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It’s 2026. You just bought a new laptop, and unlike your last one, this device is an “AI PC.” The distinction means you can now run all the latest AI applications directly on your device without draining your battery, keeping your data private and secure. AI PCs If you stopped by a Sears circa 1960 to buy a television, the sales clerk’s first question for you would’ve been, “Color or black and white?” Only after hearing the answer could they help you find the television that was right for you. Today’s computer buyers are facing their own fork in the...

We all, at some point, have fantasized about giving our employers a big middle finger on the way out the door, whether we leave on our own volition or are pushed out. Well, a 55-year-old Texas man allegedly built an automated bird flipper in the form of a kill switch that crashed his company’s systems and locked people out of their accounts when he was fired. Satisfying as that may have been, he now faces up to 10 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice, for setting the trip wire on his way out the door. Here’s the...

Every time I boot up my Windows 11, I'm greeted by MS Edge. I can't seem to shut it down for good. I searched the internet, followed all the advice, but it doesn't work.I tried the following tips I found on the internet:1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run application. Type “regedit” in the dialogue box and press Enter.2. Once in the registry editor, navigate to the following file path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet3. Now, look at the right side of the screen where different keys are listed. Search through them until you find “EnableActiveProbing”. Double-click it to open its properties.4....

Previous thread HEREBACKGROUND: Mozilla, maker of Firefox browser and Thunderbird e-mail client, had long claimed that it "never has, never will sell" users' personal information In late February, Mozilla changed its policies to delete that assertion and made other confusing changes to its ToUs that tended to indicate going forward, Mozilla would "sell" its users' personal data that was entered in the Firefox browser. These murky changes ignited an uproar among Mozilla's user base NOW (condensed version): Mozilla asserts that it had to delete the assertion that it "never has, never will sell users' personal information" because of broad definitions...

As noted a few months ago, Mozilla -- maker of the Firefox browser and Thunderbird e-mail client -- is facing an 80% revenue drop due to investigations into its “revenue-sharing” deals with Google. That revenue drop is apparently prompting Mozilla's all-out search for alternate revenue streams. Mozilla's changes last week to the Firefox browser's privacy notice and usage terms indicate that users' privacy may be sold out. Specifically, Mozilla's new use terms provide: “When you upload or input information through Firefox, you hereby grant us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information to help you navigate, experience, and...

Google Chrome users have been warned to delete 16 “malicious” browser extensions that could lead to a security threat and “fraud” at the hands of a prolific “threat actor.” The extensions affect functionality involving screen capture, ad blocking, emoji keyboards and more, with a potential impact on at least 3.2 million users, according to GitLab Threat Intelligence, which first reported the threat. The extensions inject code and harmful scripts into browsers, allowing hackers to steal user data and engage in search-engine fraud involving ad revenue, according to Tom’s Guide. After users granted permission to use them, the extensions, while legitimate,...

After kickstarting the market for making calls over the internet 23 years ago, Skype is closing down. Microsoft, which acquired the messaging and calling app 14 years ago, said it will be retiring it from active duty on May 5 to double down on Teams. Skype users have 10 weeks to decide what they want to do with their account. It’s not clear how many people are impacted. The most recent numbers that Microsoft had shared were in 2023, when it said it had more than 36 million users — a long way from Skype’s peak of 300 million users....

Nearly 3.7 million consumers who bought the software from Avast between August 2014 and January 2020 can expect emails to arrive in their inboxes this week or next notifying them of their eligibility to apply for compensation, the FTC stated.According to regulators, Avast for years collected information on customers through its antivirus software and browser extensions including data on:religious beliefshealth concernspolitical leaningslocationsfinancial status

It’s official: after 10 years of noble service, Windows 10 will reach its end on October 14, 2025, and what a great decade it’s been. For many users, Microsoft redeemed itself after a run of disappointing operating systems – the mere mention of Windows 8 still sends some people into a rage – but Windows 10 got it right. That’s why the announcement of Windows 11 came as a shock. It felt too soon, too rushed – and unnecessary. Many believed that Windows 10 deserved more time to marinate. At least until it finally managed to migrate the whole Control...

All 1.8 billion Gmail users have been issued a 'red alert' over a scam that lets hackers gain access to accounts. The attack uses AI to craft deepfake robocalls and malicious emails capable of bypassing security filters. The combination works to convince victims their Gmail account has been compromised. Users receive a phone call that suspicious activity was detected in their account and are told an email is soon to follow with steps to rectify the issue. The email includes a fake website that looks identical to Google's, which prompts users to enter their login credentials. Cybersecurity experts warned that...

This brief post is for recommended extensions and themes for Gecko-based browsers (such as Floorp, Firefox, Waterfox Classic) browsers. First, as one who "needs" multiple tab rows, then unlike with minimalist Chrome, these are possible to obtain in Firefox via The Patcher (as well as Vivaldi - the best Chromium-based browser IMO), but since this takes some time, then I recommend trying Floorp, a Gecko/Firefox-based browser, originally built by two Japanese students, that has no Firefox telemetry options, and comes with the powerful tracking blocker/ad blocker uBlock Origin. And within the Settings section are a multitude of GUI customization...

Ugly-ass new logo Mozilla earned approximately 80% of its income through “revenue-sharing” deals with Google, pushing Google’s search engine as Firefox’s default choice. Now that Google faces antitrust investigations for this practice, Mozilla and Firefox may suffer a concomitant reduction in revenues. So what does Mozilla do? They “rebrand” themselves as “advocates” and “activists,” fighting “misinformation.” Among other marketing gobbledygook at this website, Mozilla’s rebranding director describes her client as “a trailblazing, activist organization in both its mission and its approach…. The new brand presence captures this uniqueness, reflecting Mozilla’s refreshed strategy to ‘reclaim the internet.’ The modern, digital-first identity...

Run Dialog box is something that is one of the favorite utilities for an avid Windows user. Its been around since Windows 95 and became an important part of Windows User Experience over the years. While its only duty is to quickly open apps and other tools, many power users like us at TechCult, love the handy nature of the Run dialog box. Since it can access any tool, setting, or app as long as you know the command for it, we decided to give you the cheat sheet to help you breeze through Windows like a pro...pressing Windows +...

With everything going on in the world, I wanted to reach out to see what other Freepers are doing online to protect yourselves, whether its subscribing to a monitoring service for activity under your name, using VPN (which one & why), password managers, multi-factor authentication etc. What else should a person consider?

What makes the IBM PC so significant in the history of personal computing? Its impact goes far beyond being a simple product – it's a symbol of standardization and accessibility that reshaped the industry for decades to come. Think of this in today's terms... what differentiates a gaming desktop from a home console? Is it the ability to choose any parts and peripherals you want? Or perhaps the support for games created decades before the computer itself? In the past, the main difference would be a keyboard. A typical early-1980s computer. Image: Miles Bintz These days, Apple is the only...

Despite Microsoft's push to get customers onto Windows 11, growth in the market share of the software giant's latest operating system has stalled, while Windows 10 has made modest gains, according to fresh figures from Statcounter. This is not the news Microsoft wanted to hear. After half a year of growth, the line for Windows 11 global desktop market share has taken a slight downturn, according to the website usage monitor, going from 35.6 percent in October to 34.9 percent in November. Windows 10, on the other hand, managed to grow its share of that market by just under a...

We're sure you'll learn to love the new Outlook for Windows app [not] Microsoft is preparing to kill off the old Windows Mail, Calendar, and People apps by the end of this month and shift users to the Outlook for Windows app.In November, Microsoft confirmed there would be no reprieve for the apps. It will be possible to export local emails, calendar events, and contacts that users have stored in Mail, Calendar, and People into the new Outlook up until December 31, 2024. After that, however, the ability to send or receive mail will be revoked."The new Outlook for Windows...

If you've been tempted to download the Bing Wallpaper app to spice up your Windows 11 desktop backgrounds, you may want to think twice.The Bing Wallpaper app - itself not a new product - was recently added to the Microsoft Store for simpler download and installation. Going on a gut feeling to investigate it when the app appeared on the store, Rafael Rivera discovered a heap of concerning capabilities that he said on X essentially make it a piece of Microsoft-developed "malware." "Who makes a dedicated wallpaper app these days?" Rivera posited to The Register in response to questions about...

1) My windows 10 or now 11 did a windows update last night and somehow it completely lost Realtek audio so I no longer have sound. Tried downloading Realtek but no luck myself or a computer guy. Any suggestions, please. 2) Bought a new windows 11 and can't remember how to do anything. How do I put links to my favorite sites in a bar across the top of the screen so I don't have to search for them every time. There is no bar currently on the new computer. 3) I understand there is a way to get the...

I'm looking for a good app that turns text to voice. I'm wanting to use it on sci fi and horror books that are available in text but not audio yet. So I'd like decent quality, but able to covert large books. Some books like Stephen King ones are enormousness so it would need to have a good capacity.