Pipes Feed Preview: gHacks Technology News

1. AdGuard Mail: email alias and temp email service from the makers of the adblocker

   Fri, 20 Dec 2024 05:29:04 -0000

   AdGuard announced AdGuard Mail today. The new product is free at the time of writing and designed to improve email privacy. It is available as a web-based version as well as apps […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post AdGuard Mail: email alias and temp email service from the makers of the adblocker appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>AdGuard announced AdGuard Mail today. The new product is free at the time of writing and designed to improve email privacy.</p> <p>It is available as a web-based version as well as apps for mobile devices and Windows and works similarly to services such as  <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2020/08/22/firefox-relay-create-email-aliases-to-combat-spam-and-improve-privacy/" data-wpel-link="internal">Firefox Relay</a>, SimpleLogin, or AnonAddy.</p> <p><strong>At its core, AdGuard Mail supports two main features:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Email aliases -- These forward emails to another email address. Use them to sign-up for sites, apps, or services without revealing your real email.</li> <li>Temp email addresses -- These are temporary email addresses that you may use for the same purpose.</li> </ul> <p>The main differences between the two is that aliases forward while temp emails display the received emails directly in the AdGuard inbox.</p> <h3>Using AdGuard Mail</h3> <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206643" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/adguard-mail-create-alias.png" alt="Create Email Alias AdGuard Mail" width="2560" height="1504" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/adguard-mail-create-alias.png 2560w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/adguard-mail-create-alias-768x451.png 768w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/adguard-mail-create-alias-1536x902.png 1536w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/adguard-mail-create-alias-2048x1203.png 2048w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/adguard-mail-create-alias-1200x705.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></p> <p>The service is easy to use. It is free at the time of writing, but this may change in the future. Nothing has been announced at this time though in this regard.</p> <p>Visit the <a href="https://adguard-mail.com/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">main Adguard Mail website</a> to get started. There you may hit the install button to install an app on your device or use the web-based version.</p> <p>It is necessary to create an account. This does link the first email address as well, which AdGuard uses to forward emails from aliases.</p> <p><strong>Aliases</strong></p> <p>Creating an alias is simple. Select Aliases and hit the plus button to do so. Aliases are created automatically, but you may use the generate button to create new word combinations.</p> <p>There is only one domain available at the time. You may add a name and description to the alias, which may be helpful keeping an overview.</p> <p>The two other options allow you to add more recipients, email addresses that get the forwarded emails, and tags for better management in the actual mailbox.</p> <p><strong>Temporary emails</strong></p> <p>You can generate one temporary email for use on the web. This remains active until you hit the generate button again.</p> <p>Until then, all received emails are shown in the interface. You can read and interact with these emails there.</p> <p>All existing emails will be deleted when you generate a new temporary email. Only one temp email can exist at a time.</p> <p><strong>Remaining features</strong></p> <p>Other than that, you may add more recipients -- real email addresses - to AdGuard Mail. This allows you to pick multiple recipients for aliases, or use different recipients for certain aliases.</p> <p>There is also a statistics section, but it shows little information at the time.</p> <p><strong>First Impressions</strong></p> <p>AdGuard Mail is a new product. It is easy to use and available for all major platforms. That is good.</p> <p>Downside right now is that it does not support features that comparable solutions, such as <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/04/09/proton-ag-acquires-simplelogin-email-alias-service/" data-wpel-link="internal">SimpleLogin</a> or <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2019/11/25/a-look-at-the-email-forwarding-service-anonaddy/" data-wpel-link="internal">AnonAddy</a> do support. Here is a short list of features that are missing currently:</p> <ul> <li>Use different domain names for aliases or temp email.</li> <li>Support for custom domain names.</li> <li>Reply to emails using aliases / temp email accounts.</li> <li>Support for security features such as PGP encryption or two-factor authentication.</li> </ul> <p>It is possible that AdGuard is working on these features already. It could introduce them as part of a paid plan in the future.</p> <p><strong>Closing Words</strong></p> <p>Using an email alias service is favorable, as it will protect your email addresses from spam, scams, and other unwanted content.</p> <p>AdGuard's solution is basic, but also easy to use and setup. It is a good option if you are just getting started and do not want to pay a subscription fee. Then again, the mentioned alternatives also support free plans.</p> <p><em>Do you use email alias or temporary email services? What is your take on the new AdGuard Mail service? 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/2024/12/20/adguard-mail-email-alias-and-temp-email-service-from-the-makers-of-the-adblocker/" data-wpel-link="internal">AdGuard Mail: email alias and temp email service from the makers of the adblocker</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

2. Microsoft confirms Auto HDR bug in Windows 11 and blocks updates as a consequence

   Thu, 19 Dec 2024 12:51:42 -0000

   Windows 11, version 24H2 has not been out for long, but its number of issues is already longer than a polonaise at the German carnival. Gamers faced their fair share of issues […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft confirms Auto HDR bug in Windows 11 and blocks updates as a consequence appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Windows 11, version 24H2 has not been out for long, but its number of issues is already longer than a polonaise at the German carnival.</p> <p>Gamers faced their fair share of issues already.  The release version of Windows 11 24H2 had some issues already. There was a particular issue with the game Asphalt 8 and also issues with Easy Anti-Cheat applications.</p> <p><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">Another issue affected certain Ubisoft games</a>. Now, Microsoft confirmed that Auto HDR is also affected.</p> <p><strong>The details:</strong> Windows gamers who have Auto HDR enabled on their devices won't get the upgrade offer to Windows 11, version 24H2 via Windows Update.</p> <p>Microsoft furthermore asks gamers not to install the latest version off Windows 11 through other means. This includes updates via the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or media creation tool.</p> <h3>The Auto HDR issue</h3> <p><a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2#3466msgdesc" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Microsoft describes</a> the issue in the following way: "You might observe that the game colors are incorrect in certain display configurations. You might also observe that some games stop responding.".</p> <p>In other words, games may freeze and potentially crash on Windows 11, version 24H2, if Auto HDR is enabled.</p> <p>Note that this affects devices that have been upgraded to the latest version already. If you noticed color issues or freezes in games, you may now have found the culprit, provided that you use Auto HDR on the device.</p> <p>Microsoft published a workaround for customers who are on Windows 11, version 24H2 already. It, to no surprise, suggests to disable Auto HDR for all games or certain games.</p> <p>Here is how that is done:</p> <ol> <li>Open the Start menu.</li> <li>Select Settings.</li> <li>Switch to System &gt; Display in the Settings app.</li> <li>Select Graphics on the page that opens.</li> <li>Toggle auto HDR to off on the page that opens.</li> </ol> <p>This disables the feature for all apps and games on the Windows 11 PC.</p> <p>An alternative to that is to enable or disable Auto HDR for specific apps or games only. This can be done on the same page under "Custom settings for applications".  There you may set the feature for specific apps or games only.</p> <p>Microsoft says that it is working on a resolution. In the meantime, Windows games who have not upgraded yet are stuck on an earlier version of the operating system.</p> <p><em>Now You: Do you game on Windows? What is your take on all the issues affecting games and gaming? 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/2024/12/19/microsoft-confirms-auto-hdr-bug-in-windows-11-and-blocks-updates-as-a-consequence/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft confirms Auto HDR bug in Windows 11 and blocks updates as a consequence</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

3. ChatGPT Search is now available for free users

   Thu, 19 Dec 2024 07:32:53 -0000

   OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Search for all users. Let's take a closer look at how the search engine works. So far, ChatGPT has attracted users who want to generate text, images, code, […]

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

   <p>OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Search for all users. Let's take a closer look at how the search engine works.</p> <p>So far, ChatGPT has attracted users who want to generate text, images, code, write poems, essays, letters, or even create <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/10/openai-launches-sora-an-ai-tool-that-generates-videos-from-text/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">AI-generated videos with Sora</a>. The next step in its evolution is search, a rather important one that plays an essential part in our day-to-day usage, a market that is dominated by Google.</p> <p>ChatGPT Search was <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-search/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">announced a couple of months ago</a>, but it wasn't available for free users. Now that it has expanded to everyone, you can access it. You will need an OpenAI account to use ChatGPT Search. Signing up for an account does not require a phone number, so you could use an email alias service like Simple Login or Firefox Relay to protect your privacy.</p> <h3><strong>How to use ChatGPT Search on the web</strong></h3> <p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206634" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/How-to-use-ChatGPT-Search-on-the-web.jpg" alt="How to use ChatGPT Search on the web" width="1200" height="630" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/How-to-use-ChatGPT-Search-on-the-web.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/How-to-use-ChatGPT-Search-on-the-web-768x403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>1. Go to ChatGPT.com and sign in to your account.</p> <p>2. Enter your query, you can use natural language.</p> <p>3. Hit the Enter key, or click on the globe icon to search.</p> <p>4. ChatGPT Search will display the relevant results, along with citations from which the information was pulled.</p> <p>You can follow the same steps to use ChatGPT Search on your mobile device, except that you will need to use the ChatGPT app on your phone.</p> <p>Note: The search button will be missing if you are not signed in to your account.</p> <p>This method will take some time getting used to if you want to use ChatGPT Search as your primary search engine. Most users probably run their queries on Google or other services by typing into the search box or the address bar in a web browser. Using a chat to search might feel like odd at first, like retraining a muscle memory, but it's actually not different from using a search engine's page. You don't have to click the globe icon manually, ChatGPT will search the web or provide information from its "trained database", the result depends on your query. That said, if you want it to search the web, use the dedicated button.</p> <p>Your searches are essentially chats, OpenAI saves your chat history, and the data is synchronized between devices.</p> <h3><strong>Easier method for Chromium browsers</strong></h3> <p>OpenAI as released an official <a href="https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/chatgpt-search/ejcfepkfckglbgocfkanmcdngdijcgld" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">ChatGPT Search extension</a> for Chrome. You will need to be signed in to ChatGPT to use the service. Once you have installed the add-on, it sets ChatGPT as your default provider. This allows you to type your queries in the browser's address bar, search box, or highlight some text via the right-click context menu, and the searches are run through OpenAI's service. This offers a better experience than visiting ChatGPT's website and opening a new chat every time.</p> <p>The ChatGPT Search add-on is not available for Firefox, not yet anyway.</p> <h3><strong>OpenAI's ChatGPT Search is impressive</strong></h3> <p>Instead of displaying a page full of links and snippets from various websites, ChatGPT Search provides a summarized version of the results in a chat. The primary difference is that ChatGPT Search uses real-time information, unlike OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot, which is trained on a specific set of data that is often critically outdated.</p> <p>ChatGPT's Search results includes the sources, and the bot even displays an inline video that is relevant to the topic. You may provide feedback to improve the results.</p> <p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206633" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example.jpg" alt="ChatGPT search example" width="826" height="758" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example.jpg 826w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-768x705.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px" /></p> <p>I tested the search engine by looking up various things such as the weather, sports, news events, how-to articles, etc.  The results are quite good, it's not perfect because you do not control the sources from which it extracts the data.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206636" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-5.jpg" alt="ChatGPT search example 5" width="785" height="474" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-5.jpg 785w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-5-768x464.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 785px) 100vw, 785px" /></p> <p>ChatGPT also displays images within the summary, these are sourced from the websites where it obtained the data from.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206637" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-6.jpg" alt="ChatGPT search example 6" width="841" height="712" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-6.jpg 841w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-6-768x650.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 841px) 100vw, 841px" /></p> <p>The summarized versions of searches are clutter-free, making the content easier to read, and informative, though it remains to be seen how it will deal with fake news or unverified data. But, all things considered, ChatGPT Search does seem impressive in the early stage.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206630" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-4.jpg" alt="ChatGPT search example 4" width="883" height="699" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-4.jpg 883w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ChatGPT-search-example-4-768x608.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 883px) 100vw, 883px" /></p> <p>One important thing to note is that there are no ads in the search results, but things could change in the future.</p> <p>There is no waitlist for ChatGPT Search, it is now available for all users in regions where ChatGPT is available. It works with free accounts, so you don't need a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription to use the search service. You can watch the video of the product's announcement on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzgNJJ2ErEE" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">OpenAI's YouTube Channel</a>.</p> <p>On a sidenote, ChatGPT is now available via WhatsApp. You can call or chat with the bot at 1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478), you can find more details about the experience on the <a href="https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10193193-1-800-chatgpt-calling-and-messaging-chatgpt-with-your-phone" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">official website</a>.</p> <p>Can ChatGPT Search dethrone Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot? That is a tough task, but I feel it is better equipped now to compete with the big players. This could be the future of AI-powered search engines.</p> <p>Do you like a personalized search result displayed in a chat, or a long list of results that you can choose from?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/19/chatgpt-search-is-now-available-for-free-users/" data-wpel-link="internal">ChatGPT Search 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>

4. How to enable or disable Wi-Fi in Windows 11

   Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:42:30 -0000

   Wi-Fi is next to Ethernet one of the main ways of connecting a device to the Internet. A PC needs a wireless adapter or chip to support Wi-Fi. The majority of mobile […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to enable or disable Wi-Fi in Windows 11 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Wi-Fi is next to Ethernet one of the main ways of connecting a device to the Internet. A PC needs a wireless adapter or chip to support Wi-Fi. The majority of mobile devices, for example laptops and tablets, support wireless connectivity.</p> <p>This guide provides step-by-step instructions on disabling or enabling wireless Internet connectivity on Windows 11 PCs. It also lists examples when this may be useful.</p> <p><strong>The default</strong>: Wi-Fi is enabled by default on Windows 11. This means that the device is actively looking for wireless access points to connect to. Once a connection has been established, Windows will try to connect to the access point automatically.</p> <h2>Reasons for wanting to turn Wi-Fi off</h2> <ul> <li>The device connects to the Internet via an Ethernet cable.</li> <li>You want to or have to block Internet connectivity for a time or permanently.</li> <li>Simplify network management.</li> </ul> <h3>Enable or disable Wi-Fi in the Quick Settings</h3> <p><strong>Step 1:</strong> Click on the Wi-Fi icon displayed in the System Tray area on the Windows 11 taskbar. You find it on the right side of the taskbar next to volume.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206621" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-icon-windows-11-taskbar.png" alt="Wi-Fi icon in Windows 11" width="369" height="242" /></p> <p><strong><em>Tip</em></strong>: you can also press the keys Windows and A together to display the Quick Settings.</p> <p><strong>Step 2</strong>: Click on the Wi-Fi symbol displayed in the Quick Settings interface. This toggles Wi-Fi on the device. A blue background indicates that Wi-Fi is enabled, a white background that it is turned off.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206623" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/quick-settings-wifi.png" alt="Toggle Wi-Fi Quick Settings" width="435" height="519" /></p> <p><strong>Optional</strong>: You may also use the interface to connect to a different wireless access point. For this, it is necessary to click on the right-arrow icon in the Quick Settings next to the wireless icon.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206624" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-other-wifi-access-points.png" alt="Windows 11 connect to different access points" width="465" height="513" /></p> <p>Note that I removed the names of the access points. They are displayed next to the strength indicator in the interface. There is also a Wi-Fi toggle on the page to enable or disable Wi-Fi.</p> <h2>Manage Wi-Fi in the Windows 11 Settings</h2> <p>The second option that you have to control wireless connectivity on Windows 11 devices is via the Settings app.</p> <p><strong>Step 1:</strong> Select Start and then Settings to launch the app. You may also press the keyboard shortcut Windows-I instead to launch it.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206625" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-settings.png" alt="Windows 11 Settings" width="966" height="829" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-settings.png 966w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/windows-11-settings-768x659.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 966px) 100vw, 966px" /></p> <p><strong>Step 2:</strong> Navigate to Network &amp; Internet. There you find the toggle to turn Wi-Fi on or off. A click disables or enables the wireless connection.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206626" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-settings-toggle.png" alt="Disable or enable Wi-Fi Windows 11 Settings" width="1112" height="677" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-settings-toggle.png 1112w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-settings-toggle-768x468.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1112px) 100vw, 1112px" /></p> <p><strong>Optional:</strong> Click on the arrow icon next to the Wi-Fi icon for additional management options. Here you get another option to disable or enable Wi-fi connectivity. When you disable Wi-Fi here, you get a new menu that allows you to restore Wi-Fi connectivity automatically after 1 hour, 4 hours, or 1 day.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206627" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-management-windows-11-settings.png" alt="Wifi management" width="1112" height="677" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-management-windows-11-settings.png 1112w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/wifi-management-windows-11-settings-768x468.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1112px) 100vw, 1112px" /></p> <p><strong>Other options include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Opening the properties of the active wireless connection.</li> <li>Showing all available wireless networks, with options to connect to one of them.</li> <li>Manage all known networks. This gives you options to remove networks.</li> <li>Display the hardware properties of the wireless adapter.</li> <li>Enable random hardware address for improved privacy.</li> </ul> <h3>Other options to disable or enable Wi-Fi</h3> <p>Windows 11 users have several other options to control wireless connectivity. These may include:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Using the Device Manager</strong> to disable the wireless network adapter (which in turn disables all Wi-Fi functionality).</li> <li><strong>Using the classic Control Panel</strong> to disable Wi-Fi.</li> <li><strong>Disabling Wi-Fi from the command prompt</strong> using the netsh command.</li> <li><strong>Using a physical switch or key to toggle Wi-Fi</strong>.</li> </ul> <p><em>Now it is your turn. Have another tip or reason for disabling Wi-Fi on your computers? Feel free to share it with everyone else in the comments down below.</em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/18/how-to-enable-or-disable-wi-fi-in-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">How to enable or disable Wi-Fi in Windows 11</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

5. Firefox-maker Mozilla's boosted revenue significantly in 2023, but the financial report may also raise concern

   Tue, 17 Dec 2024 17:59:05 -0000

   Mozilla has posted its financial report for the year 2023. The organization continues to do well. It had big revenue boost in 2023, but the report may also raise concern. The details: […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Firefox-maker Mozilla's boosted revenue significantly in 2023, but the financial report may also raise concern appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Mozilla has posted its financial report for the year 2023. The organization continues to do well. It had big revenue boost in 2023, but the report may also raise concern.</p> <p><strong>The details:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Mozilla's revenue in 2023 was 653 million US-Dollar.</li> <li>The organization's assets increased by 138 million US-Dollar to 1.335 billion US-Dollar.</li> <li>Revenue from search deals and subscriptions fell for the first time.</li> </ul> <p>The big news is that Mozilla managed to increase revenue by about 59 million US-Dollar <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/12/05/mozilla-earned-close-to-600-million-in-2022/" data-wpel-link="internal">compared to the year before</a>. That's a big jump in revenue. Even more so, when you take a look at the revenue from search deals, subscriptions, and services.</p> <p>Search engine deal revenue continues to make the bulk of revenue. It dropped by 15 million US-Dollar to 495 million in 2023, however. Subscription and services revenue, which includes ads, also decreased by 9 million US-Dollar to 65 million revenue in total.</p> <p><strong>So, what caused the revenue to jump?</strong> The financial report lists two areas that contributed heavily. First, Interest and dividend income. It jumped from $9 million in 2022 to $47 million US-Dollar in 2023. Investments contributed 24 million US-Dollar, while Mozilla reported a loss of $19 million back in 2022.</p> <h2>Expenses increased as well</h2> <p>Revenue reached a record high, but so did expenses in 2023. Mozilla's total expenses were $496 million US-Dollar, which is $71 million more than in 2022.</p> <p>Software development expenses increased by $40 million, other program services by $6 million, branding and marketing by $8 million, and general and administrative by $15 million.</p> <h3>Outlook</h3> <p>Mozilla should be concerned about the falling royalties, advertising, and subscription revenue. The main idea for the past few years was to push subscriptions and advertising to close the gap to royalties. Being too dependent on a single company, in Mozilla's case Google, has never been a wise business decision.</p> <p>While it is somewhat expected that search engine deal revenue is falling, as Firefox's userbase is shrinking slowly, it should be of concern that the one thing that should make up for the loss tanked in 2023 as well.</p> <p>The 2024 numbers will show if Mozilla managed to turn around the revenue of its subscription business. Even if it can, reliance on that one search deal with Google will continue to be the main revenue driver for the foreseeable future.</p> <p>You can download or view the report on the <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/foundation/annualreport/2024/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">Mozilla website</a>.</p> <p><em>What is your take on the report? Should Mozilla be concerned about its two main revenue sources? Or is there a light on the horizon? 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/2024/12/17/firefox-maker-mozillas-boosted-revenue-significantly-in-2023-but-the-report-may-also-raise-concern/" data-wpel-link="internal">Firefox-maker Mozilla&#039;s boosted revenue significantly in 2023, but the financial report may also raise concern</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

6. HDMI 2.2 to be unveiled at CES 2025 - requires new HDMI cable

   Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:19:32 -0000

   The HDMI Forum plans to unveil HDMI 2.2 officially at a press conference on January 6th, 2025. The organization plans to reveal the new specification of the next-generation of the HDMI standard. […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post HDMI 2.2 to be unveiled at CES 2025 - requires new HDMI cable appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>The HDMI Forum plans to unveil HDMI 2.2 officially at a press conference on January 6th, 2025. The organization plans to reveal the new specification of the next-generation of the HDMI standard.</p> <p>The official press release does not reveal much about the upcoming standard, only this much: " The new specification, with next-gen HDMI(R) Technology and higher bandwidth, enables a wide range of higher resolutions and refresh rates and will be supported with a new HDMI Cable".</p> <p>HDMI 2.2 is <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/hdmi-forum-to-hold-press-conference-at-ces-2025-to-announce-new-specification-release-7a77f2e1" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">mentioned explicitly</a> in the press release.</p> <p><strong>To sum it up:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Will support higher resolutions and quality, and refresh rates.</li> <li>Requires a new HDMI cable.</li> </ul> <p>Specifics have not been mentioned, but a look at the current standard HDMI 2.1 may help. It supports a bandwidth of up to 48 Gbps and uncompressed resolutions such as 4K at 120 Hz and 8K at 60 Hz.</p> <p>HDMI 2.2 should improve that, for instance by enabling uncompressed 8k at 120 Hz or even 10K.  The requirement for new cables could mean an even bigger jump.</p> <h2>May take years for devices to become available</h2> <p>As is the case with most standards, it may take years and not months before devices that support it are released.</p> <p>HDMI Forum announced HDMI 2.1 in January 2017 at CES. Microsoft's Xbox One was one of the first devices to support HDMI 2.1 features such as Variable Refresh Rate. This started in 2018.</p> <p>The first graphics adapters with support were launched in 2020. Nvidia released the GeForce RTX 3000 series and AMD the Radeon RX 6000 series in the year.</p> <p>This means that the next Nvidia and AMD video cards will likely not support HDMI 2.2. The same is true for Nintendo's Switch 2 console, which is also expected to be released in early 2025.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>It may take a year or even longer before devices that support HDMI 2.2 are released. The next PlayStation or Xbox could very well support it, but both consoles are years away at this point.</p> <p>On PC, gamers and enthusiasts may also need to wait a year or more before the new standard becomes available.</p> <p>That leaves entertainment, but 8K and beyond is still mostly an enthusiast's thing.</p> <p><em>What is your take on HDMI 2.2, and 8K and higher resolutions? Is that something that interests you? 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/2024/12/16/hdmi-2-2-to-be-unveiled-at-ces-2025-requires-new-hdmi-cable/" data-wpel-link="internal">HDMI 2.2 to be unveiled at CES 2025 - requires new HDMI cable</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

7. Microsoft confirms it will not lower Windows 11 system requirements

   Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:09:16 -0000

   Microsoft has confirmed that the Windows 11 system requirements are not changing. Windows 10 users on older PCs may not like this. Microsoft refuses to budge from Windows 11's minimum requirements A […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft confirms it will not lower Windows 11 system requirements appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Microsoft has confirmed that the Windows 11 system requirements are not changing. Windows 10 users on older PCs may not like this.</p> <h3><strong>Microsoft refuses to budge from Windows 11's minimum requirements</strong></h3> <p>A couple of weeks ago, <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/05/windows-11-microsoft-sticks-to-system-requirements-despite-sluggish-conversion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Martin wrote</a> about the possibility of Microsoft lowering the system requirements for upgrading old PCs to Windows 11, especially those that do not support hardware-level security features that are only possible with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0. Uncompromising security or stubborn?</p> <p>An updated <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-on-devices-that-don-t-meet-minimum-system-requirements-0b2dc4a2-5933-4ad4-9c09-ef0a331518f1" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">support article</a> (spotted by <a href="https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-confirms-its-not-lowering-windows-11-system-requirements-for-unsupported-hardware/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Neowin</a>) on Microsoft's website states that "Windows 11 minimum system requirements remain unchanged". Microsoft is also advising users who installed Windows 11 on a device not meeting Windows 11 system requirements, to downgrade immediately. Wow, that is quite a bold statement, and useless.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206613" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Microsoft-refuses-to-budge-from-Windows-11s-minimum-requirements.jpg" alt="Microsoft refuses to budge from Windows 11's minimum requirements" width="840" height="649" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Microsoft-refuses-to-budge-from-Windows-11s-minimum-requirements.jpg 840w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Microsoft-refuses-to-budge-from-Windows-11s-minimum-requirements-768x593.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px" /></p> <p>Windows 10 was launched in 2015, it will turn 10 years old when it is retired by the Redmond company next year. That is a long time, no one can deny that Microsoft has done a good job of supporting the operating system for a decade. See, that's not the problem. The problem is millions of computers around the world will be ineligible to receive security updates, when Windows 10 reaches its <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/04/12/a-new-journey-with-windows-microsofts-end-of-support-notice-for-windows-10-users/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">end of life support</a> in October 2025. We all saw what kind of impact a broken software could have when a <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/07/22/crowdstrike-in-a-nutshell-how-a-faulty-software-update-took-down-millions-of-windows-pcs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">faulty update by CrowdStrike's</a> security software took down millions of PCs worldwide in June 2024. Now just imagine millions of Windows PCs that are exposed to security vulnerabilities, the impact could be much worse.</p> <h3><strong>Windows 10 remains popular among users</strong></h3> <p>Let's talk numbers. 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's</a> global stats for Desktop Windows versions, 61.82% of PC users are on Windows 10. Windows 11 has just 34.94% of the user share. Things are slightly different when it comes to gaming. <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-Welcome-to-Steam" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Steam's Hardware Survey</a> shows that 43.31% of players on its platform are using Windows 10, while 52.98% are on Windows 11.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206614" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Windows-10-remains-popular-amongt-users.jpg" alt="Windows 10 remains popular amongt users" width="1200" height="883" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Windows-10-remains-popular-amongt-users.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Windows-10-remains-popular-amongt-users-768x565.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Still, both surveys highlight the fact that nearly one half of PC users worldwide have not upgraded to Windows 11. This could be due to varying factors like unsupported hardware, economic conditions, Some users may do not wish to upgrade to Windows 11 for various reasons, and you can't really blame them. I mean, if a PC is working fine on Windows 10, there is no reason to stop using it. It's like the Bernie Sanders meme, "I'm once again asking your support". Come on, Microsoft! Play nice.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206615" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-November-2024.jpg" alt="Steam Hardware &amp; Software Survey November 2024" width="971" height="633" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-November-2024.jpg 971w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-November-2024-768x501.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 971px) 100vw, 971px" /></p> <p>What about browsers? Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/09/09/mozilla-extends-firefox-115-support-for-old-windows-and-macos-devices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Firefox</a>, Brave Browser, etc., will likely be supported for a while on Windows 10. I guess the same would apply to many apps. There are way too many complications that factor in here, you can't just discard a large chunk of users just because they are on an older operating system. Not everyone can afford to lose their user base.</p> <p>It won't cost much to provide security updates for Windows 10 users, will it? Windows 10 and 11 are not too dissimilar, all Microsoft probably needs to do is to do is provide the patches that are available for Windows 11, and ship them out to users who are stuck on Windows 10. Of course, Microsoft found a different solution for this issue, by launching <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/12/05/breaking-consumers-will-be-able-to-extend-windows-10-support/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Extended Support Updates</a> for Windows 10. Users will need to shell out <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2024/10/31/how-to-prepare-for-windows-10-end-of-support-by-moving-to-windows-11-today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">$30 a year</a> to receive security updates.</p> <p>Your other options are to upgrade your PC or buy a new one, or switch to Linux. Alternatively, you can use some third-party apps like InControl to prevent your PC from updating to Windows 11, you can find more details about it <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">here</a>. I use the app to block the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/09/17/exclusive-microsoft-announces-release-of-windows-11-24h2-feature-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Windows 11 24H2 update</a>, at least until the <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/11/25/microsoft-blocks-windows-11-24h2-update-on-pcs-with-star-wars-outlaws-and-assassins-creed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">major bugs</a> are sorted out.</p> <p>Personally, I feel that a trillion-dollar company like Microsoft that lacks in neither resources nor the manpower could, and should take the responsibility of providing security updates for older PCs, instead of choosing to leave users stranded in uncertainty.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/16/microsoft-confirms-it-will-not-lower-windows-11-system-requirements/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft confirms it will not lower Windows 11 system requirements</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

8. The revised Recall on Windows 11 is still recording information that it should not

   Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:47:37 -0000

   Recall continues to be a privacy disaster. Reports suggest that the AI feature is recording sensitive information, even with the sensitive information filter enabled. When Microsoft announced Recall, it did so riding […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post The revised Recall on Windows 11 is still recording information that it should not appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Recall continues to be a privacy disaster. Reports suggest that the AI feature is recording sensitive information, even with the sensitive information filter enabled.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/05/21/microsoft-announces-copilot-pcs-and-ai-powered-recall-feature/" data-wpel-link="internal">When Microsoft announced Recall</a>, it did so riding on a wave of positive AI news. The company was preparing nothing other than the next generation of Windows and it wanted to announce a big feature during the main announcement.</p> <p>AI, after all, stands at the center of the company's new Copilot+ PC certification. What Microsoft did not expect <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/06/03/microsoft-needs-to-make-windows-11s-recall-feature-opt-in/" data-wpel-link="internal">was the criticism</a> that it received shortly after it revealed Recall.</p> <p>An AI system that monitored and recorded pretty much anything on the PC? Enabled by default? With little safeguards and security to protect the recorded data? What could possibly go wrong?</p> <p>For the big bang, Microsoft decided to skip Insider builds. This meant that it did not receive feedback from early testers, only from internal sources and maybe some partners that were allowed to try Recall. Did no one warn Microsoft about the issues or were they swept away?</p> <p>So, Microsoft pulled Recall shortly after reveal and <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/08/22/microsofts-controversial-windows-recall-feature-is-coming-back-in-october/" data-wpel-link="internal">promised to go back</a> to the drawing board. Then in late September, <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/09/30/windows-recall-microsofts-second-launch-attempt-after-devastating-criticism/" data-wpel-link="internal">Microsoft announced Recall 2.0</a>.</p> <p>It did good on some of the promises that it made. Recall was now opt-in and no longer running automatically in the background. The AI feature used better security now, including extra protection of the database that contained a user's recorded history.</p> <p><strong>Note</strong>: the Sensitive Information filter is designed to block screen captures by Recall if sensitive data, such as a credit card or social security number, is entered.</p> <h3>Still not good enough, it appears</h3> <p>A report by Tom's Hardware <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/microsoft-recall-screenshots-credit-cards-and-social-security-numbers-even-with-the-sensitive-information-filter-enabled" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">suggests</a> that Recall is not ready for prime time yet. Here is a summary of Recall's wrongdoings according to the author who tested it:</p> <ul> <li>Sensitive information entered into an app like Notepad is still recorded.</li> <li>Filling out a PDF document in Edge with sensitive information, like the Social Security Number, did record it.</li> <li>Custom HTML pages using web forms that asked for credit card numbers were also recorded, when a user entered the data.</li> </ul> <p>Good news is that Recall did block the recording of credit card information when the author visited two online stores.</p> <p>Granted, Recall is still only available in Insider builds at the time of writing. Some issues or bugs are to be expected. Microsoft may be able to fix the discovered issues before release.</p> <h3>Closing Words</h3> <p>Only the signed-in user should have access to information that Recall captures. That is Microsoft's promise and it certainly improved security in key areas in the second version of Recall.</p> <p>Authentication is required whenever someone wants to access the captured data. That should prevent the bulk of malware from ever accessing the data.</p> <p>Windows users who enable Recall need to be aware though that the feature may record sensitive information, even with the filter enabled.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see if Microsoft manages to improve the filter before official release.</p> <p><em>Now it is your turn. What is your take on Recall? Would you use it in the future, if Microsoft manages to correct the remaining issues? Or are you in the other camp, that sees the privacy issues and little use for the feature all in all? </em></p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/13/the-revised-recall-on-windows-11-is-still-recording-information-that-it-should-not/" data-wpel-link="internal">The revised Recall on Windows 11 is still recording information that it should not</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

9. Start11 adds support for Vertical Taskbar on Windows 11

   Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:25:44 -0000

   Start11 is a popular Start Menu alternative for Windows 11. And now, the app lets you move the Taskbar to the side of your screen.   Microsoft does not officially support a […]

   Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Start11 adds support for Vertical Taskbar on Windows 11 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

   <p>Start11 is a popular Start Menu alternative for Windows 11. And now, the app lets you move the Taskbar to the side of your screen.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Microsoft does not officially support a Vertical Taskbar on Windows 11, despite it being requested by many users since the operating system was launched. You will have to rely on third-party tools to make changes to the Start Menu and other aspects of Windows.</p> <h3><strong>Get a Vertical Taskbar on Windows 11 with Start11</strong></h3> <p>Stardock has <a href="https://www.stardock.com/blog/532687/start11-v25-beta-arrives-with-vertical-taskbars" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">announced</a> on its blog that it has made it possible for users to move the Taskbar to the side in the latest beta version of Start 11. The customization app allows you to place a Vertical Taskbar on the left or the right side of your screen, the choice is yours.</p> <p>To do this, you will need to install Start 11 v2.5 beta on your computer. When you have installed the program, you can select your taskbar experience from the configuration panel, i.e. click on the Taskbar tab in the side panel and go to Enhanced Taskbar Settings to make your changes. It's that simple.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206604" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Get-a-Vertical-Taskbar-on-Windows-11-with-Start11.jpg" alt="Get a Vertical Taskbar on Windows 11 with Start11" width="1200" height="675" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Get-a-Vertical-Taskbar-on-Windows-11-with-Start11.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Get-a-Vertical-Taskbar-on-Windows-11-with-Start11-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Image credit: Stardock.</p> <p>The update also brings an option to use Start11 with a left aligned Start button on multiple monitors. Prior to this update, the feature only supported two displays.</p> <p>Start11 is a premium program, a license for a single installation costs $9.99. You can download a <a href="https://www.stardock.com/products/start11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">trial version</a> of Start11 from Stardock's website to try it free for 30 days, before you buy it, or uninstall the software. Trying the program does not require a credit card, buy you will need to enter your email address, and click on a link that you will get in the activation mail to start the 30-day trial. If you own Start10, you may be eligible to upgrade to Start11 at a lower price. I recommend checking <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1694750/Start11_v2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">Start 11 v2 on Steam</a>, as it may offer better regional pricing in some countries.</p> <p>That being said, you should know that beta versions are locked behind a paywall. So, unless you have bought the app already, you'll need to wait for the final release of Start11 2.5 to try the Vertical Taskbar feature via the free trial.</p> <p>If you want a free app that supports Vertical Taskbar, you can try <a href="https://windhawk.net/mods" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">some mods</a> for <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/12/31/windhawk-1-0-beta-new-version-of-the-modular-windows-customizer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">Windhawk</a>. But, you may want to be careful when you are using such programs that modify the Windows registry, as you can easily mess things up. Create a system restore point, a backup of the registry, and maybe back up your important data before experimenting.</p> <p>It is kind of silly that we need a third-party software to make basic changes that were previously supported on Windows. If only Microsoft cared about quality of life features, instead of shoving ads everywhere. Do you remember when the Head of Product for Windows Shell casually <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbsUdFuWKuU&amp;t=595s" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">explained</a> that they had rebuilt the Taskbar from scratch, and they were working on adding more features? This was over 2 years ago, by the way. Microsoft also went on to clarify that touchscreen devices did not have enough room on the display for a vertical taskbar? So, don't make the feature available for those devices. The majority of Windows users are either on a desktop, or a laptop. You can't deny what a larger percentage of users want, to please a smaller subset of people.</p> <p>What is your favorite Start Menu alternative?</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/13/start11-adds-support-for-vertical-taskbar-on-windows-11/" data-wpel-link="internal">Start11 adds support for Vertical Taskbar on Windows 11</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

10. Mullvad VPN audit: low number of vulnerabilities found and fixed, lots of praise

    Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:59:15 -0000

    Mullvad VPN is a popular privacy-focused VPN service. The service is using a disk-less infrastructure and has recently started to run encrypted DNS servers in RAM as well. You may also buy […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Mullvad VPN audit: low number of vulnerabilities found and fixed, lots of praise appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Mullvad VPN is a popular privacy-focused VPN service. The service is using a <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/20/mullvad-vpn-completes-migration-to-disk-less-vpn-infrastructure/" data-wpel-link="internal">disk-less infrastructure</a> and has recently started to run <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2023/11/11/mullvads-public-encrypted-dns-servers-run-in-ram-now/" data-wpel-link="internal">encrypted DNS servers</a> in RAM as well. You may also <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2022/07/27/mullvad-vpn-codes-are-now-available-on-amazon/" data-wpel-link="internal">buy Mullvad codes on Amazon</a> or through other ways that keep you anonymous.</p> <p><a href="https://github.com/mullvad/mullvadvpn-app/blob/main/audits/2024-12-10-X41-D-Sec.md" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external noopener noreferrer">In late 2024</a>, Mullvad asked Germany-based X41 D-Sec to conduct an audit of the service, making it the fourth external security audit since 2018.</p> <p>Company engineers were tasked with auditing the source code of Mullvad's VPN apps on all platforms and performing penetration testing. This happend between October and November 2024.</p> <h2>Vulnerabilities were found</h2> <p>X41 D-Sec discovered a total of six vulnerabilities.</p> <ul> <li>Three high-security vulnerabilities.</li> <li>Two medium-rated vulnerabilities.</li> <li>One low vulnerability.</li> </ul> <p>Additionally, the researches found three issues with security impact.</p> <p>Mullvad addressed the issues that were within scope. Some of the discovered issues are not fixable by Mullvad, as they are found in certain behaviors of operating systems or protocols.</p> <p><strong>The three security issues rated high are all fixed. They were:</strong></p> <ul> <li>A potential heap corruption issue on Android, Linux, and macOS.</li> <li>An issue with the fault signal handler in mullvad-daemon affecting Android, Linux, and macOS.</li> <li>Use of taskkill.exe on Windows in the installer without use of absolute paths.</li> </ul> <h3>Not all issues can be fixed by Mullvad</h3> <p>One issue, rated medium, for instance, which may leak the virtual IP address of tunnel devices to network adjacent participants, affects Linux and Android only. On Linux, Mullvad solved the issue by changing a kernel parameter.</p> <p>On Android, Mullvad's app has no control over that parameter. The company did report the issue to Google, hoping that Google will change the default behavior on Android to address this.</p> <p>It should be noted that the issue affects other apps on Android as well. Mullvad says that it does not consider the leak high severity. It may however leak the tunnel IP to observers. IPs get changed monthly, but signing out of the app and back in again gives the client a new tunnel IP address as well.</p> <p><strong>Closing Words</strong></p> <p>Security audits find potential vulnerabilities, which companies may then fix proactively. They may also help instill confidence in existing or future users of the service, especially if conducted regularly.</p> <p><em>Now it is your turn. Do you us a VPN solution? If so which and why? 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/2024/12/12/mullvad-vpn-audit-low-number-of-vulnerabilities-found-and-fixed-lots-of-praise/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mullvad VPN audit: low number of vulnerabilities found and fixed, lots of praise</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

11. Apple Intelligence expands to 6 more countries with iOS 18.2, iPadOS, 18.2 and macOS 15.2

    Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:44:27 -0000

    Apple Intelligence is now available for users in 6 more regions. However, it only supports the English language. The Cupertino company was biding its time, waiting on the sidelines watching Google Gemini, […]

    Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Apple Intelligence expands to 6 more countries with iOS 18.2, iPadOS, 18.2 and macOS 15.2 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

    <p>Apple Intelligence is now available for users in 6 more regions. However, it only supports the English language.</p> <p>The Cupertino company was biding its time, waiting on the sidelines watching Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and other companies attract users to their AI service. It finally unveiled Apple Intelligence in <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/06/11/here-are-the-new-features-in-ios-18/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">June 2024</a>. While everyone expected it to debut when iOS 18 was launched, the much awaited AI features were nowhere to be seen, even on the new <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/09/10/apple-announces-iphone-16-iphone-16-plus-iphone-16-pro-and-iphone-16-pro-max/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-wpel-link="internal">iPhone 16</a> models.</p> <p>Users had to wait until the end of October for <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">iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1</a> to arrive and bring Apple Intelligence, and it still disappointed many, because the AI capabilities were only available for users in the United States, specifically, to those who had set their device to the US English language. Many users were furious that Apple has been falsely advertising a flagship feature that was not available in their region.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206596" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iOS-18.2-iPadOS-18.2-and-macOS-15.2-update.jpg" alt="iOS 18.2, iPadOS, 18.2 and macOS 15.2 update" width="1200" height="750" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iOS-18.2-iPadOS-18.2-and-macOS-15.2-update.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/iOS-18.2-iPadOS-18.2-and-macOS-15.2-update-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <h3><strong>Apple Intelligence arrives in 6 more countries</strong></h3> <p>Apple Intelligence is <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/12/apple-intelligence-now-features-image-playground-genmoji-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow external noreferrer" data-wpel-link="external">now available</a> for English users in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. In other word, the company has simply expanded support for localized versions of English, and the AI features have arrived along with the iOS 18.2, 18.2 and macOS 15.2 updates. What about support for other languages?</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206595" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Intelligence-is-now-available-in-6-more-countries.jpg" alt="Apple Intelligence is now available in 6 more countries" width="1200" height="750" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Intelligence-is-now-available-in-6-more-countries.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Apple-Intelligence-is-now-available-in-6-more-countries-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <h3><strong> When will the rest of the world get Apple Intelligence?</strong></h3> <p>Apple says that it will add support for additional languages including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese in 2025. The company plans to release a software update in April to introduce the AI features partially.</p> <p>Apple has confirmed that it will bring Apple Intelligence to regions in the European Union next year. But, should you wish to use the features, there is a way to enable them regardless of which Country you live in. The catch is that you will need to switch your device's language to English.</p> <h3><strong>How to enable Apple Intelligence on iPhone, iPad or Mac</strong></h3> <p>1. Open the Settings app.</p> <p>2. Go to the General section and switch to Language and Region. Use the + button under preferred languages, and add one of the following localized version of English: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206597" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/How-to-enable-Apple-Intelligence-on-iOS-iPadOS-and-macOS.jpg" alt="How to enable Apple Intelligence on iOS iPadOS and macOS" width="1200" height="750" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/How-to-enable-Apple-Intelligence-on-iOS-iPadOS-and-macOS.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/How-to-enable-Apple-Intelligence-on-iOS-iPadOS-and-macOS-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>For example, set it to English (US). Restart your device to proceed.</p> <p>Note: You don't need to change the device's region.</p> <p>3. Go to the main screen of the Settings app, and Navigate to Apple Intelligence &amp; Siri.</p> <p>4. Change the language under Siri Requests to use the same language that you added in step 2. e.g. English (US)</p> <p>5. Now you should see an option that says Get Apple Intelligence. Click on it. Wait for the download to complete.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-206594" src="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Download-Apple-Intelligence.jpg" alt="Download Apple Intelligence" width="1200" height="750" srcset="https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Download-Apple-Intelligence.jpg 1200w, https://www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Download-Apple-Intelligence-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p> <p>Note: Apple Intelligence is supported on the following devices: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later, and Mac with M1 and later.</p> <p>Once your iPhone, Mac or iPad has completed the download, you will be able to start using Apple Intelligence in various apps. You may customize the voice settings based on your preferences.</p> <h3><strong>Apple Intelligence features</strong></h3> <p>The Notes app now includes an Image Wand that lets you create images based on the written or visual content in a note. Write like a pro with the help of AI-assisted Rewrite, Proofread, and Summarize tools which are available across many apps. Visual Intelligence is another interesting feature that can summarize and copy text, translate content between languages, detect contact information such as phone numbers or email addresses, and add them directly to your Contacts.</p> <p>The new Image Playground app can help you generate images, this feature is also integrated in other apps like Messaging, Freeform, Keynote, to name a few. Apple Intelligence allows you to create stylish, personalized Genmoji simply by typing. Find something interesting to buy? Use Camera Control to Google for more details about the item.</p> <p>ChatGPT is integrated in Siri, and you can use OpenAI's services anonymously, without signing in to your account. Users who have a ChatGPT subscription can choose to sign in to gain additional features.</p> <p>Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post <a href="https://www.ghacks.net/2024/12/12/apple-intelligence-expands-to-6-more-countries-with-ios-18-2-ipados-18-2-and-macos-15-2/" data-wpel-link="internal">Apple Intelligence expands to 6 more countries with iOS 18.2, iPadOS, 18.2 and macOS 15.2</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.ghacks.net" data-wpel-link="internal">gHacks Technology News</a>.</p>

12. 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 loading="lazy" 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 loading="lazy" 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="auto, (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 loading="lazy" 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

13. 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>

14. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

15. 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>

16. 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="auto, (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>

17. 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>

18. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

19. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

20. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

21. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

22. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

23. 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="auto, (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>

24. 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>

25. 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>

26. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

27. 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="auto, (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>

28. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

29. 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="auto, (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>

30. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

31. 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>

32. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

33. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

34. 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="auto, (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>

35. 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="auto, (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="auto, (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>

36. 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>

37. 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="auto, (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>

38. 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="auto, (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>

39. 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="auto, (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>

40. 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>