Articles

A look at O&O’s Windows program AutoBackup

O&O Software has created several popular programs over the years. From excellent free apps such as ShutUp10 and AppBuster to tame Windows to paid programs like DiskRecovery or DiskImage.

AutoBackup is a commercial app that serves a special purpose: automatically backing up and synchronizing files/folders the moment a designated USB or external hard drive is plugged in.

How does it compare to classic backups? The difference between file synchronization tools (like O&O AutoBackup or FreeFileSync) and “classic” backup software (like O&O DiskImage, Macrium Reflect, or Paragon Backup & Recovery) comes down to what they protect and how they recover it. While both protect against data loss, they serve completely different purposes.

• Purpose: Accessibility & immediate file copy versus Disaster recovery & full system restore

• Scope: User-selected folders & files versus Entire hard drive, OS, boot records

• Speed: Near instant after first run versus Slower, processes large image files

• Recovery Browse files normally, instant access versus Requires software to mount/extract, or full disk restore

• Weakness: Ransomware & accidental deletions can sync versus Large storage requirements, harder single file access

You need to select what you want backed up when an external storage device is connected to the PC. Just pick the folders that you want backed up and decide whether to sync the data or copy it. The latest version supports OneDrive files stored on the local system, which some may appreciate as it offers an elegant option to back those up as well.

Additional options, including protecting files with encryption and obfuscation, are available. You may also back up to Amazon S3 storage, if that is preferred

Everything else happens automatically from that point forward. When you connect the external storage device, the data is copied or synced to it automatically.

The app is available for about 15 Euro (roughly $16) and it is a one-time payment.

While that sounds useful, there are free apps that offer similar functionality. There is the open source app FreeFileSync, which can also mirror folders to external drives and does so in real-time, if you run the companion tool RealTimeSync.

Other apps include SyncBackFree and Cobian Reflector.

So, is it worth the price? If you want zero-friction simplicity, buy O&O AutoBackup. If you don’t mind spending five minutes configuring settings, go with a free alternative like FreeFileSync or Windows File History.

Pick O&O AutoBackup if:

• You want “plug and play” automation: You plug in your USB drive, the backup starts instantly in the background, and you do nothing else.

• You value a foolproof UI: You want a clean, modern interface (recently overhauled in version 8) without navigating complex sync rules.

• You don’t mind the cost: It is a low, one-time fee (around $15/€15) with no subscription required.

Pick a Free Alternative (like FreeFileSync) if:

• You want total control: You need advanced file versioning, granular exclusion filters, or specific conflict-resolution rules when files change on both drives.

• You don’t mind manual setup: You are comfortable configuring a companion app (like RealTimeSync) to replicate the automatic “USB plug-in” trigger.

• You are on a budget: You want enterprise-grade syncing power for zero cost.

The underlying technology copying your files is virtually identical either way. You are simply paying O&O for a smoother, set-it-and-forget-it user experience.

How Microsoft Edge may unsubscribe you from spam and scam notifications

If you ever had to “do something” on a computer or device of a user who is not exactly tech-savvy, you may have noticed the unmistakable signs of notification spam.

Many sites display prompts to users to get them to give the site permission to send notifications. Some do this right after the website has finished loading, others display the prompt after a short while.

While tech-savvy users know that allowing this may lead to all kinds of unwanted notifications, many regular users may click on the “wrong” button to just get rid of it or thinking this is a good idea, which it isn’t the majority of time.

The constant barrage of notifications is bad enough, but some sites abuse the feature for sending spam or malicious attacks.

In many cases, the best course of action may be to suggest turning off notifications entirely. You can still whitelist certain sites so that they are allowed to display notifications on the device.

Microsoft implemented a new feature in its Edge browser recently that takes automatic action when a site sends scam or malicious notifications. The idea is to disallow the site to send notifications and unsubscribe at the same time.

In the best case, the blocking and unsubscribing happens before any spam or malicious notification is received by a user. However, there is a chance that Microsoft Defender SmartScreen recognizes the threat after the fact in some cases.

Microsoft says that users can check edge://settings/privacy/sitePermissions/allPermissions/notifications to see if sites have been blocked from sending notifications. There is also a restore option, which may come in handy in the case of false positives.

It the new feature a good addition to Edge’s arsenal of protections? While it has the potential of limiting spam and malware spreading via notifications, it is far from a full protection against these unwanted notifications. There is still a chance that Microsoft Defender has not identified a threat, which means that users continue to receive the problematic notifications until the security platform does.

My recommendation stands: Unless you need them, disable notifications in all browsers you use. If you need them on some sites, add them to the whitelist to make sure that only they may send notifications and you don’t receive prompts to enable them from any other site.

Operating Systems

• If the “show more options” button of the Windows 11 26H2 is missing, you may need to enable it first under Settings > Customization > Context Menu to bring it back. Microsoft plans to overhaul the context menu. Link

• Windows 11, version 26H2 has moved to the Release Preview channel. This is the final version of Windows 11, version 26H2 that Microsoft will offer to devices in the coming months. The update itself will once again be delivered via an enabled package that changes the version of the operating system quickly, provided that versions 24H2 or 25H2 are installed. Link

  • The enablement package is already available. You can download it from the trusted Deskmodder website, or wait for Microsoft to release it officially. Link

Mobile

• Google highlighted four ways Android 17 is protecting network connections. Besides blocking fake text messages by exploiting weak 2G networks, Android 17 is also requiring certificates to be registered publicly by default to prevent imposter attacks. Furthermore, local network protection is enforced in Android 17 to block apps from automatically scanning for other local devices. Last but not least, Encrypted Client Hello is supported, which obscures domain names visited on the device to prevent snooping. Link

• The official YouTube app for iOS requires iOS 17 as the bare minimum now. This affects iPhone users who still use relatively old devices like the iPhone X or iPhone 8.

Browser

• Microsoft is releasing a new version of its Edge browser every two weeks now. The latest stable version adds new features, including the option to sign in with an Apple account and the automatic unsubscribing from spam notifications. On the downside, real-time video translation and Drop are retiring. Link

Privacy and Security

• Chats with AI are increasingly finding their way into court, according to a Washington Post article. The conversations may be pieces of evidence in court cases. Link

• Reddit, Roblox and ChatGPT fall under the European Union’s Digital Services Act now. The platforms have four months to comply with the regulation to make sure it is following the stricter rules regarding the protection of minors among other.

Software and Services

• LibreOffice 26.8, the open source alternative to Microsoft Office, is now available. The latest version features a new draft mode in Writer, better scripting support and tabbed user interface improvements among several other changes. Link

• RightClickTools 2.0 is now available. The right-click editor for Windows supports the Windows 11 context menu directly now. Other improvements include a new “search here” option for third-party tools such as Everything, and an improved “Clear History” feature that takes better care of user-defined folders. Link

• System Informer 4.0 (formerly known as Process Hacker) is now available with several new features and fixes. You find the process environment editor on the user tab with multi-entry split editing. There is also support for independent root/child sort options in the process tree, and reorderable sections in system information among several other changes. Link

Hardware

• Nothing this week

Gaming and Entertainment

• 12 TB of Steam data has leaked reportedly. The data, which includes internal builds and third-party titles from 2003 to 2013 includes early builds of games and also projects that were canceled and never released officially. Link

AI and Business

• Amazon will shut down Mechanical Turk on September 30, 2026. The marketplace was used to outsource processes and jobs that involved virtual tasks such as validating data, participating in surveys, or moderating content. Link

• Nvidia is eying the acquisition of Hugging Face for more than $13 billion according to a Business Insider report. Hugging Face is a central open source AI ecosystem chess piece that provides tools to build, train and deploy models using an open source platform. Link

• OpenAI plans to display advertisement to some of its users as part of a plan to increase revenue. The company promises that ads won’t have access to the chats and that ads will only be displayed to free users. All paid subscriptions remain without ads.

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Articles

All Manifest V2 extensions will be purged from the Chrome Web Store this month

Most Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, will stop supporting classic browser extensions that use the old rules system called Manifest V2, or have stopped supporting them already.

While there are some holdouts, Brave Browser continues to support four popular extensions, including uBlock Origin, and Opera Software is also said to continue its support, and some smaller open source projects, most browsers that are based on Chromium will end support.

This is largely because Google is pushing the change via the open source part of the Chromium browser project. You would have to spend engineering resources to continue supporting classic extensions, which most developers and companies can’t afford.

There is another problem looming at the horizon. While some browsers continue to support Manifest V2 extensions, Google will purge all of these extensions from its web store for Chrome by the end of August 2026.

Means, even if you run a browser that supports the extensions, you won’t be able to use Google’s store, arguable the most popular store for extensions, for that purpose.

That leaves just a few options:

• You have local copies of the extensions already.

• You hunt them down on places like GitHub.

• Another browser maker provides you with the extensions.

It opens a new can of worms, especially if you install the extensions manually. The main problem here is updating. You can’t use the browser’s built-in checker for extension updates, as it relies on the Chrome Web Store by default.

My suggestion would be to create local backups of the extensions that you can’t live without for safe-keeping.

Brave Browser gets better GPU fingerprinting protection

Brave Software has improved the fingerprinting protection of its Chromium-based web browser once again. The developers reveal that it is rolling out improvements to the GPU and graphics-driver fingerprinting starting in version 1.93 of the browser.

Tip: You can check the browser version by loading brave://settings/help.

Fingerprinting is a tracking method that does not rely on traditional ways of following users around on the Internet. Instead of relying on files or data stored on the user’s device, cookies for instance, it is using information to create an — in the best case — unique fingerprint.

When a browser connects to a site, some information is submitted automatically or readily provided. This may include information about the browser, language, operating system and other data.

Scripts may be used to pull additional information. The more you know about a particular user, the more likely it is to get a unique fingerprint. This would allow the tracker to follow the user, even if the user deletes local data such as cookies or site data regularly.

Fingerprinting is usually not the 100 percent surefire way of tracking a user. A simple change, such as the installation of an updated driver or the using of another browser is often enough to prevent the tracking technique from being effective.

Brave says it is now reducing data from the graphics card and drivers:

Starting in version 1.93, Brave is rolling out new protections against GPU and graphics-driver fingerprinting. WebGL and WebGPU APIs expose detailed information about users’ graphics cards and drivers that tracking companies use for browser fingerprinting. Brave now de-identifies the vendor and renderer strings these APIs report, and adds noise to the list of supported extensions to combat fingerprinting while preserving website functionality.

The protections are on by default on desktop and on Android. You can run the fingerprinting test over at the EFF to find out if Brave is already protecting you from that.

Operating Systems

• The release preview for the September 2026 update for Windows 11 brings back some classic features and more. Besides more taskbar customization options (display on all edges, compact mode), users can now also pick what they want to see in the Start menu (and what they can live without, goodbye Recommendations Recent. Link

Mobile

• Apple announced an agreement with the EU regarding its App Store and apps. Under the new terms, Apple will still receive between 26 percent and 5 percent commission, depending on where the payment processing happens and some other factors. Developers may introduce other payment options as well (with Apple still receiving between 10 percent and 20 percent commission). Link

• Samsung is introducing a Hearing Aid feature on its Galaxy Buds headphones is said to amplify sounds that wearers have troubles hearing and includes a hearing test as well. Link

Browser

• Google Chrome may use a minimum of 20 gigabytes of storage for its On-device AI features. Google increased the limit from 4 gigabytes to the new value recently. Link

• Google has released security updates for Chrome. The latest update for Chrome Stable fixes 15 security issues, two rated critical. No word of exploits in the wild, but update asap anyway. Link

• Microsoft Edge has a new security feature that may unsubscribe users of the browser from notifications that are spammy or malicious. Link

• Mozilla Firefox 154.0 is out with security fixes, improved protections and translations. Lots of welcome changes. Link

• Nvidia GeForce Now supports Mozilla’s Firefox web browser now officially. Means, gamers who use Firefox may now also use the game streaming service officially on their Windows PCs. Link

• The rollout of the content blocker for Firefox for iOS is under way. It blocks tracking and advertising content on many websites, but not all. Excluded are ads on search engine websites and the sponsored links that Mozilla displays on the new tab page of the browser. Why the search engine exemption? It is the main revenue source of Mozilla. Better than no content blocker, but still not far-reaching enough.

Privacy and Security

• Everyone’s favorite content blocker uBlock Origin is giving up blocking ads on Facebook. The main reason is that Facebook counters any attempt to block ads on the site so that the fight to block ads uses up too many of the resources of the small team. Link

Software and Services

• Newest version of the Windows RSS reader RSS Guard brings another batch of new features. For example, you can now press Shift or Ctrl to move filters more easily, feed list deletions now show the feeds and folders it contains, and saving images from articles now suggests a better filename than image.png. Link

• The open source email client Thunderbird will also move to a two-week release cycle, just like Firefox, Google Chrome and Chromium. Features may land sooner on user devices because of this, but it remains to be seen how this speed-up really works out. Not that there has not been point updates between feature update releases already. Link

Hardware

• Google Pixel Tag is a new tracking device that helps owners keep track of their physical belongings. Similar to Apple’s AirTags, they can be attached to items, e.g. a suitcase, phone or keys, to track them down using an app whenever needed. Link

• Pixel Watch 5 is a new smartwatch by Google. It comes with new hardware, Google says 50 percent more RAM and 12 percent CPU boost, new AI features, including the new breathing emergency detection feature, which will make emergency calls automatically. Link

• The 2026 Pixel lineup has been unveiled. The Pixel 11, Pro, Pro XL and Fold devices come with Google’s latest chip, the Tensor 6. Hardware upgrades are far and few between though, as Google focuses on software and AI. Yes, there are some improvements, like a bigger battery and faster charging, but also a higher price and, in some cases, less starting RAM. Link

Gaming and Entertainment

• Grand Theft Auto 6: almost 90 percent of preorders are for the $100 ultimate edition of the upcoming game instead of the regular $80 standard version. The pricier version includes exclusive in-game content, such as additional hairstyles and tattoos, and also gameplay elements. Link

AI and Business

• Someone apparently asked Claude to write a driver for an “obscure HP printer” with only built-in Windows support, and the AI delivered. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Articles

The $300 Question: Can Photopea Actually Replace Your Photoshop Subscription?

I pay about $25 a month for Adobe Photoshop, and honestly, it is painfully expensive for what I actually need. I need it exclusively to design covers for one of my writing gigs, and there not even every day, but maybe a couple of times per month.

The thing is, the company has created this big Photoshop PST template with logos and designs, and any attempt to load it in free editors such as Paint.net or Gimp failed for one reason or the other.

It hardly justify the $300 yearly price for the subscription. Then i discovered the free online service Photopea. It mimics Photoshop, supports large PST files and major features such as layers. Best of all, you don’t even need an account to take it for a test drive.

It loaded the PST fine and I was able to create several cover images using it already. While it fits my use case perfectly, and is thus saving me $300 per year going forward, it has a few shortcomings.

First and foremost, it is not a 100 percent copy of Photoshop. While interface and features come close, it lacks support for some advanced tools and the generative AI features. It does not support plugins on top of that and the free version displays an ad-banner on the screen (which I did not see because of content blockers).

You may also run into memory issues with large files and risk losing some work if the browser crashes. I had no problems loading the 300 megabyte PST file though and working with it. In fact, it felt snappier than the latest Photoshop version on Windows.

A premium subscription is available which does away with ads, adds more history steps for undoing mistakes, and increases the storage that you get.

If you are in the same boat, you might want to give it a go to see if it supports all of your workflows.

Operating Systems

• Apple is working on cross-device copy and paste between Windows PCs and iOS devices. Not coming before 2027 though. Link

• Got the new OneDrive Photos app auto-installed on your Windows 11 PC? Then you are not alone. Microsoft is reportedly pushing the new app to unmanaged and managed devices alike. Link

• LG has agreed to stop showing popup ads to Windows users when its Monitor App gets installed automatically on user devices. Link

• Microsoft is reportedly working on making the context menu of the Windows 11 operating system faster and "compact”. The company has not addressed the two context menu situation, which is far from ideal. Link

• Windows 11 could soon run better on devices with 8 GB of RAM, as Windows chief Pavan Davuluri revealed that Microsoft is working on optimizations to improve RAM usage on Windows. Link

• Windows 11 is getting options to move and resize the taskbar, just five years after Microsoft launched the operating system without support for the classic features. Available in beta, it is only a matter of time before the new options land in stable builds. However, at the time of writing, some features are missing or not working when the taskbar is snapped to the side or top. Link

Mobile

• Nothing this week

Browser

• Firefox 153.0.3 is out with another round of Smart Windows improvements and some fixes. This release fixes the update issue on Windows for good and also an issue with Internet shortcuts being marked as untrusted on Windows when dragged from the browser to the desktop. Link

• Firefox for iOS seems to be getting an ad-blocker. You can enable it in Firefox 153.2 for iOS already. At the time, it is hidden behind an experimental flag. Still unclear if this is just a broad test or something more. The implementation lacks advanced features of extensions like uBlock Origin though. Link

• Google says that it has fixed 1,072 security issues in recent Chrome versions thanks to AI. That is more than it has patched in the previous 23 milestones combined, according to a blog post on the official Security blog. Link

Privacy and Security

• Proton Pass: the autofill feature of the password manager has been improved. Also, improved copying of 2FA codes and a switch to msix from exe to support Microsoft Intune natively. Link

• Samsung and LG are banning residential proxies from smart tv apps. The decision comes less than a month after researchers found that a large portion of apps and games available for download allow “ unknown third-parties to route their Internet traffic through a user’s TV.” Link

• Security researchers have showcased a new type of attack against passwordless authentication. It requires a compromised endpoint, but allows attackers to bypass user verification requirements to extract all synced passkey private keys without user interaction. Link

Software and Services

• FFMpeg 9.0 is now available. Lots of changes for the multimedia framework that is often used to decode, encode and transcode media (plus a lot more). Link

• O&O ShutUp10 3.3 is now available. The free Windows privacy tool and tweaker includes new options to disable certain features on Windows devices and more. Link

Hardware

• AMD is reportedly raising the prices for graphics cards. The increase will be at least 10 percent according to an industry analyst and the reason is, as always, the memory and chip crisis that is fueled to a large degree by AI investments. Link

• Video card prices continue to climb. Samsung increased the price for its memory by about 20 percent, and prices in Japan and South Korea have climbed by up to 50 percent as a consequence. Only a matter of time before the next price-wave hits other regions. Link Link2

Gaming and Entertainment

• Electronic Arts is now a private company. It has been acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund for $55 billion. Remains to be seen how this will play out. Not a huge fan of EA, as they have killed so many excellent game companies in the past and produce mostly “meh” games. Link

• Microsoft is bringing classic Xbox and Xbox 360 via emulation to PC and its next Xbox console “Project Helix”. It is part of Microsoft’s project to turn games on disc into digital licenses and prepare for a disc-less future. Link

• Netflix customers may now watch 4K streams on Windows using Google Chrome. Up to this point, the only way to enjoy content in 4K was to use the official app or Microsoft Edge. Link

• Some of the biggest names in streaming are considering offering a free plan in some regions. Right now, you can subscribe for a cheaper ad-driven plan. The companies would still make money through ads, but viewers wouldn’t have to pay a monthly fee anymore. Whether that means more ads is not clear at this point, but Netflix, Paramount+ and Disney+ are all considering this according to Business Insider. Link

• Sony plans to hold on to its plan to make the next PlayStation console disc-less. The company’s first response came during the Q&A session during its Q1 financial results report. Link

AI and Business

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Articles

Microsoft is giving Windows 10 customers another year of support

In a somewhat surprise move, Microsoft confirmed this week that it is extending the extended support updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 home users by another year.

Microsoft planned to shut down the program after the first year, but it appears that it has had a change of heart. While the company does not give any reason for the change, other than giving customers more time to prepare, it is possible that pressure from governments and various organizations has convinced the higher ups at Microsoft that this is the better course of action.

This means: if you joined ESU already on your home Windows 10 device, then you will receive updates until October 2027. You do not need to become active in any way, if you use ESU already, you are all set.

If you do not yet, you may join at any time, provided that you meet the requirements, to receive security updates until late 2027.

Business and Enterprise customers keep the maximum of three years of ESU for now. However, it is possible that Microsoft could extend this or the home users ESU in 2027.

It is a massive win for home users who can’t upgrade their devices to Windows 11 or don’t want to. Good decision, Microsoft.

Why you may want to switch to using usernames in WhatsApp

If you are using WhatsApp, you know that you need the mobile phone number when adding new contacts. There has been no way around this up until now, but this changes with the official rollout of usernames.

Means, once you set up a username you no longer have to hand our your phone number to others to add new contacts to the messaging platform.

While you could say that WhatsApp is not the most private or privacy-friendly messaging systems out there, which is true, it is undeniable that it is used by a larger number of users. Many prefer its simplicity over services like Signal, which tech-savvy users seem to prefer.

However, if you use WhatsApp, for instance to communicate with others who do not use any other messaging app, then you may want to start using it with a username as soon as it becomes available.

Once set up, you may hand out the username to any new contact to protect your phone number. You may also want to set up a username key for extra privacy. Anyone contacting you using your username needs to enter the key initially. Anyone without the key is blocked from messaging you; useful for users who pick easy to guess usernames or popular ones, as it may lead to a barrage of spam and unsolicited messages.

Operating Systems

• The optional update for Windows 11, which will be released on July 14, 2026 to all Windows 11 systems, includes quite a few fixes. It addresses a Recycle Bin issue that made it display internal file names instead of the original file name while permanently deleting files. It also addresses a big storage users for some Windows users related to the Capability Access Manager. Link

Mobile

• Google is rolling out a change to the backup feature of Android devices. Found under Settings > Accounts and backup > Google backup > Other device data, it now includes a new “app data” section. Here you see a data count by app and a storage total. The top three apps are shown and you may disable backups for individual apps. Useful features for Google users who use the cloud backup feature and do not want certain apps backed up to Google servers. Link

• VLC 4.0 Beta is now available for Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. It features a modernized interface and libraries, and introduces new features such as support for HDR, Picture-in-Picture, or the ability to display two subtitles at the same time. Probably want to wait for the final release before installing or upgrading. Link

Browser

• Firefox 152.0.4 is a point update that includes security and non-security fixes. The single security issue has a rating of high and Mozilla makes no mention of exploits in the wild. This update improves Smart Window, an AI feature that works across tabs in the browser. The update brings new options, including asking the AI to close tabs and images when browsing history results are returned. Link

• Google Chrome update to version 150.0.7871.46/.47. This new version fixes a whooping 382 security issues, some of which rated critical. Google makes no mention of exploits in the wild, which is good. Still, if you have Chrome installed, you better upgrade as soon as possible. Link

Privacy and Security

• Password management service LastPass was hit with another data breach this week. This time, it was not a direct breach of LastPass infrastructure but a successful attack on a third-party partner service. Still, the attackers managed to obtain personal information from LastPass customers. Good news is that they did not get their hands on user vaults or sensitive data, but the information may be used for sophisticated phishing and social engineering attacks. Link

• WinRAR 7.23 is out this week with a heap overflow vulnerability issue fix, which makes this an important update for everyone running the archiving software. Also updates the 7z extraction library that includes bug and vulnerability fixes as well. Link

Software and Services

• Rufus 4.15 is now available. The open source USB formatting and media booting tool supports RISC-V 64 now, offers an improved silent installation option on Windows and several important fixes, including a crash fish and an infinite loop bug. Link

• Thunderbird 152.0.1 is a new point update for the open source email client. It consists of security fixes mostly. The only non-security fix restores the “reply all” button for “some EWS messages with multiple recipients”. Link

Hardware

• Nothing to see here.

Gaming and Entertainment

• Microsoft is increasing the price of Xbox consoles starting August 1, 2026. The 512 GB models will have their price increased by $100 while the 1 TB models by $150. The previously offered 2 TB model is not mentioned, may be gone for good. Link

• Sony is removing purchased movies reportedly without compensation from UK-based PlayStation 3 customers who “bought” them digitally on the official PlayStation store. It is yet another example why awareness needs to be raised that buying digitally does not necessarily mean never ending access to the media. While buying digital content may make sense in some cases, users who want to make sure that they keep access to everything they buy should consider switching to physical media or other means of acquisition. Link

AI and Business

• Anthropic is unlocking access to its major AI models Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for international users starting today. The AI company had to block access after the US-administration set export controls. The company launched Sonnet 5 yesterday as well, which is the new main model for free and Pro users. Link

• Claude Desktop is now also available for Linux, albeit as a beta version. Anthropic reveals that the Chat, Cowork and Code tabs are available already in the new app. It requires Ubuntu 22.04 or later, or Debian 12 or later. Link

• Microsoft is reportedly laying off less than 2.5 percent of its entire workforce, which stands at about 220.000 at the moment. That is more than 5.000 employees that the company plans to fire. Link

• OpenClaw released official apps for Android and iOS devices this week. It brings the AI assistant to mobile devices, allowing users to pair the app with the OpenClaw Gateway for use “as a secure node for chat, voice, approvals, and device-aware automation”. Link

• Rocket Lab announced the acquisition of Iridium, In a landmark $8 billion deal announced in June 2026, Rocket Lab is acquiring satellite communications giant Iridium, transforming itself from a launch provider into a fully vertically integrated space company capable of rivaling SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Leo. The reason? It gives the company access to over 2.5 million subscribers across maritime, aviation, and government sectors and the ability to rapidly deploy next-gen services such as direct-to-device cellular connectivity. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Articles

About Windows 11’s “CPU Boost” feature

The so-called “CPU Boost” in Windows 11 (officially known as the Low Latency Profile) is a new performance feature integrated into Microsoft’s “Windows K2” initiative, designed to make the operating system feel noticeably snappier in daily use.

The main idea is to boost certain operations, such as opening Start, launching apps or using Windows Search, by giving them maximum processing power. This lasts for one to three seconds only and will improve responsiveness by up to 70 percent according to Microsoft.

In terms of availability, the feature was already baked into Windows 11 (versions 24H2 and 25H2) with the optional May update (KB5089573) and the regular June 2026 Patch Tuesday update (KB5094126). However, because Microsoft is rolling it out in controlled server-side phases, it often remains dormant in the background despite having the update installed.

If you don’t want to wait for the automatic rollout, you can force-enable CPU Boost manually at your own risk. To do this, you will need the popular open-source utility ViVeTool: after downloading it, open the Command Prompt as an administrator, navigate to the tool’s folder, and unlock the feature by running the command vivetool /enable /id:58989092. After a quick PC reboot, the Low Latency Profile will be active—which you can easily verify using monitoring tools like HWiNFO by watching for short, sharp clock speed spikes whenever you click the Start menu.

Microsoft is rolling out a better “System Restore” feature

Point-in-Time Restore is Microsoft’s newly launched, native recovery feature for Windows 11 that acts as a safety net against severe system instability, corrupted updates, or broken drivers.

The new recovery system runs silently in the background and will capture full-system snapshots every 24 hours by default. These are stored locally and kept for up to 72 hours.

Unlike the legacy “System Restore” tool of the past, this modern iteration rolls back not just core system files and registry configurations, but also includes local user data, settings, and applications. This allows users to cleanly revert an unstable PC to a healthy state in minutes, either directly through the modern Settings app or via the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) if the device fails to boot into the desktop.

Available for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and newer, the feature is turned on by default for unmanaged Home and Pro devices with primary hard drives of 200 GB or larger. To prevent it from overwhelming your hardware, it uses smart disk management integrated with Windows’ reserved storage, capping its default footprint at just 2% of total disk space.

Operating Systems

• Microsoft released a new preview update for Windows 11. The new beta update includes many new features and changes, many of which are rolling out over time (as usual). Link. The highlights are:

  • Point-in-time restore (see above).

  • Option to pause updates for up to 35 days using a calendar view. This gives users more control over start and end dates.

  • A quieter Widgets experience.

  • Quick Actions may appear when you hover over files in File Explorer (not in all regions)

  • Speed improvements when launching File Explorer.

  • New printer installations use Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) by default when supported, simplifying setup and improving reliability.

  • This update improves the reliability of setting Search related group policies.

  • This update improves the reliability of explorer.exe. It addresses issues on the login and lock screens related to third-party credential providers, reduces the probability of taskbar icons appearing as blank gray placeholders, and improves navigation to Home in File Explorer during OneDrive sync.

• Windows 11, version 26H2 has been confirmed. This year’s major feature update for Windows 11 is offered as another enablement package. Means: if you run Windows 11 versions 24H2 or 25H2, it will install like a minor update. Only users who run older versions of Windows 11 or Windows 10 will have to go through a lengthy installation process. With Windows 10 reaching end of extended support later this year for non-business customers, it will be interesting to see how this develops. Link

Mobile

• Thunderbird 20 for Android is now available. It is not a big release and the main new feature is that Thundermail accounts are better integrated. Thundermail is a free and paid email service by the team that is not available publicly yet. It is an optional service. Link

Browser

• Firefox 152.0.2 is another point update for the open source browser. It fixes several non-security issues, including playback issues for some MP4 files and an issue that caused slow-downs on websites with many encryption or decryption tasks. Link

Privacy and Security

• LastPass confirmed a security incident today that it says occurred at one of its third-party suppliers. The service in question is Klue (klue.com) and affected other companies besides LastPass reportedly. The threat actor used the breach to access LastPass customer data within LastPass’ Salesforce environment. LastPass says that the info was limited and included customer names, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and support case and sales-related data. The main threat appears to be phishing related. Link

• Microsoft is migrating additional services, in this case OneDrive and SharePoint, to the cloud.microsoft domain. This is done to improve security, usability and administration. Microsoft owns the .microsoft domain and this means that you will likely see less phishing attempts that use lookalike-domains. Nothing changes for users according to Microsoft, as redirects will happen automatically. Link

Software and Services

• RSS Reader RSS Guard 5.2.0 is now out with interesting new features. For one, standard feeds can now ignore cookies individually while downloading feed data and cookies can be deleted from the Tools menu. Also new are improvements to the use of proxy servers. Link

Hardware

• Facebook-parent Meta announced three new Meta Glasses in partnership with EssilorLuxottica this week. The new glasses start at $299, are compatible with prescription lenses and will be available in a total of 26 different styles according to the announcement. The glasses are the first that launch with Meta AI from day one. Link

Gaming and Entertainment

• GTA VI, which is coming out this year, will cost $79.99 for the standard edition and $99.99 for the premium edition according to Take Two and Rockstar Games. It is a highly anticipated game. Bad news for collectors and gamers who want to sell their games eventually: the boxed version comes without discs. It contains a download code instead.

• Steam Machine: Valve announced price and availability. It starts at $1,049 for the 512 GB model without a controller. The most expensive option is the 2 TB variant with controller for $1,428. Good news, Valve is doing something against scalpers. You can add your name to a reservation list for the next few days. Valve will then draw randomly from that list and users who are picked may purchase one Steam Machine then. Is it worth it? It depends. The hardware is not the newest, the 16 GB RAM and 8 GB V-RAM are a bottleneck, but you get a tiny PC that is highly optimized for playing Steam games for that. Link

• The GOG summer sale has started and you get discounts on thousands of games, including many classics and independent games. I still prefer GOG over any other store as it does not force a client on you and allows you to download the full games to your local system. Even if GOG vanishes, you can keep on playing the games. The Steam summer sale starts tomorrow. Link

AI

• Anthropic announced Claude Tag that works directly in Slack. Users who integrate Tag can reference it with @claude to interact with the AI. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

My latest article for the Ask Woody newsletter has been published. It is about Microsoft automatically enabling OneDrive on Windows and what you can do about it. Only available in the Plus newsletter though, but highly recommend to subscribe, as it features excellent articles by great authors every week.

Operating Systems

• The June 2026 security updates are causing issues with custom folder icons and localized folder names for some users. This is an intention change that Microsoft did not mention in the official release notes at first (it has since then added the info). There are workarounds for affected users. Background info: Microsoft is limited access to desktop.ini for security reasons. Link

Mobile

Have trouble using your phone or tablet in a car or other moving vehicle?

Motion sickness can be a big problem for those affected. While some may read a book or use their electronic devices in a moving vehicle, others feel the impact of motion sickness right away.

While there are pills that help against motion sickness, these may come with side-effects and additional costs.

When it comes to using mobile phones or tablets, apps or built-in features may also help. Apple users can use the built-in Vehicle Motion Cues feature, Android users a free app such as KineStop. The apps work the same way: they place an artificial, moving grid of dots over the screen that syncs with the phone’s sensors to mimic the movement of the vehicle.

They address what scientists call sensory conflict. The body receives two different set of signals while reading a book or looking at a screen in a moving car or other moving vehicle: you feel the acceleration, turns or the bumps of the read, yet the eyes, focused on the book or screen, send stationary signals.

Features like Apple’s Vehicle Motion Cues or apps like KineStop work by restoring the sync between your eyes and your inner ear.

These features use your phone’s built-in accelerometer and gyroscope to detect the exact motion of the car. They then display animated dots (or a grid) on the edges of your screen that move in real-time to mimic the physical movement:

• If the car accelerates forward, the dots slide backward.

• If the car turns left, the dots slide to the right.

Even though you are still staring at your stationary app, your peripheral vision picks up the movement of the dots. This gives your eyes the visual evidence of movement they need to match the physical feelings coming from your inner ear. The sensory conflict is resolved, the brain realizes you aren’t poisoned, and the nausea stops.

It may be worth a shot, if you are affected by motion sickness.

Other mobile news

• Google is starting the rollout of Android 17 to first Pixel devices today. You may be able to force the upgrade by running a manual check for “system updates” in Settings. Wonder what is new? Here is a quick overview of the main changes:

  • Floating App Bubbles: You can convert any app into a compact, floating window for easier multitasking.

  • Screen Reactions: A revamped screen recording tool lets you capture your screen and your front-facing selfie camera at the same time.

  • Granular Privacy Controls: You can now grant apps temporary access to your precise location and choose to share only specific contacts rather than giving access to your entire address book.

  • Upgraded Device Security: A new “Mark as lost” feature allows you to lock a missing phone using your biometrics, preventing thieves from using your passcode. The update also reduces the number of allowed PIN guesses, lengthens the wait time between failed attempts, and improves Live Threat Detection. Link

Browser

• Google releases the weekly security update for its Chrome web browser. It addresses 33 security issues, including seven that are rated critical. Good news, no exploits in the wild mentioned. Expect other Chromium-based browsers to push out updates as well. Link

• Microsoft is switching to a two-week release schedule for its Edge browser. The browser maker follows Google’s example. The main idea is to bring features and changes sooner to users of the browser. Considering that Google and Microsoft released point updates to fix security issues weekly already, it won’t be much of a noticeable change for most users. The only exception to that is if a change breaks something or introduces something unwanted. Link

• Most Chromium-based browsers will stop supporting Manifest V2 extensions in the coming weeks as Google is removing the last bypass options from the core of Chrome, Microsoft Edge and other browsers. Still, there are some holdouts, including Brave, Opera and Vivaldi. Whether these will be able to support MV2 going forward remains to be seen though. Your best bet? Firefox, as it continues to support MV2 and supports MV3 as well. Link

• Mozilla launched Firefox 152 this week. Big new features are support for JPEG XL and a new layout for the Settings page to improve accessibility. Also security updates, so a must install for any Firefox user. Link

Privacy and Security

• Firefox users in certain regions get unlimited Firefox VPN bandwidth until September 1, 2026 according to an announcement at Mozilla. The standard monthly quota is a generous 50 GB already. The browser proxy is free to use. Link

Software and Services

• Samsung has ended support for its Samsung Max VPN app on June 15, 2026. It served as a data saving and VPN app for Galaxy users. The best free alternative? Try Proton VPN. No ads, no data limits. However, fewer servers than paid and also speed caps during peak hours. Link

• Thunderbird 152.0 brings one-click account setups for Thundermail accounts, new SecurityDevices enterprise policy, and the usual assortment of bug and security fixes. Link

Hardware

• Motorola uses the mobile app MotoSync+ for setting up and troubleshooting its Wi-Fi routers. This app, reportedly, stopped working and there has been no word from Motorola about the issue. The effect, according to reporting sites such as Mashable is that users can’t set up their routers anymore or troubleshoot issues. Link

Gaming and Entertainment

No More Spotify or Netflix: Sony Halts Network Services on Dozens of Devices

Dust off your physical media, because your trusty home theater setup is about to get a lot quieter. On November 17, 2026, Sony will permanently pull the plug on network services across dozens of its legacy audio and video products.

This will permanently end the streaming capabilities of a wide range of older soundbars, AV receivers, and Blu-ray players. Owners lose the ability to stream Spotify, Netflix and other streaming services using their devices, turning once-smart entertainment hubs into standard, offline equipment.

The upcoming changes aren’t limited to just one or two obscure models. The shutdown spans across seven different product categories, impacting dozens of home theater setups. If you purchased a Sony audio or video device a few years ago, you’ll want to check the model number on the back of your unit.

Sony lists all affected devices on a support page.

Audio and Micro Component Systems

• CMT-MX700NI

• HAP-S1, HAP-Z1ES

• MAP-S1

• NAC-SV10

AV Receivers

• STR-DA series: 1800, 2800ES, 3700ES, 5700ES, 5800ES

• STR-DN series: 840, 850, 860, 1020, 1030, 1040, 1050, 1060, 1070, 1080

• STR-ZA810ES

Blu-ray Disc™ Players

• BDP-BX series: 18, 37, 38, 57

• BDP-N460

• BDP-S series: 185, 270, 280, 370, 380, 390, 470, 480, 570, 580, 770, 780

• Blu-ray Disc™ Home Theater Systems

• BDV-E series: 280, 370, 470, 570, 580, 770W, 780W, 870, 880

• BDV-F7, BDV-HZ970, BDV-IZ1000W, BDV-L600

• BDV-T series: 28, 57, 58

Soundbars

• HT-CT790, HT-CT800

• HT-NT3, HT-NT5

• HT-RT5

• HT-ST9, HT-ST5000

• HT-XT2, HT-XT3

Wireless Speakers

• SA-NS310, SA-NS410, SA-NS500, SA-NS510

• SRS-X7

Media Players

• FMP-X10

• SMP-N100, SMP-N200

If you found your model on the list, don’t throw it out just yet. The November 2026 deadline only applies to the internet-connected features of these devices. Your receiver, soundbar, or Blu-ray player isn’t completely bricked—it just won’t be “smart” anymore.

Once Sony terminates the network services, you will no longer be able to use built-in apps like Spotify Connect, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Pandora, or any internet radio stations. Features like Google Cast and DLNA home network streaming will also stop functioning.

However, the core hardware will continue to work perfectly for offline and external use. Your Blu-ray player will still spin physical discs, and your AV receiver will still process audio from any device plugged into its HDMI or optical ports.

If you want to keep streaming your favorite shows and music without buying a brand-new home theater system, the fix is relatively cheap and simple. You can easily bypass the loss of built-in apps by plugging an external streaming device—like an Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Chromecast—directly into an available HDMI port on your TV or receiver. For audio-only devices, switching to a standard Bluetooth connection from your phone will keep the music playing long after Sony’s network servers go dark.

Other entertainment news

• Fox Corp. buys Roku for $22 billion. Roku remains a standalone platform according to Fox and the main intention seems to be diversification and increased advertising revenue. Link

• Microsoft is considering turning Xbox into a subsidiary or creating a joint venture with other partners. Link

• Pirates is a free online game that mimics the ship combat system of the original Pirates game by Sid Meyer. Features different ships and difficulty levels, multiplayer promised “soon”. Link

AI

• Facebook is rolling out a new AI search mode that has been trained on public posts and content. As always, it is important to verify the information provided by AI, as it may include incorrect information or even made up information. Link

• SpaceX announced the acquisition of Cursor for $60 billion in stock. Cursor? It is an AI-powered coding platform, likely in an effort to boost its own AI efforts (Grok and xAI) and maybe also for use in its aerospace engineering programs.. Link

Other

• Amazon is facing a potential lawsuit in the United States. The FTC may sue the e-commerce giant over claims that it misled advertisers. Link

• SpaceX hit Wall Street with the biggest IPO in history. Raised 75 billion Dollar, which catapulted it into the top 10 of the most valuable companies on the planet. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Operating Systems

Microsoft Build 2026 Developer Conference summary

Microsoft Build 2026 officially marked a massive paradigm shift for the operating system, with CEO Satya Nadella declaring that Windows is no longer a platform built only for people—agents get to use it too.

The theme of the entire conference revolved around turning Windows 11 into an “agent-native runtime,” optimizing it heavily for local AI execution and developer workflows.

Turning Windows into an OS for AI Agents

• Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) SDK: To stop rogue AI agents from wreaking havoc, Windows is introducing OS-level containment.

• Agent 365 & The Agent Registry: To prevent “shadow AI” and agent sprawl, Microsoft rolled out a native tracking registry.

Heavy-Duty Developer Tooling Updates

• Intelligent Terminal 0.1: An open-source experimental fork of Windows Terminal featuring a built-in AI “pair-programmer” pane. It natively reads terminal output; if a command or build fails, the terminal automatically feeds the error into the agent pane so it can instantly explain the failure and run a fix.

• Coreutils for Windows: In a massive win for command-line fans, Linux-like core utilities are now generally available to run natively directly within Windows.

• WSL Containers: Coming soon to public preview, Windows Subsystem for Linux is getting a built-in way to seamlessly create, run, and interact with Linux containers using standard CLIs.

• One-Command Dev Environments: “Windows Developer Configurations” is now generally available. Powered by WinGet.

Windows 365 Cloud PC Expansion

• Windows 365 for Agents: Now generally available, companies can provision dedicated, secure Cloud PCs specifically for AI agents to live in.

• Beefier Cloud Specs: Microsoft launched massive 32vCPU Cloud PCs alongside a new GPU Select plan.

Next-Gen Developer Hardware & Local AI

• Surface RTX Spark Dev Box: Purpose-built for developers, Microsoft officially showed off a desktop workstation powered by the NVIDIA RTX Spark SoC. It packs up to 1 petaflop of AI compute and 128GB of unified memory, specifically optimized to run massive 120-billion-parameter LLMs locally without incurring cloud subscription costs.

• DGX Station for Windows: For extreme workloads, Microsoft teased a deskside supercomputer packing Nvidia’s gargantuan GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip, designed to run frontier AI models locally.

• Expanding Local Windows AI APIs: To decrease cloud reliance, Microsoft expanded native Windows 11 APIs. Speech-to-text is now optimized to share workloads across CPUs and NPUs, while Small Language Models (SLMs) can now natively leverage dedicated GPUs for local reasoning.

Mobile

The Google Android Feature Drop for June 2026 has been announced. Here is the summary of the most important bits:

• AI Fake Call Detection: To combat spoofed contact numbers and AI voice deepfakes, the Phone by Google app introduces a strict verification layer.

• AirDrop Support via Quick Share: Google has significantly narrowed the file-sharing gap between Android and iOS.

• Multi-Object Outfit Discovery: Circle to Search can now automatically parse a full outfit from a single video or photo.

• Google Photos “Digital Wardrobe”: This AI-powered feature automatically scans your photo library to catalog the clothing items you wear.

• Google Play Books “Book Insights”: Powered by Gemini AI integration, readers can access advanced contextual tools directly inside the reading pane.

• Crucial Protections for Kids & Teens: Google is restructuring its Personal Safety application to better protect younger users

Android supports migrating passkeys and passwords between the default password manager and third-party managers with version 26.21 of Play Services. Link

Browser

• Firefox 151.0.3 was released yesterday. It fixes two non-security issues: Pasting or copying text could cause layout problems, and a larger VPN button in the toolbar than intended. Link

• Google Chrome received its weekly security update yesterday and promotion to version 149. As is the case now, Google reveals no information about the included security fixes. New features in that version also delayed. Still, if you use Chrome or have it installed, I suggest to update asap. Link

Privacy and Security

Threat Actors may use SSD activity for spying

Security researchers have detailed a new browser-based side-channel attack dubbed FROST (Fingerprinting Remotely using OPFS-based SSD Timing). By measuring solid-state drive (SSD) performance, the attack allows a malicious website to deduce what other tabs, browsers, and local applications a visitor is currently running—without requiring any user permissions or interaction.

How the Attack Works

FROST exploits an I/O contention side channel entirely within the browser using standard JavaScript.

• The Vector: The malicious site utilizes the Origin Private File System (OPFS), a highly optimized sandboxed storage API, to silently allocate a massive file on the user’s SSD.

• The Side Channel: The site’s JavaScript continuously performs random read operations on this OPFS file and records the latency. When other applications or browser tabs access the SSD, they compete for the drive’s I/O resources. This contention causes microscopic, measurable delays in the attacker’s read operations.

• Pattern Recognition: These latency traces are then fed into a pretrained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Because different apps and websites generate unique I/O traffic patterns, the CNN can accurately classify the latency spikes to fingerprint exactly what the user is doing elsewhere on the system.

While tests showed that this attack truly works, it does have limitations. For one, to be effective and accurate, a very large file, typically 1 GB or more, needs to be allocated. Second, activity can only be monitored if it happens on the same drive.

The research will be presented at the DIMVA security conference in July 2026, and there is currently no evidence of FROST being exploited in the wild.

For users, the most practical defense is aggressive tab hygiene—closing tabs when not actively in use—and monitoring local browser storage for unexpected bloat. For a systemic fix, the researchers propose that browser vendors impose strict caps on the maximum allowable size of OPFS files, which would neutralize the attack’s latency-measurement primitive.

Other Security & Privacy news

• Meta is rolling out new subscriptions for its products. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Meta AI now come with individual subscriptions starting at about $3 and going up to $50 per month for the AI- and influencer-focused Meta One subscription. Link

• Password management service Dashlane announced that “external party launched a brute force attack against certain Dashlane user account” on May 31, 2026. The company says that, due to the volume of the attack, user accounts that were targeted were locked. Access appears to have been restored though and the company says that less than 20 personal plan users were attacked. Link

Software and Services

• FastStone Image Viewer 8.4 introduces support for viewing PDF documents, including using the compare tool to view multiple PDF files at once. Also new is support for JPEG XL. Link

Hardware

• Nvidia announced RTX Spark this week, a new class of PCs that, Nvidia says, reinvents what PC are. It can best be compared to Apples M-series chips, but with the added benefit of including a powerful Nvidia graphics chip, suitable for running local AI operations. With up to 128 GB of shared storage, these ARM-based devices that run Windows will deliver what Microsoft intended all along with its Copilot PCs. The price will be on a whole new level as well though. Link

Gaming and Entertainment

• Amazon Prime customers who use Prime Music will soon not only enjoy the 100 million or so songs and more than 15 million podcast episodes, but also ads starting July 2, 2026. To make matters worse, Amazon is also disabling download options. The company suggests that users subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited, which costs $13 per month. So, Amazon is pulling another “Prime Video” move by simply adding ads to a previously ad-free service. Link

• New AV2 video codec has been finalized. Developers claim that it saves about 30 percent bitrate compared to AV1, which will improve streaming, once adopted.

AI

• Claude Opus 4.8 is now available. As is the case with all recent AI model upgrades, Anthropic claims that it is better than the previous version and is also beating Gemini and GPT in most benchmarks. The company claims that the new version makes less unsupported claims and is “more likely to flag uncertainties about its work”. Link

Other

• Google Maps is a useful service to look up a business online. In Germany, a considerable number of businesses try to game the system by getting low customer ratings removed from the service. This happens to such an extent, that Google decided to display information about removed ratings on Google Maps in Germany. The information is somewhat hidden, extensions and online services help reveal it better. Link

• Google Takeout supports incremental Google Photos exports now. This allows Google users to only download new or changed photos on consecutive takeout sessions instead of everything. The main requirement: You need to select Google Photos as the sole service in takeout. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Operating Systems

• Microsoft unveiled the Driver Quality Initiative (DQI) at the WINHEC 2026 conference (the first Windows Hardware Engineering Conference since 2018). The goal: to “raise the bar on driver quality, reliability and security across Windows”. The initiative stands on four pillars:

  • Architecture: Microsoft is focusing on hardening kernel-mode drivers and transitioning third-party drivers to either user-mode drivers or Microsoft-authored class drivers.

  • Trust: This pillar focuses on elevating the standards for trusted partners and drivers.

  • Lifecycle: Microsoft aims to improve the management of drivers throughout their lifecycle.

  • Quality Measures: The initiative expands how driver quality is evaluated.

• Microsoft is restoring taskbar functionality that it removed back when it introduced Windows 11. With the update, users may once again display the taskbar at the sides or top of the screen. Also new is the ability to reduce the height of the taskbar, which frees up room for other elements. Link

• The May 2026 update for Windows pushed a new SecureBoot folder into the Windows directory. The less than 500 kilobyte folder has no practical use for home users, as it contains PowerShell scripts for the Secure Boot certificate replacement that is still ongoing. My advice, best ignored for now. Link

Mobile

• Firefox for Android users may now also use Shake to Summarize, a feature introduced on iOS some time ago. The feature sends text to Mozilla’s cloud server to process it and return a summary to the user’s device. On iOS, the processing is handled on the device, which is a real bummer. Does not sound like a super-useful feature, if you ask me. Also, limited to web pages with 5,000 or less words. Link

Browser

• Firefox 151 was released yesterday. The new version of the open source browser begins the process of refreshing the new tab page, starting with new wallpapers. It also improves privacy in several ways. First, by allowing users to pick a location when they use the built-in proxy, which Mozilla calls VPN, and with a new button to restart a private session without closing the browser. Lastly, it also fixes a number of security issues. Link

• Microsoft is turning Edge into a Copilot browser. The latest feature update is all about AI, as features such as multi-tab reasoning or automatic tab grouping is coming to the browser. Those who use Edge and AI may find the features useful, those who do not can turn everything off apparently or use a different browser. Link

Privacy and Security

• Nothing.

Software and Services

• O&O ShutUp10, a privacy tool for Windows 10 and 11, is now available as a premium edition next to the free edition. The functionality of the free edition remained, the premium edition adds automation and support for client and server systems to the app. Available for a one-time payment of about $20, but currently discounted to about $15. Link

• Thunderbird 151.0 is a new stable version of the open source email client. It adds new features, including support for Thundermail OAuth sign-in with auto-account configuration, OAuth overrides for EWS accounts, and the ability to sort tasks by created or modified date. Also, security fixes. Link

Hardware

• AMD has released new chipset drivers for Windows that adds support for Ryzen AI 400 processors and optimizations for the Forza Horizon 6 game that launched recently. Link

• Microsoft unveiled new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices. Curious: the company plans to release one laptop with just 8 GB of RAM, which means that it will fall under the Copilot+ PC requirements. Link

Gaming and Entertainment

• Plex announced an increase of the lifetime Plex Pass option. Starting July 1, 2026, the price jumps to a one-time payment of $750, which doubles it effectively. Link

• Sony announced a PlayStation Plus price increase for new and returning players, who do not have a subscription at the time (exceptions: Turkey and India). Price is going up by about $1 per month. Sony says that “ongoing market conditions” are to blame. Link

• Sony is also locking down single player games to the PlayStation, which means that many upcoming Sony PlayStation games developed by Sony Studios won’t get a PC release. The reason? Likely has something to do with the next Xbox, which also plays PC games reportedly and the need to demonstrate that owning a PlayStation still offers games that you can’t play elsewhere. Link

• Spotify announced a new verification feature for podcasts to identity AI-generated content. The new “Verified by Spotify” badge for podcasts is a new authentication seal that guides subscribers to human-generated content. Link

AI

Google announced a new era for AI Search yesterday. The highlight is a new dynamically expanding AI search prompt that supports all types of data and Chrome tabs, and offers suggestions that go beyond auto-completion.

This feature is rolling out already to all countries and languages where AI Mode is available.

Another new feature is the introduction of search agents this Summer for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. These run in the background 24/7 and “will intelligently look across everything on the web, like blogs, news sites and social posts, plus our freshest data, such as real-time info on finance, shopping and sports, to monitor for changes related to your specific question”.

Agents will inform you about updates and do include options to take actions immediately.

Google is expanding other agentic capabilities, including agentic booking capabilities. Google says that it is as simple as sharing specific criteria and the AI will provide information and direct links to complete the booking. Users from the US will also get a new auto-call feature that has AI services call businesses on their behalf. This too is coming this summer.

Developers get agentic coding support right in search: “Search can design custom layouts, assembling components (like interactive visuals, tables, graphs or simulations) in real-time.” This feature is coming to everyone, this summer.

Last but not least, Google is expanding Personal Intelligence. This allows Google users to connect other services, such as Gmail or Google Calendar to AI Mode, so that the AI can use the information to provide personalized results.

Search is becoming increasingly AI-centric. That is bad news for the majority of websites and publishers out there, as more and more interactions with Google Search will remain exclusively on Google websites. Even though Google denies this, this will impact most sites negatively that rely on Google traffic.

Other AI news

SynthID is a new watermarking feature that Google created to identify content created through AI. It is also implemented in the latest Gemini features, and works across different AI generated content, including images, audio, video and text.

The watermark is applied in a way that it is invisible to the human eye or ear. You can use Gemini already to check if an image or audio clip was created using AI. While text watermarks are supported, there is no tool to verify if a text was generated by AI.

Google has open sourced the technology, which means that other developers and companies may start using it as well.

Other

• Google revealed that 13 of its products and services have over 1 billion users each and that five of them have more than three billion users. The five: Google Search, Gmail, Android, Chrome and YouTube.

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Operating Systems

• Microsoft released the May 2026 updates for Windows, Office and other company products. No 0-days this time, but still plenty of security fixes. You can check out my monthly overview on Chipp.in, if you like. Link

• Windows is getting a new feature that Microsoft calls Low Latency Profile. It is said to speed up the launch of apps or interface elements, such as the Start menu, by up to 70 percent. This is done by boosting the processors during the process for maximum speed. Mileage varies greatly according to beta tests. If your computer is slow, you may get the best result out of this. Link

Mobile

• Google just dropped a massive preview of Android 17 yesterday at “The Android Show: I/O Edition,” and it looks like they are heavily shifting the platform from a traditional operating system to an AI-driven “intelligence system.”

  • Gemini Intelligence at the Core

    • Task automation.

    • Vibe-code custom widgets.

  • “Rambler” for Gboard

    • Voice dictation upgrade. Uses AI to understand the intent, filter out filler words, pauses, or self-correctios. Language agnostic.

  • Pause Point (Doomscrolling Prevention)

  • New UI and Creator Tools

    • Screen reactions. Use front and back cameras to record videos.

    • App bubbles.

    • Ultra HDR & Night Sight on Instagram.

  • Security & Privacy Upgrades

    • Built-in theft protection.

    • Biometric “mark as lost”.

    • Temporary location sharing.

  • Android Auto overhaul.

• iOS 26.5 introduces support for encrypted RCS conversations on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. The security feature launches in beta and availability depends to a large degree on local telecommunication provider.

• Samsung Galaxy devices block apps with excessive advertising now. A recent Device Care update to version 13.8.80.7 introduces a new analysis feature that identifies misbehaving apps and puts them in standby mode. This mode stops the execution in the background. According to Sammy Guru, there are two modes: basic and intelligent. Link

In basic blocking, Samsung identifies apps that send frequent ads and blocks them whenever it detects them on your phone. When you turn on the intelligent blocking toggle, your phone analyzes device alerts to determine whether they are ads. It then blocks them if they appear too frequently. Note that this determination may not always be accurate.

Browser

• Brave Software tests email aliases in the latest Nightly version of the browser. This works similarly to other email aliases services, including that of Mozilla. The aliases redirect any message to a user’s “real” email address for improved privacy. Link

• Firefox 150.0.2, Firefox 140.10.2 and Firefox 115.35.2 were released last week. The release includes security fixes for all versions and also some bug fixes for the stable version. Highlights include a fix for missing login prompts on internal networks, for webcams that did not work correctly in video calls, and a tab crash. Link

• Firefox 150.0.3 is another update for the stable version of the open source browser. It fixes a printing problem that printed passwords entered on webpages in cleartext and includes security fixes. Link

Privacy and Security

Software and Services

Google is removing Drive’s image to Google Photos backup feature

Google has announced the discontinuation of the feature that allows users to back up their images to Google Photos using the Google Drive for desktop application. Previously, the desktop app allowed users to seamlessly sync local folders directly to the cloud in the background without any manual intervention. Going forward, Google is shifting this functionality entirely to the web, prompting users to utilize a “Back up folders” option directly through the Google Photos web application. This transition essentially forces users to rely on a browser-based solution rather than a dedicated desktop utility to manage their photo backups from PCs and Macs.

The change has been met with widespread frustration within the user community, as the new web-based backup method is seen as a significant downgrade in convenience. Unlike the Drive for Desktop app, which operated silently in the background, the web alternative requires users to keep a browser window open continuously for synchronization to occur. Furthermore, users have noted that the new feature seems restricted to Chromium-based browsers like Chrome and Edge, leaving Firefox users without access to the tool. Because of the loss of native background syncing, many users are actively discussing migrating their libraries to alternative cloud services like Microsoft OneDrive and Amazon Photos, or self-hosted platforms like Immich.

Other Software and Services news

• Thunderbird 150.0.2 and Thunderbird 140.10.2 were released last week. Both point updates address security issues in the open source email client. Link

Hardware

The Googlebook is coming

After Chromebook comes Googlebook, a laptop designed for AI. Google announced the new hardware yesterday. It merges aspects of Android (access to Google Play apps and a modern OS) with ChromeOS.

Here is an overview of the key features and details:

• Designed for AI (Gemini): Googlebook laptops are heavily focused on proactive and personal AI assistance.

  • Magic Pointer: By simply wiggling your cursor, you can activate Gemini to offer quick, contextual suggestions based on what you are pointing at

  • “Create your Widget”: Users can prompt Gemini to create custom, personalized dashboard widgets. For instance, you can ask it to connect to Gmail and Calendar to compile all information about an upcoming trip (flights, hotels, countdowns) into one single spot on your desktop.

• Deep Android Integration: Because it shares parts of the Android tech stack, the Googlebook is optimized for a seamless multi-device ecosystem. You can interact with your phone’s apps directly on your laptop screen and use “Quick Access” to view, search, or insert files from your phone directly into the laptop’s file browser without needing to transfer them.

Google is partnering with several manufacturers, including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, to build Googlebook devices using premium materials.

No word yet on pricing, but Google says that the first devices will become available this fall.

Based on the announcement, Google doesn't explicitly state that Googlebooks will kill off or completely replace Chromebooks immediately, but the company implies that this is the next evolutionary step for Google-laptops.

Gaming and Entertainment

• UnDune II is a fan project that recreated the original Dune II from scratch. You can play it online or download it, for free. Link

AI

Google Chrome AI controversy continues

Last week, some users started to complain about a new four Gigabyte file that Google downloaded on systems with Chrome installed. This local AI file powers Gemini Nano, the on-device AI that Google claimed was not sending any data to Google servers.

Eagle-eyed users spotted a significant change in the wording in the Chrome settings recently. Google removed the reassuring sentence from the description reportedly.

Google denies that the underlying mechanics have changed and claims that the change was made to account for the new Prompt API rolling out to developers. This API allows third-party websites to interact directly with the local Gemini Nano model. While the processing still happens entirely on your device, the website using the API can obviously read the inputs you provide and the outputs the AI generates.

Because those websites could technically be Google services, the company adjusted the text to remain “crystal clear” and legally accurate. Nonetheless, the sudden removal of the privacy guarantee left many users feeling uneasy.

How to Reclaim Your Storage

In response to the growing outcry, Google has pointed out that it began rolling out a toggle in February to give users more control. If you want to purge the 4GB model from your system, you can check your Chrome settings:

Navigate to Settings > System.

Look for the Turn On-device AI on or off toggle and disable it.

For users who don’t yet see this setting, the process requires diving into Chrome’s experimental flags. Typing chrome://flags into the address bar and disabling #optimization-guide-on-device-model and #prompt-api-for-gemini-nano will stop the browser from constantly re-downloading the weights.bin file.

Other

• Coursera and Udemy are now one company, joining their skills platforms into one offering. Link

• eBay rejected the Gamestop bid officially calling it “neither credible nor attractive” according to a Reuters report. The marketplace is about four times as large as Gamestop. Link

• Reddit blocks some (?) mobile users currently who access the site via a browser on mobile and not the official app. The reason? Reddit says better personalization and search. My take: same reason Reddit caused most third-party apps to stop working → ads and control. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Operating Systems

Microsoft’s K2 project to regain user trust

According to a report from Windows Central by Zac Bowden, Microsoft has launched an internal initiative codenamed Windows K2 aimed at "saving" Windows 11 by shifting the company's focus from rapid feature deployment to core system quality. The project is built on the pillars of performance, reliability, and "craft," with the goal of rebuilding user trust by fixing fundamental pain points such as File Explorer lag, system bloat, and controversial UI changes like Start menu advertisements.

Key technical overhauls under K2 include a new WinUI 3-based Start menu that is reportedly 60% faster, optimizations to bring gaming performance in line with SteamOS, and the long-awaited return of a movable taskbar. Rather than being a single OS version, Windows K2 represents a cultural shift within Microsoft to ensure Windows 11 becomes a more polished, stable platform through 2026 and 2027.

Mobile

• Brave Browser for Android got the Shred feature in a recent update to 1.89. The feature removes potentially identifiably information from a site to limit tracking and deal with certain limitations, such as allowing access to a certain number of articles only. Shred supports manual actions and also automatic actions. You can configure it to run automatically for certain sites or for every site. Link

Browser

Firefox gets a native ad-blocker

Mozilla has recently integrated a powerful new content-blocking engine into Firefox 149, marking a significant shift in the browser’s approach to native ad-blocking. This update quietly incorporates Brave’s open-source “adblock-rust” engine, the same high-performance technology that powers the Brave browser’s ad-blocking capabilities. While the feature was notably absent from the official release notes, it represents a strategic move to offer more robust, Rust-based filtering that is compatible with popular uBlock Origin filter lists, potentially offering users a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional extensions.

Currently, this “secret” ad blocker remains an experimental prototype and is disabled by default, requiring users to manually activate it through the about:config menu. To enable the engine, users must toggle the “privacy.trackingprotection.content.protection.enabled” setting to true and provide their own filter list URLs, such as EasyList. By embedding this native engine, Firefox is laying the groundwork for a future where sophisticated ad and tracker blocking is a seamless, built-in part of the browsing experience, further distinguishing itself from competitors that have moved to restrict similar privacy tools.

• Firefox 150.0.1, Firefox 140.10.1 ESR and Firefox 115.35.1 ESR are now available. The security updates fix several existing and potential issues in the open source browser. Firefox Stable adds non-security fixes on top, including a fix for Bitdefender security software users who could run into issues loading certain sites, including Facebook. Link

• Firefox Relay, Mozilla’s email forwarding service, increased the number of "masks” for free users to 50. Means, you can create 50 unique forwards using the free account. Paid account, available for about €1 per month, removes the limit, adds options to reply, use unique domains, and block promotional messages on top. Link

• Google has released a security update for its Chrome web browser that fixes 30 security-related issues, including four critical issues. No mention of exploits in the wild. Link

• Mozilla fixed a total of 271 vulnerabilities in Firefox 150, which were all found by Anthropic’s Claude Mythos AI. Link

Privacy and Security

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends Passkeys

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recently signaled a historic shift in digital safety by officially “retiring” the password in favor of passkeys. For decades, the agency recommended complex strings of characters and multi-factor authentication (MFA) as the gold standard, but it now argues that passwords are no longer resilient enough to withstand modern AI-driven phishing and credential-stuffing attacks. Passkeys replace the traditional “shared secret” with a cryptographic key pair: one half stays securely on your device (protected by biometrics or a PIN), while the other is held by the service provider. This architecture ensures that even if a website is breached, hackers cannot steal your login credentials because the private key never leaves your physical hardware.

The primary takeaway from this recommendation is that passkeys solve the long-standing tension between security and convenience. According to the NCSC, passkey logins are up to eight times faster than typing a password and waiting for an SMS code, while simultaneously being virtually immune to phishing. Since the authentication is bound to the specific website or app, users can’t be tricked into “giving away” a passkey on a fraudulent site. While the NCSC still suggests using password managers and 2-step verification where passkeys aren’t yet supported, their message is clear: for any service that offers them, passkeys should now be the first choice for both consumers and businesses looking to future-proof their digital identity.

Software and Services

• Microsoft released the MS-DOS 1.0 as open source to celebrate the operating systems 45th birthday. Link

• Notepad++ is now also available as a native port for macOS. The goal is to bring the popular text editor to Apple’s operating system and “make it feel like it belongs there”. So, no mere port but a carefully designed app “native menus, shortcuts, file dialogs, dark mode, and system integration.”. Link

• PowerToys 0.99 introduces Power Display for controlling your monitors from the system tray, Grab And Move for quickly moving and resizing windows, and a wave of improvements to Command Palette and the Dock, along with updates across the utility suite. Link

• WinRAR 7.21 Final is now available. Highlights:

  • WinRAR properly recognizes archives with a wrong file extension, containing an archive in another format stored without compression.

  • Similarly to Windows Explorer, the first click on size and time columns in WinRAR file list sets the reverse sort mode with largest and latest files at the top. Link

Hardware

Gaming and Entertainment

Sony PS5 price increases in Asia

Sony Interactive Entertainment officially announced today, April 27, 2026, that it is raising the recommended retail prices for the PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal across several Asian markets. Starting May 1, gamers in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and South Korea will face significant price jumps, with some regions seeing increases of up to 30% or more. Sony attributed the decision to “continued pressures in the global economic landscape” and rising manufacturing costs, specifically citing the increased price of RAM and global inflation as key factors.

This latest move follows a wave of similar price hikes that hit major Western markets and Japan earlier this month. On April 2, 2026, prices were increased by roughly $100 to $150 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, marking the second time Sony has adjusted hardware pricing within the last year. While these adjustments aim to maintain the platform’s sustainability amidst supply chain challenges, they represent a rare trend in gaming history where a console becomes significantly more expensive several years into its lifecycle.

• Amazon’s new Fire TV sticks do not support sideloading anymore. This means, that owners can only install apps that are available on the official Amazon Store. Say goodbye to SmartTube and other apps that are useful but not available there. Link

• Valve announced that the new Steam Controller will be released on May 4, 2026 for the price of roughly $100 (classic costs $50). Here are the main differences:

  • Features dual full-size analog sticks and a dedicated D-pad, mirroring the Steam Deck’s layout. It uses TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) magnetic sensors for the sticks to prevent stick drift.

  • Uses smaller, square trackpads (similar to the Steam Deck) positioned below the joysticks. While smaller, they feature HD LRA haptics, providing much sharper tactile feedback and a more “mechanical” click feel.Features four remappable back buttons. It also introduces Grip Sense, a capacitive sensor on the handles that can detect when you are holding the controller, allowing you to activate features like Gyro-aiming simply by tightening your grip rather than pressing a button.

  • Includes an internal rechargeable battery with 35+ hours of life. It comes with a “Steam Controller Puck,” which serves as both a high-speed 2.4GHz wireless transmitter and a magnetic charging dock.

AI

Other

• My article The Dev Drive hack: Boosting home PC speed appeared in the latest issue of the Ask Woody newsletter. It is about the benefits of creating a Dev Drive for non-developers. The core benefit is a 25% to 30% speed increase for I/O, thanks to Windows Defender running in a mode that has the security tool scan files without affecting read or write operations. Downside is that this should not be used for files you do not trust 100%. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!

Article(s)

Firefox 150.0 is out - here is what is new and changed

Mozilla released a new stable version of its open source browser yesterday. Firefox 150.0 is a milestone release that introduces several new features and improvements.

Here is a quick overview of the major changes:

• You can now right-click on any link to open it in the new Split View.

• Multiple tabs can be shared by right-clicking on the selection and choosing Share > Copy X links.

• Firefox’s integrated PDF Reader supports copying, pasting, deleting, reordering, and exporting pages in a PDF.

• The real-time translation feature is now accessible via about:translations.

• New Firefox Profile management system is now available to all users. Backing up a profile to a file is now also available.

Other than that, the new release includes security fixes. The impact rating is high, and there do not seem to be any exploits in the wild. You can check the full list here.

If you use Firefox, upgrade asap to close those.

Windows installation tool Rufus is getting a handful of useful new features

The developer of the open source tool Rufus has just released a new beta version. Rufus, for those who don’t know, is a useful tool to create bootable USB flash drives. While you can use it for all kinds of operating systems, including Linux, one of its main applications is to create Windows installation media.

The kicker is the extra features that are available. For example, you can use it to bypass certain unwanted Windows features or create a local account directly and without having to rely on hacks to get this done during initial setup.

The beta release introduces new features:

• Quality of Life options to remove certain unwanted features and apps, including Teams, Outlook, or Copilot.

• Silent Installation option to install Windows on the first detected disk without any prompts.

You can download the beta from the main repository. I suggest you wait for the final release, unless you really want to give the new features a try or need to install the operating system on many devices and want to benefit from them right away.

Operating Systems

• France plans to switch devices from Windows to Linux, and here more specifically to EU open-source distributions such as openSUSE. Link

• Microsoft confirmed a new BitLocker related issue for Windows 11 devices that install the April 2026 security update. The company says that this affects only devices with a Group Policy setting that is not recommended. There is a workaround and Microsoft is working on a full solution. Link

• Windows 11 Insider build for the Release channel introduces major improvements and new features:

  • Xbox mode is available on all Windows 11 PCs. It is a dedicated console-like mode that promises improvements while playing games.

  • File Explorer performance improvements, including during launch, folder view consistency improvements, no more white flashes when launching in dark mode, and support for new archive formats.

  • New controls for haptic signals under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse, Touchpad, or Pen > Haptic Signals.

  • New Arabic 100 legacy keyboard.

  • Drag Tray renamed to Drop Tray, now found under System > Multitasking.

  • Agents on Taskbar, starting with Researcher in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.

  • Policy-based removal of preinstalled Microsoft apps.

  • Default trust for cross-signed drivers is removed while drivers from the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) and an allow list of trusted legacy drivers remain allowed.

  • Enhanced security and performance for batch files. Starting with this release, administrators can enable a more secure processing mode for batch files. This mode prevents batch files from changing during execution. Link

Mobile

• All mobile phones in the European Union will have to have replaceable batteries from the year 2027 onward. The new rule is designed to reduce electronic waste and improve sustainability. Whether that is going to affect water and dust proof functionality remains to be seen. Link

• WhatsApp is launching Plus, a paid subscription that gives users exclusive features, such as premium stickers and ringtones, custom app icons, and more. Link

Browser

• Brave Origin is a new browser by Brave Software that strips away all revenue-generating features. It is free for Linux, otherwise available as a $60 one-time payment to support the company and the development. Still includes the content blocker and security features. Link

• Opera Browser has a new volume boosting option that can boost any sound by up to 500 percent. May be a useful option for users who run into sound issues on some sites and relied on extensions up until now to fix it. Link

Privacy and Security

• Microsoft released an out-of-band update for .NET. The new release, .NET 10.0.7 fixes critical vulnerabilities that could be exploited for privilege escalation and other attacks. Link

Software and Services

• Thunderbird 150.0 is out for the desktop and this releases comes with new features, including message body search for OpenPGP and S/MIME encrypted messages, option to copy address book cards to the Clipboard, or scrollable Calendar views on touch screens. Link

• Windows 11 Context Menu Manager is an open source tool for Windows to manage third-party context menu items efficiently in a single interface. Has some weaknesses, but may still be worth a look for users who would like to use a single tool for the task. Best in class? Definitely no, but still useful in some cases. Link

Hardware

• The new Fire TV Stick, and probably any Fire TV stick going forward, won’t support sideloading anymore. Amazon is switching to Vega OS and that limits apps to the official Amazon app store. Link

Gaming and Entertainment

• IMDB, owned by Amazon, is introducing a new limitation for guests. User reviews are hidden, so that only logged in users can read them going forward.

• Neo Geo was lightyears ahead in terms of graphics in the 90s. The Neo Geo AES was the home version of the arcade hardware. This week, the Neo Geo AES+ was announced. It is fully compatible with classic cartridges and relies on classic chips rather than emulation. The console is offered in three different versions:

  • Original Edition: includes console and wired arcade stick for about 200 Euro (250 USD).

  • Anniversary Edition (white): includes white console, wireless arcade stick, white metal slug cartridge, white memory card for about 300 Euro (350 USD).

  • Ultimate Edition: includes console, wired and wireless arcade stick, wireless gamepad, ten Neo Geo cartridges, game rack, dongles and more for about 900 Euro (1000 USD)

• Google is rolling out a new option to limit exposure to Shorts on YouTube. It is available in the settings under time management. There you can toggle “shorts feed limit” and set it to 0 to block most Shorts content on the site. However, Shorts may still appear on the site, for instance as part of searches. Link

AI

• Amazon and Anthropic (maker of Claude) have signed an agreement. Amazon is investing $5 billion in Anthropic and up to $20 billion in the future. Anthropic pledges to spend more than $100 billion over the next ten years on Amazon infrastructure. Link

• Google released the Google App for Windows. It brings its Gemini AI to Windows, supporting the usual chatting with the AI but also screen sharing. Link

• Microsoft acquired Fintool, an agentic AI specialized in quantitative and qualitative analysis and will integrate the team in the Office Product Group. Link

Other

• John Ternus will become the new CEO of Apple. Tim Cook to become Executive Chairman. First change of leadership after Cook took over from Steve Jobs. Link

Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!