If you're worried about privacy and security, you'll be able to uninstall Recall from Windows 11
The Recall feature of Windows 11 has not even launched yet, but it has proved endlessly controversial since it was first announced a few months back. Microsoft says that Recall will help users retrace their steps by taking snapshots of activity every few seconds, providing a way to step back in time and jump to an earlier activity.
Such was the uproar about the security and privacy implications of the feature, Microsoft has already made concessions. The company first pulled the feature from preview builds of Windows 11 to do further work on it, and then announced that it would be opt-in rather than enabled by default. Now it turns out that it will be possible to uninstall it completely.
Meta announces Threads is weaving deeper into the fediverse
The fallout from Elon Musk taking over at X continues as former Twitter-users flock to any of a growing list of alternatives on the fediverse. As well as options like Mastodon there is also Threads which comes from the same stables as Facebook -- Meta.
Much to the chagrin of Twitter exiles who flocked to Socialhome, Mastodon, Pixelfed et el, Threads has been gradually beavering its way into the fediverse. Now Meta has taken its next steps in this direction by making it possible for Threads users to see likes and replies from other networks.
Microsoft releases KB5041587 update for Windows 11, improving Windows Share, Narrator and Voice Access, but failing to address Linux dual boot issues
Microsoft has a released a preview of next month's update for Windows 11. The release of the KB5041587 update introduces the ability to share content to an Android device from the Windows Share window assuming the handset has been paired with Windows 11.
For some users there are security improvements to the Widgets Board, while everyone is getting updated and improved Voice Access and Narrator features. What the release fails to do, however, is fix the problems users started to face with dual-booting Linux after installing the August security updates.
Microsoft is bringing ads to the Windows 10 Start menu, just like in Windows 11
If you have been sticking with Windows 10 in order to avoid some of the more irritating aspects of Windows 11, there's some bad news. Just as Microsoft has managed to find seemingly endless ways to lever advertising into Windows 11, even as the operating system is in its death throes the company is doing the same with Windows 10.
Windows 11's Start menu has been home to an increasing number of ads, sometimes in the form of blatant promotions of other Microsoft products and services, sometimes packaged as friendly app "recommendations". In the latest beta build of Windows 10, it is clear that Microsoft is planning to backport this particular annoyance to the older OS.
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users greater control to balance performance and power usage
With the recent release of the latest Canary build of Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced vastly improved options for in the Power & battery section of Settings. Primarily aimed at laptop users, the previously limited options here allowed for a very limited choice between Best Performance, Balanced and Best Power Efficiency which was applied when running on battery or when plugged in.
Now the compay is giving users the option to have different power modes in place for when charging and when unplugged. In this same build, the arbitrary FAT32 size limit has been raised from 32GB to 2TB.
With Workspaces, the best new PowerToys module yet, Microsoft is giving you a way to launch and arrange multiple apps in one click!
Our love of PowerToys here at BetaNews is no secret. Like other users, we eagerly await each new update to see whether there is new module or a handy new feature for an existing utility.
But equally exciting are glimpses into the future, when we learn what the PowerToys developers are working on right now. The latest news from Microsoft reveals that PowerToys Workspaces is in the pipeline, a module that makes it possible to launch multiple apps from a single shortcut. More than that, these apps can be opened in saved arrangements for the best work experiences. Think virtual desktops on steroids.
Microsoft is testing a change to the Windows 11 Start menu that you might actually like
With the Start menu being at the heart of Windows, it is vital that it functions in a way that makes sense to people. Sadly, this has not always been the case.
Over years of development, Microsoft has taken a series of questionable design decision with this iconic part of the operating system, but a change that could prove popular is about to land in Windows 11.
Microsoft reveals Office security flaw that has not yet been patched
Various versions of Microsoft Office have a serious security vulnerability which could expose sensitive data to an attacker. Worryingly, while disclosing the flaw, Microsoft has also conceded that there is no patch available.
The issue is being tracked as CVE-2024-38200 and it affects a variety of edition of the office suite -- namely the 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Office 2019, Microsoft Office LTSC 2021, and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise. While there is no fix available right now, one is expected in the coming days.
Microsoft warns that Iran is using cyber operations to influence the US 2024 election, just like China and Russia
Every country in the world has a vested interest in the outcome of the US election in November. The choice of either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris will have huge impact around the globe, and there are some countries that are actively engaged in trying to sway voters and influence 2024 US election.
That the likes of Russia and China are engaged in targeting the result of the poll is unsurprising, but Microsoft has issued a warning that Iran is also planning to influence this year's US presidential election. A report from the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center highlights evidence of Iranian cyber-influence operations which have already been running for months.
Devs beware: Apple announces Gatekeeper security enhancements in macOS Sequoia
Working much like Microsoft's Smart App Control tool that is part of Windows, Apple has Gatekeeper for macOS. It is a security feature which is designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on a user's Mac.
In the upcoming macOS Sequoia, Gatekeeper is being updated to help boost security. While this runtime protection change may be welcomed by many, the approach Apple has taken is also likely to irritate some users as it makes it more awkward to run unsigned software.
You could finally be about to get a payout from Apple for your dodgy MacBook butterfly keyboard
The saga of Apple's notoriously unreliable MacBook butterfly keyboards could be drawing to a close after almost a decade.
The company has finally started to issue compensatory payments to people who bought a MacBook between 2015 and 2019 only to be plagued by sticky and unresponsive keys. With payouts nudging towards $400, this is a significant sum that should not be sniffed at.
Security firm warns that 'design weaknesses' in Windows Smart App Control mean it can be easily bypassed
Smart App Control is just one of various security features Microsoft has built into Windows 11. But while many users place faith in the tool to block malicious apps, Elastic Security Labs warns that it is fundamentally flawed.
The company says that Windows Smart App Control and its predecessor SmartScreen "have several design weaknesses that allow attackers to gain initial access with no security warnings or popups". In an investigatory report, Elastic Security Labs details numerous types of attack that can be used to bypass Windows Smart Control as well as revealing a bug in the handling of .lnk files which can be used to get around security.
OpenAI is developing a tool that can reveal whether text has been created by AI
Generative AI is hard to avoid whether you like it or not. Images created by artificial intelligence proliferate online, as do news reports and countless other types of content -- including essays and research articles.
While it is sometimes incredibly easy to tell when Gen AI has been used to create a portion of text, this not always the case. But that could be set to change as OpenAI is working on a way to watermark Gen AI text, just as has been possible with images created by AI.
Microsoft releases the new Outlook for Windows for anyone who wants it, including commercial customers
After a lengthy period of testing, Microsoft has announced that the oddly named "new Outlook for Windows" has hit general availability. This means that commercial users, as well as those with personal accounts, are now able to take advantage of the latest version of Microsoft's email client.
As was the case with the previous stage of the rollout, full-scale general availability sees the new Outlook for Windows remaining an opt-in experience -- although this will change. There is, of course, a healthy (or unhealthy, depending on your view...) dose of AI sprinkled throughout, but there is much more to this update.
Hell freezes over as Microsoft announces it is pulling ads from Skype
Skype is one of those apps that has found numerous ways to irritate users over the years. But in something of a surprise move, Microsoft has announced a change that will instead delight.
Considering that this is a company that has faced complaints and criticism for stuffing ads into its Windows and Office products, the announcement feels very out of character. But the killing off of ads is not the only change in Skype.
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 Facebook, Twitter and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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