Listeners can enjoy the latest episodes from the MacStories podcast family, featuring discussions on Game Pass on ARM, AYANEO announcements, and the TrimUI Brick Pro. Federico showcases the Ayn Odin 3 on NPC XL, while Chris and Matt present their Creator Studios and Minecraft creations. The Cozy Zone crew discusses a tier list of iPads. John returns to MacStories with a surprise visit from Brendon Bigley. NPC XL offers exclusive content through Patreon, and Cozy Zone subscribers can access bonus episodes. MacStories has expanded its podcast lineup since 2017 to cover various topics related to modern media. Advertising opportunities are available for the shows.
In 2025, users reported over 20 issues with Windows 11, leading to dissatisfaction reminiscent of past criticisms of Windows Vista and Windows 8. The original Windows 8 promotional campaign effectively highlighted its features through engaging marketing, contrasting with recent Copilot ads that faced backlash for showcasing the AI's limitations. Microsoft has shifted its focus towards AI integration, particularly with Copilot, despite negative feedback from users and developers regarding its effectiveness. Historically, Microsoft responded to Windows 8's challenges by releasing Windows 8.1, which addressed user concerns and improved functionality. A similar update, Windows 11.1, could help restore user confidence and improve the overall experience with Windows 11.
DoubleVerify has raised concerns about a mobile scam involving the hijacking of dormant Android developer accounts, referred to as "zombie" accounts, which are exploited to publish fraudulent gaming applications on Google Play. This new tactic allows fraudsters to bypass automated checks due to the accounts' history of legitimate activity. The fraudulent apps generate invalid traffic, drain advertiser budgets, and excessively consume device battery power. DoubleVerify has identified unusual traffic patterns, such as surges at early morning hours, which do not align with typical gaming behavior, indicating the presence of bot clusters generating ad requests. Specific examples include dormant accounts that suddenly shifted to publishing gaming apps after years of inactivity. The reliance on developer history as a trust signal poses risks for advertisers, as it can lead to distorted campaign measurements and brand risks. DoubleVerify advocates for real-time behavioral analysis to enhance detection and protection against these threats.
MNTN, Waystar, and NTT East have adopted EDB Postgres AI (EDB PG AI) to modernize their data platforms, enabling agentic AI, real-time analytics, and mission-critical operations while maintaining control over data and infrastructure. EDB's Sovereignty Matters research indicates that enterprises focusing on scalable agentic AI prioritize sovereign control of data, hybrid deployment flexibility, and a unified platform for transactions, analytics, and AI workloads. MNTN modernized its data warehouse for high-volume advertising data, Waystar consolidated its data infrastructure for healthcare transaction processing, and NTT East enhanced AI-driven network operations while ensuring data locality control. The adoption of EDB PG AI reflects a growing market demand for open-source database foundations, with 35% of enterprises considering PostgreSQL for complex workloads. EDB PG AI provides an open-source foundation, accelerated AI development, hybrid deployment flexibility, and enterprise-grade reliability.
The rise of encrypted messaging apps is driven by privacy concerns, as users seek alternatives to traditional platforms that may compromise security. Corporations, hackers, and governments actively monitor online communications for various reasons, making secure messaging essential. Several leading secure messaging apps have been identified:
- Signal: Known for robust security features, including end-to-end encryption and open-source transparency. It requires a phone number for registration.
- Threema: Allows anonymous communication without personal identifiers and offers end-to-end encryption. It does not have a free version and has a smaller user base.
- Telegram: With over 500 million users, it offers self-destructing messages and works across multiple devices, but not all communications are end-to-end encrypted by default.
Messaging platforms to avoid include WhatsApp, which collects extensive metadata, Keybase, which has credibility concerns after being acquired by Zoom, and regular SMS, which lacks encryption. When selecting an encrypted messaging app, users should look for end-to-end encryption, third-party testing, open-source code, self-destructing messages, limited data collection, and compatibility with other services. Signal is frequently cited as the most secure messaging app.
The rise of online conversations has highlighted the vulnerabilities of traditional messaging platforms, making secure messaging essential for protecting private communications. Entities such as corporations, hackers, and government agencies aim to monitor and exploit these communications. Without secure messaging services, users' messages are susceptible to interception. Remote work has intensified these risks, as home networks often lack necessary security measures.
Several secure messaging apps have emerged, each with varying levels of protection. Signal is noted for its end-to-end encryption, open-source foundation, and self-destructing messages, although it requires a phone number for registration. Threema offers anonymous messaging without data collection and does not require personal information, but it lacks a free version. Telegram has over 500 million users and offers some end-to-end encryption features, but not all communications are secure by default, and it logs user data.
Messaging platforms to avoid include WhatsApp due to privacy concerns from its ownership by Facebook, Keybase after its acquisition by Zoom, and regular unencrypted SMS messages. When selecting a secure messaging app, look for end-to-end encryption, third-party testing, open-source code, self-destructing messages, limited data collection, and anonymous signup options. Signal is widely regarded as the most secure and private messaging app.
The term “not a virus” is used by antivirus software to indicate that a file does not match known malware signatures but still triggers a detection. This means the file is not automatically blocked or confirmed as a threat; the alert highlights something unusual, leaving the decision to the user. Alerts typically arise when software exhibits behavior associated with increased risk, despite lacking clear evidence of malicious intent. Malware is specifically designed to inflict harm, while files labeled “not a virus” may perform actions that raise security concerns but are not classified as harmful. Antivirus programs identify threats through signature detection and heuristic behavior-based detection. Legitimate programs, such as system utilities, download managers, and game cheats, can inadvertently trigger “not a virus” alerts. Common types of detections include adware, riskware, and potentially unwanted applications (PUA). The primary security risk of “not a virus” files is exposure rather than direct attacks, and privacy concerns often arise from data collection by these programs. If an antivirus detects “not a virus,” users should identify the file, review recent changes, compare detections, and decide whether to keep or remove it. To reduce unwanted alerts, users should download from official sources, use custom installation options, and remove unused software.
1.org, a charitable search engine operated by System1, has partnered with Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA | TLC) to direct a portion of its search-driven advertising revenue to the training and placement of guide and service dogs. Users can support this initiative by installing the 1.org browser extension or Android app, creating a free account, and selecting a charity. Revenue from advertisements displayed in search results is allocated to the chosen nonprofit, allowing users to track their contributions without needing donation forms. This partnership supports individuals who are blind or visually impaired, veterans with PTSD, and children with autism. Additionally, 1.org has introduced a referral feature that allows users to invite others to join the platform, resulting in further donations to the selected charity. 1.org operates as a registered Charitable Fundraising Platform in California, supporting various nonprofit organizations. GDA | TLC specializes in training guide and service dogs to enhance the lives of individuals in need.
On December 23, 2025, Microsoft launched a YouTube advertisement for Windows 11 that mistakenly featured the Chrome icon on the taskbar. After coverage by Windows Latest, Microsoft quickly edited the ad to replace the Chrome icon with its Edge browser. The inclusion of Chrome was seen as an oversight, as Microsoft aims to promote Edge over Chrome and Bing. The original ad, which included Chrome, is still available in saved copies, but the current version on YouTube has removed the Chrome icon. Microsoft has not publicly acknowledged the mistake, and similar competitive tactics are also used by Google to promote Chrome.
