deactivation Archives

AppWizard

December 9, 2024

PC Game Storefront Itchio Accuses The Funko Corporation Of Taking Their Site Offline

Funko has a strong presence in the toy and collectibles market, particularly with its Pop vinyl figures. Recently, the gaming platform itch.io was deactivated due to a dispute with Funko over a fan page dedicated to the Funko video game Funko Fusion. Funko used BrandShield software to report the page for alleged fraud and phishing, leading to the deactivation of itch.io’s domain. Despite the removal of the fan page and account by itch.io's founder Leaf Corcoran, the domain remained on "serverHold" due to communication issues with the registrar iwantmyname. This incident raises concerns about the impact of trademark protection on smaller creators who rely on itch.io for income.

Winsage

December 4, 2024

2024 – A year in recap

The Windows Accessibility team is focused on making Windows 11 the most inclusive operating system by engaging with the disability community for feedback. Key improvements include enhanced performance for assistive technologies like Narrator and Voice Access, which now features quicker deactivation in scan mode, consistent performance during prolonged use, expanded language support, improved speech recognition accuracy, multi-monitor setup support, and the ability to issue commands through Voice Access. Users can create custom voice shortcuts for specific actions, and new keyboard shortcuts have been introduced for Narrator. AI-generated image descriptions are now more detailed, and users can request descriptions on demand. The team has prioritized reliability, addressing critical issues in assistive tools, and has improved the Spellings & Corrections experience. Users are encouraged to provide feedback and seek assistance through the Disability Answer Desk.

Winsage

November 24, 2024

Microsoft pulls text recognition from Photos app preview

Microsoft has disabled the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) functionality in its updated Photos app due to unspecified issues. This decision follows the introduction of the OCR capability in a Windows Insider preview released in October, which aimed to extract text from photos on Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices. Brandon LeBlanc, head of the Windows Insider Program, confirmed the deactivation within a month of the preview release. Reports of app crashes after the installation of the preview have been noted. The OCR feature was intended to enhance Microsoft's future initiatives, including the delayed Windows Recall service, which depends on accurately parsing images for searchable archives. Users hope for the restoration of the OCR feature for both Windows 11 and Windows 10, rather than limiting it to Copilot+ PC users.

Winsage

October 15, 2024

Removing Windows 11 Recall Feature Corrupts the File Explorer

The 24H2 version of Windows 11 introduces an AI feature called Recall, which logs user actions to create a timeline for easy access to previous tasks. Despite being intended to be disabled by default, Recall has become a standard feature, raising privacy concerns among users. Deactivating Recall has proven problematic, as it can lead to the loss of modern features in Windows file explorer. Some users have found workarounds to disable Recall, but these methods are not user-friendly and may cause inconsistent system behavior. The integration of Recall has sparked renewed discussions about privacy and user autonomy, reminiscent of past controversies related to Windows 10 telemetry.

AppWizard

October 6, 2024

Delete dangerous Android apps you’ve missed using hidden Google trick

Google has introduced Google Play Protect to safeguard Android users from harmful applications. This feature scans apps downloaded from the Google Play Store and allows users to submit unknown apps for analysis. It conducts safety checks before app downloads and can warn users about existing apps that may pose risks. Users can verify if their device is Play Protect certified through the Google Play Store settings. When a harmful app is detected, Google Play Protect may notify users to uninstall the app, temporarily disable it, or automatically delete it. Users can also enable the 'Improve harmful app detection' setting to enhance security for apps from unknown sources. Regularly scanning apps is recommended to ensure ongoing safety.

AppWizard

October 2, 2024

Google Maps might be making an important change to location sharing

Google is planning to enhance location-sharing functionalities for Android users by consolidating these features into new menus within the Android Settings app. This change will allow users to manage their location-sharing preferences more efficiently without solely relying on Google Maps. A dedicated section within the Google Play Services framework will provide a centralized hub for location-related activities, enabling users to easily enable or disable location sharing across various Google applications and view individuals with whom they have shared their location. Additionally, a notification feature will alert users when their location is being shared and provide a shortcut to the Settings app for quick deactivation of sharing. Users will still need to adjust location-sharing settings directly within third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp.

Tech Optimizer

September 20, 2024

macOS Sequoia change breaks networking for VPN, antivirus software

Users of macOS 15, also known as 'Sequoia,' are experiencing network connection issues with certain endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions, VPNs, and web browsers, particularly with CrowdStrike Falcon and ESET Endpoint Security. These problems seem to resolve when the tools are deactivated, indicating a compatibility issue with the operating system's network stack. Firewall configurations are causing packet corruption and SSL failures, affecting command-line tools like 'wget' and 'curl.' CrowdStrike has advised customers against upgrading to macOS 15 due to significant changes in networking structures, and similar warnings have been issued by SentinelOne Support. Users have reported connectivity issues with Mullvad VPN and corporate VPNs, while ProtonVPN appears to function without problems. ESET recommends removing ESET Network from the filters in System Settings to restore network functionality for certain versions of their software. Security researcher Wacław Jacek has suggested a temporary fix for firewall issues, and Mullvad VPN is aware of the problems and is working on a resolution. Users relying on EDR products, VPNs, or strict firewall configurations may want to delay upgrading to macOS 15 until these issues are resolved.

Winsage

September 17, 2024

Latest Windows 11 update gives some PCs a real speed boost for gaming – if you don’t run into some reportedly nasty bugs

Microsoft's update KB5043076 for Windows 11, released in September 2024, enhances performance for AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs with potential frame rate increases of 10% or more. The update has been backported to Windows 11 version 23H2. However, users have reported various bugs, including installation failures, File Explorer crashes, unexpected deactivation of the Phishing Protection feature, and issues with essential system files. KB5043076 is a mandatory update that will be automatically installed on Windows 23H2 and 22H2 systems, but users can pause updates for one month. Those experiencing difficulties can uninstall the update through the Settings menu.

Winsage

August 5, 2024

Windows 11 Insider Dev Channel build 26120.1340 (KB5040557) adds PC energy saving features

Microsoft has released a new build of Windows 11 for the Windows Insider Program in the Dev Channel, designated as build number 26120.1340 under KB5040557. New features include: - An updated Settings menu with an option under Bluetooth & Device > Mouse to turn off enhanced mouse pointer precision and a feature to change mouse scrolling direction. - Enhancements to voice access, allowing faster dictation and greater editing flexibility. - A notification for laptop users to plug in their device when the battery level drops to 20% if the Energy Saver setting is “Always On.” - A new energy recommendation feature suggesting the deactivation of HDR to conserve energy on HDR-equipped PCs, located under Settings > Power & battery > Energy recommendations. Fixes include: - A fix for a flickering issue in the “Let desktop apps access your location” section under Privacy & Security > Location. Known issues include: - A label of “(repair version)” next to the latest Dev Channel build for users on version 24H2 Build 26100.xxxx, indicating an in-place upgrade. - Errors when adding additional languages or optional features, specifically error 0x800f081f. - Failure to launch Windows Sandbox with error 0x80370106. - Task Manager crashing when navigating between pages and issues with Performance page graphs in dark mode. - Ongoing problems with text suggestions for the hardware keyboard, leading to unexpected concatenation.

Winsage

July 28, 2024

Kill Windows tasks with impunity — Windows 11 has a hidden ‘End Task’ taskbar option that’s quick and easy to toggle | Tom’s Hardware

Windows 11 has a right-click 'end task' feature on the app's taskbar button that is not enabled by default. To activate it, users need to open Windows Settings, select 'System,' navigate to 'For developers,' and toggle the 'End task' option to 'On.' This feature allows users to terminate unresponsive applications more easily, although larger applications may still require using the Task Manager to end background processes.