not available for free users, you will need to have a <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/15/the-official-chatgpt-app-for-windows-is-now-available-for-free-users/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">ChatGPT</a> subscription. Let's talk about this.</p> <h3><strong>OpenAI Sora pricing and limitations</strong></h3> <p>OpenAI had announced a ChatGPT Pro subscription that costs $200 per month, and while the price seemed crazy, it kind of makes sense now. On the other hand, ChatGPT Plus only costs $20 a month. ChatGPT Plus users get 1000 credits for Sora, which offer up to 50 Priority videos, but does not allow access to Relaxed videos. ChatGPT Pro users have access to 500 Priority videos (10,000 credits), and unlimited Relaxed videos. Pro users can download videos without watermarks.</p> <p>Hang on, what are Priority Videos and Relaxed Videos? What are Sora credits? It's like this, credits are sort of tokens or currency that you can spend for generating Priority videos. A 20-second video in 1080p square resolution costs 1000 credits, but that's for ChatGPT Pro users. ChatGPT Plus users can only create 720p videos which are 5 seconds long.</p> <p>Relaxed videos do not consume credits, I guess you can call them free. The difference between Priority videos and Relaxed videos is kind of odd. Priority videos as the name suggests generates videos faster. When you run out of credits, Sora switches to Relaxed mode that queues up videos to be completed. Relaxed videos are only available for the higher-priced tier, ChatGPT Pro. Basically, this is a restriction in place to prevent the servers from getting hammered.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206578" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/OpenAI-Sora-pricing-and-limitations.jpg" alt="OpenAI Sora pricing and limitations" width="1108" height="864" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/OpenAI-Sora-pricing-and-limitations.jpg 1108w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/OpenAI-Sora-pricing-and-limitations-768x599.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1108px) 100vw, 1108px" /></p> <p>And no, Sora credits cannot be stacked up, they do not roll over to the next month. You either use the credits or they expire. There is a whole help page about all this, you can find the answers <a href="https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10245774-sora-billing-credits-faq" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">here</a>.</p> <p>Many people may feel that the price is too steep to create 20-second videos. I get it, you are probably thinking what are you going to use it for, besides as a screensaver or a personalized slideshow of some sort? For example, as a gamer and a bookworm, and I would like to experience what a particular fantasy world looks like in a video or art form, but is that worth $20? That depends on your spending power and needs. I think that tools like these might offer more value to artists, designers, etc.</p> <p class="!text-caption-mobile m:!text-caption-desktop my-0">Sora is not included with ChatGPT Team, Enterprise, or Edu. You need to be 18 years of age or older to access the AI. Sora is available for all ChatGPT subscribers, except those in the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the European Economic Area.</p> <p>Anyway, if you're interested in trying Sora or learning about its capabilities, you may want to check out the official help section and <a href="https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9957612-generating-videos-on-sora" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">tutorials</a> on OpenAI's portal, or the OpenAI <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=360ZqfabuPQ&amp;list=PLOXw6I10VTv8q5PPOsuECYDFqohnJqbYB" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">YouTube channel</a>.</p> <p>On a side note, Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO,<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/08/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-ai-development-is-finally-slowing-down.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external"> said</a> that the progress of AI tools have begun slowing down, and that the low-hanging fruit is gone. He's correct, AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Apple Intelligence, etc., have evolved from being mere chatbots to generating code, writing letters, poems, stories, summarizing text content on pages, generating images, and creating videos.  There is word already about <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/02/brace-yourself-ads-could-come-to-chatgpt-in-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">ads in AI apps</a>, but the next real big step in AI's evolution will take time. But, do we need to rush the advancements of AI? Would it not be better to improve the current AI models?</p> <p>AI moderation needs to be a top priority. Most, if not all, AI bots have many flaws. The biggest problem is, of course, combating fake news and incorrect information, but there are other concerns such as misusing of data, or potentially causing harm to others. Big Tech needs to take a deep breath, analyze the situation, and ensure that AI tools are made safer to use.</p> <p>What do you think about Sora? Cool? Scary? Useful? Meh?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/10/openai-launches-sora-an-ai-tool-that-generates-videos-from-text/" data-wpel-link="internal">OpenAI launches Sora, an AI tool that generates videos from text</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

4. iVerify: Pegasus spyware infections may be much higher than previously thought

   Mon, 09 Dec 2024 12:48:58 -0000

   Security experts at iVerify have developed a solution to detect traces of the spyware Pegasus on mobile devices. Pegasus is marketed as a solution to fight terrorism and crime, but governments all […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post iVerify: Pegasus spyware infections may be much higher than previously thought appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   Security experts at iVerify have developed a solution to detect traces of the spyware Pegasus on mobile devices. Pegasus is marketed as a solution to fight terrorism and crime, but governments all over the world have used it to spy on journalists, dissidents, or activists. We have talked about it in the past, for instance when Apple released updates for its products <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/09/14/apple-ios-security-update-forcedentry-pegasus/" data-wpel-link="internal">to prevent the spyware</a>. The spyware is available for Android and iOS, and it is not really clear how widespread its use is. The technology that <a href="https://iverify.io/blog/iverify-mobile-threat-investigation-uncovers-new-pegasus-samples" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">iVerify created</a> could help get a better understanding of that. <strong>Here are the details:</strong> <strong> </strong> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>iVerify calls the solution Mobile Threat Hunting.</li> <li>It is integrated into the company's iVerify Basic app and other company apps for Android and iOS.</li> <li>Preliminary scans of 2,500 devices running the software concluded that 2,5 per 1,000 were infected by Pegasus on Average.</li> </ul> While that may not sound much, extrapolation begs to differ. For every 1 million devices, 2,500 may be infected by Pegasus. If you take the 310 million mobile devices in the United States alone, you'd end up with more than 750,000 infected devices by Pegasus alone. IVerify argues that the number could be lower and gives reasons for that: <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>The 2,500 devices may have been more likely to be targeted by spyware.</li> <li>It is not a global representative sample.</li> </ul> <h2>You can test your devices for traces of Pegasus</h2> The company has integrated the scan for Pegaus into into its apps for Android and iOS. The iVerify Basic app is a security app that is available for $0.99 for <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trailofbits.iverify" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Android</a> and <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iverify-basic/id1466120520" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">iOS</a>. The security app supports a range of features. Notable are: <ul> <li>Scanning for common malware and out-of-date operating systems.</li> <li>Security guides.</li> <li>Advanced scan using diagnostic log uploads.</li> </ul> To test for Pegasus, it is necessary to create a full log file of the device and share it with the iVerify App. The log gets uploaded and then analyzed. This option is available once every 90 days for users of iVerify Basic. <strong>Note</strong>: Full bug reports contain lots of information about the device and software. This includes device logs, system message logs, stack traces, file system folder files, and more. <h3>Closing Words</h3> Mobile users who suspect that their devices may have been compromised may use the integrated security scan feature to check for Pegasus traces. The scan is not free, as you have to make a one-time payment of one Dollar to purchase the app. Still, it seems to be one of the few, or even the only, option right now to check for Pegasus traces on mobile devices without breaking the bank or having expert knowledge on the matter. <em>Now it is your turn. Have you heard of iVerify before? Would you run the app on your devices? </em> &nbsp; <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/09/iverify-pegasus-spyware-infections-may-be-much-higher-than-previously-thought/" data-wpel-link="internal">iVerify: Pegasus spyware infections may be much higher than previously thought</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

5. Google Search: about the new try without personalization option

   Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:19:44 -0000

   Google is rolling out a new feature on Google Search that is adding an option to display search results without any personalization. The feature, which is available on desktop and mobile devices […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google Search: about the new try without personalization option appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Google is rolling out a new feature on Google Search that is adding an option to display search results without any personalization. The feature, which is available on desktop and mobile devices is shown as a link at the bottom of search results on Google Search.</p> <p>Google reveals on its search pages that "results are personalized" by default. What that means is that Google uses information that it has about the searcher to display results. Google may use past searches, activity on search results pages, interaction with ads, location, but also other information to personalize results.</p> <p><strong>Related content</strong></p> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="YNkpjxzAwT"><p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/23/how-to-use-google-search-entirely-ai-free-automatically/" data-wpel-link="internal">How to use Google Search entirely AI-free automatically</a></p></blockquote> <p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;How to use Google Search entirely AI-free automatically&#8221; &#8212; gHacks Technology News" src="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/23/how-to-use-google-search-entirely-ai-free-automatically/embed/#?secret=8xzUmWbPDV#?secret=YNkpjxzAwT" data-secret="YNkpjxzAwT" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p>Personalized search results are not limited to users who are signed in to a Google account. Even if you are not signed-in, you may get custom results based on data that Google has about you or your activity.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206571" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/google-try-without-personalization.png" alt="Google new option to search without personalization" width="958" height="689" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/google-try-without-personalization.png 958w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/google-try-without-personalization-768x552.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 958px) 100vw, 958px" /></p> <p>A click or tap on the "try without personalization" link reloads the results without any of that. In other words: you get information as if Google would know nothing about you. While that does not guarantee that results will be different, it may help Google users who dislike getting their results personalized.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: you may automate this by appending <strong>&amp;peek_pws=0</strong> to the Google Search URL. It is probably only a matter of time before extensions are released that automate the process.</p> <h2>Exceptions</h2> <p>Google notes that it may still use the context of the query to improve results. It may use your location, language, or device type to personalize results, even when you select the do not personalize option.</p> <p>Turning off personalization disables the ability to find past searches in Autocomplete furthermore, according to Google.</p> <p>Additional information about the new option is available on the <a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/12410098?visit_id=638690854234549656-2650716724&amp;p=personalization&amp;rd=1" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Google Search Help website</a>.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>It is quite difficult to get search results that are not personalized. Google admits that it is still using some information to generate search results, even when users are logged out and activate the "do not personalize" option.</p> <p>If you do not want these to be included, you may need to use different search engines. Search engines like Startpage, DuckDuckGo, or Qwant claim that they do not personalize results.</p> <p><em>Now it is your turn. What is your take on the new Google Search feature? Would you like to see fully non-personalized search results on Google? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/06/google-search-about-the-new-try-without-personalization-option/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google Search: about the new try without personalization option</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

6. Windows 11: Microsoft sticks to system requirements, despite sluggish conversion

   Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:01:30 -0000

   Microsoft released Windows 11 in 2021 as the successor of Windows 10. Unlike previous Windows systems, Windows 11 came with an updated set of system requirements. Main requirements included a relatively modern […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Windows 11: Microsoft sticks to system requirements, despite sluggish conversion appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Microsoft released Windows 11 in 2021 as the successor of Windows 10. Unlike previous Windows systems, Windows 11 came with an updated set of system requirements.</p> <p>Main requirements included a relatively modern CPU and support for TPM 2.0. PCs that did not meet the requirements could not be upgraded to Windows 11 using Windows Update.</p> <p>While Microsoft introduced <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/08/how-to-upgrade-to-windows-11-24h2-on-unsupported-hardware/" data-wpel-link="internal">bypasses to install Windows 11</a> on devices that do not meet the system requirements, it <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/09/26/will-unsupported-windows-11-devices-be-bricked-by-microsoft/" data-wpel-link="internal">warned users</a> of the consequences. PCs that do not meet the system requirements of Windows 11 are not entitled to receive updates, according to Microsoft.</p> <p>While cumulative updates have installed fine on unsupported Windows 11 machines up until now, the same cannot be said for new feature updates.</p> <p>This year, <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/08/19/microsoft-blocks-one-way-of-installing-windows-11-on-unsupported-hardware/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft did block</a> one method of installing the operating system on unsupported hardware. It <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/02/26/windows-11-version-24h2-may-block-devices-without-sse-4-2-support/" data-wpel-link="internal">prevented the installation</a> of <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/01/windows-11-2024-is-now-available-what-you-need-to-know/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 11, version 24H2</a>, on very old systems as well, even though previous versions installed just fine.</p> <h3>Slow conversion</h3> <p>Third-party statistics service <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-version-market-share/windows/desktop/worldwide" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">StatCounter</a> observes traffic on more than 1.5 million websites. The company sees Windows 10 leading the field when it comes to Windows PCs.</p> <p>Windows 10 has a usage share of more than 61 percent as of November 2024. Windows 11 follows in second place with a share of around 35 percent.</p> <p>Windows 10 loses about a percentage per month and Windows 11 gains that percentage. With eleven months of support left for Windows 10, it is clear that conversions need to accelerate to even make it past Windows 10 until October 2025.</p> <p>Millions of PCs won't be upgraded to Windows 11 or replaced by a Windows 11 device by October 2025. That leaves these customers without support, unless they plan to purchase extended security updates.</p> <p>Microsoft is making them available to home users, businesses, and Enterprise customers for the first time. Home users may subscribe for a single year of update extensions, whereas business and Enterprise customers get the option to extend by three years.</p> <p>System requirements are here to stay</p> <p>Microsoft could reduce the pressure on its customers and do something for the environment, if it would change the system requirements of Windows 11.</p> <p>At least one requirement is non-negotiable, according to Microsoft. Microsoft employee Steven Hosking explains in a <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/tpm-2-0-%e2%80%93-a-necessity-for-a-secure-and-future-proof-windows-11/4339066" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">long blog post</a> on the company's Windows IT Pro Blog that TPM 2.0 is essential for Windows 11.</p> <p>The trusted platform module is used for cryptographic operations and also storage. Devices that do not support it are blocked from upgrading, but there are ways around this as mentioned above.</p> <p>With Microsoft putting its foot on the ground, the only other potential lever left is the processor. It would allow systems with TPM and a not-so-recent processor to upgrade to Windows 11.</p> <h2>Closing Words</h2> <p>While it seems doubtful that Microsoft is relaxing the requirements, outside pressure could force Microsoft's hand.</p> <p>More than 100 million incompatible systems and customers could potentially be lost in October 2025, if Microsoft decides to play hardball and customers decide not to replace their perfectly-fine PC with a new one.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/14/windows-10-support-ends-in-exactly-1-year-here-are-your-options/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 10 users have some options</a> besides upgrading to Windows 11.</p> <p><em>Do you use a PC with Windows 10 or earlier versions of Windows? What are your plans going forward? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/05/windows-11-microsoft-sticks-to-system-requirements-despite-sluggish-conversion/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 11: Microsoft sticks to system requirements, despite sluggish conversion</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

7. Tape Storage Technology: Managing Archival Integrity and Data Recovery Challenges

   Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:16:12 -0000

   For decades, tape storage has formed the backbone of data archiving, finding its application in financial records, compliance, large-scale backup, and much more. Tapes proved to be a reliable, cost-effective solution for […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Tape Storage Technology: Managing Archival Integrity and Data Recovery Challenges appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>For decades, <b>tape storage</b> has formed the backbone of data archiving, finding its application in financial records, compliance, large-scale backup, and much more. Tapes proved to be a reliable, cost-effective solution for storing massive amounts of information. Throughout the dawn of <b>digital archiving</b>, tape storage became a cornerstone that gave businesses and institutions a trustworthy means of securing data in a physical format. But time marches on, and with it, our requirements and expectations on data access to data evolved.</p> <p>As dependable as tape storage is for long-term archiving, it still does face the challenge of maintaining <b>archival integrity</b> and <b>data recovery from older drives</b>. Degradation of devices and media, hardware obsolescence, and reduced accessibility to knowledgeable personnel increase difficulty in accessing or recovering relevant data stored on legacy LTO formats.</p> <p>This article looks at these challenges and explores <b>Stellar Data Recovery for Tape</b> as a robust solution to <b>ensure the integrity</b>, <b>accessibility</b>, and <b>longevity </b>of your archived data</p> <h2><b>Challenges to Archival Integrity</b></h2> <p>Tape storage is extremely reliable; however, it does come with a number of problems as it ages. The clearest issue is <b>physical degradation</b>. Given enough time, the material of the magnetic tape is highly likely to deteriorate, which will result in corrupted data or even a complete loss of information. Humidity and poor conditions during storage accelerate the deterioration process and make retrieval harder.</p> <p>Another challenge is the format’s <b>compatibility with outdated hardware and software</b>. Tape technology evolves, and as a result older hardware becomes obsolete. While the latest models of LTO tape drives are still manufactured, they primarily cater to newer tape formats. Take LTO-4 for example, these drives are no longer actively supported or manufactured by reputable brands, with many EOSL (End of Service Life) deadlines well-passed. For replacements, buying second hand comes with its own set of risks with no warranties and an increased potential for failure.</p> <p>New drives have limited backwards compatibility and typically will only support tapes up to two generations, so an <b>LTO-8 drive</b> would be compatible with LTO-6 tapes, but not work for the <b>LTO-4 format</b>.</p> <h3>Future-Proofing Data: The Importance of Regular Data Migration</h3> <p>Apart from issues like<b> failing hardware</b>, <b>incompatibility with modern systems</b>, decommissioned equipment or loss of knowledgeable staff can render data inaccessible when it’s needed most. Simply having the means for an easy way to carry out regular <b>data  migration</b> is one way that you can ensure archival integrity and that valuable information doesn’t get lost.</p> <p>Setting up these processes with tools like Stellar Data Recovery for Tape, will help to keep your organization in a position to<b> easily adopt future generations of storage formats</b> when they’re released. These tape storage formats will break through the “petabyte barrier” and offer faster read speeds.</p> <p>Keeping your archived data on modern formats cannot be overstated. It optimises operational efficiency when you need to access that data and helps keep historic insights alive. With <b>Stellar Data Recovery for Tape</b>, companies can protect their past and power their future, by reducing risks from data loss and inefficiency.</p> <h3><b>Lost or Inaccessible Data: The Real Cost</b></h3> <p>The inability to retrieve data from <b>legacy tapes</b> has serious consequences, especially for businesses. Imagine a company in an audit situation, struggling to access the information requested because the data is stored on older tape format that faces compatibility issues and cannot be parsed correctly on the latest systems at the organisation. This presents compliance and credibility risks. Legacy data sometimes contains significant insights. The inability to put these insights into use adversely <b>impacts strategic decision-making</b>.</p> <h2><b>Consequences of Inaccessible Data for Business and Personal Outcomes</b></h2> <p>Being unable to extract data from an LTO tape may bring severe consequences, affecting businesses and personal goals. <b>Compliance risks</b> are a high-priority problem encountered by businesses. Generally speaking, regulatory authorities require an organization to retain historical data to present at any time. In the case of inaccessible data, non-compliance implies fines, penalties or other adverse legal actions.</p> <p><b>Missed Opportunities Due to Data Loss</b></p> <p>Going even beyond compliance issues, data that is not accessible equates to<b> lost opportunities</b>. Historical data remains a key asset in most organizations for performing trend analysis, making informed decisions, and doing strategic planning for the future. Organizations that cannot access their archives are losing valuable insights into how their business can grow and maintain a competitive advantage.</p> <p><b>Operational Inefficiencies</b></p> <p><b>Operational inefficiency</b> is another case that might come from relying on outdated tape storage technologies. For instance, organizations relying on retrieving data manually from old tapes have to endure time-wasting procedures, which delay business operations. Such ineffectiveness does not just limit daily operations; it also limits long-term productivity and scalability.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206567 aligncenter" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Sacn-3.jpg" alt="" width="850" height="600" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Sacn-3.jpg 850w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Sacn-3-768x542.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" /></p> <h2><b>When Would You Need to Recover Data from LTO Tape Storage?</b></h2> <p>There are various reasons as to why managing legacy tape storage is difficult. First among these challenges is <b>technology obsolescence</b>. As respective storage technologies  progress and update, the hardware and formats on older tapes also become outdated, making them harder to maintain. This, in turn, leads to a situation of dependency on equipment that may begin to face compatibility issues. It’s prudent to have a means to recover your archived data if this were to happen.</p> <p><b>Environmental and Physical Degradation</b></p> <p>A point we touched upon earlier is <b>environmental and physical degrading</b>. It’s really worth reiterating that while tapes such as LTO can have lifespans of 20 years, they are still sensitive to conditions such as humidity, temperature, and dust exposure. All these aforementioned conditions, given sufficient time, will result in the quicker deterioration of tape quality and corrupt or completely unreadable data.</p> <p>While <b>SSDs </b>and <b>HDDs </b>have shorter life spans than this, they also <b>enjoy wider compatibility and good ease of duplication</b>. They can safely be replicated and migrated long before failure. So, while LTO tapes boast longer theoretical lifespans, their reliance on specific hardware and limited backward compatibility (typically two generations) creates a unique vulnerability in its own right. Whereas tapes will degrade over a longer time, the simultaneous obsolescence of reading systems compounds the risk, effectively "trapping" data until it gets corrupted.</p> <h3><b>Operational Failures in Tape Handling or Drives</b></h3> <p>Operational issues with tapes can lead to failures that require data recovery. These include:</p> <ul> <li aria-level="1">Unusual wear on the LTO tape.</li> <li aria-level="1">Incorrect insertion of tapes into a drive causing alignment issues.</li> <li aria-level="1">Faulty or damaged LSI controllers, which may disrupt data transfer.</li> <li aria-level="1">Badly placed leader pin position in the LTO tape cartridge, This prevents the tape from being readable or writable.</li> <li aria-level="1">Read/write errors or misconfigured/incompatible tape drivers that disrupt operations</li> </ul> <p><b>Lack of Skilled Personnel</b></p> <p>Adding to these complications is <b>lacking skilled personnel</b>. Management of LTO tapes storage requires expertise that has grown increasingly rare as newer technologies assume dominance in the data storage universe. Fewer technicians are being trained in the management, let alone the repair, of outdated tape drives. Retrieving data, therefore, is often expensive and laborious.</p> <p><b>Why Are Retrieval Costs So High?</b></p> <p>All these factors work against easy data retrieval due to the obsolescence of technology, risks from the environment, and a shortage of professionals. On some occasions, companies might have to resort to <b>specialized services</b> or acquire rare and outdated equipment in the face of growing costs added to an already difficult task of accessing legacy data.</p> <h2><b>Safeguard Archival Integrity and Ensure Reliable Data Recovery with Stellar</b></h2> <p>Whether you’re migrating data or recovering it,<b> Stellar Data Recovery for Tape</b> is one solution that can maintain your archival integrity. This specialist <a href="https://www.stellarinfo.com/tape-data-recovery.php" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">LTO tape data recovery software</a> can recover data from several tape formats, including popular Linear Tape-Open stage tech (<i>LTO 9, 8, 7, 6, and earlier</i>). Stellar supports LTO tape drives from leading manufacturers like<b> IBM, HP, Quantum, and Oracle</b>, thus ensuring a great degree of compatibility for easy data access between systems.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206565 aligncenter" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Main-Screen-1.jpg" alt="" width="850" height="600" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Main-Screen-1.jpg 850w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Main-Screen-1-768x542.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" /></p> <h3><b>Key Features of Stellar Data Recovery for Tape</b></h3> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><b>Comprehensive Data Recovery</b>: It recovers different types of files, including SQL databases, Exchange databases, Office documents, and multimedia files.</li> </ul> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><b>Multiple Tape Data Parser Support</b>: Stellar supports a significant range of tape data parsers which enables recovery of large volumes of business-critical full and incremental backups from LTO tapes that were configured with various backup software. It’s able to handle data from <b>Symantec</b>, <b>Windows NT Backups</b>, <b>TAR &amp; CPIO (Gzip, Bzip and XZ compression methods)</b>, <b>Veritas (.BKF &amp; Compressed .BKF)</b>, and more. It also offers PAX utility support on CentOS, FreeBSD and Sun Solaris systems.</li> </ul> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><b>Image Creation for Recovery</b>: Performs an image dump of tape media, providing several options for recovering data even from corrupted or non-accessible tapes while leaving the integrity of the original tape intact.</li> <li aria-level="1"><b>User-Friendly Interface</b>: Users can enjoy an intuitive GUI-based interface to preview specified files or folders for recovery in a tabular tree-like structure.</li> <li aria-level="1"><b>Customizable Block Size Selection</b>: User-defined block size can be used for read/write operations during recovery.There’s also the 'Auto' block size option which will use an optimal block size based on the tape data.</li> </ul> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206566 aligncenter" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Select-Location-2.jpg" alt="" width="850" height="600" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Select-Location-2.jpg 850w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Select-Location-2-768x542.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li aria-level="1"><b>Flexible Saving Options</b>: Saves recovered data in user-defined locations, including local systems or external storage devices. This supports flexible data management, even after recovery.</li> </ul> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206568 aligncenter" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Save-4.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="522" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Save-4.jpg 1000w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Stellar-Data-Recovery-for-Tape-Save-4-768x401.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><b>Why Stellar is the Trusted Solution</b></h3> <p><b>Stellar Data Recovery for Tape</b> is made with a simple but effective user-friendly interface that eases users through the recovery process, guided through without any technical complications. Stellar supports a wide range of tape formats and can boast a <b>100% success rate</b> provided the <b>medium isn’t damaged physically</b>. It’s a versatile and trusted solution for many businesses dealing with legacy tape storage problems.</p> <p><b>Stellar focuses on flexibility and reliability</b>, hence it is one of the leading solutions for accessing historical data and transforming otherwise inaccessible archives into useful assets for key business decisions today. With Stellar, companies can make sure that critical information from the past remains accessible and continues serving their own evolving needs.</p> <h2>Preserving the Past, Powering the Future: Ensuring Accessibility of Legacy Tape Storage</h2> <p>As we’ve seen, there are some very real <b>challenges with older and aging tape storage types</b>, not limited to physical degradation, technological obsolescence, compliance failure, operational inefficiencies, and missed opportunities.</p> <p>The emphasis on <b>converting your data for the latest storage solutions</b> cannot be understated. Ultimately it will empower your organization to unlock value from historical archives and protect its usability for the future. Your legacy data should not be an inaccessible relic of the past; proactive steps must be taken today.</p> <p>See how <b>Stellar Data Recovery for Tape </b>can bridge the gap, keep your data available, and keep you ready to meet the demands of tomorrow.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/05/tape-storage-technology-managing-archival-integrity-and-data-recovery-challenges/" data-wpel-link="internal">Tape Storage Technology: Managing Archival Integrity and Data Recovery Challenges</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

8. Apple releases iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox, but only for macOS Sonoma

   Thu, 05 Dec 2024 07:44:09 -0000

   Apple has finally released the iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox, well over a year after it was launched for Chrome and Edge. But, there is a catch. iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Apple releases iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox, but only for macOS Sonoma appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Apple has finally released the<a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/13/apple-releases-icloud-passwords-extension-for-chrome-and-edge-on-macos-sonoma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal"> iCloud Passwords</a> extension for Firefox, well over a year after it was launched for Chrome and Edge. But, there is a catch.</p> <h3><strong>iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox is a macOS exclusive</strong></h3> <p>I was really excited when I heard the news and installed the <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/icloud-passwords/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">add-on</a> to test it on my Windows laptop. When I clicked on the button to access it, a pop-up said, "The iCloud Passwords extension is compatible with macOS Sonoma or later." And the extension's page on the AMO mentions that it is not available for Windows at this time. Oh, well. It doesn't support Linux either.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206555" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-Windows-11.jpg" alt="iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox on Windows 11" width="647" height="293" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The pop-up also mentions that the add-on is available for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows. It's kind of silly to promote those versions via the Firefox extension, I suppose it is there to educate users about options they could consider.</p> <p>Why is the iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox exclusively available for macOS Sonoma 14, and not on Ventura, or Monterey? I'm guessing it has something to do with the new Passwords app that debuted with Sonoma, it's a pretty impressive app that has additional options for generating and managing passwords that are not available in older versions of iCloud Keychain. Some users may prefer using Firefox on their Mac instead of Apple Safari, so the iCloud Passwords extension can be really invaluable for such users.</p> <p>But, it is likely that there are a lot more users who have an iPhone or iPad and a Windows PC, than those with an iPhone/iPad and a Mac. I hope Apple will eventually add support for Firefox on Windows in the future, just like how <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/08/20/apple-podcasts-is-now-available-for-all-web-browsers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Apple Podcasts</a> on the web was updated to support Mozilla's browser.</p> <p>What's interesting is there has been no official word about the Firefox add-on from Apple. Here's more. The Cupertino company has taken over the iCloud Passwords extension from a third-party developer called <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1h692x1/icloud_passwords_for_firefox_officially_released/m0cqehe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Aurélien</a>. The <a href="https://github.com/au2001/icloud-passwords-firefox" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">GitHub repository</a> of the old add-on now states that the ownership of the extension's listing has been transferred to Apple Inc, and that the GitHub page is no longer related to the new version.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206556" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox.jpg" alt="iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox" width="792" height="550" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox.jpg 792w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-768x533.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px" /></p> <p>Wait, if Apple hasn't confirmed this, how do we know it's legit? Just access <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/user/10200780/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Apple's developer account</a> page on the AMO, and you will see iCloud Passwords listed along with the old iCloud Bookmarks extension.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206560" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-takes-over-iCloud-Passwords-Firefox-extension-scaled.jpg" alt="Apple takes over iCloud Passwords Firefox extension" width="1200" height="538" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-takes-over-iCloud-Passwords-Firefox-extension-scaled.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-takes-over-iCloud-Passwords-Firefox-extension-768x345.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Aurélien further clarified on <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1h692x1/icloud_passwords_for_firefox_officially_released/m0gopyi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">reddit</a> saying that he handed over the extension's rights to Apple willingly, and chose to do so without receiving any compensation in return. That's a nice gesture. He also explained that Apple replaced his code, which worked in Firefox on all platforms, with their own Chrome extension's code that broke compatibility with Windows. Aurélien reverse engineered the add-on and wasn't pleased to <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1h692x1/icloud_passwords_for_firefox_officially_released/m0cssqv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">discover</a> that Apple's version was terribly optimized, and uses way more permissions than it should.</p> <p>Well, that's kind of stupid, ruining the old version and launching it as a "Sonoma exclusive", I suppose this is Apple Intelligence at work. There is a thread at <a href="https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/icloud-keychain-extension-support-on-windows/idi-p/26645" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Mozilla Connect</a> where users had been requesting support for iCloud Keychain on Windows for over a year. I'm sure they will be disappointed.</p> <h3><strong>iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox on macOS Sonoma</strong></h3> <p>All things said, I was able to test the extension on my Mac. When you click on the extension, it asks you to enter the verification code from your Apple device. It might seem strange entering the code from your Mac to login on to the same device, but this is probably a security measure to prevent unauthorized access, aka remote logins.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206558" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-Windows-scaled.jpg" alt="iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox on Windows" width="1200" height="669" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-Windows-scaled.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-Windows-768x428.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Once you log in through the extension, it prompts you to open the Passwords app. Aha! That's why it doesn't support Windows, or older versions of macOS, and of course, Linux. I wonder if Apple can update the iCloud for Windows app to make it compatible with the add-on.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206559" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-macOS-Sonoma-scaled.jpg" alt="iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox on macOS Sonoma" width="1200" height="669" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-macOS-Sonoma-scaled.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iCloud-Passwords-extension-for-Firefox-on-macOS-Sonoma-768x428.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>It's fairly straightforward from here on, you just need to visit websites and the add-on will autofill your passwords securely from iCloud Keychain. The plugin syncs your data across your Apple devices, and you can also use it to generate verification codes. You may set up TOTP codes by right-clicking on QR codes displayed in Firefox. That's pretty cool.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/05/apple-releases-icloud-passwords-extension-for-firefox-but-only-for-macos-sonoma/" data-wpel-link="internal">Apple releases iCloud Passwords extension for Firefox, but only for macOS Sonoma</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

9. How to enable the Ultimate Performance plan in Windows 11

   Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:01:15 -0000

   Windows 11 supports several power modes by default. These allow users to customize the power consumption of the device. By default, only a few power modes are available: balanced, power saver, and […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to enable the Ultimate Performance plan in Windows 11 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Windows 11 supports several power modes by default. These allow users to customize the power consumption of the device.</p> <p>By default, only a few power modes are available: balanced, power saver, and high performance. Here is how they differ:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Balanced</strong>: attempts to balance performance and energy consumption.</li> <li><strong>Save Power</strong>: attempts to save power by reducing performance.</li> <li><strong>High performance:</strong> improves performance, but may require more energy.</li> </ul> <p>What Microsoft does not tell its users is that Windows 11 supports more power modes. These are not shown by default, however and need to be enabled by administrators before they become available.</p> <p>One of these modes is Ultimate Performance. This mode is available on Windows 11 Pro for Workstations systems only by default. It can be activated on other systems. Here is what it does:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Ultimate Performance</strong>: ensures maximum performance on high-end PCs</li> </ul> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: you may enable the Ultimate power plan <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/04/13/enable-the-ultimate-power-plan-on-windows-10-pro-or-home/" data-wpel-link="internal">on Windows 10</a> as well.</p> <h3>How to enable Ultimate Performance mode in Windows 11</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206550" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-enable-ultimate-performance-mode.png" alt="Windows 11 Ultimate Performance Mode" width="1113" height="341" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-enable-ultimate-performance-mode.png 1113w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-enable-ultimate-performance-mode-768x235.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1113px) 100vw, 1113px" /></p> <p>It takes just a few steps to add the Ultimate Performance power plan to the Windows 11 system.</p> <ol> <li>Use the keyboard shortcut <strong>Windows</strong>-X to open the secret menu.</li> <li>Launch <strong>Terminal</strong> from the menu.</li> <li>Type the command <strong>powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61</strong>.</li> <li>Press the <strong>Enter-key</strong>.</li> </ol> <p>This adds the power plan to the operating system. A restart of the system is not required. It can now be selected in the following way:</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206551" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-power-options.png" alt="Windows 11 Power Options Ultimate Performance" width="1044" height="543" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-power-options.png 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-power-options-768x399.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <ol> <li>Open the <strong>Start</strong> menu.</li> <li>Type <strong>Power</strong>.</li> <li>Launch <strong>Power options</strong>.</li> <li>Select<strong> Ultimate Performance</strong> in the window that opens. (you may need to expand "hide additional plans" to see it)</li> </ol> <p>Note that you may change the power plan at any time. Just select a different plan, the recommended Balanced plan for instance using the Power options menu.</p> <p>You should not expect a groundbreaking performance boost after enabling the Ultimate Performance plan, but it may be worth a shot if you want to get the maximum performance out of the Windows 11 device.</p> <p>The plan may is not ideal for mobile use, as it may cause power consumption to go up. In other words, you may need to connect it to a power source earlier compared to other power plans.</p> <p><em>Now it is your turn. Have you changed the power options on your Windows devices, or do you prefer to keep the defaults? </em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/04/how-to-enable-the-ultimate-performance-plan-in-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">How to enable the Ultimate Performance plan in Windows 11</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

10. Overwhelmed by Your Inbox? Here’s How to Reclaim Control

    Wed, 04 Dec 2024 11:58:18 -0000

    Overwhelmed by your inbox? You're not alone. For many of us these days, email management has turned into a daily challenge that grows with each newsletter, receipt, and notification that keeps popping […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Overwhelmed by Your Inbox? Here’s How to Reclaim Control appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Overwhelmed by your inbox? You're not alone. For many of us these days, <strong>email management</strong> has turned into a daily challenge that grows with each newsletter, receipt, and notification that keeps popping up. Sorting through this digital clutter to find the important messages has become more time-consuming than productive. If that sounds all too familiar to you, <a href="https://try.sanebox.com/2iutc1s9xiai" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer"><strong>SaneBox </strong></a>might just be the answer.</p> <p>SaneBox automatically sorts, snoozes, and prioritizes such emails using advanced A.I, bringing order to overloaded inboxes. Today, we look at how <strong>SaneBox </strong>can help reclaim hours each week by transforming your inbox into an organized and productive space.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Never-Ending Struggle with Inbox Clutter</strong></h2> <p>For a busy professional, the inbox can seem like the modern equivalent of a corkboard, littered with promotional <strong>emails</strong>, <strong>newsletters</strong>, <strong>receipts</strong>, and the occasional important message buried beneath the mess. It's quite easy, amid this chaos, to let the high-priority emails fall between the cracks and thus miss important opportunities and deadlines.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206515" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-ai.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="564" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-ai.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-ai-768x361.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Fragmented Focus and Decreased Productivity</strong></h3> <p>The fragmentation of focus due to an influx of interrupting incoming messages minimizes productivity. <strong>Constant notifications take away precious attention from tasks</strong> that are really important and result in slower responses.</p> <p>We've all been there—midway through a project, only to get sidetracked by a flurry of notifications.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Falling Behind on Communication</strong></h3> <p>Then there’s the lingering stress of <strong>feeling perpetually behind on communication</strong>. Many find themselves unable to catch up on email responses, which can strain client relationships or cause communication gaps within teams.</p> <p>This ongoing fight with cluttered emails begets need for an intelligent solution: An inbox that keeps only the important emails in view and filters out distractions. That's where <strong>SaneBox </strong>comes in. This AI-driven tool create <strong>Sane Folders</strong> such as <strong>SaneLater</strong> to organize critical messages from the low-priority ones, and features such as <strong>SaneReminders </strong>to help manage your follow-ups efficiently. <strong>SaneBox </strong>is designed to let busy professionals pay attention to what really matters and let the rest be handled by intelligent automation.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How Email Overload Erodes Your Productivity</strong></h2> <p>Did you know that professionals can <strong>waste up to 3-4 hours each week</strong> just sifting through emails? The time spent manually sorting out your inbox, junk mail, promotional offers, and newsletters is better spent for other purposes. Mundane routines are enervating, draining our time and energy.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206516" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-Desktop.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="589" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-Desktop.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-Desktop-768x377.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Mental Strain of Constant Interruptions</strong></h3> <p>Beyond this measurable loss of time, there is the psychological toll from the constant stream of email notifications. Every new message represents a <strong>potential distraction</strong> from focused work and fragments your attention. This unending cycle of interruption leads to increased stress, reduced creativity, and generally lowered productivity.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneBox: The AI-Driven Solution for Managing Email Overload</strong></h2> <p><strong>Sanebox </strong>is designed to bring order back into your inbox. This AI-powered tool filters distractions away from what matters with auto-email filtering. What really stands out is that it’s compatible with any email client, no software installation is required, and it only takes a few minutes to set up. There’s also a <strong>14-day trial</strong> for users to try this service out for free, which we’ll cover more later.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206517" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-Dashboard.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="471" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-Dashboard.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-Dashboard-768x301.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Key Features of SaneBox for Time and Stress Reduction</strong></h3> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneLater: Prioritize What Matters</strong></h4> <p><strong>SaneLater </strong>automatically <strong>moves low-priority messages</strong> from your inbox to a SaneLater folder, where they remain until you want or need them. Consider this: as a manager, you get dozens of newsletters that come in daily about the industry, which are useful but not urgent. SaneLater moves these emails out of the way so that your inbox is left for critical messages from clients and team members. This lets you put your focus on what's most important, without having to sift through distractions.</p> <p>This almost makes the main inbox feel lighter, making it easier to focus on the messages that matter most. It’s the <strong>core of the product</strong>, and for those of us who live by our inboxes, it feels like a true “before and after” moment— revolutionising how we manage email and making it difficult to imagine ever going back.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneBlackHole: Clear Out Unwanted Senders</strong></h4> <p>For those of us tired of getting emails from persistent senders, <strong>SaneBlackHole gets rid of unwanted contacts</strong> with just one simple move. We move an email to SaneBlackHole, and future messages from that sender go straight to the trash. Simple. This is great for those replete with unsolicited emails from recurring sources and offers a stress-free method to unclutter.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneReminders: Never Miss a Follow-Up</strong></h4> <p>Follow-ups can become a bit of a headache, especially in cases where you’re waiting on a response. <strong>SaneReminders takes care of this by automatically setting reminders on those emails that go unreplied</strong> beyond certain periods of time. For example, you are a project lead waiting for approval of a proposal; SaneReminders ensures you nudge at the right time when there’s no reply within the set period, so nothing falls through the cracks.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Snooze Folders: Handle Emails When You’re Ready</strong></h4> <p><strong>Snooze Folders lets you conceal emails that are not urgent </strong>when you are not ready to deal with them. For instance, imagine getting a report in the middle of a task that requires your full attention. You can snooze it, and then it will pop back into your inbox at a time of your choosing so you can take care of it without distracting yourself from more important things.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Enhanced Features for Advanced Email Control</strong></h3> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneDoNotDisturb: Focus Without Distraction</strong></h4> <p><strong>DoNotDisturb</strong> <strong>will mute incoming emails </strong>during time slots set aside for focusing, so you carry on uninterrupted. This ensures you get dedicated time to get into “the flow” without distractions, and notifications won’t hamper your productivity.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneAttachments: Manage Attachments Seamlessly</strong></h4> <p><strong>SaneAttachments </strong>is a feature that<strong> integrates SaneBox with your favorite cloud storage</strong>. It will instantly move email attachments to services like Dropbox or Google Drive. This saves inbox space and keeps important files organized from one accessible location. It works perfectly for managing large volumes of attachments without cluttering your inbox.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneDigest: A Daily Overview of Your Inbox</strong></h4> <p><strong>SaneDigest gives a daily summary of email activities</strong>, showcasing what has been filtered, saved, or moved to <em>SaneLater</em>. The report means you can quickly review and adjust settings in SaneBox at your convenience and your inbox management evolves with your preferences.</p> <p>It’s liberating to finally trust that only emails which need attention will be waiting for you when you check your inbox.</p> <p>By reducing clutter, minimizing distractions, and prioritizing essential emails, <strong>SaneBox helps you focus on the work that matters</strong>, significantly improving both efficiency and well-being.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How SaneBox Stands Out from Traditional Email Management</strong></h2> <p>Unlike basic email filters and management products, which generally require systematic setting up and further adjustments in an ongoing process, <strong>SaneBox makes use of AI to intuitively categorize and prioritize your inbox</strong>. Traditional filters just move emails based on set criteria but don’t possess the adaptive intelligence that SaneBox offers: learning your preferences and organizing your inbox without your constant intervention.</p> <p>This AI-powered system recovers those 3-4 hours every week that would have been devoted to tedious clutter management. SaneBox has garnered a tremendous reputation among other productivity experts, and reviewers from <strong>PCMag </strong>and <strong>Forbes</strong> have praised it as an essential tool for managing emails.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206518" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-B2B.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="644" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-B2B.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-B2B-768x412.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SaneBox Pricing and Subscription Options</strong></h2> <p>SaneBox provides flexible subscription plans to suit different needs and budgets. Each plan offers discounts on annual and biennial billing, giving users added flexibility. Below we’ve listed the monthly prices:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong>Snack Plan</strong>: Ideal for individuals with a single email account, this plan includes two core features and starts at <strong>$7 per month</strong>.</li> <li><strong>Lunch Plan</strong>: Perfect for users managing up to two email accounts, with access to six features, starting at <strong>$12 per month</strong>.</li> <li><strong>Dinner Plan</strong>: Designed for power users managing up to four email accounts, this plan includes all SaneBox features and starts at <strong>$36 per month</strong>.</li> </ul> <p>With a <strong>14-day trial</strong>, which puts you on the “Dinner Plan”, you can experience the difference right away and decide if it’s the game-changer your inbox has been missing. If it is, there’s an <strong>exclusive $25 discount</strong> available for readers who sign up, and if you need more time to decide you can even send them an email asking to extend the trial: They might be able to arrange something for you.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206519" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-Pricing.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="644" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-Pricing.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/SaneBox-Pricing-768x412.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Expert Reviews and Positive Feedback</strong></h2> <p>SaneBox has been making waves all over. It has changed how people manage their emails. <strong>PCMag </strong>regards it as "<em>the best thing that has happened to email,</em>" while <strong>Forbes </strong>mentions “<em>Quite honestly, I think you’ll fall in love with email again...and you’ll gain back control of your inbox</em>.”</p> <p>Users consistently report time savings after starting to use the service as well as decreased stress, and in particular, how easy it is to use.</p> <p>After giving it a shot, it’s easy to see why. And we’ll <strong>add our two cents:</strong></p> <p><strong>SaneBox feels like you have a thoughtful assistant in your inbox</strong>, filtering out the noise so only what truly matters makes it through. It’s surprisingly freeing to open your email just to know it's already sorted to fit your day. It makes email feel manageable again.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206520" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-review.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="610" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-review.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/sanebox-review-768x390.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Setting Up SaneBox: Quick-Start Guide for New Users</strong></h2> <p>Starting with SaneBox is simple, and setup takes just a few minutes. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:</p> <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong>Go to SaneBox.com and Add Your Email</strong>: This is to authorize the service. If you are a Google or Yahoo user, click on the direct login via your account and this will happen automatically. For other services there are some additional but simple steps to connect.</li> <li><strong>Select Folders to Enable</strong>: Upon activation, SaneBox will walk you through creating the setup of folders. The primary folder, <strong>@SaneLater</strong>, gathers less critical messages. There is also <strong>@SaneNews</strong> for Newsletters and <strong>SaneCC </strong>for CC'd emails.</li> <li><strong>Train the AI</strong>: Continue usage of your inbox like normal. You can move emails manually to the folders, which helps SaneBox learn where they need to go.</li> </ol> <p><strong>No software installation is required</strong>, as SaneBox integrates with your existing inbox for immediate ease into organized email management. The coolest thing about the process is that it doesn’t have any need for downloads, and you can start to watch your inbox get organized right out of the gate.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Get Started with a Smarter Inbox</strong></h2> <p><strong>SaneBox ensures that what matters comes first and distractions get sidelined</strong>, redefining the way we handle our inboxed. It’s like magic having an inbox that segregates unimportant messages on its own, revealing a clutter-free view of only the important emails, saving you time for what really matters.</p> <p>If you're ready to see just how much time — and peace of mind — you can gain, try <a href="https://try.sanebox.com/2iutc1s9xiai" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">SaneBox with a<strong> 14-day free trial</strong></a> on the full plan. And with a <strong>$25 discount</strong>, you'll be well on your way when you sign up for a subscription.</p> <p>It's one of those simple but major changes that will have a great impact on our email management.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/04/overwhelmed-by-your-inbox-heres-how-to-reclaim-control/" data-wpel-link="internal">Overwhelmed by Your Inbox? Here’s How to Reclaim Control</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

11. How to enable Tab Groups in Firefox

    Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:43:32 -0000

    Mozilla has been working on integrating tab groups in Firefox for quite some time. The organization confirmed in May that it was working on a set of features that would allow Firefox […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to enable Tab Groups in Firefox appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Mozilla has been working on integrating tab groups in Firefox for quite some time. The organization confirmed in May that it was <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/23/mozilla-confirms-it-will-add-tab-groups-vertical-tabs-profile-management-to-firefox/" data-wpel-link="internal">working on a set of features</a> that would allow Firefox users to use features that other browsers, including Google Chrome, offered already.</p> <p><strong>Good to know:</strong> Firefox Stable users may enable tab groups in the browser already. The feature is disabled by default, but it can be activated in less than a minute and with minimal effort. This guide explains how that is done further down below.</p> <h2>Firefox Tab Groups Features</h2> <p>Firefox Nightly users were the first to test the new tab groups feature. It works similarly to that of Chromium-based browsers. You can create new tab groups and place website tabs inside. You may name each tab group and assign a color to it for improved identification.</p> <p>A double-click expands or collapses the entire group. Tab groups furthermore carry over between sessions, if you select to reload the last session on start of the browser.</p> <h2>How to enable Tab Groups in Firefox</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206542" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-enable-tab-groups.png" alt="Enable Tab Groups Firefox" width="1828" height="549" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-enable-tab-groups.png 1828w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-enable-tab-groups-768x231.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-enable-tab-groups-1536x461.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-enable-tab-groups-1200x360.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1828px) 100vw, 1828px" /></p> <p><strong>Note</strong>: you need to use <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/26/firefox-133-comes-with-bounce-tracking-protection-and-other-enhancements/" data-wpel-link="internal">Firefox 133</a> or newer, as Tab Groups were introduced in that version of the browser. Select Menu &gt; Help &gt; About Firefox to update the browser to the latest version.</p> <p>Here is the step-by-step guide to enable Tab Groups in Mozilla's browser:</p> <ol> <li>Load <strong>about:config</strong> in the Firefox address bar and press the Enter-key.</li> <li>Confirm that you will be careful if the warning page is displayed.</li> <li>Type <strong>tabs.group</strong> in the search field on the page that opens.</li> <li>Activate the toggle button at the far right of the preference <strong>browser.<wbr />tabs.<wbr />groups.<wbr />enabled</strong> to switch the value to true.</li> <li>Restart Firefox.</li> </ol> <h2>Working with Tab Groups in Firefox</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206543" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-tab-groups.png" alt="Firefox Tab Groups" width="1828" height="1069" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-tab-groups.png 1828w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-tab-groups-768x449.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-tab-groups-1536x898.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/firefox-tab-groups-1200x702.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1828px) 100vw, 1828px" /></p> <p><strong>How to create a new tab group? </strong></p> <p>To create a new tab group in Firefox, right-click on a tab and select  Add tab to group &gt; New group.</p> <p><strong>How to add websites to an existing tab group?</strong></p> <p>Right-click on the tab and select Add tab to group &gt; Name of existing group.</p> <p>Alternative: drag &amp; drop the website on an existing tab group.</p> <p><strong>How to create a new tab in a tab group?</strong></p> <p>Right-click on a tab in the tab group and select New tab to right.</p> <p><strong>How to remove a website from a tab group?</strong></p> <p>Right-click on the tab and select Remove from group.</p> <p>Alternative: drag &amp; drop the website from the tab group to a location outside of it.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>Mozilla is not ready to roll out tab groups to the entire stable population at this point. It might not take that long before the rollout begins though, as the feature looks complete, even in the stable version.</p> <p>The new feature should give Firefox users a productivity boost and close the feature-gap with Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers.</p> <p><em>Do you use Firefox? Did you miss tab groups until now? Is it a feature that you use in other browsers? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/03/how-to-enable-tab-groups-in-firefox/" data-wpel-link="internal">How to enable Tab Groups in Firefox</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

12. Mozilla plans to use Firefox's installer to set it as the default browser on Windows 11

    Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:03:55 -0000

    Mozilla has a plan to help users set Firefox as the default browser on Windows 11. It will do it automatically for you when you install it on your computer. That doesn't […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Mozilla plans to use Firefox's installer to set it as the default browser on Windows 11 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Mozilla has a plan to help users set Firefox as the default browser on Windows 11. It will do it automatically for you when you install it on your computer.</p> <p>That doesn't sound like a plan, well it is currently being tested in the beta version, so it is not concrete yet.</p> <p>This isn't a new trick per se, Mozilla has used its <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/09/13/mozilla-reverse-engineers-microsoft-edges-default-browser-setting-behavior/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">own workaround</a> for a couple of years, to bypass Windows' rather cumbersome settings that tend to favor Microsoft Edge. You don't need to dig deep to set Firefox as your default browser, just open the program's settings or about:preferences, and click on the Make Default button to make it your default browser. It's a one-click solution.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206537" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Set-firefox-as-the-default-browser.jpg" alt="Set firefox as the default browser" width="1002" height="449" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Set-firefox-as-the-default-browser.jpg 1002w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Set-firefox-as-the-default-browser-768x344.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px" /></p> <h3><strong>Mozilla wants to set Firefox as your default browser on Windows 11</strong></h3> <p>So, what's changing? Well, Mozilla wants to skip this manual method. The change that has been proposed under <a href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1923868" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Bug ID 1923868</a> is captioned "Support setting Firefox as default based on installer attribution campaign". It will use a set_default_browser attribution campaign to apply the option, i.e. via downloads through a specific channel. It boils down to this, a user visit's Firefox's download page, gets the installer, runs it, and this happens.</p> <p>When you run the installer, Firefox's set-up presents you with three options:</p> <ul> <li>Pin Firefox to taskbar</li> <li>Set Firefox as default browser</li> <li>Import from previous browser</li> </ul> <p>All three options are enabled by default. There is a large button that says "Save and continue", and a smaller button that says "Skip this step". Choosing the latter will not set Firefox as the default browser. But if you click on "save and continue", it becomes your default web browser. I'll skip the rest of the set-up because it is not particularly relevant to the topic. I tested it, and yes it works. Your browser is changed without any further input.</p> <p><a href="https://windowsreport.com/mozillas-controversial-experiment-to-set-firefox-as-default-browser-during-installation-on-windows-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Windows Report</a> says that the new behavior is already in effect, as part of Firefox 134 beta 2. Want to try it yourself? All you need to do is download the browser from the <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">official page</a>, run the installer, and go through the set-up process. <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/desktop-beta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Here's</a> the link to the Beta version.</p> <p>The article calls the planned change as a sneaky move on Firefox's part, and I suppose you could call it that if you weren't paying attention and just clicked through the screens. For example, if you preferred using a different browser and just wanted to try Firefox, and ended up with it being set as the default, I guess it would be an unwelcome change. On the other hand, if you were switching to Firefox, well it makes things a bit easier for you.</p> <p>Changing the browser or setting a third-party browser shouldn't be a big deal in the first place. Mozilla or any other browser maker wouldn't have to resort to such tricks, if Microsoft hadn't made it difficult to change the default browser on Windows 11.</p> <p>Microsoft Edge and Bing actively tries to coerce users from switching to a different browser by displaying banners when looking up a third party browser. Edge also tries to set itself as the default browser via some recommended settings, or through updates. More recently, Edge sneakily tries to <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/13/microsoft-is-sneakily-trying-to-import-tabs-from-other-browsers-into-edge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">import tabs from other browsers</a>.</p> <p>Such unfair practices have caused a lot of harm to third-party browsers, they lose a lot of users. This has actually led to Google Chrome, Vivaldi, Opera, Waterfox and Wavebox to form a group called the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/27/chrome-opera-vivaldi-waterfox-and-wavebox-join-hands-to-fight-against-microsoft-edge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Browser Choice Allianc</a>e, to fight against Microsoft Edge. Mozilla Firefox and Brave Browser are not part of the group, and this upcoming change could be why Mozilla didn't decide to join. It is not a level playing field, I say fight it with anything and everything.</p> <p>What do you think? Is this a sneaky move from Firefox, or is it fair ?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/03/mozilla-plans-to-use-firefoxs-installer-to-set-it-as-the-default-browser-on-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mozilla plans to use Firefox&#039;s installer to set it as the default browser on Windows 11</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

13. Brace Yourself: ads could come to ChatGPT in the future

    Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:41:50 -0000

    AI is expensive. Major players have a number of options to finance their operations. Some receive funding, like OpenAI does. There is also the option to charge for early access or priority […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Brace Yourself: ads could come to ChatGPT in the future appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>AI is expensive. Major players have a number of options to finance their operations. Some receive funding, like OpenAI does. There is also the option to charge for early access or priority access, which OpenAI, Google, and others are doing. Then there is the option to develop AI as part of a larger organization. Google does that with Gemini, for instance.</p> <p>There is also the business and Enterprise world to consider. Access to APIs is another revenue source.</p> <p>Another option that will likely rise in popularity in the near future is the use of ads. Some AI systems may display ads already. Microsoft's Copilot on Windows, for instance, <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/10/03/windows-copilots-is-showing-third-party-ads-to-windows-users/" data-wpel-link="internal">may show ads</a>. Perplexity, another popular system, <a href="https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/why-we-re-experimenting-with-advertising" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">started advertising experiments</a> less than a month ago.</p> <p>OpenAI may go down the same route. The company earns money from paid subscribers currently and is burning through a lot of money that it received in financing rounds.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9350d075-1658-4d3c-8bc9-b9b3dfc29b26" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">A report</a> (paywalled) by the Financial Times confirms that OpenAI is considering ads. OpenAI would integrate ads into ChatGPT or other company products to help finance the costs of running and developing AI systems. While not mentioned explicitly, it is possible that only non-paying users would see ads when they use the platform.</p> <p>Sarah Friar, chief financial officer at OpenAI, told the Financial Times that the company would be thoughtful when it came to the integration of ads on the platform. She claims that the company has no "active plans to pursue advertising".</p> <p>A Financial Times analysis of OpenAI's hiring shows that the company did hire advertising talent from companies like Google and Meta recently. In May, the company hired Shivakumar Venkataraman, who led Google's search advertising time before joining OpenAI as vice-president.</p> <p>Friar and Kevin Weil, OpenAI's Chief Product Officer, do have advertising experience. Weil helped build ad-supported products at Instagram and X.</p> <p>OpenAI is working on a search engine, which could also open up possibilities of integrating advertising. The ads would feel natural to the majority of users, as most search engines use display ads to generate revenue.</p> <p>Even if OpenAI is not pursuing plans to inject ads into products right now, it has to become profitable eventually.</p> <p>Friar is aware of the drawbacks of ads according to the Financial Times article. Ads could make a company shift from focusing on users to pleasing advertisers.</p> <h3><strong>Closing Words</strong></h3> <p>AI could go down the route of streaming services. Start with an ad-free experience, offer paid plans, only to introduce ads at a later point in time. Most will probably experiment with ads at the very least.</p> <p><em>Now it is your turn. Do you mind ads in free products? If there would be a paid ad-free option, would you take it instead? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/02/brace-yourself-ads-could-come-to-chatgpt-in-the-future/" data-wpel-link="internal">Brace Yourself: ads could come to ChatGPT in the future</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

14. Hackers claim to have cracked Microsoft's software licensing protection almost entirely

    Sat, 30 Nov 2024 11:53:57 -0000

    A team of hackers claim that they have cracked "almost the entire Windows / Office software licensing protection". The breakthrough allows them to activate "almost any version of Windows and Office" permanently. […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Hackers claim to have cracked Microsoft's software licensing protection almost entirely appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>A team of hackers claim that they have cracked "almost the entire Windows / Office software licensing protection". The breakthrough allows them to activate "almost any version of Windows and Office" permanently.</p> <p>Windows and Office installations require activation. This may happen behind the scene or when users enter product keys.</p> <p>Workarounds and hacks have been available for a long time. One popular choice requires running a single line of instructions from a PowerShell prompt to activate Windows 8 or later, or Office.</p> <p>The creators of the solution claim now that they have found ways to extend this to even more Windows and Office products.</p> <p><strong>Related content:</strong></p> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="VhzO2HBlMV"><p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/05/22/backup-windows-and-office-activation-tokens/" data-wpel-link="internal">Backup Windows and Office Activation tokens</a></p></blockquote> <p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;Backup Windows and Office Activation tokens&#8221; &#8212; gHacks Technology News" src="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/05/22/backup-windows-and-office-activation-tokens/embed/#?secret=f5Tyr7fVGZ#?secret=VhzO2HBlMV" data-secret="VhzO2HBlMV" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p><strong>The new method works on any Windows client or server versio</strong>n and includes Extended Security Updates (ESU) and Microsoft Customer Specific Volume License Keys (CSVLK).</p> <p>The method used up until now could not activate everything permanently. The following Windows versions, editions, and license-types are now supported for the first time:</p> <ul> <li>Windows 7</li> <li>Windows 8 and 8.1</li> <li>Windows Server (any recent version).</li> <li>Add-ons.</li> <li>Extended Security Updates.</li> </ul> <p>The hack enables support for Windows 10 ESU, once it starts in October 2025 among other things.</p> <p>The hackers claim that the discovered method is simple. It does not require third-party file installations or system file modifications according to a <a href="https://x.com/massgravel/status/1862492822261399731" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">post on X</a>.</p> <p>An example screenshot of a fully, permanently activated version of Windows with Extended Security Updates has been shared as part of the post.</p> <p>The methods have worked for years, according to one of the follow-up posts. The hackers claim that the digital license (HWID) method worked since 2018 and the KMS method for at least 17 years.</p> <p>The discovered hack will be made available in the coming months, according to the original post on X.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>The discovery is a serious blow for Microsoft, provided that the hack is indeed as foolproof and easy to apply as claimed. It is unclear how, or if, Microsoft will react to the hack. For now, it seems that the hackers have, at least temporarily, won the battle.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/30/hackers-claim-to-have-cracked-microsofts-software-licensing-protection/" data-wpel-link="internal">Hackers claim to have cracked Microsoft&#039;s software licensing protection almost entirely</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

15. Google claims that uBlock Origin is no longer available for Chrome: but that is not true

    Thu, 28 Nov 2024 14:43:01 -0000

    When you visit the uBlock Origin page on the Chrome Web Store in Google Chrome, you see a notification near the top that states that the extension is no longer available. Google […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google claims that uBlock Origin is no longer available for Chrome: but that is not true appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>When you visit the uBlock Origin page on the <a href="https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Chrome Web Store</a> in Google Chrome, you see a notification near the top that states that the extension is no longer available.</p> <p>Google writes: "This extension is no longer available because it doesn't follow best practices for Chrome extensions."</p> <p>The "add to Chrome" button is not displayed anymore for that extension. If it is installed, Google displays a "remove" button instead.</p> <p>The message is displayed regardless of Chrome edition. In Chrome Canary, you may also notice that <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/31/google-will-disable-classic-extensions-in-chrome-in-the-coming-months/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google is removing</a> uBlock Origin and other extensions automatically on start of the browser.</p> <p>This is part of <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/16/google-chrome-removal-of-ublock-origin-and-other-unsupported-extensions-has-started/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google's plan to remove extensions</a> that do not use the new extensions manifest willingly or unwillingly.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206528" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/was-turned-off.png" alt="uBlock Origin was turned off" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/was-turned-off.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/was-turned-off-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/was-turned-off-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/was-turned-off-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/was-turned-off-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>The only options that Chrome displays are to remove the extension, as it gets disabled only by Google, or to open the extensions manager in Chrome.</p> <p>Google Chrome may list affected extensions under <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/07/29/about-chromes-these-extensions-may-soon-no-longer-be-supported-message/" data-wpel-link="internal">these extensions may soon no longer be supported</a> or the recent "This extension was turned off because it's no longer supported" listing.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: Google has added options to Chrome to extend support for a year. You can <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/08/15/google-is-killing-ublock-origin-in-chrome-but-this-trick-lets-you-keep-it-for-another-year/" data-wpel-link="internal">check out our guide</a> on how to enable these, but note that this is only a temporary option.</p> <h3>uBlock Origin still available in other browsers</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206529" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ublock-origin-add-to-brave.png" alt="Add to Brave" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ublock-origin-add-to-brave.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ublock-origin-add-to-brave-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ublock-origin-add-to-brave-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ublock-origin-add-to-brave-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ublock-origin-add-to-brave-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>When you visit the uBlock Origin store page in another browser, you will notice that the extension is still available. If you use Brave, Vivaldi, Edge, or Opera, you will get the option to install it in that browser.</p> <p>Google is preventing this in Chrome, likely by checking for the user agent of the browser. It does to to prevent he installation of the extension, and any other that is using the classic extension manifest, in Chrome.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>If you are a Chrome user, you have several options to deal with this. You can enable the policy to extend support for uBlock Origin and other classic extensions until mid-2025.</p> <p>Another option is to switch the browser. You could switch to a Chromium-based browser, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, or Edge. You may need to enable the policy for these browsers as well. Only a few Chromium-based browsers will continue to support some or all classic extensions after 2025.</p> <p><a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">There is also Firefox</a>. The open source browser does not depend on Google or Chromium. Mozilla confirmed that Firefox will support classic and new extensions going forward. Also, Raymond Hill, the developer of uBlock Origin, says that the extension works best in Firefox.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/28/google-claims-that-ublock-origin-is-no-longer-available-for-chrome-but-that-is-not-true/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google claims that uBlock Origin is no longer available for Chrome: but that is not true</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

16. Do this if you want to stop ads in Windows 11

    Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:04:57 -0000

    What do Xbox Wireless Controllers, Microsoft Defender and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Bing AI in common? All of them were advertised by Microsoft on Windows 11 in the past […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Do this if you want to stop ads in Windows 11 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>What do Xbox Wireless Controllers, Microsoft Defender and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Bing AI in common? All of them were advertised by Microsoft on Windows 11 in the past year.</p> <p><strong>What if I told you that there is an easy way to turn off these ads on Windows 11?</strong> It takes just a minute of your time and you are done with it.</p> <p><strong>Here is how it is done:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Open the Start menu and load the Settings. You may also use the shortcut Windows-I for that.</li> <li>Go to System &gt; Notifications.</li> <li>Scroll down and expand the "Additional settings" section there.</li> <li>Uncheck "Get tips and suggestions when using Windows".</li> <li>Optional: uncheck "Show the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what's new and suggested".</li> <li>Optional: uncheck "Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device".</li> <li>Restart the PC.</li> </ol> <p>This gets rid of ads as suggestions or notifications in Windows 11.</p> <p><strong>Note</strong> that this does not block all the ads that Microsoft has displayed to users or will display to users. You may also see ads on the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/10/14/how-to-disable-lock-screen-ads-on-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">lock screen</a>, in <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/07/11/microsoft-is-not-done-yet-more-ads-spotted-in-latest-windows-11-build/" data-wpel-link="internal">the Microsoft Store</a>, the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/05/08/another-area-in-windows-11-may-show-ads-in-the-future/" data-wpel-link="internal">Settings page</a>, <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/03/14/microsoft-is-testing-file-explorer-ads-in-latest-windows-11-insider-build/" data-wpel-link="internal">File Explorer</a>, and many other areas.</p> <p>If you want to get rid of most ads, you may want to use a tool like Winaero Tweaker. It is free and covers a lot of them. Here is how you configure it for that.</p> <h2>Using Winaero Tweaker to disable ads on Windows 11 (and 10)</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206523" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/disable-ads-windows-11-winaero-tweaker.png" alt="Disable Ads in Windows 11 using Winaero Tweaker" width="899" height="589" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/disable-ads-windows-11-winaero-tweaker.png 899w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/disable-ads-windows-11-winaero-tweaker-768x503.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px" /></p> <p>Winaero Tweaker is a free program to change lots of settings on systems running Windows 10 or 11. Start by downloading the latest version from <a href="https://winaero.com/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">the official website</a>.</p> <p>You can install the app or use the installer to extract the files only to create a portable copy of the app. Run the app once you are done.</p> <ol> <li>Scroll down the sidebar list of sections until you reach Behavior.</li> <li>Select Ads and Unwanted Apps.</li> <li>There you find more than ten options to turn off various experiences and ads in Windows.</li> <li>Keep "Disable ads in Windows" checked.</li> <li>Uncheck every other option on the page. None of these are really useful anyway.</li> <li>Restart the PC.</li> </ol> <p>You should not see many ads, if any at all, after the restart. There remains the chance that Microsoft is introducing ads in new locations, but it is usually only a matter of time before these can be blocked with the help of tweaking tools or even manually.</p> <p><em>Have you encountered ads in Windows lately? What is your take on Microsoft using the system to (mostly) advertise its other products and services? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/27/do-this-if-you-want-to-stop-ads-in-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">Do this if you want to stop ads in Windows 11</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

17. Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Waterfox and Wavebox join hands to fight against Microsoft Edge

    Wed, 27 Nov 2024 07:25:23 -0000

    Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Waterfox and Wavebox join hands to fight against Microsoft Edge have created the Browser Choice Alliance. The group has called the European Commission to list Microsoft Edge as a […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Waterfox and Wavebox join hands to fight against Microsoft Edge appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Waterfox and Wavebox join hands to fight against Microsoft Edge have created the Browser Choice Alliance. The group has called the European Commission to list Microsoft Edge as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).</p> <h3><strong>Meet the Browser Choice Alliance</strong></h3> <p>Google, Opera, Vivaldi, BrowserWorks (Waterfox) and Wavebox (a premium, ad-free browser), have formed an alliance to highlight the problems associated with how Microsoft promotes its Edge browser on Windows PCs.</p> <p>One of these is not like the others, what are you doing here, Google? Chrome surely has a dominant share in the market, why is Google participating in this group? Parisa Tabriz, VP and GM, Google Chrome Browser, wrote that Google is proud of the group that advocates consumer choice, and that a user's choice to download and use a browser should be respected. Well, that is fair, but the DoJ might be laughing in the background. Opera, Vivaldi, Wavebox, and Waterfox released statements about the group's formation, which you can read <a href="https://browserchoicealliance.org/browser-choice-alliance-formed-to-raise-awareness-of-microsoft-dark-patterns-that-limit-consumers-ability-to-use-an-internet-browser-of-their-choice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">here</a>.</p> <p>Apple Safari is not available on Windows, so it's obvious why it is not a part of the group. But, it is unclear why Brave Browser, Mozilla Firefox, and others are not part of the Browser Choice Alliance. The press release from the group indicates that there are other companies who share the concerns, but did not want to make their views public due to fear of retaliation from Microsoft, either directly or indirectly.</p> <h3><strong>Browser makers want EU to designate Microsoft Edge as a Gatekeeper</strong></h3> <p>What does the Browser Choice Alliance aim to achieve? Microsoft Windows is used by over 73% of computer users around the world, that's according to <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">StatCounter</a>.  The members of the Browser Choice Alliance allege that Microsoft creates dark patterns, technical roadblocks and deception, to prevent users from setting a third-party browser as their default option on Windows PCs. First time, guys?</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206512" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Windows-user-share-worldwide.png" alt="Windows user share worldwide" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Windows-user-share-worldwide.png 1280w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Windows-user-share-worldwide-768x432.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Windows-user-share-worldwide-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></p> <p>The <a href="https://browserchoicealliance.org/how/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Browser Choice Alliance's website</a> illustrates the various anti-competitive practices that Microsoft has in place to promote Edge.  The group argues that fair competition among browsers is essential, and that browsers play a crucial role in education and enterprise environments.</p> <p>Microsoft's tactics to prevent users from changing the default browser on Windows 11 start with a banner displayed on Bing (the default search engine) in Microsoft Edge. When you search for a third party browser, you may come across a message that says, "There is no need to download a new web browser." The message also highlights the features of Microsoft Edge, in a bid to dissuade the user from downloading the browser that they wanted.</p> <p>Jon von Tetzchner, CEO and Co-founder of Vivaldi, wrote an <a href="https://vivaldi.com/blog/browser-choice-alliance-launch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">open letter</a> to the EU expressing concerns about Microsoft's anti-competitive practices. He had also <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/12/13/microsoft-edge-criticized-for-anti-competitive-practices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">criticized</a> the Redmond company's practices in 2021. Opera had filed an <a href="https://blogs.opera.com/news/2024/07/opera-dma-request/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">appeal to the EU</a> in July 2024, arguing against the European Commission’s decision not to designate Microsoft Edge as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may also display misleading pop-up screens, warnings when a third party browser is downloaded.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206509" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-Edge-may-also-display-warnings-scaled.jpg" alt="Microsoft Edge may also display warnings" width="1200" height="693" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-Edge-may-also-display-warnings-scaled.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-Edge-may-also-display-warnings-768x443.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>(Image courtesy: Browser Choice Alliance)</p> <p>Today, I ran multiple searches on Bing to check whether these banners still show up when looking up other browsers, and they do. While queries for Vivaldi, Opera, Waterfox and Wavebox did not result in the banner, searching for Google Chrome, Firefox, Arc Browser showed a message as seen in the screenshot below. Oddly, searching for the word browser does seem to promote Opera browser. Maybe Opera just bought some ad space, that's kinda weird though?</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206511" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Browser-makers-want-EU-to-designate-Microsoft-Edge-as-a-Gatekeeper.jpg" alt="Browser makers want EU to designate Microsoft Edge as a Gatekeeper" width="1200" height="715" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Browser-makers-want-EU-to-designate-Microsoft-Edge-as-a-Gatekeeper.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Browser-makers-want-EU-to-designate-Microsoft-Edge-as-a-Gatekeeper-768x458.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The DoJ's <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/10/20/judge-says-googles-deal-with-apple-is-the-heart-of-the-antitrust-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">antitrust lawsuit</a> against Google saw executives from other search engine makers testify that most users did not change the default search engine in their browser, because they did not know how to, or because the option to modify it was buried deep in the settings. If that's the case for a search engine, changing the default browser is hard too, right? The group says that these shenanigans affect the web ecosystem itself. That's kind of the reason why the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/19/u-s-doj-could-force-google-to-sell-chrome/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">DoJ wants Google to sell Chrome</a>, this highlights how a monopoly can rule the market unfairly.</p> <p>Back on topic, changing the default browser in Windows 11 is a bit confusing. One would assume that setting an app as the default would make it the go-to app for handling all web protocols, but it's not that simple, you have to change it for each type.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206508" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Change-the-default-browser-in-Windows-11.jpg" alt="Change the default browser in Windows 11" width="961" height="943" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Change-the-default-browser-in-Windows-11.jpg 961w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Change-the-default-browser-in-Windows-11-768x754.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 961px) 100vw, 961px" /></p> <p>The Browser Choice Alliance also argues that Microsoft frequently tries to <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/04/08/new-sneaky-windows-driver-ucdp-stops-non-microsoft-software-from-setting-defaults/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">default browser</a> to Edge via updates, and <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/01/how-to-stop-outlook-opening-links-in-edge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">forces links from apps</a> like Teams or Outlook to open in Microsoft Edge. Windows may also display a pop-up to coax the user to use <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/06/02/you-can-disable-the-annoying-use-recommended-browser-settings-popup-in-microsoft-edge-for-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">recommended settings</a>, as in switch to Edge. Microsoft Edge has resorted to more trickery, it may try to <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/13/microsoft-is-sneakily-trying-to-import-tabs-from-other-browsers-into-edge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">import tabs from your browser</a>.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206510" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-Edge-use-recommended-settings.jpg" alt="Microsoft Edge use recommended settings" width="1200" height="645" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-Edge-use-recommended-settings.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-Edge-use-recommended-settings-768x413.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>All of these shady tactics harm third party browsers, and give Microsoft Edge an unfair advantage in the browser wars. That is what the Browser Choice Alliance aims to address, whether they will succeed or not, will depend on antitrust regulators.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/27/chrome-opera-vivaldi-waterfox-and-wavebox-join-hands-to-fight-against-microsoft-edge/" data-wpel-link="internal">Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Waterfox and Wavebox join hands to fight against Microsoft Edge</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

18. Firefox 133 comes with Bounce Tracking Protection and other enhancements

    Tue, 26 Nov 2024 13:49:41 -0000

    Mozilla has released a new stable version of Firefox a moment ago. Firefox 133 is the latest version of the open source browser. It includes several major improvements, including protection against bounce […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Firefox 133 comes with Bounce Tracking Protection and other enhancements appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Mozilla has released a new stable version of Firefox a moment ago. Firefox 133 is the latest version of the open source browser.</p> <p>It includes several major improvements, including protection against bounce tracking, and also security fixes.</p> <p>The two maintained Firefox Extended Support Release versions, Firefox 115 and 128, are also updated today.</p> <p><strong>The details:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bounce Tracking protection protects Firefox users against another common type of tracking.</li> <li>Windows users benefit from GPU-accelerated Canvas2D, which improves performance and is now enabled by default.</li> <li>Security fixes.</li> </ul> <h2>Firefox 133.0 download and update</h2> <p>Firefox 133 is available already. Most Firefox installations should receive the update automatically in the coming days.</p> <p>If you do not want to wait, you may either check for updates in Firefox or download the latest version directly from Mozilla.</p> <p>Do the following to check for updates in Firefox:</p> <ol> <li>Select Menu &gt; Help &gt; About Firefox.</li> </ol> <p>Firefox checks for updates when the help prompt opens. It should find the update and install it at this point.</p> <p>Firefox 133 is also available as a direct download from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/desktop-release/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Mozilla's official site</a>. None-stable downloads are also available.</p> <ul> <li><a class="ext-link" title="" href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/">Firefox Beta download</a></li> <li><a class="ext-link" title="" href="https://nightly.mozilla.org/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://nightly.mozilla.org/">Nightly download</a></li> <li><a class="ext-link" title="" href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/">Firefox ESR download</a></li> </ul> <p>Firefox 133: the major changes</p> <h3>Bounce Tracking Protection</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206506" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/firefox-bounce-tracking-protection.png" alt="Firefox Bounce Tracking Protection" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/firefox-bounce-tracking-protection.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/firefox-bounce-tracking-protection-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/firefox-bounce-tracking-protection-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/firefox-bounce-tracking-protection-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/firefox-bounce-tracking-protection-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>Some advertisers and data brokers use redirects for tracking. This process is invisible to the user, as it happens very fast.</p> <p>The core idea is simple: a click on a link opens a tracking server first before the destination is opened.</p> <p>Bounce Tracking protection attempts to block this by purging cookies and site data regularly.</p> <p><strong>Note</strong>: the feature is only enabled for users who have set the Enhanced Tracking Protection feature to strict in Firefox. This is not the default value of the setting.</p> <p>Brave Browser supported <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/10/15/brave-improves-bounce-tracking-protection-with-new-debouncing-feature/" data-wpel-link="internal">this form of protection</a> for several years already. Unlike Mozilla's solution, which appears to react to bounce trackers only by deleting cookies and site data, Brave's solution attacks bounce tracking in several ways.</p> <p>The browser uses a list of known bounce trackers, which are blocked. It also warns users of suspected bounce tracking, but only if "aggressively block trackers &amp; ads" is enabled. The browser uses temporary storage, which Brave calls <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/03/09/brave-browser-unlinkable-bouncing/" data-wpel-link="internal">Unlinkable Bouncing</a>, to make tracking less effective.</p> <h3>Other changes and fixes</h3> <ul> <li>The Tab overview menu includes a new item to view tabs from other devices.</li> <li>Windows users benefit from GPU-accelerated Canvas2D. It should improve performance in Firefox for Windows.</li> <li>Picture-in-Picture mode's auto-open feature should work more reliably now. It is disabled by default and needs to be enabled in Firefox Labs.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Developer changes</strong></p> <p>Check the Developers link at the bottom of the page for all changes for developers.</p> <ul> <li>Support for Uint8Array methods to ease conversions between base64- and hex-encoded strings and byte arrays.</li> <li>The WorkerNavigator.permissions property is now supported.</li> <li>The EventSource interface to handle server-sent events is now supported in service workers.</li> <li>The ImageDecoder, ImageTrackList, and ImageTrack interfaces of the WebCodecs API are now supported.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Enterprise changes</strong></p> <ul> <li>Firefox supports the MicrosoftEntraSSO policy fully in Firefox 133 and ESR 128.5.</li> <li>Preference policy supports security.pki.certificate_transparency.mode now.</li> <li>Preferences policy now supports preferences that begin with identity.fxaccounts.toolbar.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Security updates / fixes</strong></p> <p>The aggregate severity rating is high. Mozilla patched a total of 17 unique security issues or potential security issues in Firefox 133. No exploits in the wild mentioned by Mozilla.</p> <p><strong>Outlook</strong></p> <p>Firefox 133 was the last major release this year. Mozilla plans to release Firefox 134 on January 7, 2025. The same applies to Firefox 115.19 and 128.6, both ESR, which will also be released on the day.</p> <p><strong>Additional information / resources</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/133.0/releasenotes/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">Firefox 133 release notes</a></li> <li><a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox/Releases/133" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">Firefox 133 for Developers</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-enterprise-133-release-notes" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">Firefox 133 for Enterprise</a></li> <li><a class="ext-link" title="" href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/">Firefox Security Advisories</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2012/08/16/mozilla-firefox-release-schedule/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2012/08/16/mozilla-firefox-release-schedule/">Firefox Release Schedule</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Closing Words</strong></p> <p>Bounce Tracking protection is a good new feature. Mozilla is a bit late to the party, but better late than never. The feature is only enabled for users who enable strict protection, which limits its availability.</p> <p>It is possible that Mozilla is going to collect data and feedback before it makes a decision to push this further.</p> <p><em>Do you use Firefox? Did you upgrade your version to version 133 or one of the supported ESR versions? Anything that you like or do not like? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/26/firefox-133-comes-with-bounce-tracking-protection-and-other-enhancements/" data-wpel-link="internal">Firefox 133 comes with Bounce Tracking Protection and other enhancements</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

19. Google's iOS app is injecting Search links on websites

    Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:26:23 -0000

    Google has added a new kind of ad that will appear as clickable texts on third-party websites. The feature, if you can call it that, is named Page Annotation. Google's Page Annotations […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google's iOS app is injecting Search links on websites appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Google has added a new kind of ad that will appear as clickable texts on third-party websites. The feature, if you can call it that, is named Page Annotation.</p> <h3><strong>Google's Page Annotations will inject search links on web pages</strong></h3> <p>Page Annotations are currently only available via the Google app on iOS. The company says that it will "extract interesting information from Google Knowledge Graph entities and highlight them in line". A user clicking on the text ad will be shown more information about people, places or things without leaving the site they are on.</p> <p>The change was announced on the Google Search <a href="https://support.google.com/websearch/thread/308719098/page-annotation-in-google-app-browser-for-ios?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">community forums</a>, was spotted by <a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ios-app-page-annotation-38451.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">SERoundTable</a>. Here's a screenshot of how the ads will appear on a web page.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206502" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Googles-Page-Annotations-will-inject-search-links-on-web-pages.jpg" alt="Google's Page Annotations will inject search links on web pages" width="1170" height="966" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Googles-Page-Annotations-will-inject-search-links-on-web-pages.jpg 1170w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Googles-Page-Annotations-will-inject-search-links-on-web-pages-768x634.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px" /></p> <p>Certain words are highlighted, i.e. underlined like a regular link, and when interacted with, opens a pop-up with an ad relevant to the text that was annotated.</p> <p>Page Annotations may sound familiar, here's why. Google had announced a new ad format called <a href="https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/14184572" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Ad Intents</a> in Google AdSense earlier this year. This design added ads in the form of clickable links to text content on webpages. A user who clicked on the link would be taken to a page on Google Search. These ads/links did not depend on third-party cookies. One important part to note here is that this ad format was an opt-in feature, i.e. it was not enabled by default, and publishers who were interested needed to participate willingly in the program.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206501" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Google-Ad-Intents.jpg" alt="Google Ad Intents" width="900" height="975" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Google-Ad-Intents.jpg 900w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Google-Ad-Intents-768x832.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></p> <p>The new ad experience, aka Page Annotations, is an opt-out feature. Publishers need to opt out of the experience by submitting a form on <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1h9I0TbN-H_1e85CqXYb1ng7rQfg2ijfODc1sBxPBd08/edit?resourcekey=0-GcEKsXupAEl8pimR6-qsdg" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Google Docs</a>. You will need to include all types of domains you want to opt out of, such as www and non-www, http and https, and subdomains. And, the process can take up to 30 days to be approved.</p> <p>This seems like a pretty bad idea considering that Google is already being investigated as part of the antitrust lawsuit against the U.S. Department for Justice, in which a federal judge found the search giant guilty for building and maintaining an illegal monopoly. Its advertising business is also being scrutinized. The DoJ has recommended a remedy which could have a big impact, as Google <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/19/u-s-doj-could-force-google-to-sell-chrome/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">could be forced to sell Chrome</a> to a third party.</p> <p><a href="https://9to5google.com/2024/11/25/google-ios-app-link-annotations-search/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">9to5Google</a> reports that the new Search experience is available via the Google app <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google/id284815942" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">on iOS</a>. I couldn't find a way to get those ads to show up in the app, even on the very page that Google featured in its announcement. I think it is fair to say that the feature may be rolling out slowly to users.</p> <p>Both ad experiences are bad from a reader's perspective. As a reader, you would expect links on web pages to be relevant to the context, which either takes you to an internal web page (on the same website). Now, instead of this, it opens an ad in a pop-up.</p> <p>Displaying ads on Google pages is fine, the company has every right to manage its own content. But placing ads on third-party websites is unethical. Think about it, who is the reader going to blame for such annoyances? Google, or the website? It is very likely that many admins may not be aware of what's happening, and if they hadn't opted out of Page Annotations, their web traffic could take a hit because visitors were annoyed by the ads.</p> <p>What do you think about Page Annotations?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/26/googles-ios-app-is-injecting-search-links-on-websites/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google&#039;s iOS app is injecting Search links on websites</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

20. Windows 11: Microsoft is finally adding an option to turn off one of the most annoying things

    Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:50:41 -0000

    What is the most annoying feature of Windows 11? If we would collect the input we would probably end up with a large list of annoyance. On that list is likely the […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Windows 11: Microsoft is finally adding an option to turn off one of the most annoying things appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>What is the most annoying feature of Windows 11? If we would collect the input we would probably end up with a large list of annoyance.</p> <p>On that list is likely the inclusion of <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/05/25/heres-a-look-at-microsofts-new-windows-backup-app/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows Backup</a> and here in particular the "start backup" item in File Explorer.</p> <p>When you open certain paths in File Explorer, for example Pictures or Documents, you may see "start backup" at the front of the path in the address bar.</p> <p><figure id="attachment_206495" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206495" style="width: 416px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206495" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/manage-backup-reminders.png" alt="Windows 11: Start Backup in File Explorer" width="416" height="297" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206495" class="wp-caption-text">File Explorer Start Backuo. Source: PhantomOfEarth</figcaption></figure></p> <p>It is there to get users to back up files to OneDrive, Microsoft's file hosting service.</p> <p>While that is annoying enough, especially for users who do not use OneDrive, the linked backup service, the fact that you cannot really turn it off easily makes it even more annoying.</p> <p>You could uninstall OneDrive to get rid of the entry, but this is only a valid option for users who do not use Microsoft's file hosting and syncing service. Most Windows 11 users use it, some unknowingly, as it is baked into the operating system and linked to Microsoft accounts.</p> <h2>Disable Start backup option is coming to Windows 11</h2> <p>Windows-detective <a href="https://x.com/phantomofearth/status/1860349328381894735" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">PhantomOfEarth</a> discovered a new feature in the latest beta build that Microsoft released this week.</p> <p>It adds an option to turn off the backup reminders in File Explorer permanently. It took Microsoft almost a year to implement this user-friendly option.</p> <p><figure id="attachment_206496" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206496" style="width: 404px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206496" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/file-explorer-start-backup.png" alt="Turn off backup reminders" width="404" height="234" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206496" class="wp-caption-text">Turn off backup reminders. Source: PhantomOfEarth</figcaption></figure></p> <p>A right-click on Start backup does nothing right now in stable builds. In the beta, you get two options:</p> <ul> <li>Remind me in 1 month.</li> <li>Turn off reminder.</li> </ul> <p>The first hides the item temporarily, the second permanently. If you do not want to use it, you can select the option to disable Start backup in File Explorer. Windows displays a generic PC icon in the place instead.</p> <p>Note that Microsoft is still showing information after you have disabled the reminders. A click on the icon displays "backup reminder is off". The small popup includes instructions to enable the feature again, which you cannot do from File Explorer.</p> <p>Instead, you have to open the OneDrive settings to re-enable the feature.</p> <h3>How to enable the option</h3> <p>PhantomOfEarth notes that the feature is disabled by default. You can enable it in the following way (may also be useful when it lands in stable, as Microsoft will likely roll it out over time):</p> <ol> <li>Download the <a href="https://github.com/thebookisclosed/ViVe/releases" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">latest version</a> of ViVeTool from the GitHub repository.</li> <li>Extract the Zip-archive to the local system.</li> <li>Open the Start menu.</li> <li>Type cmd.</li> <li>Select Run as administrator from the context options.</li> <li>Navigate to the ViVeTool directory using CD PATH, e.g., C:\ViVeTool.</li> <li>Run vivetool /enable /id:47944061</li> <li>Restart the PC.</li> </ol> <p>When you check File Explorer after the restart, you should get the new option when you right-click on the Start backup listing.</p> <p><em>Do you use OneDrive or another file synchronization service for backups? Or do you use other means? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/25/windows-11-microsoft-is-finally-adding-an-option-to-turn-off-one-of-the-most-annoying-things/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 11: Microsoft is finally adding an option to turn off one of the most annoying things</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

21. Microsoft blocks Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs with Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed

    Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:12:27 -0000

    Are your games crashing or freezing after installing Windows 11 24H2? You are not alone. Microsoft is blocking the Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs that have some Ubisoft games installed. Gamers […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft blocks Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs with Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Are your games crashing or freezing after <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/08/how-to-upgrade-to-windows-11-24h2-on-unsupported-hardware/" data-wpel-link="internal">installing Windows 11 24H2</a>? You are not alone.</p> <p>Microsoft is blocking the Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs that have some Ubisoft games installed.</p> <p>Gamers who had upgraded to the latest version of the operating system had <a href="https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/after-i-did-a-new-install-of-windows-24h2-i-cannot/5168d290-16d1-45d5-872a-de8e46904188?page=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">reported</a> that they had problems getting Assassin's Creed games to run on their computer. They would fail to launch, freeze on loading a save, crash to the desktop, etc. Some of these games would crash without an error message. The thing is, these are not new issues that sprang up yesterday out of the blue. Users have been <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/windowsinsiders/comments/1e68atz/anyone_experiencing_games_crashing_on_launch_in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">reporting</a> such crashes for nearly 4 months when 24H2 was in preview. Just to emphasize the delay, these reports started two months before <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/08/how-to-upgrade-to-windows-11-24h2-on-unsupported-hardware/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 11 24H2</a> was released for all users. Microsoft only acknowledged the issue a few days ago.</p> <h3><strong>Games are crashing on Windows 11 24H2</strong></h3> <p>According to a Release Health update on the company's website, the following games are impacted by crashes, loading issues, or freezing. Some users may also experience a black screen that is unresponsive.</p> <ul> <li>Assassin's Creed Valhalla</li> <li>Assassin's Creed Origins</li> <li>Assassin's Creed Odyssey</li> <li>Star Wars Outlaws</li> <li>Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora</li> </ul> <p>Microsoft says that it has blocked the Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs that have the above-mentioned games installed, and it is advising users NOT to upgrade to the latest version manually. Well, if you were wondering why you did not get the Windows 11 24H2 update, here's the answer.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206491" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Games-are-crashing-on-Windows-11-24H2.jpg" alt="Games are crashing on Windows 11 24H2" width="896" height="680" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Games-are-crashing-on-Windows-11-24H2.jpg 896w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Games-are-crashing-on-Windows-11-24H2-768x583.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px" /></p> <p>Could these issues be related to Denuvo's DRM which is used in Ubisoft's games? But, those aren't the only games that are affected by crashes. Some players experienced similar crashes on Far Cry, Call of Duty Infinite Warfare, Fallout 76, and Need for Speed Unbound. Not all of these have the DRM, so the issue lies elsewhere. One user <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1gyrg8j/windows_11_24h2_update_blocked_on_pcs_with/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">pointed out</a> that the issues seem to be caused by a file called NTDLL.DLL. Yup, there are two DLLs in the name. It uses the Windows Native API to handle memory and processor level operations. This in turn suggests that the issues are not related to games, and that the culprit may be Windows itself.</p> <p>I remember when I wanted to replay Assassin's Creed Origins during the pandemic, I had experienced lag spikes in the game. It was strange because I had played the game previously without any hiccups. Then I discovered that the lags were caused by an NVIDIA driver update, and I fixed the problem by rolling back to a previous version. That doesn't seem to be the case this time around, it seems to be a more complicated problem. Currently, the only solution seems to be downgrading to Windows 11 23H2, which is terribly inconvenient.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206490" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-suggests-users-to-end-task-games.jpg" alt="Microsoft suggests users to end task games" width="896" height="569" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-suggests-users-to-end-task-games.jpg 896w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-suggests-users-to-end-task-games-768x488.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px" /></p> <p>While users await a proper fix, Microsoft has suggested a temporary workaround for the problem. Open the Task Manager, right-click on the game's exe, and select End Task. That's a great fix Microsoft, thanks for the advice. Why bother playing games that you paid for when you can experience the thrill of the latest and greatest bugs in Windows? All these bugs just seem to highlight that Windows 10 was so much better in comparison, it's a shame it is reaching <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/14/windows-10-support-ends-in-exactly-1-year-here-are-your-options/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">end of life support</a> next year.</p> <p>Anyway, Ubisoft has acknowledged these bugs on the <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/app/2208920/discussions/0/4635988093614192861/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Steam community forums</a>, and is working on resolving the issues. <a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-halts-windows-11-24h2-update-on-pcs-assassins-creed-star-wars-outlaws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Bleeping Computer</a> reports that Ubisoft has already released a hotfix patch for Star Wars Outlaws, update v1.4.1 fixes the problem, but the <a href="https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/star-wars/outlaws/bug-reporter/issues/SWO-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">release notes</a> warn that players may experience some performance issues, and that a permanent fix is being worked on.</p> <p>Here's a completely unrelated thing that happened exactly one year ago. Ubisoft had a bit of a PR fiasco last year, when its in-game menus <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/11/27/ubisoft-says-that-pop-up-ads-in-game-menus-were-due-to-a-technical-error/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">displayed pop-up ads</a>, though these annoyances were attributed to a technical error.</p> <p>Have you upgraded to Windows 11 24H2? If so, have you run into similar problems with games?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/25/microsoft-blocks-windows-11-24h2-update-on-pcs-with-star-wars-outlaws-and-assassins-creed/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft blocks Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs with Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin&#039;s Creed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

22. Brave Search introduces AI follow-up questions - here is how it works

    Fri, 22 Nov 2024 06:15:14 -0000

    I have used Brave Search ever since it was first introduced as one of the search engines that I use regularly. Brave introduced AI-generated answers to the search engine some time ago. […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Brave Search introduces AI follow-up questions - here is how it works appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>I have <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/04/28/brave-search-reaches-full-independence/" data-wpel-link="internal">used Brave Search</a> ever since it was first introduced as one of the search engines that I use regularly. Brave introduced AI-generated answers to the search engine some time ago.</p> <p>These display AI-generated content before the organic search results. It is more hit-than-miss in my opinion, but far from perfect.</p> <p>Sometimes, Brave Search's AI displays outdated information or information that <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/03/03/how-good-are-brave-search-summarizers-ai-powered-quick-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">does not really help</a>. At other times, it returns the exact answer that I have been looking for.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: you can <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/04/18/brave-search-answer-with-ai-takes-over-but-you-can-turn-it-off/" data-wpel-link="internal">turn off AI-powered results in Brave Search</a>.</p> <h2>Ask a follow-up question</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206486" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brave-search-ask-a-follow-up-question.png" alt="Brave Search follow-up question" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brave-search-ask-a-follow-up-question.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brave-search-ask-a-follow-up-question-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brave-search-ask-a-follow-up-question-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brave-search-ask-a-follow-up-question-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/brave-search-ask-a-follow-up-question-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>Brave Software <a href="https://brave.com/blog/brave-search-chat-mode/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">announced</a> the addition of "ask a follow-up question" today. The company calls it Chat mode for Answer with AI. This feature allows you to refine your query or ask about the content that Brave Search returned.</p> <p>Say your original query was "what are the most popular PS5 games of 2024".  You get a list of results, each title listed with just a short description (the list is rather weak and highlights one of the main issues that I have with Brave Search's AI-powered answers).</p> <p>While you could now run another search for a title of interest, you could also ask Brave Search about it directly instead. You could ask "what do reviewers say" about a particular game.</p> <p>When you do, you get review scores from a variety of sources, as well as common praise and criticism, and an overall rating. This is helpful to a degree, but you may still want to verify anything generated by AI to make sure it is accurate.</p> <h2>How to us the "ask a follow-up question" feature on Brave Search</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206487" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/follow-up-question.png" alt="Follow-up Question" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/follow-up-question.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/follow-up-question-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/follow-up-question-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/follow-up-question-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/follow-up-question-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>The new feature is available already. Here is what you need to do to use it:</p> <ol> <li>Open the main <a href="https://search.brave.com/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Brave Search</a> webpage.</li> <li>Run a search.</li> <li>Scroll down the AI result, if it is displayed, until you reach the Ask a follow-up question field.</li> <li>Type in your question and press the Enter-key.</li> </ol> <p>Brave returns an answer to that question now on the same page.</p> <h2>How good is the new feature and who is it for?</h2> <p>If you do not want AI in search, then this feature won't convince you to give it a try. If you have used Brave Search with AI and found it somewhat useful at least, you may find the new chat-addition useful as well.</p> <p>Sometimes when Brave Search returns AI results, they do not provide an answer to your query. You could refine the initial search query, or, refine it using the new follow-up question feature.</p> <p>The main application for it is to dive deeper into a certain topic using AI. It may be useful in this regard, but is not that different from interacting with AI chats directly.</p> <p>This new addition will keep searches longer on Brave Search. As such, it has the potential of reducing click-traffic to websites. While Brave Search's popularity pales in comparison to Google or even Bing, both are also introducing AI to search.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>AI is being integrated in nearly every search engine out there. Some allow you to disable the functionality if you do not need it. While it can be helpful, it is important to understand that results need to be verified. Hallucination is still a problem, and it will remain one for the foreseeable future.</p> <p><em>What is your take on AI in search? Is it something that you have tried or are using regularly? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/22/brave-search-introduces-ai-follow-up-questions-here-is-how-it-works/" data-wpel-link="internal">Brave Search introduces AI follow-up questions - here is how it works</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

23. Microsoft accused of Malware-like Bing Wallpaper app

    Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:46:19 -0000

    Microsoft released the official Bing Wallpaper application on the Microsoft Store this week. The app was available as a standalone download previously only. It is a basic app that changes the wallpaper […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft accused of Malware-like Bing Wallpaper app appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Microsoft released the official Bing Wallpaper application on the Microsoft Store <a href="https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xpfp7f8rl7mb1w?ocid=pdpshare&amp;hl=en-us&amp;gl=DE" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">this week</a>. The app was available as a standalone download previously only.</p> <p>It is a basic app that changes the wallpaper of the Windows desktop to a new image each day and helps users find out more about the images. The store app, in fact, is a Win32 application.</p> <p>Turns out, the app has a darker side.</p> <h3>Malware-like behavior</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206482" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/bing-wallpaper.png" alt="bing wallpaper" width="1125" height="702" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/bing-wallpaper.png 1125w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/bing-wallpaper-768x479.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1125px) 100vw, 1125px" /></p> <p>Software engineer Rafael Rivera, known for apps like <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2015/07/13/windows-10-accessing-program-specific-volume-controls/" data-wpel-link="internal">EarTrumpet</a>, installed the Bing Wallpaper application and analyzed its behavior. He <a href="https://x.com/WithinRafael/status/1858967298985652446" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">published his findings</a> on X.</p> <p><strong>Here are his key findings:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The app installs Bing Visual Search automatically on the Windows 10 or 11 system.</li> <li>Displays a prompt on first run that includes an option to make Microsoft Bing the default homepage and search engine in Edge, Firefox, and Chrome.</li> <li>Includes code to "peruse and decrypt" Edge, Chrome, and Firefox cookies.</li> <li>Has access to the geolocation web API.</li> <li>Suggests to make Microsoft Edge the default browser.</li> <li>Launches a tab in the default (non-Edge) browser that recommends enabling the Microsoft Bing Search extension for that browser.</li> </ul> <p>We verified some of the claims and they appear to be accurate. Rivera suggests to avoid the app at all costs, which is also our suggestion at the time.</p> <h2>Better alternatives for Bing Wallpaper</h2> <p>There are plenty of apps and services out there that push a new wallpaper to the desktop regularly. Heck, Windows Spotlight is baked right into the operating system.</p> <p>If you prefer non-Microsoft services, you have plenty of options as well. Here are a few suggestions:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2020/12/27/lively-wallpaper-may-be-the-ultimate-wallpaper-app-for-windows/" data-wpel-link="internal">Lively Wallpaper</a> is a free app that supports static and animated wallpapers. You can display a video file or an animated GIF, or even a webpage if you want as the wallpaper.</li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/03/05/add-a-video-wallpaper-to-your-desktop-or-pin-applications-to-the-desktop-with-active-desktop-plus/" data-wpel-link="internal">Active Desktop Plus</a> is a similar app that supports animated wallpapers among other things.</li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/07/14/dynawin-is-a-simple-tool-that-can-change-the-windows-theme-or-desktop-wallpaper-automatically/" data-wpel-link="internal">DynaWin</a> is another free wallpaper app that can set the wallpaper based on the time of day or other events.</li> <li>Space fans may want to check out <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/03/28/spaceeye-fetches-satellite-images-of-the-earth-and-sets-it-as-your-desktop-wallpaper/" data-wpel-link="internal">SpaceEye</a>. It is a free app that is specialized in satellite imagery.</li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2020/12/14/chameleon-is-an-open-source-program-that-can-change-your-desktop-wallpaper-automatically-based-on-the-time-weather/" data-wpel-link="internal">Chameleon</a>, last but not least, is another powerful app that can change the background of the desktop based on time or weather.</li> </ul> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>It is rather sad to see that Microsoft is implementing behaviors in some of its apps that is generally only found in malware apps. Microsoft Defender would probably flag Bing Wallpaper as a PUP, a potentially unwanted program, if it would not come from Microsoft.</p> <p><em>What is your take on this? Would you install Bing Wallpaper? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/21/microsoft-accused-of-malware-like-bing-wallpaper-app/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft accused of Malware-like Bing Wallpaper app</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

24. Facebook annoys an increasing number of users with ad breaks

    Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:06:28 -0000

    What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear "ad break"; probably TV or streaming ads. What you probably did not have in mind is a new system […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Facebook annoys an increasing number of users with ad breaks appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear "ad break"; probably TV or streaming ads.</p> <p>What you probably did not have in mind is a new system that Facebook is rolling out to users in the European Union after it <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/11/10/facebook-is-now-showing-subscription-or-continue-with-ads-prompts-to-eu-users/" data-wpel-link="internal">received a lot of flak</a> for its "subscribe and pay money" or "continue to see ads" prompts in the EU.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206479" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/facebook-ad-experience.png" alt="Facebook Ad Experience" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/facebook-ad-experience.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/facebook-ad-experience-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/facebook-ad-experience-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/facebook-ad-experience-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/facebook-ad-experience-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>Facebook is giving users two choices when it comes to ads currently:</p> <ul> <li>Personalized ads</li> <li>Less-personalized ads</li> </ul> <p>The main difference lies in the data that Facebook uses to display ads. Personalized ads, which is the default, uses a user's data to display ads. You check out certain household items, you get more ads about these items.</p> <p>The less-personalized ads option does not use as much user data for ads on Facebook. These may align less with a user's interest according to Facebook. Facebook says that it will use age, gender, and location, ad engagement, and the content that is viewed on Facebook for ads.</p> <p>More importantly, and this is new, it may also display ad breaks.</p> <h2>Ad breaks on Facebook</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206480" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/less-personalized-ads.png" alt="Less-personalized ads" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/less-personalized-ads.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/less-personalized-ads-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/less-personalized-ads-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/less-personalized-ads-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/less-personalized-ads-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>Once you have switched the setting to less-personalized, you may get ad breaks. This appears to be limited to the mobile Facebook app for the time being.</p> <p>When you scroll down a page on Facebook, the app may suddenly display an advertisement and block scrolling for a period. In other words, it stops whatever you are doing on Facebook to display the ad.</p> <p>This is done to make sure that the ad is viewed. One likely reason for launching this on mobile is that ad blockers or other ad-bypassing techniques are not commonly used in regards to apps.</p> <p>It is highly annoying, as it breaks the flow.</p> <p><strong>Note</strong>: not everyone who switched to less-personalized ads is seeing the ad breaks.</p> <p>The only official way out is to switch to personalized ads on Facebook.</p> <p><strong>A few other options may work:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Display Facebook in a web browser on the mobile device. Preferably a web browser that supports content blocking. Firefox, Brave, or Vivaldi come to mind.</li> <li>Try DNS-based content blocking solutions. AdGuard, NextDNS, or Control D come to mind.</li> </ul> <h2>How to change the Ad Experience preference on Facebook</h2> <p>Here is how you switch between personalized and less-personalized ads on Facebook:</p> <ol> <li>Load https://accountscenter.facebook.com/ad_preferences/ad_settings/ad_experience/#09 in the browser's address bar. <ol> <li>If you are not signed in already, sign in to your account.</li> </ol> </li> <li>Select Personalized ads or Less-personalized ads.</li> <li>Confirm your selection on the next page.</li> </ol> <p><em>What is your take on this? Would you stop using the Facebook app, or any other app, if it used ad-breaks to show ads? Feel free to write a comment down below.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/20/facebook-annoys-an-increasing-number-of-users-with-ad-breaks/" data-wpel-link="internal">Facebook annoys an increasing number of users with ad breaks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

25. Apple patches 2 zero-day vulnerabilities that were used to attack Intel-based Macs

    Wed, 20 Nov 2024 07:58:45 -0000

    Apple has released a critical update for macOS to patch a couple of zero-day vulnerabilities. The security patches are also available for iPhones and iPads. Intel-based Macs targeted by security attacks The […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Apple patches 2 zero-day vulnerabilities that were used to attack Intel-based Macs appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Apple has released a critical update for macOS to patch a couple of zero-day vulnerabilities. The security patches are also available for iPhones and iPads.</p> <h3><strong>Intel-based Macs targeted by security attacks</strong></h3> <p>The <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/09/18/best-features-in-macos-sequoia-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">macOS Sequoia</a> 15.1.1 update includes 2 security fixes, both of which affect Safari. The vulnerabilities were discovered by two security experts who are part of Google's Threat Analysis Group, Clément Lecigne and Benoît Sevens. They reported their findings to Apple, which confirmed that it is aware that the issues may have been actively exploited by hackers. Details about the attacks have not been revealed.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/100100" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Security Releases</a> page on the company's portal, the first of these patches are for an issue tracked under CVE-2024-44308, and is related to JavaScriptCore. A vulnerability allowed the processing of malicious web content, which could then lead to arbitrary code execution. The bug was addressed by improving checks.</p> <p>The second vulnerability is tracked under CVE-2024-44309, and affects WebKit. This issue could allow malicious content on a web page to initiate a cross site scripting attack. Apple identified the bug as a cookie management issue, and patched it by improving the state management.</p> <p>Now, the security fixes aren't exclusive to Intel-Macs, though the issues themselves were exploited on those machines. Since the exploits exist in Safari, other devices could also be vulnerable, which is why the patches are included for all Macs that support macOS Sequoia. The security updates have also been released for older Macs running on Ventura and Sonoma, but not as an operating system update. Instead, Apple has released an update for its browser to patch the vulnerabilities on older systems, it bumps the version number to Safari 18.1.1.</p> <p>There are still quite a few Intel Macs that are supported by <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/06/13/macos-15-sequoia-announced-with-window-tiling-iphone-mirroring-passwords-app-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">macOS Sequoia</a>, these include the 2017 iMac Pro, 2018 Mac mini, 2018 MacBook Pro, 2019 iMac, 2019 MacBook Pro, 2020 iMac, 2020 MacBook Air, and the 2019 Mac Pro. Apple began switching to Apple Silicon chips in 2020, and began phasing out the Intel models. The Cupertino company stopped selling Intel Macs in 2023, the last devices of these to be discontinued was the Mac Pro.</p> <h3><strong>Security fixes for iOS and iPadOS</strong></h3> <p>These patches are also available through visionOS 2.1.1 update for Vision Pro, iOS 18.1.1 for iPhone XS and later, and iPadOS 18.1.1 for iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later. Users on iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 also get the security updates via iOS 17.7.2 (iPhone XS and later), and iPadOS 17.7.2 (all the above-mentioned iPads, plus the iPad 6th generation).</p> <p>It is advised to update your Mac, iPhone, and iPad as soon as possible, to protect it from the vulnerabilities.</p> <p>It might seem strange why these zero-day threats are not updated via the Rapid Security Responses system, it was after all designed to counter threats quickly with a small update, and a system reboot. Apple used the RSR system just twice, it appeared to function fine when the company released an RSR update for iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1 and macOS 13.1.1 Ventura <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/05/02/apple-rolls-out-its-first-rapid-security-response-update-for-ios-16-4-1-and-macos-13-3-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">in May last year</a>. But, the iOS 16.5.1, iPadOS 16.5.1 and macOS 13.4.1 RSR updates which were released <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/11/apple-has-pulled-a-rapid-security-response-update-that-fixed-an-exploited-flaw-in-ios-16-5-1-ipados-16-5-1-and-macos-13-4-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">in July 2023</a> were buggy and broke compatibility with many websites making them unusable, and Apple had to hastily pull the updates. We haven't seen any RSR updates since then.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/20/apple-patches-2-zero-day-vulnerabilities-that-were-used-to-attack-intel-based-macs/" data-wpel-link="internal">Apple patches 2 zero-day vulnerabilities that were used to attack Intel-based Macs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

26. Microsoft's first ever Windows 11 desktop PC costs just $349, but there is a catch

    Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:26:12 -0000

    Microsoft has released a lot of hardware throughout the years. Prominent examples are the company's Surface line of Windows devices, but also peripherals and other hardware. Today, Microsoft announced its very first […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft's first ever Windows 11 desktop PC costs just $349, but there is a catch appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Microsoft has released a lot of hardware throughout the years. Prominent examples are the c<a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/12/30/microsofts-surface-laptop-6-and-pro-10-devices-could-be-its-first-ai-pcs/" data-wpel-link="internal">ompany's Surface</a> line of Windows devices, but also peripherals and other hardware.</p> <p>Today, Microsoft <a href="https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/windows-365-link%E2%80%94the-first-cloud-pc-device-for-windows-365/4302687?ocid=FY25_soc_omc_br_x_365Link" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">announced</a> its very first desktop PC. It is special for a number of reasons. The three big reasons are the price of the device, what it offers, and who it is designed for.</p> <h2>Windows 365 Link from Microsoft</h2> <p>Microsoft says that it will sell the Windows 365 Link" PC for $349. This includes a Windows 11 license. A Windows 11 PC for that little? It must be a really barebones system then, right?</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206474" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-365-link.png" alt="Windows 365 Link" width="1349" height="754" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-365-link.png 1349w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-365-link-768x429.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-365-link-1200x671.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1349px) 100vw, 1349px" /></p> <p>It is, but not one that is comparable to relatively cheap desktop PCS. Here is why:</p> <p>Windows 365 Link is tiny. It has a size of 12 x 12 cm and is just 3 cm high. It looks like a box that you place under your TV to stream content to it. And that is pretty much what this device does.</p> <p><strong>It is a PC that streams Windows from the cloud.</strong> So, you do need Internet connectivity to boot into Windows. Microsoft describes the system as a "locked-down operating system with no local data or apps, and no local admin users".</p> <p>As far as availability is concerned, Windows 365 Link is a device for Enterprise and Education customers only at this point. Means, it is only available for organizations that use Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID, and that meet all other requirements of Windows 365.</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing Windows 365 Link" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dG0vepqXw_Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p><strong>Here are the details about the device that Microsoft revealed today:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Price: $349</li> <li>Processor: Intel</li> <li>RAM: 8 gigabyte</li> <li>Storage: 64 gigabyte</li> <li>Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI port, DisplayPort, Ethernet port, three USB-A and one USB-C ports, audio jack.</li> </ul> <p>Microsoft claims that the device's processing power is enough for "high-performance video playback and conferencing".</p> <p>It is available as a preview in select markets already. Microsoft lists United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It will become generally available next year.</p> <p>The Windows 365 Link is the first device of its kind, but Microsoft already hinted that it is working on additional devices with other form factors.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>Like it or not, but cloud PCs will will be established as an option in the coming years. While Windows 365 Link is designed for Enterprise customers, it is possible that Microsoft is already working on a device for consumers.</p> <p>Certain activities may not require access to a local operating system. A cloud PC optimized for gaming, web browsing, or shopping may work well for some. The tradeoff is that you give up control of the device.</p> <p><em>Would you buy a Microsoft 365 Link PC if it would become available for $349? Or are you in the "hell needs to freeze" before I use such a device camp? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/19/microsofts-first-ever-windows-11-desktop-pc-costs-just-349-but-there-is-a-catch/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft&#039;s first ever Windows 11 desktop PC costs just $349, but there is a catch</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

27. U.S. DoJ could force Google to sell Chrome

    Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:07:11 -0000

    The United States Department of Justice may force Google to sell Chrome. The news comes a few months after the company was found guilty of maintaining an illegal search monopoly. Well, this […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post U.S. DoJ could force Google to sell Chrome appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>The United States Department of Justice may force Google to sell Chrome. The news comes a few months after the company was found guilty of maintaining an illegal search monopoly.</p> <p>Well, this is not completely unexpected, I had mentioned this in my <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/08/07/u-s-judge-rules-that-google-has-an-illegal-search-engine-monopoly/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">previous coverage</a> of the antitrust lawsuit.</p> <h2><strong>Google may be forced to sell Chrome to comply with antitrust laws</strong></h2> <p>A report by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-18/doj-will-push-google-to-sell-off-chrome-to-break-search-monopoly" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Bloomberg</a> (paywalled article) outlines the proposals that the DoJ will be recommending to federal judge, Amit Mehta. He was the judge who had recently deemed Google of illegally monopolizing the search market. Google is preparing an appeal against the ruling, a two-week hearing has been set for April 2025, and the final ruling could be reached by August 2025. But things are about to get much worse for Google, as the tech giant could be forced to part ways with the browser it <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2008/09/02/google-chrome-now-available/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">created 16 years ago</a>, Chrome.</p> <p>The antitrust agency and States who are suing Google, will also request the imposition of some changes related to the AI industry. Dozens of companies were consulted by Government attorneys as they prepared recommendations for a remedy to make the market more competitive.</p> <p>The antitrust officials want Google to license the search results and data, and allow websites options to prevent their data from being used for Google's AI products, such as the AI-generated summaries that are being displayed at the top of search results.</p> <p>The report also mentions that the DoJ thought about an option to force Google to sell off Android, but pulled back from this decision. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean Android is off the radar.</p> <h3><strong>Android could be unbundled<br /> </strong></h3> <p>Android users will be aware that the mobile operating system bundles several apps from Google, many people view these as bloatware. Antitrust officials are working on proposals to force Google to split Android from its other products like Search and the Google Play Store. Could this mean that Android phones may offer an experience similar to AOSP (Android Open Source Project) sans Google apps? One requirement that is proposed wants Google to share more information with advertisers, and give them additional control over where their ads appear.</p> <p>Naturally, Google isn't happy about these proposals. Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, said this "radical agenda goes beyond the legal issues in this case", and that it would "harm consumers, developers and American technological leadership.</p> <p>On a side note, Google seems to be <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/chrome-os-becoming-android-3500661/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">transforming Chrome OS</a> into Android, which seems to indicate that things could be changing rapidly.</p> <h3><strong>Chrome's dominance could come to an end</strong></h3> <p>According to <a href="https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/all/united-states-of-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">StatCounter</a>, Chrome leads the market with a 66.65% share world-wide, with Apple Safari in second place at 18.09%, followed by Microsoft Edge at 5.26%, and Mozilla Firefox at 2.65%. Those are the global stats. Since the antitrust case is based in the United States, let's take a look at how the browser market in the U.S. is. Spoiler alert, it is not that different. Chrome is at the top with 57.38%, Apple Safari has a 29.31% share, Edge is at the third spot with 6.57%, Firefox is at the fourth place with 3.47%.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206471" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Google-Chromes-dominance-in-the-United-States-browser-market-scaled.jpg" alt="Google Chrome's dominance in the United States browser market" width="1200" height="675" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Google-Chromes-dominance-in-the-United-States-browser-market-scaled.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Google-Chromes-dominance-in-the-United-States-browser-market-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Safari's numbers are kind of impressive despite the browser being exclusive to macOS, iOS and iPadOS, but that could be because all browsers on iOS/iPadOS are Safari. But these stats clearly highlight the problem, Chrome dominates the browser market with no proper competitor. It is no wonder why Microsoft is desperately trying to get more users on Edge with ads and <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/13/microsoft-is-sneakily-trying-to-import-tabs-from-other-browsers-into-edge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">sneaky settings</a>.</p> <h3><strong>The future of Chrome?</strong></h3> <p>Regardless of what Chrome's future is, Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera will likely remain unaffected by the proceedings of the antitrust case, simply because Chrome and Chromium are two different products. The Chromium open source project is too big to be abandoned, it will thrive.</p> <p>Chrome's future is unpredictable at this stage. This isn't like Google just randomly axing a service, oh look <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/09/13/google-terminates-google-inbox-service/" data-wpel-link="internal">Inbox is so popular</a>, let's end it. No, there is a big difference between killing a product and selling it to a third party, Google will lose the trademarks and rights related to Chrome. Any company that acquires Chrome inherits the popularity, and the user base of the iconic browser, flaws and all. I wonder if the brains behind the operation, aka the developer teams behind Chrome browser, will be allowed to continue working at Google. The law can't force them out too, right? Unless that is part of the judgement, what could warrant that?</p> <p>Let's say Chrome is sold off, all Google needs to do is reboot the system. It has all the necessary tools to create a new browser to compete with Chrome. It owns the Chromium open source project, the dev teams who have worked on the world's most popular browser, how hard is it going to be to start from scratch? All it needs to do to attract users is to create a new browser, and place a single ad about it on the most visited website in the world, Google.com. I doubt the DoJ will be able to block this.</p> <p>What they could have a say over, are the search deals that Google has made with other companies. Google's agreement with Apple was the heart of the antitrust case, the former paid several billions to the latter to keep Google as the default search engine on Safari across iOS, iPadOS and macOS. This could come to an end as officials are working on a ban on such exclusive contracts, so Mozilla's deal with Google might suffer the same fate. It would be ironical if Google lost Chrome, and couldn't pay the new owner to be the default search engine in the browser. Ouch!</p> <p>At its core, Google depends on advertisements, and this is where it will hurt the most. Its search engine is heavily dependent on Chrome. If users switch to alternative search engines, the ad business will take a big hit. How do most users run search queries on their phone? Either through the Google search widget on their phone, or Google Assistant, or manually via the default browser, which on many Android devices, is Google Chrome. You can argue that the same applies to search on iOS, with Google being the default in Safari.</p> <p>Which company would Chrome be sold to? That is a very difficult question to answer, as any company big enough to buy it could also be putting itself in the line of sight of antitrust officials. I think it is fair to assume that the new owner will be one that does not have a search engine of their own. Otherwise, it's the same problem all over, right? Apple doesn't have a search engine, could it buy Chrome? On the other hand, Apple hates Bing to the point it <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/29/microsoft-reportedly-discussed-selling-bing-to-apple-in-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">rejected an opportunity</a> to buy it, this may be a good time to launch its own search engine, that might be good PR for a Safari with Apple Intelligence Search. One expert mentioned that OpenAI could be a potential buyer as it could integrate ChatGPT in Chrome, which could boost its subscriptions as well as open it up for ads.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/19/u-s-doj-could-force-google-to-sell-chrome/" data-wpel-link="internal">U.S. DoJ could force Google to sell Chrome</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

28. How to use your Android phone as a mobile hotspot provider for your laptop

    Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:06:37 -0000

    I have visited Athens and Rome in the past couple of months and took a laptop with me to work from there. I refuse to use open Wi-Fi access points at airports, […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to use your Android phone as a mobile hotspot provider for your laptop appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>I have visited Athens and Rome in the past couple of months and took a laptop with me to work from there. I refuse to use open Wi-Fi access points at airports, coffee shops, hotels or other locations.</p> <p><strong>The main reason for that is security and privacy</strong>. It is too easy to get attacked or your data snagged away. For that reason, I have switched to using my Android device as a mobile hotspot provider whenever I need to access the Internet, but do not have Ethernet or private Wi-Fi available.</p> <p>Good news that this is very easy to setup. The only requirement is that you need a mobile connection. If your mobile ISP does not provide you with free access in other countries, you may buy local mobile Internet access or use an eSIM provider instead.</p> <p>The main advantage is that you are completely independent of any public wireless offerings.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: you may also <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2020/03/02/how-to-set-up-a-mobile-wi-fi-hotspot-in-windows-7-or-above-without-any-software/" data-wpel-link="internal">set up a mobile hotspot on your Windows device</a>.</p> <h2>Setting up the mobile hotspot on Android</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206467" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mobile-hotspot-android-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="554" height="1200" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mobile-hotspot-android-scaled.jpg 554w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mobile-hotspot-android-768x1664.jpg 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mobile-hotspot-android-709x1536.jpg 709w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/mobile-hotspot-android-945x2048.jpg 945w" sizes="(max-width: 554px) 100vw, 554px" /></p> <p>Here is how you set it up:</p> <ol> <li>Open the Settings on your Android device.</li> <li>Go to Connections &gt; Mobile Hotspot and Tethering &gt; Mobile Hotspot.</li> <li>Set a password for the connection.</li> <li>Set the security of the Wi-Fi connection to the maximum, likely WPA2/WPA3-Personal.</li> <li>Change the name of the hotspot connection, if you want.</li> <li>Toggle Mobile Hotspot from Off to On.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Note</strong>: whenever you enable the mobile hotspot feature, Wi-Fi needs to be turned off. Android reminds you off that and you can use the prompt that it displays to turn off Wi-Fi. If you do not turn off Wi-Fi, you cannot use the mobile hotspot feature.</p> <p>Once set up, switch to your laptop or other computer. Open the list of wireless networks and you should see your Android phone's mobile hotspot there.</p> <p>Select it, enter the password, and click on the connect option to establish the connection.</p> <p>If everything worked, you are now connected via your Android's devices mobile hotspot feature. In other words, you have Internet connectivity on your laptop.</p> <p><strong>Some tips:</strong></p> <ol> <li>It is recommended to enable the mobile hotspot feature only when you need it.</li> <li>If you have a data limited, you need to keep an eye on it. If it is low, avoid activities that consume a lot of data.</li> <li>Pick a secure passwords to avoid that others try to get in as well.</li> <li>Your Android device needs to be near the PC, as the signal needs to get picked up.</li> <li>There may also be a one-time password option. This is intended to allow users to connect to your device's hotspot once.</li> <li>Devices that are connected to the mobile hotspot are shown in the Settings. Use this to check if there are other devices.</li> </ol> <p>All in all, it is an easy system that gives me Internet access in locations that do not provide secure or private options. You can also use it at home. When you are visiting a hospital, coffee shop, have an appointment, or something else.</p> <p><em><strong>Now You:</strong> have you used your device's mobile hotspot feature? If so, what did you use it for? If not, why not? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/18/how-to-use-your-android-phone-as-a-mobile-hotspot-provider-for-your-laptop/" data-wpel-link="internal">How to use your Android phone as a mobile hotspot provider for your laptop</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

29. Google appears to be working on a better alias system for Gmail

    Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:08:27 -0000

    Gmail users had an easy, but mostly superfluous, alias system at their disposal from the very beginning. I mentioned the trick in 2006 for the first time here on this blog. All […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Google appears to be working on a better alias system for Gmail appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Gmail users had an easy, but mostly superfluous, alias system at their disposal from the very beginning. I mentioned the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2006/10/01/avoid-spam-with-one-use-emails/" data-wpel-link="internal">trick in 2006</a> for the first time here on this blog. All you have to do is add +text to the username of the email address.</p> <p>This looks like emailaddress+mytext@gmail.com then. The main idea is that sites do not see the user's main address but a temporary address. The main problem with the approach was that it was dead easy to spot the real email address. All you had to do was remove the +text part from it.</p> <h2>New Gmail Email Alias feature in the works</h2> <p><a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/google-shielded-email-3499803/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">A report</a> by Android Authority suggests that Google is working on integrating real email alias capabilities into Gmail.</p> <p><strong>The details:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The feature is called Shielded Email.</li> <li>It allows users to use temporary addresses.</li> <li>These forward emails to the user's real address.</li> </ul> <p>Details are scarce at the moment. It appears that the system enables Gmail users to create temporary email addresses. These may then be used for interactions with services on the Internet. The temporary email addresses may be turned off in the Gmail app; this blocks future emails from reaching the inbox.</p> <p>It is unclear right now which domain or domains the temporary email addresses will use. The following features are commonly found in other services of its kind:</p> <ul> <li>Support for custom domains.</li> <li>Ability to reply from a temporary email address.</li> </ul> <p>Popular solutions, like the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/09/proton-ag-acquires-simplelogin-email-alias-service/" data-wpel-link="internal">Proton-owned SimpleLogin</a>, support lots of features that add to the functionality. The paid version supports custom domains, catch-all and wildcard domains or PGP encryption. There is also <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2019/11/25/a-look-at-the-email-forwarding-service-anonaddy/" data-wpel-link="internal">AnonAddy</a>, another crowd-favorite.</p> <p>Knowing Google, it is perfectly possible that the company is not going to launch Shielded Emails at all, as a test to select users only, or launch it only to pull it at a later point.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>Still, the introduction of better email alias to reduce the amount of spam that Gmail users who use the feature get would be a welcome addition to the service. Most privacy-conscious Internet users are probably not using Gmail for their main email addresses, but hundreds of millions of people do.</p> <p>Clearly, it is too early to tell how well the feature would be received by these. It depends to a large degree on how Google would announce it to the userbase.</p> <p>Email aliases are super useful at limiting spam.</p> <p><em>Do you use email aliases? Let me know in the comments below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/15/google-appears-to-be-working-on-a-better-alias-system-for-gmail/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google appears to be working on a better alias system for Gmail</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

30. The official ChatGPT app for Windows is now available for free users

    Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:03:44 -0000

    OpenAI has released the official ChatGPT app for Windows for all users. The company had released the desktop app for macOS in June 2024, before following it up with a Windows version […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post The official ChatGPT app for Windows is now available for free users appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>OpenAI has released the official ChatGPT app for Windows for all users. The company had released the desktop app for macOS in June 2024, before following it up with a Windows version that was released about <a href="https://community.openai.com/t/chatgpt-desktop-app-for-windows-is-available/983265" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">a month ago</a>.</p> <p>However, <a href="https://x.com/OpenAI/status/1857121721175998692" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">until today</a>, ChatGPT for Windows was exclusively available for users with an active subscription for ChatGPT Plus, Team, Enterprise and also for Edu users.</p> <p>Now, the ChatGPT app for Windows is available for free users too. To get started with it, download the ChatGPT app for Windows from the <a href="https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nt1r1c2hh7j?" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Microsoft Store</a>, you can get the Mac app from the <a href="https://openai.com/chatgpt/desktop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">official website</a>. The Windows app supports Windows 10 version 17763.0 or higher.</p> <h3><strong>An overview of the ChatGPT app for Windows</strong></h3> <p>You will need to log in to your OpenAI account to use the app. The sign-in process is handled via your default web browser. I'm not going to go into the details of using the app, it's very similar to the web version of the chatbot, you can use it to chat with the AI, access your chat history, use the app to generate text, code, images, etc. There is an option to use a Temporary Chat, which will restrict the app from accessing your history, use memories, or your data. However, it still stores the contents of the chat on the server for 30 days, for safety reasons.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206457" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/The-official-ChatGPT-app-for-Windows-is-now-available-for-everyone.jpg" alt="The official ChatGPT app for Windows is now available for everyone" width="898" height="589" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/The-official-ChatGPT-app-for-Windows-is-now-available-for-everyone.jpg 898w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/The-official-ChatGPT-app-for-Windows-is-now-available-for-everyone-768x504.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 898px) 100vw, 898px" /></p> <p>You can open the ChatGPT desktop app with the keyboard shortcut Alt + Space, providing that the program is running in the background. Speaking of which, the app stays minimized on the system tray. The hotkey is customizable, you can change it by clicking on your profile name (bottom left corner) &gt; Settings &gt; App. This page also has options to switch between a light and dark theme for the interface.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206459" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Chatgpt-app-generate-images.jpg" alt="Chatgpt app generate images" width="916" height="746" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Chatgpt-app-generate-images.jpg 916w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Chatgpt-app-generate-images-768x625.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 916px) 100vw, 916px" /></p> <p>One setting that you may want to check is under Personalization &gt; Memory. This prevents the app from using your chat history for future chats, i.e. a tailored experience. The option is disabled by default, or it may have been so because I had turned it off in the web version. The actual setting to prevent ChatGPT from using your data to train its language model is found under Data Controls &gt; Improve the model for everyone.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206454" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Chatgpt-for-windows-electon-app.jpg" alt="Chatgpt for windows electon app" width="834" height="723" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Chatgpt-for-windows-electon-app.jpg 834w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Chatgpt-for-windows-electon-app-768x666.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px" /></p> <p>According to the app's description, the ChatGPT desktop app supports all models from the company including OpenAI o1-preview, also a premium tier feature. ChatGPT's Windows app is an Electron program. This is not surprising, even though the Mac version is called a native app, it is not written in Swift, it too was built using Electron.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206453" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ChatGPT-memory-usage-windows.jpg" alt="ChatGPT memory usage windows" width="946" height="582" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ChatGPT-memory-usage-windows.jpg 946w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ChatGPT-memory-usage-windows-768x472.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 946px) 100vw, 946px" /></p> <p>On a side note, the ChatGPT app for Mac can now be used with third-party apps, but there are <a href="https://x.com/OpenAIDevs/status/1857129790312272179" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">some limitations</a>. It only supports VS Code, Xcode, Terminal, iTerm2 for now.</p> <h3><strong>Is the ChatGPT desktop app worth using?</strong></h3> <p>Why bother with the desktop app, instead of using it from a browser? Well, it depends on your usage. The keyboard shortcut is definitely useful to have, and could improve your workflow as you multitask across other apps. The desktop app supports voice chat, which is not free, but there is a difference. You can try the feature for free in the desktop app or the Android/iOS apps, this is not possible in the web version. FYI, Advanced Voice Mode is a premium feature that is available via ChatGPT Plus or Enterprise with GPT-4. You can access various GPTs created by third-party services from the app's menu, you will need ChatGPT Plus to create your own model.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206458" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/subscribe-to-chatgpt-plus-from-the-desktop-app.jpg" alt="subscribe to chatgpt plus from the desktop app" width="898" height="626" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/subscribe-to-chatgpt-plus-from-the-desktop-app.jpg 898w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/subscribe-to-chatgpt-plus-from-the-desktop-app-768x535.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 898px) 100vw, 898px" /></p> <p>Another advantage that the desktop app offers is support for plugins that can be used with third-party services. This is also not free, but you can use it if you have a premium subscription. Users who want the additional bells and whistles can upgrade to the premium subscription directly from the app, the price starts at $20 per month.</p> <p>That said, even with the freemium model, ChatGPT's desktop version could provide some competition for Microsoft Copilot.</p> <p>Do you like the ChatGPT app for Windows?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/15/the-official-chatgpt-app-for-windows-is-now-available-for-free-users/" data-wpel-link="internal">The official ChatGPT app for Windows is now available for free users</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

31. World's Top 200 Common Passwords continue to be incredibly weak

    Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:15:30 -0000

    Weak passwords continue to be a problem on today's Internet. It seems that many users continue to pick weak passwords that were weak 20 years ago and continue to be the weakest […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post World's Top 200 Common Passwords continue to be incredibly weak appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/12/16/weak-passwords-2/" data-wpel-link="internal">Weak passwords</a> continue to be a problem on today's Internet. It seems that many users continue to pick weak passwords that were weak 20 years ago and continue to be the weakest of the weak. It is probably part convenience and part not-knowing-better that play a role here.</p> <p>NordPass <a href="https://nordpass.com/most-common-passwords-list/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">has released</a> its six annual password report of the top 200 most common passwords. The company has analyzed a 2.5 terabyte database that it "extracted from various publicly available sources".</p> <p><strong>Note</strong>: It is likely that NordPass could not crack the entire list of passwords. With that said, if one of your passwords is found on such a list, you better change it immediately to something more secure.</p> <p><strong>The top 10 of all countries looks like this:</strong></p> <ol> <li>123456</li> <li>123456789</li> <li>12345678</li> <li>password</li> <li>qwerty123</li> <li>qwerty1</li> <li>111111</li> <li>12345</li> <li>secret</li> <li>123123</li> </ol> <p>You can check out individual lists of 44 countries or the same for corporate passwords, which NordPass lists in a separate list.</p> <p>All of the non-corporate passwords that make up the top 10 are cracked in less than one second according to NordPass.  The other 190 passwords use a similar scheme and most are also cracked in less than a second. While numbers and qwerty dominate, there are also single words and even some passwords that are more complex on the list.</p> <p><strong>Related Content:</strong></p> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="UTGolLVaoM"><p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/09/how-long-does-it-take-to-crack-a-password-in-2024/" data-wpel-link="internal">How long does it take to crack a password in 2024?</a></p></blockquote> <p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" title="&#8220;How long does it take to crack a password in 2024?&#8221; &#8212; gHacks Technology News" src="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/09/how-long-does-it-take-to-crack-a-password-in-2024/embed/#?secret=EsZe2ALg3w#?secret=UTGolLVaoM" data-secret="UTGolLVaoM" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p>You find tag12wsx in position 30. It was found more than 90,000 times according to NordPass. Other examples include 111222tianya, found more than 44,000 times, and chesse, which was found more than 23,000 times.</p> <p>If you take a closer look at the passwords, you may notice the absence of symbols. While there are one or two passwords with an @-symbol, some with !, and g:czechout, which takes the longest to crack on the entire list, there is almost no symbol used in the entire list.</p> <p>The second interesting takeaway is that there are barely any uppercase letters. The first uppercase letter ins found in Password, which is at position 26. The next is Qwerty123 at position 36 and Qwerty123! at position 46.</p> <p><strong>To sum it up:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The most common passwords use lowercase letters and numbers only for the most part.</li> <li>Symbols and uppercase letters are nearly absent in the entire listing.</li> </ul> <p><strong>NordPass' findings:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The password 123456 is still the world's worst password.</li> <li>Corporate passwords and non-corporate passwords are not that different in terms of security.</li> <li>There seems to be no improvement when compared to six years ago.</li> </ul> <h3>The list highlights a problem, but it is not yours</h3> <p><figure id="attachment_206451" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206451" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-206451 size-full" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/keepass-secure-password-generation.png" alt="Generate secure passwords" width="960" height="558" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/keepass-secure-password-generation.png 960w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/keepass-secure-password-generation-768x446.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206451" class="wp-caption-text">32 character passwords generated by KeePass</figcaption></figure></p> <p>NordPass suggests that users can improve their password security by using a password manager. That is the main takeaway from all weak password listings.</p> <p>Unless you are really good at remembering strong unique passwords, password managers are the best option. There are plenty of free alternatives.</p> <p>There is <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/05/28/keepass-password-safe-review/" data-wpel-link="internal">KeePass</a>, which continues to be my personal favorite app, and also <a href="https://bitwarden.com/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">BitWarden</a>, which is also excellent and open source. It depends on your personal usage scenarios.</p> <p>The main benefit of a password manager is that it generates and stores as many strong unique passwords as you require. BitWarden is a little bit easier to use if you need syncing, but both support this in one form or another.</p> <p>Good news is that you may start right away, if you have not done so already. Most regulars here on Ghacks are probably using a password manager or multiple managers already. It takes a few minutes to download a password manager and install it. Many support imports from browsers and several other apps. You may need some time to change weak to secure passwords, but the heavy lifting is done by the password manager.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/03/03/android-14-paves-the-way-to-replace-passwords-with-passkeys/" data-wpel-link="internal">Passkeys</a>, an upcoming standard that replaces passwords with keys that are stored on the user's devices, won't replace passwords anytime soon. Adoption is picking up pace, but it is still slow. Many Internet services, systems, or apps do not support the standard yet. Many Internet users may find it too complex of a system to use, at least in the coming years.</p> <p><em>What is your take on this analysis? Do you use weak passwords sometimes, or do you use highly secure passwords even for throwaway accounts? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/14/worlds-top-200-common-passwords-continue-to-be-incredibly-weak/" data-wpel-link="internal">World&#039;s Top 200 Common Passwords continue to be incredibly weak</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

32. Broadcom makes VMware Fusion and Workstation free for all users

    Wed, 13 Nov 2024 08:09:04 -0000

    VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion are now free for all users. Didn't Broadcom make them free already in March 2024? Yes, the products had been transitioned to a free for personal use […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Broadcom makes VMware Fusion and Workstation free for all users appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion are now free for all users. Didn't Broadcom make them free already in <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/16/vmware-workstation-pro-17-and-fusion-pro-13-are-now-free-for-personal-use/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">March 2024</a>?</p> <p>Yes, the products had been transitioned to a free for personal use model. But, the original announcement stated that the commercial version of the products would remain as a paid product. Six months later, there are no such restrictions, you can use VMware Fusion and Workstation for free even in commercial and educational environments.</p> <h3>Is the development of VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion being halted?</h3> <p>Broadcom has also <a href="https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud-foundation/2024/11/11/vmware-fusion-and-workstation-are-now-free-for-all-users/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">confirmed</a> that Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are no longer available for purchase. The company will continue to honor existing contracts, and provide service and support until the end of the term. The big question is, are the products discontinued?</p> <p>According to a <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/vmware/comments/1goz8ou/vmware_fusion_and_workstation_are_now_free_for/lwn3idn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">comment</a> by a VMware employee, it appears that the engineering team is not affected by the changes (only the sales of the products are). So the development of the products will continue. That does seem like a nice surprise. Broadcom does have plenty of other VMware products which brings in money.</p> <p>However, one point to note is that VMware/Broadcom's support team will not offer support directly to users. Instead, you will need to discuss it on community forums, and use online guides and documentation to troubleshoot issues. This may not seem like a problem for personal users, but it could be a nightmare for sysadmins who manage business endpoints and networks.</p> <h3><strong>Download VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion for commercial, educational or personal use</strong></h3> <p>You can read about the features of VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion at the <a href="https://www.vmware.com/products/desktop-hypervisor/workstation-and-fusion#product-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Desktop Hypervisor</a> page. Refer to my <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/16/vmware-workstation-pro-17-and-fusion-pro-13-are-now-free-for-personal-use/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">previous article</a> to download VMware Workstation Pro for Windows and Linux, and VMware Fusion Pro for Mac. Nothing has changed there, you will still need to head over to Broadcom's support portal, and login to your account. https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/downloads.</p> <p>The latest version of <a href="https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/productdownloads?subfamily=VMware+Workstation+Pro" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">VMware Workstation Pro</a> for Windows and Linux is 17.6.1, and <a href="https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/productdownloads?subfamily=VMware+Fusion" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">VMware Fusion Pro</a> is 13.6.1. You can also choose to download older versions of the software if required.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206445" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Download-VMware-Workstation-and-VMware-Fusion-for-commercial-educational-or-personal-use.jpg" alt="Download VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion for commercial, educational or personal use" width="723" height="636" /></p> <p>It is rather odd that the download page lists VMware Workstation Pro and VMware Workstation Pro for personal use separately. There are no differences between the two versions, the file sizes, and the checksums are the same, and even the license agreement appears to be identical.</p> <h3><strong>Business users are unhappy with VMware</strong></h3> <p>There are numerous <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1djh954/did_you_ditch_vmware_and_where_did_you_go_to/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">complaints</a> from business users and admins about the recent VMWare price hikes, of which there have been multiple. One <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1g50zil/vmware_prices_to_increase_again_in_november/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">comment</a> says that their renewal price went from 7K in 2022 (assuming it is in US dollars), to 150K in 2024. That is quite an insane jump. This was pretty much expected after the acquisition by Broadcom.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/software/despite-brutal-price-hikes-on-many-products-vmware-makes-fusion-pro-and-workstation-pro-free-for-all-users" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Tom's Hardware</a> quotes an article from Business Insider, which mentions that companies are comparing the price hikes akin to being held by ransom. Some people are also <a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/vmware/comments/1fjmjar/why_vmware_workstation_pro_176_removed_so_many/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">upset</a> that Broadcom has removed features like legacy VMTools ISOs (can still be downloaded), Bluetooth hub pass through, Physical host parallel ports support, Unity mode, and Enhanced Keyboard driver.  Some admins say they have migrated to Proxmox Virtual Environment, since it is an open source, based on Debian GNU/Linux, and is also supported by Veeam.</p> <p>VMWare is still pretty good for most home users. I run a Linux Mint VM in Workstation, and also use it for testing Windows 11 builds from the preview channels. They work perfectly fine, at least for my use cases. If you want to move away from VMware, <a href="https://www.virtualbox.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">VirtualBox</a> is still the most popular alternative.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/13/broadcom-makes-vmware-fusion-and-workstation-free-for-all-users/" data-wpel-link="internal">Broadcom makes VMware Fusion and Workstation free for all users</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

33. Microsoft is sneakily trying to import tabs from other browsers into Edge

    Wed, 13 Nov 2024 06:28:40 -0000

    Windows users who use a browser like Chrome on their devices as the main daily driver may be targeted by Microsoft's latest attempt at persuading them to switch to Edge. The details: […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft is sneakily trying to import tabs from other browsers into Edge appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Windows users who use a browser like Chrome on their devices as the main daily driver may be targeted by Microsoft's latest attempt at persuading them to switch to Edge.</p> <p><strong>The details:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Microsoft Edge suddenly starts on system start on the devices.</li> <li>It displays a prompt that advertises the benefits of Edge.</li> <li>This prompt includes an option to import data from other browsers; checked by default.</li> </ul> <p>When Edge launches on start, it displays the "Enhance your browsing experience with Copilot in Microsoft Edge" prompt.</p> <p>The main focus of the ad is Copilot's AI capabilities that Microsoft baked into Edge. Observant users may notice a prechecked settings. It reads: "Bring over your data from other browsers regularly. You can manage your preferences at any time in Settings".</p> <p>The prompt has a big highly visible "confirm and continue" button. There is no "decline" or "cancel" button next to it. You find a small x-icon in the top right corner of the prompt. It may be difficult to spot, as it looks similar to the star icons that Microsoft placed near it.</p> <p>If you do not want Edge to import your browsing data from other browsers, you need to uncheck the option first before selecting "confirm and continue", or activate the x-icon to close the prompt.</p> <p><figure id="attachment_206448" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206448" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-206448" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/new-Edge-prompt-import-data.webp" alt="Edge import Chrome data" width="750" height="456" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206448" class="wp-caption-text">The new pop-up in Edge that includes the Chrome import option (image credit: The Verge)</figcaption></figure></p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/12/24294454/microsoft-edge-chrome-tabs-prompt-trick" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">The Verge</a> says that it has received confirmation from Microsoft that the prompt is indeed a new Edge feature. Microsoft also pointed out that users could turn it off, if they did not want it.</p> <p>Clearly, Microsoft seems to believe that it is perfectly normal to introduce intrusive behavior on user systems. Let Edge suddenly start with the system and show a prompt that is clearly designed to get the data from as many users as possible imported into Microsoft Edge.</p> <p>Is this strategy lucrative enough for Microsoft to anger some users who are exposed to the prompt? Does it push enough users to Edge to make it worthwhile? Or does it have the opposite effect?</p> <h3>Not Microsoft's first rodeo</h3> <p>Last year, news broke that Edge was importing data from Chrome automatically. Users started to notice that their tabs from Chrome would suddenly appear in Microsoft's browser.</p> <p>The imports included the browsing history and they might also include other data, including passwords.</p> <p>Microsoft did not give users options back then. Edge was configured to import automatically and there was little that users could do before they started Edge to avoid that.</p> <p>This is not to say that Google is not using its might to <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2015/09/06/microsoft-should-recommend-edge-like-google-does-chrome/" data-wpel-link="internal">push its Chrome browser over others</a>. Two wrongs do not make a right, and it would be beneficial to all users if the company's would stop trying to snag users from each other using methods that are clearly not in the best interests of users.</p> <h3>How to configure Edge's auto-import functionality</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206447" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/edge-auto-import.png" alt="Edge auto-import " width="1276" height="841" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/edge-auto-import.png 1276w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/edge-auto-import-768x506.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/edge-auto-import-1200x791.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1276px) 100vw, 1276px" /></p> <p>Edge users may turn off the auto-import functionality in the following way:</p> <ol> <li>Load <strong>edge://settings/profiles/importBrowsingData</strong></li> <li>Activate the "&gt;" icon under "Import data from Google Chrome".</li> <li>Toggle "Import browser data from Google Chrome on each launch" to off.</li> </ol> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>Windows users who do not use Edge may be able to uninstall it. I still cannot, as <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/04/17/dear-microsoft-why-cannot-i-uninstall-microsoft-edge-on-windows/" data-wpel-link="internal">the promised uninstall option is still grayed out</a>.</p> <p><em><strong>Now You:</strong> which browser do you use mainly? What is your take on the new prompt that Microsoft is showing?</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/13/microsoft-is-sneakily-trying-to-import-tabs-from-other-browsers-into-edge/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft is sneakily trying to import tabs from other browsers into Edge</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

34. Microsoft releases the November 2024 security updates for Windows

    Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:50:54 -0000

    Microsoft released the November 2024 security updates for all supported client and server versions of its Windows operating system. Security updates are also available for other company products, including Microsoft Office. Our […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft releases the November 2024 security updates for Windows appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Microsoft released the November 2024 security updates for all supported client and server versions of its Windows operating system. Security updates are also available for other company products, including Microsoft Office.</p> <p>Our overview of the November 2024 update helps system administrators and home users make sense of the releases. It offers actionable information, including what has changed and whether there are known issues.</p> <p>Links provide easy access to official support pages and there is an assortment of information and more to be found below.</p> <p><strong>Good to known</strong>: Microsoft revealed that <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/01/windows-10-microsoft-reveals-esu-price-tag-for-home-users-and-a-big-catch/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 10 customers may extend support for one year and the price of $30</a>.</p> <h2>Microsoft Windows Security Updates: October 2024</h2> <p>You may download the following Excel spreadsheet to get a list of released updates. Click on the following link to download the archive to the local device: <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-security-updates-novermber-2024.zip" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows Security Updates November 2024</a></p> <p><strong>Executive Summary</strong></p> <ul> <li>Microsoft released a total of 89 security updates for various Microsoft products and 3 security updates from non-Microsoft issues (e.g. Chromium).</li> <li>Windows clients with issues are: <ul> <li>Windows 11 version 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2</li> </ul> </li> <li>Windows Server clients with issues: <ul> <li>Windows Server 2008</li> <li>Windows Server 2025</li> </ul> </li> <li>Windows 11, version 22H2, Home and Pro, have reached end of support. <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/07/09/windows-11-version-21h2-and-22h2-end-of-life-support/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft will force upgrade</a> devices to newer Windows versions.</li> </ul> <h2>Product overview</h2> <p>Each supported version of Windows and their critical vulnerabilities are listed below.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2: </strong>28 vulnerabilities, 0 critical, 28 important</li> <li><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2</strong>: 31 vulnerabilities, 1 critical, 30 important <ul> <li>Microsoft Windows VMSwitch Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43625" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43625</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows 11 version 23H2</strong>: 31 vulnerabilities, 1 critical, 30 important <ul> <li>same as 22H2.</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong>: 30 vulnerabilities, 1 critical, 29 important <ul> <li>same as 22H2.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows Server products</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Windows Server 2008 R2 (extended support only):</strong> 20 vulnerabilities: 0 critical,  20 important</li> <li><strong>Windows Server 2012 R2 (extended support only)</strong>:  unknown</li> <li><strong>Win</strong><strong>dows Server 2016</strong>: 25 vulnerabilities: 1 critical, 24 important <ul> <li>Windows Kerberos Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43639" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43639</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Windows Server 2019</strong>: 28 vulnerabilities: 1 critical, 27 important <ul> <li>Windows Kerberos Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43639" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43639</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><strong> Windows Server 2022:</strong> 34 vulnerabilities: 2 critical, 32 important <ul> <li>Microsoft Windows VMSwitch Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43625" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43625</a></li> <li>Windows Kerberos Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43639" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43639</a></li> </ul> </li> <li>Windows Server 2025:  32 vulnerabilities: 2 critical, 30 important <ul> <li>Microsoft Windows VMSwitch Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability -- <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43625" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43625</a></li> <li>Windows Kerberos Remote Code Execution Vulnerability --  <a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43639" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">CVE-2024-43639</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2>Windows Security Updates</h2> <p><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support Page: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/november-12-2024-kb5046613-os-builds-19044-5131-and-19045-5131-44e6c27e-e188-4dd5-8ad2-edde2e235c01" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046613 </a></li> </ul> <p>Updates and improvements:</p> <ul> <li>Security updates.</li> <li>Roll out of new account manager in the Start menu continues. Moves Lock command to the "power menu" and sign out under the ellipses (...).</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support Page: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/november-12-2024-kb5046633-os-builds-22621-4460-and-22631-4460-6ff7b117-cd80-471a-a9ac-48a794bda2d6" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046633</a></li> </ul> <p>Updates and improvements:</p> <ul> <li>Security updates.</li> <li>Roll out of new setting to turn off notifications from certain apps. Found under Settings &gt; System &gt; Notifications.</li> <li>Roll out changes "All Apps" in Start to "All".</li> <li>Roll out of new Copilot key mapping under Settings &gt; Personalization &gt; Text input.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support page: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/november-12-2024-kb5046617-os-build-26100-2314-1fa61a6d-a99a-47ca-a169-6974f08c3a0b" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046617</a></li> </ul> <p>Updates and improvements:</p> <ul> <li>Fixes security issues.</li> <li>Roll out of new setting to turn off notifications from certain apps. Found under Settings &gt; System &gt; Notifications.</li> <li>Roll out of new Wi-Fi password dialog, which has a new design.</li> <li>Roll out changes "All Apps" in Start to "All".</li> <li>Roll out of new Copilot key mapping under Settings &gt; Personalization &gt; Text input.</li> <li>New detach virtual hard disk button under Settings &gt; System &gt; Storage &gt; Disk &amp; Volumes.</li> <li>The command netsh wlan show networks can now read SSIDs that are encoded using UTF-8.</li> <li>Windows Sandbox Client Preview added. It includes: <ul> <li>Runtime clipboard redirection.</li> <li>Audio and video input control.</li> <li>Sharing of folders with host at runtime.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Fixed Windows Disk Cleanup app reporting issue and sfc /scannow command errors whenever it is run.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows Security updates</strong></p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046630" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046630</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Update for Microsoft server operating system version 21H2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048238" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048238</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5048239" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5048239</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046613" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046613</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1507 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046665" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046665</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046612" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046612</a>)</p> <p><strong>Server</strong></p> <p>2024-11 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Server 2008 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046639" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046639</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2008 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046661" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046661</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046687" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046687</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Only Quality Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046705" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046705</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2012 R2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046682" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046682</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows Server 2012 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046697" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046697</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046615" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046615</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for Microsoft server operating system, version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046616" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046616</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative security Hotpatch for Azure Stack HCI, version 21H2 and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046698" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046698</a>)</p> <p><strong>Non-Security updates</strong></p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046258" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046258</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Server 2012 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046259" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046259</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Server 2012 R2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046260" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046260</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.6.2 for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046261" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046261</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2 for Windows Server 2012 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046263" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046262</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows Server 2008 R2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046543" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046543</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows Server 2012 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046544" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046544</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows Server 2012 R2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046545" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046545</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5 SP1, 4.6.2 for Windows Server 2008 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046546" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046546</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1 for Windows 10 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5045933" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5045933</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1 for Windows 11 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5045935" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5045935</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows 10 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5045936" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5045936</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1 for Microsoft server operating system version 21H2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046264" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046264</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Microsoft server operating system, version 22H2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046265" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046265</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 Version 1607 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046266" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046266</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046268" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046268</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046269" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046269</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8.1 for Microsoft server operating system, version 23H2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046270" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046270</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.8 and 4.8.1 for Microsoft server operating system, version 22H2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046539" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046539</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 for Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046540" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046540</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046541" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046541</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.8 and 4.8.1 for Windows 10 Version 22H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046542" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046542</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.8 and 4.8.1 for Microsoft server operating system version 21H2 for x64 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046547" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046547</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046905" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046905</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Microsoft server operating system for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046907" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046907</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046911" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046911</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046912" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046912</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Windows 10 Version 21H2 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046913" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046913</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Windows 10 Version 1507 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046914" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046914</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Microsoft server operating system for x64-based Systems (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5046916" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046916</a>)</p> <p>2024-11 Dynamic Update for Windows 10 Version 1809 (<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/help/5047135" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5047135</a>)</p> <h3>Known Issues</h3> <p><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>(Fixed) Description</strong>: After installation of the update, users may be unable to change their account profile picture. <ul> <li>Workaround: none available at the time.</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>(Old) Description: </strong>After installation of the security update, issues with booting Linux may occur on dual-boot systems. Device may fail to boot Linux and throw the error "Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation". <ul> <li>Workaround: Too long to mention here, but explained in depth on the Release Information site <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-22H2#3377msgdesc" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">here</a>.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2</strong></p> <ul> <li>OpenSSH may fail to start, which prevents SSH connections. <ul> <li>Workaround: Microsoft suggests updating permissions to temporarily address the issue. Instructions found <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/november-12-2024-kb5046633-os-builds-22621-4460-and-22631-4460-6ff7b117-cd80-471a-a9ac-48a794bda2d6#ID0ELBD=Catalog" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">here</a>.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>(OLD)</strong> Players on ARM devices may not be able to play Roblox via the Microsoft Store. <ul> <li>Workaround: download and play the title directly from the <a href="https://www.roblox.com/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external">developer website</a>.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h3>Security advisories and updates</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-us/vulnerability/ADV990001" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-us/vulnerability/ADV990001">ADV 990001</a> -- Latest Servicing Stack Updates</li> </ul> <p><strong>Microsoft Office Updates</strong></p> <p>You find Office update information <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/office-updates-msi" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/office-updates-msi">here</a>.</p> <h3>How to download and install the November 2024 security updates</h3> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206441" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-11-security-update-novermber-2024.png" alt="Windows 11 November 2024 Security Update" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-11-security-update-novermber-2024.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-11-security-update-novermber-2024-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-11-security-update-novermber-2024-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-11-security-update-novermber-2024-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/windows-11-security-update-novermber-2024-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>The vast majority of unmanaged Windows devices receives automatic updates. This does not happen in real time, but it ensures that most systems are protected from attacks that target patched vulnerabilities.</p> <p>Administrators may speed up the installation of new security updates in the following way:</p> <ol> <li>Select Start, type Windows Update and load the Windows Update item that is displayed.</li> <li>Select check for updates to run a manual check for updates.</li> <li>Click on Download &amp; Install, if the discovered update is not downloaded automatically.</li> </ol> <p>Another option is to download Windows updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog website to install them on one or several devices.</p> <div id="td-incontent-1563344582488" class="rvloader-container mb--10"> <div id="td-incontent-373899721966" class="rvloader-container mb--10"> <h4>Direct update downloads</h4> <p>Below are resource pages with direct download links, if you prefer to download the updates to install them manually.</p> <p><strong>Windows 10 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5046613" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046613</a> -- 2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 21H2</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 22H2</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5046633" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046633</a> -- 2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 version 22H2</li> </ul> <section class="entry"><strong>Windows 11 version 23H2</strong></section> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5046633" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046633</a> -- 2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 version 23H2</li> </ul> <p><strong>Windows 11 version 24H2</strong></p> <ul> <li id="page-header"><a href="https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5044284" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">KB5046617</a> -- 2024-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 version 24H2</li> </ul> <h4 class="entry"><strong>Additional resources</strong></h4> <section class="entry"> <ul> <li><a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2024-Nov" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2023-Jul">November 2024 Security Updates release notes</a></li> <li><a class="ext-link" title="" href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/description-of-software-update-services-and-windows-server-update-services-changes-in-content-for-2021-kb894199-0c540f4f-60c8-7dc2-23c9-48153749966d" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/description-of-software-update-services-and-windows-server-update-services-changes-in-content-for-2021-kb894199-0c540f4f-60c8-7dc2-23c9-48153749966d">List of software updates for Microsoft products</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/01/16/latest-windows-updates-and-service-packs-overview/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/01/16/latest-windows-updates-and-service-packs-overview/">List of the latest Windows Updates and Services Packs</a></li> <li><a href="https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance">Security Updates Guide</a></li> <li><a href="https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/">Microsoft Update Catalog site</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2010/12/20/microsoft-windows-update-overview-all-you-need-to-know/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2010/12/20/microsoft-windows-update-overview-all-you-need-to-know/">Our in-depth Windows update guide</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/02/15/how-to-install-optional-updates-on-windows-10/" data-wpel-link="internal" data-mrf-link="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/02/15/how-to-install-optional-updates-on-windows-10/">How to install optional updates on Windows 10</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-version-24h2-update-history-0929c747-1815-4543-8461-0160d16f15e5" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Windows 11 24H2 Update History</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-version-23h2-update-history-59875222-b990-4bd9-932f-91a5954de434" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-11-update-history-a19cd327-b57f-44b9-84e0-26ced7109ba9">Windows 11 23H2 Update History</a></li> <li><a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-10-update-history-8127c2c6-6edf-4fdf-8b9f-0f7be1ef3562" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer nofollow" data-wpel-link="external" data-mrf-link="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-10-update-history-857b8ccb-71e4-49e5-b3f6-7073197d98fb">Windows 10 Update History</a></li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/12/microsoft-releases-the-november-2024-security-updates-for-windows/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft releases the November 2024 security updates for Windows</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

35. Update for Windows Update adds end-of-support actions

    Mon, 11 Nov 2024 06:23:38 -0000

    With last month's scheduled security update for Windows 10 and 11 came another update that Microsoft installed on select systems. KB5001716: Update for Windows Update Service components, was installed on Windows 10 […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Update for Windows Update adds end-of-support actions appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>With <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/09/10/microsoft-releases-the-september-2024-security-updates-for-windows/" data-wpel-link="internal">last month's scheduled security update</a> for Windows 10 and 11 came another update that Microsoft installed on select systems.</p> <p><em>KB5001716: Update for Windows Update Service components</em>, was installed on Windows 10 or 11 devices that are already no longer in support or about to reach end of support.</p> <p>This is not the first time that Microsoft pushed the update. <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/03/07/microsofts-sneaky-kb5001716-windows-10-update-pushes-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">It did so in March 2024 already</a>.</p> <p><strong>The update serves two main purposes:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Display notifications to the user of the system about the current used version and its support status.</li> <li>Download and install new feature updates automatically on the device.</li> </ul> <p>Microsoft lists the following versions of Windows 10 and 11 on the <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5001716-update-for-windows-update-service-components-fb9dd3d3-d702-4f8a-af10-b9551cfa6e13" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">official support page</a>:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2020/05/28/windows-10-version-2004-is-here-and-it-has-lots-of-issues/" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 10, version 2004</a> to Windows 10, version 22H2. (from May 2020 onward)</li> <li>Windows 11, version 21H2.</li> </ul> <p>This means that all recent versions of Windows 10 are targeted by the update. Only the initial release version of Windows 11 is also targeted. This is going to change in the future, and the next release to be included is Windows 11, version 22H2.</p> <h2>Automatic update installations</h2> <p>Microsoft confirms that after installation of this update, "Windows may attempt to download and install feature updates to your device". This happens if the device "is approaching or has reached the end of support".</p> <p>What Microsoft does not say if this automatic action includes upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11.</p> <p>Windows 10, version 22H2 is, after all, the last feature update release for Windows 10. There is no new version of Windows 10 that Windows Update could install on the device.</p> <p>The only way out, without paying Microsoft extra for another year of support courtesy of Extended Security Updates, is the upgrade to Windows 11.</p> <p>Not every Windows 10 device <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2021/09/21/microsofts-windows-11-compatibility-app-pc-health-check-is-available-for-everyone-now/" data-wpel-link="internal">is compatible though</a>, and Microsoft won't <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/03/04/rufus-3-18-adds-support-for-windows-11-inplace-upgrade-bypasses/" data-wpel-link="internal">bypass the system requirement checks of Windows 11</a>.</p> <p>The second action that the update introduces, the display of notifications, is used to inform users about update-related issues that affect support with updates.</p> <p>It is possible that Microsoft is using this option on Windows 10, version 22H2, to get users to upgrade to Windows 11. It is also possible that Microsoft is going to use it to promote the extended security updates, or encourage users to buy a new PC that runs Windows 11.</p> <p>The notifications should not interfere (too much) with a user's activity. Microsoft says that the notifications are not shown when the user is gaming, running a full screen app or game, or when quiet time or focus assist are enabled.</p> <h3>What changed compared to the March 2024 version?</h3> <p>Microsoft changed the list of supported versions of Windows 10 and 11 that received the update.</p> <p>It removed even older versions of Windows 10, those released before version 2004, from the list of supported operating system versions.</p> <p>This appears to be the only change.</p> <p><strong>What can you do about this update?</strong> If you do not want the update, block it from installation. Microsoft does its best to hide the tool that it released for the job years ago. It is still available as a direct download, but you need to know the <a href="https://download.microsoft.com/download/f/2/2/f22d5fdb-59cd-4275-8c95-1be17bf70b21/wushowhide.diagcab" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">link address</a>.</p> <p>If the update is installed already, you may <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2014/12/11/how-to-remove-installed-windows-updates-and-block-them-afterwards/" data-wpel-link="internal">uninstall and block it</a> by following our guide.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>The administrator of a system should be in full control of its update status. While most computer users who run Windows devices benefit from an up-to-date system, as it blocks potential attack vectors of known security vulnerabilities, some users may have reasons to stay on a particular version of Windows.</p> <p><em>What is your take on this update? Did you receive it on your device? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/11/update-for-windows-update-adds-end-of-support-actions/" data-wpel-link="internal">Update for Windows Update adds end-of-support actions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

36. Are links beginning with search.app safe?

    Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:01:10 -0000

    Usually, when you share a link from an Android device, you should get an option to share the actual link. If you want to share a Ghacks page, you should see https://www.ghacks.net/ […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Are links beginning with search.app safe? appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Usually, when you share a link from an Android device, you should get an option to share the actual link. If you want to share a Ghacks page, you should see https://www.ghacks.net/ in the beginning.</p> <p>Some services change that. They may use their own URL shorteners or services. The main reason for that is that they get more control over the sharing. Whenever a user clicks on the link or shares it, they get information about it.</p> <p>For the last few days. usage of links beginning with search.app have skyrocketed.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206433" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/search-app-link-scaled.jpg" alt="Search.app links" width="554" height="1200" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/search-app-link-scaled.jpg 554w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/search-app-link-768x1664.jpg 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/search-app-link-709x1536.jpg 709w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/search-app-link-945x2048.jpg 945w" sizes="(max-width: 554px) 100vw, 554px" /></p> <p>Here is what you need to know about it:</p> <ul> <li>The links are generated by the official Google app for Android. It is possible that other Google apps do or will create search.app links as well when sharing.</li> <li>https://search.app? prepends the actual link that is shared.</li> <li>The links are safe from a security point of view. Privacy-wise, they give Google more information about the sharing.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Did you know</strong>? <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/07/19/google-is-shutting-down-its-url-shortener-service-goo-gl/" data-wpel-link="internal">Google is deleting all links of its initial URL shortener service goo.gl</a>.</p> <p>When you share a link in the Google app, which you do with a tap on the share icon, you will automatically share with search.app prepended. There appears to be no option to disable that. Google owns the domain.</p> <p>If you want to share the Ghacks homepage, you get https://search.app/?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ghacks.net%2F&amp;utm_campaign=aga&amp;utm_source=agsadl2%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4 instead of the much smaller https://www.ghacks.net/.</p> <p>Note the Google Analytics campaign parameters that are appended to the shared address.</p> <p>Google has not announced the feature officially. We contacted Google for comment, but have not heard back from the company at the time of writing.</p> <p>The most likely explanation for the change is that it gives Google more data. In particular, it allows Google to collect the following information:</p> <ul> <li>On which sites or in which services the link is shared.</li> <li>Information about users who access it. This includes the IP address, browser, app, language, and other information.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Also good to know:</strong> Search.app has nothing to do with Search App Search, which was a browser hijacker some years ago.</p> <p>We are not the only ones that noticed that. <a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/googles-mysterious-searchapp-links-leave-android-users-concerned/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Bleeping Computer</a> noticed an increase as well, and there are plenty of posts on Reddit and other sites about it already.</p> <h3>What you may do about search.app links</h3> <p>You have two main options:</p> <ol> <li>Instead of selecting Share, select Menu &gt; Copy Link. This copies the actual link without search.app added to it.</li> <li>Use a real browser and not the Google app on Android. Use any browser, Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi, or even Chrome, and you will notice that sharing will always share the exact address of the resource.</li> </ol> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>If you value privacy, you may want to make sure that you do not share any search.app links. These links serve just a single purpose: to collect data about the shared link and who is opening it.</p> <p><em>Have you encountered search.app links already? What is your take on this? Do you use the Google app at all? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/08/are-links-beginning-with-search-app-safe/" data-wpel-link="internal">Are links beginning with search.app safe?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

37. Here's a closer look at Rewrite AI in Notepad

    Fri, 08 Nov 2024 13:05:51 -0000

    Microsoft has introduced an AI feature in Notepad that can help you rewrite text. Say hello to Rewrite, let's take a deep dive into it. Windows 11's Notepad has an AI now […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Here's a closer look at Rewrite AI in Notepad appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Microsoft has introduced an <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/07/microsoft-rolls-out-ai-updates-for-classic-windows-apps-to-insiders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">AI feature in Notepad</a> that can help you rewrite text. Say hello to Rewrite, let's take a deep dive into it.</p> <h2><strong>Windows 11's Notepad has an AI now</strong></h2> <p>The AI-powered features are available to Windows Insiders. Per the <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/06/new-ai-experiences-for-paint-and-notepad-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">announcement</a>, Rewrite in Windows Notepad is powerful by an AI model named GPT. It is capable of rephrasing sentences, adjust tone, or modify the length of the content, based on some preferences. Microsoft says that Rewrite uses an online Azure service to process and generate the text, after which the generated text is sent back to your PC. The online service does not store the text or generated content after processing, to protect the privacy and security of users.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206417" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-has-added-an-AI-in-Notepad-to-rewrite-and-edit-text.jpg" alt="Microsoft has added an AI in Notepad to rewrite and edit text" width="1200" height="675" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-has-added-an-AI-in-Notepad-to-rewrite-and-edit-text.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-has-added-an-AI-in-Notepad-to-rewrite-and-edit-text-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Rewrite in Notepad is available in preview to all users in the following countries: United States, France, UK, Canada, Italy and Germany. So, the supported languages are English, French, Italian and German. The AI-powered functions are also available for users with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, or a Copilot Pro subscription, in the following regions: Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206424" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Notepad-with-rewrite-AI-button.jpg" alt="Notepad with rewrite AI button" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Notepad-with-rewrite-AI-button.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Notepad-with-rewrite-AI-button-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <p>The AI features are available in Notepad version 11.2410.15.0 and above. You don't need to be on Windows 11 beta or dev channels to test the AI features. I was able to access Rewrite in Notepad in the stable channel, here's how you can do it.</p> <h3><strong>How to enable Rewrite in Notepad</strong></h3> <p>1. Change your device's language to US English (or one of the languages mentioned above).</p> <p>2. Set the region (Settings &gt; Time and Language) to the United States. (or one of the Countries mentioned above).</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206421" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Download-Notepad-with-Rewrite.jpg" alt="Download Notepad with Rewrite" width="860" height="306" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Download-Notepad-with-Rewrite.jpg 860w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Download-Notepad-with-Rewrite-768x273.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px" /></p> <p>3. Install Notepad 11.2410.16.0. You can download the latest version of the app from https://store.rg-adguard.net/. Notepad's URL is https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9msmlrh6lzf3. Set the channel ring to Fast, and click on the checkbox button. Download the .msixbundle of the latest version of Notepad and install it manually.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206420" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Install-Notepad-with-Rewrite-AI.jpg" alt="Install Notepad with Rewrite AI" width="650" height="442" /></p> <p>4.  <a href="https://github.com/thebookisclosed/ViVe/releases" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Phantomofearth</a> says that users can try out Notepad's Rewrite AI by enabling an ID using Vivetool. Execute the following command in PowerShell.</p> <p>.\vivetool /enable /id:47961746</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206419" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Enable-Rewrite-in-notepad.jpg" alt="Enable Rewrite in notepad" width="979" height="512" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Enable-Rewrite-in-notepad.jpg 979w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Enable-Rewrite-in-notepad-768x402.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px" /></p> <p>Note: The current stable version of Notepad (without AI features) is 11.2409.9.0, just in case you want to save a backup of it. You will need to set the ring to "Retail" in the Rg-adguard website to download the stable version.</p> <h3><strong>Exploring Rewrite in Notepad</strong></h3> <p>Once you have followed those steps, open Notepad, and you will see a new button in the menu bar. This is the Rewrite button. Clicking on it brings a pop-down menu with various options.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206427" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rewrite-demo-in-notepad-windows-11.jpg" alt="Rewrite demo in notepad windows 11" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rewrite-demo-in-notepad-windows-11.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rewrite-demo-in-notepad-windows-11-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <p>The first option is rewrite, which can be triggered with the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + I. This is an odd choice for a shortcut, as it is commonly used for formatting text in Italics in most text editors, including Microsoft Word. Anyhow, Rewrite can shorten the text for you, or make the content longer.</p> <p>Clicking the Change Tone menu reveals further options such as Default, Formal, Casual, Inspirational, and Humor. You can also Change the Format to one of the following styles: Default, Paragraph, List, Business, Academic, Marketing, and Poetry. I think the options are fairly explanatory, anyone who has used ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude or Gemini, or one of the numerous AI models should be aware of how these things work. Rewrite in Notepad is also available via the right-click context menu.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206430" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/rewrite-notepad-right-click-context-menu.jpg" alt="rewrite notepad right-click context menu" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/rewrite-notepad-right-click-context-menu.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/rewrite-notepad-right-click-context-menu-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So, how does it work. Select a specific sentence or paragraph in your document, or leave the content unselected to rewrite the entire document. Choose one of the options, and Rewrite will begin processing the data. It takes a few seconds, after which you are presented with three variations that you can choose.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206426" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rewrite-demo-in-notepad.jpg" alt="Rewrite demo in notepad" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rewrite-demo-in-notepad.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rewrite-demo-in-notepad-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <p>The UI has various buttons, the Replace button on the bottom allows you to replace the text with the rewritten version. You may choose to adjust the Rewrite method (shorter/longer), change the tone and format from this screen. There are shortcuts to copy the text to the clipboard, retry (Rewrite), and discard the pop-up. You may also discard the text by clicking anywhere outside the pop-up, to return to the original text.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206425" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/how-rewrite-works-in-Windows-11.jpg" alt="how rewrite works in Windows 11" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/how-rewrite-works-in-Windows-11.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/how-rewrite-works-in-Windows-11-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <h3><strong>Limitations in Rewrite for Notepad</strong></h3> <p>Rewrite in Notepad is a freemium feature, i.e. it is limited by credits. More specifically, you get 50 credits to start. And, you will need to sign in to your Microsoft account to use the feature. The account icon on Notepad's toolbar can be clicked on to view your account information, and to check your AI credits balance. Every use costs a credit, and yes, clicking the Retry option uses one too.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206423" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Notepad-AI-credits-balance.jpg" alt="Notepad AI credits balance" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Notepad-AI-credits-balance.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Notepad-AI-credits-balance-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <p>Free users start with 50 credits. I don't know if it is reset. From what I can tell by reading a <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-rewrite-in-notepad-to-enhance-your-writing-with-ai-4088b954-c97b-46dc-813f-959be01746d5" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">support document</a>, it doesn't reset. The page mentions that users will be notified when credits run low (5 or below). More importantly, it also says that "Credits for Microsoft 365 subscribers are automatically replenished at the beginning of each month." The wording seems to suggest free accounts will not get additional credits. The document states that users who have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription get 60 AI credits every month. 60 per month seems pretty low, so I feel like even subscribers could be annoyed by these limitations. Users can purchase additional AI credits by subscribing to Copilot Pro.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206429" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-AI-credits-free-or-paid.jpg" alt="Microsoft AI credits free or paid" width="812" height="375" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-AI-credits-free-or-paid.jpg 812w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Microsoft-AI-credits-free-or-paid-768x355.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 812px) 100vw, 812px" /></p> <p>Another <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/understanding-ai-credits-68530f1a-4459-4d02-9818-8233c1f673b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">support page</a> on Microsoft's website says that "Users of free apps like Designer receive 15 credits per month." It doesn't mention Notepad by name, so I'm rather skeptical about it. I'd like to point out that Notepad is one of the apps mentioned in the next line that talks about the subscriptions.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206428" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/What-are-AI-Credits-Microsoft.jpg" alt="What are AI Credits Microsoft" width="835" height="649" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/What-are-AI-Credits-Microsoft.jpg 835w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/What-are-AI-Credits-Microsoft-768x597.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 835px) 100vw, 835px" /></p> <p>This is, in my opinion, terrible. It's basically Notepad with in-app purchases. You could argue that the credits system is in place to prevent it from being abused. Well, this wouldn't be a problem if it was an offline feature, that processed data on the device. Would it? Since it requires a network connection, signing in to your Microsoft account, this is a bad implementation. As for why it is not an offline feature, isn't it obvious? To sell Microsoft 365 subscriptions.</p> <h3><strong>How to disable Rewrite in Notepad?</strong></h3> <p>Rewrite in Notepad can be disabled from the Settings menu.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206422" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/how-to-disable-rewrite-in-Notepad.jpg" alt="how to disable rewrite in Notepad" width="1044" height="673" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/how-to-disable-rewrite-in-Notepad.jpg 1044w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/how-to-disable-rewrite-in-Notepad-768x495.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1044px) 100vw, 1044px" /></p> <p>I had to enable the flag in ViveTool manually, so I can't say for certain if it was enabled by default. But, I think it is likely that the setting is turned on automatically. Why? How else is Microsoft going to promote the feature?</p> <p>I like Notepad, especially the Tabs, spell check, and auto-save features. It's disappointing to see the inevitable AI creep in basic apps.</p> <p>Rewrite in Notepad could be useful for some people, but the fact that it is limited by credits, and that said credits costs money, makes this nothing but yet another advertisement for Microsoft's subscriptions. I want to point out that <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/29/apple-releases-ios-18-1-macos-15-1-and-ipados-18-1-with-apple-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Apple Intelligence</a> is completely free to use (except Siri with ChatGPT, but that's optional). And, Apple's AI uses on-device machine learning, and processes the data locally. On a side note, rumors suggest that Microsoft might rebrand Copilot to Windows Intelligence.</p> <p>Users who are looking for an alternative for Notepad may want to check out <a href="https://notepad-plus-plus.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Notepad++</a>, <a href="https://cudatext.github.io/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">CudaText</a>. If you don't mind using an Electron app, take a look at <a href="https://obsidian.md/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Obsidian</a> (not open source), <a href="https://standardnotes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Standard Notes</a>, or <a href="https://joplinapp.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Joplin</a>. All three apps are available across major platforms.</p> <p>What do you think about Rewrite?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/08/heres-a-closer-look-at-rewrite-ai-in-notepad/" data-wpel-link="internal">Here&#039;s a closer look at Rewrite AI in Notepad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

38. Microsoft rolls out AI updates for classic Windows apps to Insiders

    Thu, 07 Nov 2024 05:52:50 -0000

    Microsoft has released a new build to the Windows 11 Insider channels Dev and Canary. These introduce new AI capabilities in the classic Windows apps Paint and Notepad. The details: Notepad is […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft rolls out AI updates for classic Windows apps to Insiders appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Microsoft has released a new build to the Windows 11 Insider channels Dev and Canary. These introduce new AI capabilities in the classic Windows apps Paint and Notepad.</p> <p><strong>The details:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Notepad is getting a text rewrite option.</li> <li>Paint is getting generative fill and erase.</li> <li>Paint is also getting updates to Cocreator and Image Creator.</li> </ul> <h2>Notepad: new AI-powered Rewrite feature</h2> <p>Notepad, the classic text editor of Windows, is getting rewriting capabilities that are powered by artificial intelligence. <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/01/10/microsoft-is-adding-cowriter-ai-to-notepad/" data-wpel-link="internal">We reviewed these</a> back in January 2024 when news about the feature broke.</p> <p>These appear to be similar to the Copilot rewriting options that Microsoft is offering elsewhere. When you highlight text in Notepad, you get the option to have it changed by AI.</p> <p>Options include changing the size of the text, e.g., making it longer, adjusting the tone, or the format.</p> <p><figure id="attachment_206415" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206415" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-206415 size-full" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/notepad-rewrite.webp" alt="Notepad Rewrite" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/notepad-rewrite.webp 1024w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/notepad-rewrite-768x432.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-206415" class="wp-caption-text">Notepad's new AI-powered Rewrite options. Source: Microsoft</figcaption></figure></p> <p>Microsoft <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/11/06/new-ai-experiences-for-paint-and-notepad-begin-rolling-out-to-windows-insiders/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">notes</a> that you may use the feature either by selecting Rewrite from the context menu or with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + I.</p> <p>The AI generates three versions of the text based on your selection. These can be modified by making changes to the available text options.</p> <p>Note that you cannot give text instructions; all you can do is make modifications to size, tone and format to get different rewrites. Microsoft is also applying content filtering "to ensure that the generated text is free from harmful, offensive, or inappropriate material".</p> <p>Microsoft notes that the feature is in preview at the moment. It is only available for users who are signed in with a Microsoft account and reside n the following regions: United States, France, UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany. Users from these regions get 50 credits for rewrites.</p> <p>Users from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand who have a Microsoft 365 Personal and Family account or a Copilot Pro subscription, may use the feature by spending AI credits directly.</p> <h2>Microsoft Paint new AI features</h2> <p>Microsoft Paint is getting a number of AI-powered features. Generative fill enables you to add content to existing images using text instructions.</p> <p><img decoding="async" src="https://blogs.windows.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/44/2024/11/GenErase.gif" /></p> <p>Microsoft shows an example of a castle being added to a landscape using the feature. The company writes: "With generative fill, you can make edits and additions with just a few words while maintaining the existing art style of your project.".</p> <ol> <li>To use the tool, you need to make a selection on the image using the Selection tool.</li> <li>Once done, select the generative fill option from the menu that pops up.</li> <li>Enter text instructions and hit the create button to use the feature.</li> </ol> <p>The AI creates content based on the provided instruction. If you are not satisfied, hit "try again" to get a different creation. When you are satisfied, press the keep button to apply it to the canvas.</p> <p>This feature is limited to Copilot+ PCs and users need to be signed in with a Microsoft account.</p> <h3>Generative erase</h3> <p>The second addition helps with the removal of objects on images. It is available as part of the Eraser tool in Paint.</p> <ol> <li>Select the Generative erase option while the Eraser tool is selected.</li> <li>Use the Erase Brush to select content that you want removed from the image.</li> <li>Select the apply button to start the removal process.</li> </ol> <p>Options provided include "add area to erase" or "reduce area to erase".  Erase options are also available when selecting the rectangular or free-form selection tools.</p> <p>The erase option is available for all Windows 11 PCs.</p> <h3>Updates to Cocreator and Image Creator</h3> <p>Cocreator, a tool designed to help you create artwork by entering a text prompt, should "deliver better results faster" now according to Microsoft.</p> <p>It reacts to your drawings on the canvas and creates content based on it. This experience is only available on Copilot+ PCs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/11/30/paints-ai-image-creator-is-now-available-for-everyone/" data-wpel-link="internal">Image Creator</a>, a tool to instruct AI to generate an image based on a text prompt, is now available in additional markets.</p> <p><em>What is your take on these AI features? Anything that you would use, if it would be available on your devices? Feel free to leave a comment down below.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/07/microsoft-rolls-out-ai-updates-for-classic-windows-apps-to-insiders/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft rolls out AI updates for classic Windows apps to Insiders</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

39. Microsoft appears to have slowed down the Windows Control Panel intentionally in the past

    Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:14:28 -0000

    The Windows Control Panel has been an essential part of the Windows operating system. When Microsoft released Windows 10, it announced that the Control Panel would be replaced by the Settings app […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft appears to have slowed down the Windows Control Panel intentionally in the past appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>The Windows Control Panel has been an essential part of the Windows operating system. When Microsoft released Windows 10, it announced that the Control Panel would be replaced by the Settings app eventually.</p> <p>While some Control Panel applets moved to the Settings in the almost ten years that followed, Microsoft never removed the Control Panel entirely from Windows.</p> <p>This August, news spread that Microsoft was <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/08/23/microsoft-may-finally-be-removing-the-windows-control-panel/" data-wpel-link="internal">ready to remove the Control Panel</a>. Microsoft recanted the deprecation notice shortly thereafter, and it seems that the Control Panel is here to stay after all.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: did you know that you can <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2017/06/06/open-windows-control-panel-applets-directly/" data-wpel-link="internal">launch Windows Control Panel applets directly</a>?</p> <h2>Microsoft slowed down the Control Panel</h2> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206412" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/control-panel-delay-microsoft-scaled.jpg" alt="Control Panel Delay" width="1200" height="614" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/control-panel-delay-microsoft-scaled.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/control-panel-delay-microsoft-768x393.jpg 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/control-panel-delay-microsoft-1536x785.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Developer Eric Voirin is known for the framework Win98 QuickInstall. This is a hobby-project designed to speed up the installation of the ancient operating system.</p> <p>Voirin discovered hard-coded delays in a Control Panel applet under Windows 95 and 98. These delayed the integration of new hardware in the operating system by eight seconds in total. Whether this are also present in newer versions of Windows is unclear at this point.</p> <p>The total waiting time is divided into two segments. First a delay of three seconds when the generic default name of the class or device is displayed, and then a delay of five seconds after Windows updates the logo and name for the actual device.</p> <p>Voirin <a href="https://x.com/oerg866/status/1853402804297118197" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">says</a> that he managed to reduce the entire process to 300 milliseconds.</p> <p>It is unclear why Microsoft added the delay in first place. It is possible that this had technical reasons. It is unclear if there are more delays hardcoded into other parts of the Control Panel.</p> <p>Good news is that the delay was not integrated to make the Settings app more appealing. It did not exist back in the Windows 9x days.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>Most Windows users do not need to add hardware manually to the latest versions of Windows. While it may still be beneficial to install manufacturer-provided drivers, most modern devices should would out of the box.</p> <p>Old or rare devices may still need drivers and a manual installation process to get them working on newer versions of Windows.</p> <p><em>Have you ever had to install hardware devices manually? Feel free to leave a comment down below. (via <a href="https://winfuture.de/news,146497.html" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">WinFuture</a>)</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/06/microsoft-appears-to-have-slowed-down-the-windows-control-panel-intentionally-in-the-past/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft appears to have slowed down the Windows Control Panel intentionally in the past</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

40. UnattendedWinstall: open source tool bypasses Windows installation restrictions and removes bloatware

    Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:11:36 -0000

    Windows users have quite a few tools at their disposal that let them customize Windows installations or bypass the system requirements of the Windows 11 operating system. Rufus and FlyBy11 are two […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post UnattendedWinstall: open source tool bypasses Windows installation restrictions and removes bloatware appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Windows users have quite a few tools at their disposal that let them customize Windows installations or bypass the system requirements of the Windows 11 operating system.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/11/rufus-4-6-bypasses-windows-11-24h2-compatibility-checks-automatically/" data-wpel-link="internal">Rufus</a> and <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/10/21/windows-11-flyby11-enables-upgrades-on-unsupported-devices/" data-wpel-link="internal">FlyBy11</a> are two excellent tools for the latter (and more). If you want a tool that is more powerful but also more challenging to set up, you may check out the open source script <a href="https://github.com/memstechtips/UnattendedWinstall" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">UnattendedWinstall</a>.</p> <p>The tool makes use of officially supported option to make changes to an installation of Windows directly on installation media. It uses unattend-files, also known as answer files for that. These can be run on official Windows ISO images provided by Microsoft.</p> <p>The developer say that they have tested the functionality on Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11 version 24H2. It may also be compatible with other versions, but that has not been tested.</p> <h2>Key Features of UnattendedWinstall</h2> <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing UnattendedWinstall v2.0" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o9c64gx7w90?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <ul> <li>Bypass Windows 11 system requirements.</li> <li>Skip forced Microsoft account creation during setup.</li> <li>Disable Windows Defender and User Account Control by default.</li> <li>Disables the AI tools Copilot and Recall.</li> <li>Removes bloat from the system. As far as apps are concerned, only Microsoft Edge, Notepad, and Calculator remain installed.</li> <li>Only install security updates from Windows Update.</li> <li>Makes various Registry optimizations, including the disabling of Telemetry.</li> <li>Disables "unnecessary scheduled tasks".</li> <li>Configures Windows services for optimal performance.</li> </ul> <p>Good news is that you can modify this in detail. The hard part is that you need to edit the provided <a href="https://github.com/memstechtips/UnattendedWinstall/blob/main/autounattend.xml" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">autouattend.xml</a> file. Clearly, this is not for everyone</p> <p>This is the file that you need to place in the root of the Windows installation media. Windows setup recognizes the file and execute its instructions during setup.</p> <p>You may also run the script on existing Windows installations to make adjustments or correct things that Windows changed. This can happen during the installation of updates.</p> <p><strong>Tip</strong>: it is a good idea to test this extensively in virtual machines before you start using it on physical devices.</p> <p><strong>So, who is this for?</strong> If you just want to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware or make tweaks, you may reach that goal faster by using one of the other mentioned tools above plus a tweaker like WinAero. If you like tinkering and testing, and also install Windows  10 or 11 regularly on a lot of systems, you may find this way of doing it more efficient.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>UnattendedWinstall is a powerful tool to modify installations of Windows while they happen. Depending on your needs, it may need modifications. Maybe you want UAC or Defender to be working, or want to remove some of the tweaks that are made by default.</p> <p>This is a one-time process, but it may require quite a bit of time and understanding of how unattend files are structured.</p> <p><em>What is your take on this tool? Is this something that you would use or already have? Do you apply changes to Windows during or after installation? Let us know in the comments below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/05/unattendedwinstall-open-source-tool-bypasses-windows-installation-restrictions-and-removes-bloatware/" data-wpel-link="internal">UnattendedWinstall: open source tool bypasses Windows installation restrictions and removes bloatware</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>