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Winsage
October 17, 2026
Mikhail Parakhin, the former head of Windows and Bing at Microsoft, criticized the Windows 11 taskbar as "unusable," particularly after the 26H2 update, which did not restore the ability to auto-hide the taskbar when positioned at the top or sides. He expressed disappointment over the lack of features he advocated for, such as a movable taskbar with auto-hide functionality, which he believes is optimal for productivity. The September 2026 Patch Tuesday update allowed users to move and resize the taskbar, but auto-hide is still not available for non-bottom placements. Users must navigate through Windows Settings to adjust the taskbar, unlike the drag-and-drop feature in Windows 10. Additionally, the right-click menu in Windows 11 is limited compared to Windows 10, lacking options to lock or unlock the taskbar. Parakhin, now the CTO at Shopify, continues to use Windows for work and has noted that users may have to wait months for Windows 11 to fully integrate functionalities from Windows 10.
AppWizard
October 17, 2026
Microsoft is considering making major gaming titles like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout exclusive to Xbox, which has sparked concern among gamers about the brand's strategic direction. A former Xbox One owner expressed relief at not upgrading to the Xbox Series X/S due to perceived missteps and a lack of sincerity from executives. Microsoft has started polling its fanbase about the interest in exclusivity, but this may not yield objective feedback. The recent release of Gears Of War: E-Day underperformed, highlighting the challenges of exclusivity in a market leaning towards subscription services. The idea of limiting access to popular franchises raises questions about market strategy, especially with Skyrim nearing its 20th anniversary. Some gamers believe Microsoft should consider divesting its console business to foster a more competitive landscape that prioritizes franchise legacy over short-term strategies.
Tech Optimizer
October 17, 2026
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has raised concerns about Avast's data collection practices through its antivirus software and browser extensions since at least 2014, alleging that it collected sensitive user information. The FTC's settlement order restricts Avast from misrepresenting its data usage and requires the company to pay a total of .5 million to affected users. Claims related to the settlement must be submitted by 2025, with initial payments starting in December 2025. A second round of payments will distribute over .5 million to 91,093 individuals who accepted their initial compensation, with instructions for cashing checks and receiving payments via PayPal and Zelle.
AppWizard
October 16, 2026
Google's Android operating system is evolving, with Android 16 being adopted by a few e-readers and smartphones, including the Viwoods AiPaper, BOOX Palma 3, Note Air6 C, and Boox Note Mini C. Android 16 offers improved app compatibility, integrated artificial intelligence, and enhanced hardware performance, allowing users to install modern third-party applications like Kindle, Kobo, and Google Play Books. The Viwoods and BOOX models feature native AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek, providing shortcuts for text summaries, translations, and document analysis. By 2027, more devices with Android 16 and access to the Google Play Store are expected, with companies like Viwoods, Bigme, and BOOX likely to expand their offerings. The Barnes and Noble NOOK operates on a customized version of Android, and Pocketbook has introduced a few models supporting Google Play, though this is seen as an exploratory move.
Winsage
October 16, 2026
The Windows security update scheduled for October 2026 will block requests using the outdated NTLMv1 security protocol. The BlockNtlmSSO registry value governs this change; if unset, Windows will default to Enforce mode, blocking NTLMv1-derived credentials. Administrators can temporarily set this value to 0 to allow NTLMv1, but Microsoft warns this reduces security. The deprecation of NTLM was first announced in 2024, with audit logs for NTLMv1 usage introduced in August 2025. NTLM was first introduced in 1993, and while it has been removed from Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025, traces remain in certain configurations. Credential Guard must be enabled, and the BlockNtlmSSO value must not be set to Audit mode for NTLMv1-derived credentials to be allowed. Microsoft aims to eliminate NTLM entirely, and the upcoming update signals the need for organizations to accelerate their transition away from NTLMv1.
AppWizard
October 16, 2026
Users can access Google’s latest products, including the Pixel 11, Pixel Watch 5, and Fitbit Air, through the Play Store by selecting ‘Shop devices.’ Tech influencer Marques Brownlee reported that Samsung Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S26, are now available for purchase on the Play Store, although users in the UK, India, and South Africa have not found Galaxy devices listed. The US and UK official webstores do not currently feature Samsung or other brand mobile devices. This development suggests a strategic partnership between Google and Samsung. The Google Fi app in the US offers access to various smartphones. There is speculation about the potential addition of more Samsung devices, like the Galaxy S27, to the Play Store and whether Google will expand its official web store offerings.
Winsage
October 16, 2026
Microsoft Edge is developing a seamless-updates prototype that allows security updates to be applied without interrupting users' work. Currently, the browser has a Restart to update on idle feature that applies updates when devices are not in use. The goal is to eliminate the need for users to click an update button, enabling background updates that do not disrupt ongoing tasks. Microsoft Edge can also issue patches independently of the Chromium release schedule for urgent security needs. Additionally, Security Update Alerts help organizations manage updates by notifying administrators about critical updates and vulnerabilities. These alerts are available for managed Windows devices through the Edge management service without additional licensing.
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