Microsoft ad claims the Surface Pro 7 is a better choice than a MacBook Pro
There has always been a healthy rivalry between Microsoft and Apple, and with a new ad, the Windows maker is spoiling for a fight -- a Surface Pro 7 vs MacBook Pro fight.
The ad sees Microsoft making the bold claim that its self-produced Surface Pro 7 is a better device -- and a better choice -- than Apple's MacBook Pro. One of the key arguments Microsoft uses is that its own device is much cheaper, helped by the fact that there is a special deal available at the moment.
Microsoft is bringing a great new look to Settings in Windows Terminal
Windows Terminal has come a long way since it first appeared in 2019, and Microsoft is not going to give up on moving the utility forward.
The company has revealed details of an upcoming change to the command line tool which sees major changes coming to Settings. For anyone who is less than keen on customizing Windows Terminal using a JSON file, the arrival of a GUI for Settings is great news.
Microsoft U-turns on Xbox Live Gold price increase after backlash from gamers
Microsoft increased the price of Xbox Live Gold yesterday, albeit briefly. The company announced that the cost of one-month membership would go up by $1 per month, with three-month membership increasing by $5.
Unsurprisingly, gamers were not happy at the prospect of paying more, and there was a vocal outcry at what Microsoft had planned. Ever conscious of keeping the customer happy, the company has now backtracked and said that pricing will stay the same. But more than this, it is now possible to play free-to-play games without an Xbox Live Gold subscription.
Microsoft releases KB4598298 update to fix Windows 10 crashes and restart problems
We might only be three weeks into 2021, but Microsoft has already issued a number of patches for Windows 10 -- and now it's time for another one. If you have been experiencing unexpected restarts in Windows 10, or crashes when using BitLocker, there's a new update for you to install.
Microsoft has released the KB4598298 update to fix a number of issues including BitLocker-related crashes, and restarts caused by exception code 0xc0000005 (Access Violation) in LSASS.exe. Before you rush to grab the update, however, it's worth noting that there is a known issue relating to system and user certificates that you should be aware of.
Beeper is a cross-platform messaging tool that supports iMessage, WhatsApp and more
There are a huge number of messaging apps to choose from these days, and the chances are that many people you know use different chat tools. You may use Facebook Messenger with your family, WhatsApp with friends, and Slack for work, for example.
While there are various apps that claim to unify the chat experience and let you chat across multiple networks, they always miss out an important player. The same cannot be said of Beeper. This app lets you chat with people across no fewer than 15 messaging platforms, including Apple's iMessage, across MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Millions of Nitro PDF users' passwords exposed in leaked database
It is a few months since Nitro PDF was hit by hackers in a huge data breach. While the stolen data was initially put up for sale, now it has been made available free of charge.
What this means is that a database containing over 77 million user records is now freely available for just about anyone to download. The database weighs in at around 14GB and includes not only names and email addresses, but also passwords.
Check out Windows 10X on the Microsoft Surface Pro 7
We've heard a lot about Windows 10X -- Microsoft's answer to Chrome OS -- and as we celebrated the arrival of 2021, the operating system leaked online. This has not only given people a chance to get a glimpse at what's to come -- and try it out for themselves -- but also to get the OS up and running on a variety of devices.
Indeed, one dedicated hacker has managed to get Windows 10X running on a Surface Pro 7. What's more, it all works pretty well.
FreakOut malware targets Linux users by exploiting multiple vulnerabilities
Linux-based systems are generally touted for their high levels of security, but this does not mean that they are completely immune to threats. Illustrating this, security firm Check Point Software has shared details of a series of attacks based on the FreakOut malware.
The company says that the aim of the malware appears to be the creation of an IRC botnet which could be used to launch DDoS attacks, run crypto miners, and more. Linux users running certain products are being warned to get their systems patched as soon as possible to avoid problems.
Apple blocks sideloading of iOS apps on M1 Macs
The arrival of Apple's M1 chips opened up the possibility of running iPhone and iPad apps under macOS. Running natively in this way is reliant on developers making the necessary changes to their creations which can then be installed via the Mac App Store.
But, of course, not all developers are willing or able to make the necessary updates and so their apps have not been available in the App Store. However, many people have been side-stepping this obstacle by sideloading unsupported apps. Having noticed this activity, Apple has intervened and blocked such sideloading.
Weird Windows 10 bug causes BSoD if you visit a certain path using Chrome
There have been plenty of bugs in Windows 10 over the years. Just the other day, for instance, we wrote about one that could corrupt your hard drive. Now, details of a bug that causes Windows to crash have emerged -- and Microsoft does not seem to be in a rush to fix it.
The bug was discovered by the same security researcher who unearthed the NTFS flaw, Jonas Lykkegaard. He found that by visiting a certain path in Chrome, Windows 10 crashes with a BSoD (Blue Screen of Death). Despite Lykkegaard having gone public with details of the bug some months ago, Microsoft is still yet to produce a fix.
Microsoft releases KB4598479 update to fix 'Reset this PC' bug in Windows 10
The option to "Reset this PC" has long given users a quick and easy way to restore their computer to its factory settings. But ever since the release of Windows 10 version 1607, users have been complaining that the feature is not working, with the message "There was a problem when resetting your PC. No changes were made" being displayed.
Now Microsoft has finally got round to fixing the problem. The company has released the KB4598479 update as part of the first Patch Tuesday of 2021.
Microsoft gives users greater control over speech recognition privacy
Microsoft has announced that it is rolling out an important update relating to voice data collected during speech recognition. The changes give users more control over how their data is used, and comes in response to privacy concerns about the use of private data.
The update means that users will now be able to give or deny consent for Microsoft to manually transcribe the contents of voice clips for the purposes of improving the accuracy of speech recognition.
Serious Windows 10 flaw could corrupt your hard drive if you open a folder
A security researcher has revealed details of a strange bug that could result in an NTFS hard drive becoming corrupt in Windows 10, as well as the unsupported Windows XP. What makes the bug so serious and unusual is that it can be triggered without the user having to open a file.
The bug -- which has been shown to have been around for three years or so -- can cause a hard drive to be corrupted if a user simply views the contents of a folder that includes a specially crafted file. Although Microsoft is aware of the issue affecting the $i30 NTFS attribute, a fix has yet to be produced.
As of today, Adobe is blocking all Flash content from running
It was a long time coming, but as 2020 came to an end, Adobe stopped supporting its much-maligned Flash Player. Now, nearly two weeks into 2021, the company is taking things a step further.
Users have already been advised to uninstall the software and, starting today, there is a new reason to do so besides helping to boost security. Today is the day that all Flash content is blocked, meaning there really is no point in having the obsolete tool installed.
Facebook is banning all mentions of 'stop the steal'
In the run-up to Inauguration Day, and in the wake of violent events at the Capitol last week, tensions are running high in the US. With numerous social media platforms having banned outgoing president Trump from using their services, Facebook has now announced that it is banning a phrase that has become strongly associated with right-wing conspiracy theories about election fraud.
Having already removed a group called Stop the Steal a couple of months ago, Facebook is now going to be removing all content that uses these words. The phrase "stop the steal" is effectively banned on both Facebook and Instagram, and the company says that it will be working around the clock to enforce its policies until after president-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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