Friday, October 26, 2012 Microsoft Corporation 454,46 +2,87 +0,64% released The Surface RT, their first computer running the also introduced this day Windows 8. Windows 8 was a radical change to the look, feel and use of Windows. This was great for mobile users, but hated by many desktop users. Windows 8 represented the most dramatic transformation of the Windows interface since Windows 95. While that operating system introduced the Start menu, Windows 8 removed that iconic menu in favor of a Start screen filled with “live tiles” that functioned well on touchscreen computers like the purpose-built Microsoft Surface, but frustrated desktop…
October 2022
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Samsung Electronics Co., 40,60 0,00 0,00% has begun to rollout a ‘Maintenance Mode’ feature on their Galaxy devices with One UI 5 installed. For now this means the S22, but more Samsung devices will be added in 2023. This privacy feature was first tested this past July in Korea on the Galaxy S21. The purpose of this feature allows Samsung Galaxy device owners needing to have their device repaired to protect their personal data and still allow a repair tech to have full functional access. Once Maintenance Mode arrives on your phone, you’ll find the option to enable it within…
Well, we knew this was bound to happen: Google Inc. 189,70 -0,45 -0,24% has announced starting with Chrome version 110 (expected release early February 2023) the browser will no longer be supported on machines running Windows 7 or 8.1. Users will need to be running Windows 10 or newer in order to use the newer versions of Chrome. Google’s decision to drop support for these platforms matches Microsoft’s Windows lifecycle policy, which lists the Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 7 and the Windows 8.1 end of support on January 10, 2023. Currently, Windows 7 is still running on over 10% of all…
Over the weekend Microsoft Corporation 454,46 +2,87 +0,64% has come up with a fix for user who have been unable to update to the Windows 11 2022 Feature Update (22H2) due to compatibility issues with printers using Universal Print Class or Microsoft IPP Class drivers. This fix however will not be pushed out as part of a Windows Update. Rather, users will be able to use a troubleshooter to resolve the printer drive issues and eventually be offered the update for Windows 11 22H2. Users who want to receive the troubleshooter sooner, should restart their computer then Check for Updates….
Today is Sunday, October 23rd: time for the weekly roundup of the good, the bad and the ugly tech news of the week! The Good ‘Car feature’ subscriptions are not that common in the US (except for Tesla’s Full Self Driving) and are the practice of having to pay a monthly subscription fee in order to use a feature that is already installed in the car. In the UK and Korea, BMW is selling autos with heated seats installed, however in order to use this feature consumers must pay BMW a monthly subscription (even though they have already paid for…
Google Inc. 189,70 -0,45 -0,24% has removed 16 apps from their Playstore that have been found to be performing ad (click) fraud. In addition they were casing users device battery’s to deplete and in some cases causing users to exceeded their data caps. Furthermore, these 16 apps had a combined install base of around 20 million. The apps provided legitimate functions, including flashlight, camera, QR reading, and measurement conversions, security firm McAfee said on Wednesday. When opened, however, the apps surreptitiously downloaded additional code that caused them to perform ad fraud. From then on, infected devices received messages through the Google-owned…
I recall seeing earlier this year how BMW is charging owners in Korea and UK a monthly subscription to access their heated seats which they already paid for when they purchased their Big Money Waster. That’s right, the car is sold with heated seats, but they won’t function without an active subscription. Then there is Tesla’s ‘Full Self Driving;’ which annual cost is more than a cheap used car. Some legislators in New Jersey want this money-grab practice to stop. In late September, Assemblymen Paul Moriarty and Joe Danielsen introduced a bill that would prohibit car makers or dealers from offering…
Texas has filed suit against Google Inc. 189,70 -0,45 -0,24% for alleged user privacy violations. There have been a handful of states which are suing or have already settled with Google. This is case is slightly different then the one Google recently settle in Arizona for illegal Android tracking. Texas is claiming Google has been collecting and using biometric data belonging to millions of Texans without their permission. The Texas AG says that Google allegedly used products and services like Google Photos, Google Assistant, and Nest Hub Max to collect a vast array of biometric identifiers, including voiceprints and records…
Google Inc. 189,70 -0,45 -0,24% has been fined yet again for ‘anti-competitive practices’ with its Android mobile OS. This time around it is India which is their largest market by user base. The commission has slapped Google with a small $162 million fine. I say small as Google’s MONTHLY revenue works out to be around $21.5 Billion. The Competition Commission of India found the following in their investigations: Google has perpetuated its dominant position in the online search market resulting in denial of market access for competing search apps in contravention of Section 4(2)(c) of the Act. Google has leveraged…
On Tuesday, October 18th Google Inc. 189,70 -0,45 -0,24% has released an updated version of Chrome for Android. This update focuses mostly on User Interface and Quality of Life improvements with tabs in the Android version of the browser. However, this update does not include the desktop feature Tab Groups. This feature will be added to the Android version of Chrome, just not with this release. Google has turned its attention to tablets with today’s Chrome on Android update, which focuses on improving tab navigation. The update introduces a side-by-side tab design that makes swapping open pages easier, and an…