Microsoft has quietly withdrawn Windows 11 24H2 after Recall privacy fiasco
When Microsoft announced the new Recall feature that is coming to Windows 11 later this year, privacy concerns were very quickly voiced by many.
In response to this, the company announced that Recall would not be enabled by default and would be made an opt-in feature. This PR move was made very publicly for maximum attention, but Microsoft has also withdrawn the build of Windows 11 which provided early access to Recall.
Microsoft is making it possible to access your smartphone from File Explorer in Windows 11
The way Windows 11 interacts with mobile devices -- and, in turn, the way it lets users interact with them -- has been a little odd for some time. The Your Phone / Phone Link app showed that using Windows to use or browse your smartphone was really something of an afterthought for Microsoft.
Continuing the piecemeal approach to mobiles, it looks as though the company is finally about to give File Explorer the ability to browse smartphone contents. The option has been unearthed in Windows 11, although we don't yet know when it will be released properly.
Apple commits to at least five years of security updates for iPhones
In order to comply with the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act in the UK, Apple says it will provide security updates for iPhones for a minimum of five years.
While Apple has not previously abandoned iPhone users and left them with insecure devices -- in fact, the company has been known to release updates for very old handsets in extraordinary circumstances -- it has never previously committed to any particular period of support.
DuckDuckGo AI Chat gives anonymous and private access to GPT-3.5, Claude 3, Llama 3 and Mixtral
For all of the excitement currently surrounding artificial intelligence, there are also a lot of concerns. Not only are people worried about the power of AIs, but there is also a great deal of apprehension about the privacy and security of ChatGPT and other tools of its ilk.
Stepping up with a solution is privacy-centric firm DuckDuckGo. With the newly launched DuckDuckGo AI Chat, it offers "anonymous access to popular AI models, including GPT-3.5, Claude 3, and open-source Llama 3 and Mixtral". There is also the promise that chats will not be used to train AI models.
NVIDIA overtakes Apple as AI boom propels company value over $3 trillion
With its market value rocketing to $3.1 trillion, NVIDIA has become the second most valuable company in the world. A five percent rise in share prices pushed the chipmaker ahead of Apple, and now there is only Microsoft which is worth more than NVIDIA.
The soaring value of the firm is due in no small part to its heavy involvement and investment in AI. Having started life in the 1990s as a minor player in the graphic chip market, NVIDIA has ridden the artificial intelligence tidal wave.
Google could delete your Google Maps Timeline data in the name of privacy, so take action now
For nostalgia heads, the Timeline feature of Google Maps is an enjoyable way to peek into the past. Previously known as Location History, Timeline works much like Facebook Memories, helping jog your memory about trips you've taken and places you've visited.
But there are big changes afoot. Google is moving away from storing location data in the cloud to storing it on mobile devices instead. While this is a privacy-boosting move, Google says that the change means that users could find their Timeline data is deleted unless they take action.
Microsoft officially deprecates NTLM and promotes Kerberos authentication
Several months after announcing its intention to do so, Microsoft has official deprecated the NTLM (NT LAN Manager) authentication protocol in Windows and Windows Server.
NTLM is now a very old protocol which has been superseded by the more secure and feature-rich Kerberos. It will still be possible to use NTLM until the next release of Windows and Windows Server, but Microsoft is keen for users to take action now.
Windows 10 may be in its death throes, but Microsoft has reopened beta testing
In something of an odd twist, Microsoft has announced that there will soon be a new beta version of Windows 10. Yes, Windows 10, not Windows 11.
There is a little over a year until Microsoft brings Windows 10 to end of service, meaning it will receive no more updates of any description. Despite this looming deadline, the reopening of the Windows 10 beta channel means that the first beta build of the operating system in three years is just weeks away. So what is going on?
Ex-Twitter X goes XXX with relaxation of adult content rules
Adult content is now explicitly permitted on X. The platform formerly known as Twitter has updated its rules and policies to permit users to post "consensually produced and distributed material depicting adult nudity or sexual behavior that is pornographic or intended to cause sexual arousal". AI-generated content is also covered by the policy.
Users are free to post content such as "full or partial nudity, including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breast" as well as depictions of sexual acts. The only proviso (aside from material having been consensually produced and distributed) is that any posts containing such material needs to be labelled with a warning. There are a handful of exceptions, however.
Spotify users in the US hit with yet another price increase
For the second time in a year, Spotify has announced a hike in prices for US customers. The increase in subscription fees are significant in their own right (rising by up to 17 percent), but the fact that the company has already increased prices in the last year makes this latest announcement sting.
The new pricing structure also comes on the back of Spotify's recent announcement of record profits, increased revenue and a jump in subscriber numbers. The higher pricing applies to new subscribers with immediate effect, and will be implemented for existing users in July.
Kaspersky releases a free virus removal tool for Linux-based systems, KVRT
An urban myth used to suggest that Linux was immune to viruses and malware, and is totally secure. This is, of course, nonsense, even if the comparatively low usage makes Linux-based system less likely to be attacked than Windows or macOS.
Highlighting the fact that there is no such thing as a completely secure operating system, Kaspersky has released a new malware scanner for Linux systems. Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool (KVRT) for Linux is a free tool that, although it fails to offer real-time protection, can be used to scan for and remove various forms of malware... albeit with a slight caveat.
Microsoft warns that KB5037853 update can break the taskbar in Windows 11
After the release of the KB5037853 update for Windows 11 a few days ago, Microsoft has acknowledged that it can cause glitching in the taskbar. What this means in practice is that the task bar can disappear or become unresponsive.
The company's "fix" for the problem is to use a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) to recall the update, and while this will be performed automatically for most people, some will have to take manual action.
Microsoft releases the surprisingly feature-packed KB5037853 update for Windows 11
It is the time of the month when Microsoft releases previews versions of the following month's updates for Windows, and this week this means the KB5037853 update is available for Windows 11.
As this is a preview, it does not include security fixes and is optional. But the KB5037853 update for Windows 11 is significant because it adds a large number of features to the operating system. In addition to updating sharing options, it also fixes bugs and starts the rollout of the new account manager on the Start menu.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 with lower system requirements and optional TPM
The hardware requirements for Windows 11 have been controversial from day one, and the release of Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 sees Microsoft easing up on things slightly.
The latest version of the Long-Term Servicing Channel edition of Windows 11 is notable for various reasons, not least of which is the lowering of system requirements. Interestingly, the includes making both Secure Boot and TPM optional; the minimum system requirements also indicate that the operating system can be installed on devices with as little as 2GB of RAM.
Microsoft is cleaving vestiges of the past from Windows 11 24H2
A new version of Windows, or a new update, means fixes, changes and new additions. But it can also be a time to say goodbye to features, apps and settings that are no longer needed.
With the widespread release of Windows 11 24H2 now imminent, users should prepare themselves to bid adieu to some components of the operating system that have been around for years.
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!
© 1998-2024 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.