Need a product key for Windows 10 Creators Update? Just use an old one!
Much was made of Microsoft's decision to offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade, and then withdrawing the free upgrade. If you've been holding off jumping from Windows 7 or Windows 8.x to Windows 10 because you find the cost off-putting, there's some good news.
If you download yourself a copy of Windows 10 Creators Update from Microsoft, you should find that when you are prompted for a product key the license code from Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 works just fine to activate your copy of the new operating system.
Mobile YouTube live streaming now available to channels with 1,000 subscribers
Back in February, Google opened up YouTube live streaming to channels with 10,000 or more subscribers. Just two months later, the company has slashed this requirement to just 1,000 subscribers.
But while the bar may have been lowered in terms of subscriber numbers, there are still a few hoops that would-be live streamers have to jump through. It does mean, however, that many more YouTubers will be able to stream their content live, so there will be a greater selection of content to consume.
Spotify bot for Facebook Messenger lets you share music and listen to mood-based playlists
At Facebook's F8 conference yesterday, much of the attention was focused on virtual reality, augmented reality -- anything that breaks out of vanilla reality. But there were other things of arguably greater interest, and for music fans there was news of the Spotify bot for Facebook Messenger.
Facebook has been throwing a lot at bots recently, and it's little surprise that big names like Spotify are getting in on the action. For the music streaming service, the bot serves a dual purpose: giving useful functionality to Messenger users, while simultaneously pushing people into taking up a subscription.
Google Maps for iOS gains Your Timeline feature so you can check your travel history
It's something that Android users have been able to do for a little while now -- using the Timeline function of Google Maps to check back over their travel history. Now the feature is coming to iOS, meaning iPhone users can now look back over their day and where it has taken them.
Google suggests that it's a great way to rediscover places you have visited in the past, but it also provides a means of tracking how far you have traveled over the course of the day. Users are given a good level of control over what's included in their timeline, allowing for complete personalization.
Android Pay and PayPal join forces to provide new payment options
Two of the biggest electronic payment systems currently available to consumers are teaming up. Android Pay and PayPal have extended their strategic partnership making it possible to use PayPal as a payment method in Android Pay.
This means that anyone whose bank is not supported by Android Pay now has a new option available to them, bringing additional users to Google's payment system.
Mozilla ditches Aurora release channels for Firefox; new and beta code will hit users faster
Mozilla has announced plans to eliminate one of its release channels for not only Firefox but also Thunderbird and SeaMonkey. Starting today, the Aurora release channel will no longer be updated, and the Developer Edition of the web browser will be based on the Beta build.
The change is part of a drive to streamline the release process, and to make sure that stable new features make their way out to not only developers, but also normal users faster than before. Mozilla says: "Developer Edition users will maintain their Developer Edition themes, tools, and preferences, will keep their existing profile, and should not experience any disruption."
How to access Microsoft Edge's secret full screen mode
If you're looking for distraction-free web browsing, it makes sense to switch to full screen mode. This is something that is very easy to achieve in the likes of Chrome, Opera and Firefox, but Windows 10 users who have opted to stick with Microsoft Edge don’t seem to have such a good deal.
But this is just a matter of appearances. Edge does have a secret full screen mode that you can access very easily. Quite why Microsoft chose not to advertise the feature is anyone's guess, but there you go!
A fifth of UK firms hit by cyber-attacks, putting private data at risk
UK companies are ill-equipped to deal with cyber-attacks, a report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) says. Nearly one in five smaller companies (18 percent) have fallen prey to cybercrime, and the figures are even worse for larger firms.
When looking at companies with more than 100 employees, the number that have been hit by cyber-attacks jumps to a staggering 42 percent. More than three quarters of the firms surveyed by the BCC did not have anti-hacking security measures in place, and most relied on third-party firms to clean up after an attack rather than having in-house solutions.
Secure your Twitter account with two-factor authentication
There are not many well-known online services that don't offer two-factor authentication (2FA) nowadays, but Twitter is very late to the party. Well, that might not be strictly true. Twitter recently added support for third-party authenticator apps, but failed to make any sort of song and dance about it.
The change means that it's now possible to make use of the likes of Google Authenticator and Authy with Twitter -- but you'd be forgiven for not having found the option by accident already.
Facebook responds to the Cleveland murder shared on the social network
Over the weekend, it was suggested that Steve Stephens used Facebook Live to livestream himself fatally shooting a man in his 70s. He went on to use the social network to admit to other murders, as well as saying that he wanted to "kill as many people as I can."
Despite rumors of a murder having been committed live on Facebook, the social network issued a statement clarifying that, while Stephens had broadcast on Facebook Live over the weekend, the footage had actually been uploaded rather than livestreamed. Whether broadcast live or not, the story -- once again -- brings into question Facebook's content vetting procedures.
How to enable Dark Mode on YouTube
If you're someone who enjoys watching YouTube at night -- perhaps on your phone in bed -- you'll be all too aware that the site's light color palette can be rather harsh on the eyes. With a little tinkering, you can unlock a hidden Dark Mode which will save your delicate peepers and make nocturnal viewing all the more enjoyable.
At the moment the hack only works in Chrome, but it's likely that Google will bring it to everyone when word spreads. Here's what you need to do.
[Updated] Microsoft transparency report reveals first National Security Letter and shows doubling of FISA orders
Microsoft has published its latest transparency report and, for the first time, disclosed the contents of a National Security Letter it received. In addition to the debut appearance of such a letter in the report, Microsoft also reveals that in the reported period in 2016 the number of FISA orders more than doubled compared to the previous period.
As with previous reports, Microsoft is not permitted -- for reasons best known to the US government -- to reveal precise numbers when talking about the number of official requests for data it has received. As such, we know that in the most recent reporting period, it received between 1,000 and 1,499 FISA orders, up from 0-499.
How to upgrade Bash/Windows Subsystem for Linux in Windows 10 Creators Update
You can't help but have noticed that Microsoft has started the rollout of Windows 10 Creators Update. After testing with Windows Insiders, the third big update to Windows 10 is finally making its way to the masses. But while Creators Update brings some pretty major changes to Windows 10, Windows Subsystem for Linux is not automatically updated.
The arrival of Bash/Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in Windows 10 Anniversary Update meant Ubuntu 14.04 support, but you can now manually update to gain Ubuntu 16.04 support in Creators Update. Microsoft says you need to perform one of two manual update methods: the recommended option of "Remove & Replace", or "Upgrade In-Place." Here's how to perform the update.
Nintendo discontinues NES Classic Edition
It's only a matter of months since Nintendo gave gamers a way to relive their childhoods and get misty-eyed with nostalgia. The NES Classic Edition proved so popular that fans found it difficult to get their hands on the mini console. But despite staggering popularity, Nintendo has announced that the device is to be discontinued -- in North America, at least.
The final batch of consoles is heading out to stores this month, so there could just be a matter of days left to get your hands on one. The last few units are unlikely to stick around for long as gamers rush to get their hands on one while they still can.
Investigation finds Facebook mods fail to remove illegal content such as extremist and child porn
That Facebook is fighting against a tide of objectionable and illegal content is well known. That the task of moderating such content is a difficult and unenviable one should come as news to no one. But an investigation by British newspaper The Times found that even when illegal content relating to terrorism and child pornography was reported directly to moderators, it was not removed.
More than this, the reporter involved in the investigation found that Facebook's algorithms actively promoted the groups that were sharing the illegal content. Among the content Facebook failed to remove were posts praising terrorist attacks and Islamic State, and others calling for more attacks to be carried out. Failure to remove illegal content once reported is, under British law, a crime in itself.
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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