So-called video display "dark modes" on mobile devices may use more energy than ordinary display modes according to new research. The effect of the modes on human behavior may be counterproductive. The claim comes from BBC Research ... (view more)
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Microsoft claims it has made key parts of the Edge browser dramatically faster. The update affects specific features of the browser rather than simply the page loading time. According to Microsoft, 14 different features have been sped up, with an ... average boost of 40 percent. However, it's only specifically listed a few of the affected features: Browser Essentials: a status windows that lists some of the key performance features such as which tabs have been put into sleeping mode to minimize memory user. Downloads: the display of which files the user has downloaded (or is midway through ... (view more)
Google is to allow advertisers to use a controversial tactic for tracking Chrome users online. It had previously described the 'fingerprinting' technique as "wrong". The idea of fingerprinting is to identify an individual user even if they don't ... have the ability or permission to install a cookie on a user's computer. It's a way to more accurately identify somebody without relying solely on an IP address, which may be shared between multiple users or even change between different online sessions. Fingerprinting adds in specific pieces of data which individually don't reveal much about the user ... (view more)
Politically and financially motivated hacking groups are increasingly working together, according to new research. This collaboration has led to a dangerous pooling of resources, making cybercriminals more effective than ever. The research, ... conducted by Mandiant (a security firm owned by Google's parent company), suggests that hackers are becoming more specialized in their skill sets and working in partnership to maximize their impact. Just as in the corporate world, these cybercriminals are forming networks where each group focuses on a particular aspect of hacking - whether it's gaining ... (view more)
Chrome may soon make it even easier to change a password after a data breach. An in-test feature would actively change the password on the user's behalf. The change would affect what happens when Google auto-fills a password field using a stored ... password. The browser already checks such stored passwords against a database of passwords that have been breached and released publicly. At the moment Chrome will simply warn users about such a breach and prompt them to change it. However, the user will need to manually go to the password settings section or account settings on the website in ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Dennis J. writes: " Dear Dennis, What happens when Windows 10 reaches end of life after October 14, 2025? My computer isn't compatible with upgrading to Windows 11. Will I still be able to operate using Windows 10 safely? I have ... MalwareBytes but I don't understand these things. I'm retired, and just shy of 80, and can't afford a new computer this year. I'd appreciate your advice thank you. " My response: Thanks for your question. As you mentioned, after October 14, 2025 your Windows 10 PC will no longer receive security updates. One option is to pay Microsoft for Extended ... (view more)
Microsoft is to more clearly label search results in the Windows 11 Start Menu. It will better highlight which results come from the computer itself and which are from the Internet. The change will initially apply only to users in the European ... Economic Area and appears to be a way of complying with new rules on the continent. It's not clear yet if Microsoft intends to roll the changes out to all users. It's all to do with the search feature that appears in the Start Menu itself. The current setup means typing a word or phrase will bring up results that include documents and applications on ... (view more)
A new app offers to bring together multiple social media, messaging and content tools into a single "timeline". Tapestry is made by the people behind a previous app that aimed to improve the experience of what was then called Twitter. That app, ... Twitterific, stopped working in 2023 when Twitter blocked third-party access to its service. That ongoing block means the new app doesn't support the rebranded X service. Instead, Tapestry brings together multiple apps into a single chronological timeline showing all posts that meet the user's criteria. The developers believe many users prefer that to ... (view more)
Comcast is experimenting with a new technology for reducing latency and lag online. It could be particularly useful for video calls and online gaming. While most analysis of Internet speed is about uploading or downloading data, latency - also ... called lag - is all about response time. In effect, it's how quickly the connection starts transferring data after you (and your device) start the process. Although variations in latency are usually measured in fractions of a second, they can cause serious problems for some Internet use. For video calls they can cause a notable gap between somebody on ... (view more)
Google is to take stronger actions against apps that turn out to be potentially harmful. It may revoke permissions where the app is already on a user's device. One of the most notable aspects of Google's management of Android apps is its particular ... balance of security and privacy. Although it will remove apps suspected or confirmed to be malicious from the Play Store, it doesn't usually do much if anything about devices which already have the app installed. The optional Google Play Protect can technically deactivate suspicious apps, but usually it's left to users to hear about the issue (for ... (view more)
Microsoft's Edge browser now has a "scareware blocker" available for optional use. It attempts to recognize bogus claims that a computer has been compromised by malware. Scareware can come from a deliberate scam website, a compromised site, or a ... pop-up window running on a legitimate site that hijacks or takes advantage of advertising space. Whatever the source, the effect is normally the same: highly visible warnings of a supposed malware infestation, often in a full-screen window that's difficult to escape. Some versions even include an audio warning. The idea is to panic the user into ... (view more)
Hype about a Chinese owned AI tool has sent major tech stocks into a slump. The DeepSeek tool is much cheaper to run, which could hurt profitability among tech providers. DeepSeek is a Large Language Model (LLM), a form of AI of which ChatGPT is ... arguably the best known. While specific models vary, it largely works by writing word-by-word, predicting each time which would be the most likely to follow. It's been described as "autocomplete on steroids." More advanced models will break down a request before writing, planning the overall message and organization in advance. Drastically Cheaper ... (view more)
Would you entrust your data to an AI system that may be subject to one of the world's most sophisticated surveillance regimes ? Recently, DeepSeek has gained national headlines as a disruptive AI pricing model. On one hand, the promise of cheaper AI ... services is tempting, especially for businesses and individuals who rely on AI for content generation, data analysis, and automation. On the other hand, DeepSeek is owned and operated by a Chinese entity, raising serious concerns about privacy, security, and potential government overreach. DeepSeek: High-Performance AI at a Low Cost DeepSeek has ... (view more)
Google's global search market share has dropped below 90 percent according to one estimate. It's the first time it's consistently been below that threshold in a decade. Some analysts have suggested the drop may be down to users preferring AI large ... language model chatbots such as ChatGPT to search for information. However, that's not factored directly into these figures. They come from Statcounter, a respected online activity tracking company. While it only gathers data from a sample of users, the sample is generally accepted as representative of the Internet as a whole and its archive of data ... (view more)
A gadget that gets phones up to full battery strength in two seconds was among the eye-catching displays at a recent trade show. "Swippitt" does actually live up to the maker's claims, but isn't quite what it seems. Visitors to the CES show each ... January are used to seeing spectacular gadgets, many of which are demonstrations of works in process using technology that won't necessarily work in everyday life. However, Swippitt was a functional demonstration. It's a rectangular box with a slot in the top that makes it look a little like a toaster. Users can put a depleted phone in and within a ... (view more)
If you've used an Apple device which had the Siri assistant, you could be in for a cash bonus. Apple has agreed to pay $95 million compensation for recording users' conversations without their intentional consent. The case relates to the "Hey Siri" ... voice command to activate the assistant. In theory the device would be constantly "listening" but would only process a few seconds of data at a time, check whether it heard "Hey Siri" and then delete the data if not. The problem came with cases when the device misheard a user and began recording and analyzing the subsequent speech under the ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Jarold K. writes: " Dear Dennis, I own a small business and have eight PCs running Windows 10, including an already unsupported Windows Server 2012 machine. I had a tech that managed this for us but he's moved on, so I am looking ... for someone else to manage this for us and came across one of your older articles. At any rate, we keep receiving messages that Windows 10 will reach 'end of life' in October 2025 and will no longer receive security updates . I ran the 'PC Health Check' app, and none of the devices are able to upgrade to Windows 11. I understand upgrading is ... (view more)
A court has blocked the FCC's attempts to reinstate net neutrality rules . It's a decision about procedure rather than policy but likely means national rules are off the table for years to come. Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service ... providers (ISPs) should treat all lawful Internet traffic equally. At its most basic principle, that could mean an ISP doesn't block its customers from visiting a particular website. The idea has evolved as technology has developed. For example, Internet carriers slowing down connections when people are using torrent sites, or excluding particular ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Mike D. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just purchased an AMD Ryzen 9700x (8 core, 16 threat, 65 watt TDP, 4nm) and MSI MAG B650M Mortar WiFi motherboard. The processor is a beast and can handle just about everything I throw at it - plus ... it stays nice and cool. Unfortunately, I have an audio lag issue when playing videos . When I click to start a video, it plays the video straight away, but the audio won't start playing until a few seconds later. To be clear, this is not an 'audio out of sync' issue - the audio is muted for a few seconds whenever I start playing a video. The same ... (view more)
Imagine a device that not only tracks your health but also actively supports you in overcoming one of the toughest habits to break - smoking. Researchers are now exploring how smartwatches, equipped with advanced sensors and AI-driven apps, can ... provide personalized, real-time interventions to help people quit smoking more effectively. How Smartwatches are Different from Traditional Methods While traditional approaches to smoking cessation such as reminders or support messages sent to your phone have shown some success, they come with limitations. Messages sent at arbitrary times may miss the ... (view more)
Google has made its case for less drastic measures to resolve its breach of antitrust laws. Not surprisingly, it rejects suggestions it should sell off the Chrome browser . A court has already ruled that Google held an unlawful monopoly in search ... engines and in selling search-related advertising. The argument now is about the remedies: ways of putting the situation right or punishing Google, depending on your viewpoint. The Department of Justice has called for wide ranging measures, including forcing Google to sell the Chrome browser, banning it from buying other search engines, and banning ... (view more)
Scammers are using bogus Google Calendar invites to distribute malicious links. Google has urged users to check a setting in their Calendar account. The campaign, spotted by security company Checkpoint, takes advantage of the way the Google Calendar ... lets users invite friends, family or other contacts to an event. An acceptance will add the event to the invitee's own Google Calendar and automatically update it with any changes of time, date or other details. Usually it's possible to invite somebody just by knowing their email address. The scam involves sending an email that's been manipulated ... (view more)
Google says it's created a processor that can complete a task in five minutes that would take existing supercomputers an effectively infinite time. But it will likely be five years before the processor is ready for commercial use and experts say ... Google's boasts are somewhat selective. The Willow chip is Google's attempt at quantum computing, which is likely to be the next major advance in computing technology. In very simple terms, most traditional computers work by storing and processing data as 0s or 1s, represented by something physical (usually an electronic "gate" in a circuit) that can ... (view more)
Travel site Booking.com says one customer getting access to another customer's bookings was not a security breach. The problem appears to be a system that was set up without considering the possibility of human error. Website Arstechnica.com ... reported the case of a customer identified only as "Alfie," who received a confirmation email for a trip he knew nothing about. He was surprised to login to his account and find the details of the booking. (Source: arstechnica.com ) Typo Trouble After Alfie made multiple enquiries to Booking.com's support staff, he received no useful response. ... (view more)
Microsoft is making two key changes to app stores in Windows 11. It's making it easier to update non-Microsoft apps, but withdrawing distribution of Android apps. The Microsoft Store is a Windows feature that works similarly to app stores on mobile ... phones and tablets. It means users can find and install apps from a central source rather than the "traditional" Windows system of downloading software direct from a developers website and running an installation program. The theory behind the Microsoft store is to improve security while making it easier for Windows to keep track of the different ... (view more)
The Supreme Court is to rule on a law that would effectively ban TikTok in the US. The timing of the hearing means there may be little room for nuance. The law follows ongoing debate about whether the Chinese-owned app poses a threat to US security. ... The app is already banned on devices owned by the US federal government and those in many states, though previous state laws that would have banned TikTok from app stores have been blocked. Critics of the app believe it accesses more customer data than is necessary for its stated purpose and that there's a risk the Chinese government may have or ... (view more)
Hackers have found a sneaky way to bypass antivirus software by intentionally corrupting documents. As always, human vigilance remains a key weapon against such tactics. Putting malware into file attachments and persuading people to open them ... remains one of the key ways attackers operate. Often such tactics involve taking advantage of known security flaws in popular software or in operating systems. The current attack is somewhat more targeted: the documents contain a QR code in the hope that either the user (manually) or the device (automatically) will scan them and open the associated ... (view more)
Microsoft has explicitly warned users that it's not responsible for damage caused by running Windows 11 on an "incompatible" computer. At the same time, it's making it slightly easier for people to try upgrading their machines to Windows 11 even ... though it's not officially supported. While previous new versions of Windows have largely only had minor changes to minimum specifications such as slightly higher RAM or hard drive space minimums, Windows 11 is much more demanding. It requires specific types of processors and a hardware security tool called Trusted Protection Module, otherwise known ... (view more)
Microsoft has denied it is using content from Word and Excel documents to train artificial intelligence models without permission. While there's some fear mongering, the problem seems to be a blanket declaration in its company-wide privacy ... statement. The controversy involves Connected Experiences, a long-standing Office feature that connects to the Internet for added functionality. This includes tools such as grammar checking, translation and audio transcription. It also allows downloads of templates and images, for example, to put into a PowerPoint presentation. The feature came to sudden ... (view more)
Google may soon warn users before they download a mediocre app. It's the first time the warnings will appear for matters of quality rather than security. The changes were spotted by Android Authority and are buried away in the code of the Play Store ... app. The code would make the app display one of three messages: This app is frequently uninstalled compared to similar apps on Play Play has limited user data about this app This app has few active users compared to others on Play Apps Not Blocked Based on the way the code is integrated, it doesn't appear this will be a high-profile warning such ... (view more)
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My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
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