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27 Jul 2024

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Netflix’s Windows app takes huge step backwards in latest update
On Thursday, July 25, Netflix finally rolled out its updated app for Windows on the Microsoft Store, but the new version isn’t likely to get the thumbs up from users. In fact, it’s downright disappointing. The update was first announced back in May, in which Netflix said the native app would be retired by June. After some delay, the update was quickly tested in July before being pushed live. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro What’s changed? The biggest difference is that the Windows app for Netflix is no longer a full-fledged app. Annoyingly, it’s now just a simple Microsoft Edge-based web app that runs netflix.com. Another big change is the removal of downloads, an important feature in the original app that allowed you to save content locally for offline viewing. The removal of this feature—which came in handy while, for example, traveling—is a huge step back for laptop users. Windows Latest describes the new app as awful and pointless, as you can watch Netflix just as easily via any web browser. “The new version will now include access to live events, compatibility with ad-supported plans, and more,” Netflix support reportedly said. “Mostly, it will remains same. As the browser streaming does not support Downloads, same way new Netflix App won’t be supporting downloads. Only streaming online can be done. You can continue to watch TV shows and movies offline on a supported mobile device.” Further reading: The best VPN for streaming Netflix

14 must-know Windows 11 security and privacy settings
Once upon a time, Windows was notorious for its poor security, with frequent reports of major attacks by viruses and hackers. With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft started to get its security act together and nowadays Windows 11 is the most secure system to date. While Windows 11 offers a great deal of security, it also includes many features that monitor your computer usage in order to expose you to personalized advertising. Fortunately, this can be adjusted using various settings and in this guide we’ll show you how to increase both the security and privacy of your computer. Further reading: 20 smart tweaks that make Windows 11 more productive Login and accounts get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro A screen lock is a must-have for laptops. Some models support fingerprint and facial recognition, but all can choose a password or PIN. Here’s how to set it up. Open the Settings > Accounts > Login options. Select the one you want to use and follow the instructions. Make it even more secure You can make your login more secure by using only a high-security login method. Open Login Options and switch on the following: For improved security, you should only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device. Automatically lock your computer When you walk away from your computer, you can lock it using the keyboard shortcut Windows + L. You can also let it lock automatically. Open the Login options, go to When should Windows require you to log in again if you have been away from your computer?, and select Time from the menu on the right. You can also enable Dynamic lock. This means that if you have paired your computer with a pair of headphones or another Bluetooth device, you can lock your computer when the pairing is broken, i.e. when you walk away from your computer. Integrity Skip the login Windows 11 works best if you’re logged in with your Microsoft account, but to reduce monitoring you can skip the login and use a so-called local account. Open the Settings menu >Accounts >Your information. Under the heading Account Settings, select Log in with a local account instead to launch a settings wizard. Switch off Windows Ad ID Microsoft “monitors” your usage to customize advertising to your interests, but this can be turned off. Go to Settings menu>Privacy and Security>Windows permissions>General information. Here you should disable the feature Allow apps to show customized ads using my advertising ID. You can also control other things that affect Windows privacy from here. Share less information You can choose what information Windows can access. By limiting it, you protect your privacy, but lose some functionality. Open the Settings menu>Privacy and Security>Windows permissions. Here you can stop sharing information related to speech recognition and handwriting features. You can also remove your feedback to Microsoft and the monitoring of your own history. In addition, you can customize your searches. Control the apps Foundry Foundry Foundry Even individual apps have access to things like the camera, microphone, and your exact location. You can control these things through App Authorization. Open the Settings>Privacy and Security>App permissions. Click on the function you want to control, for example Positioning or Camera. You can now switch sharing on or off and choose which individual apps get which permissions. If you’re curious about what private information an app has used, scroll down to Recent activities to see the week’s history. Stop apps from sharing By default, apps can share information with each other – but this can be restricted or turned off completely. Go to Settings menu>Apps>Advanced settings for apps>Share between devices. Click on the arrow and choose how to share. Stop telling us about yourself Through the Device Usage feature, Microsoft customises the system (and advertising) to your habits, but you can opt out. Open Settings>Customization>Device usage. Open it and trigger the Off position on everything there. Skip the “tips” Some Microsoft ‘tips’ are perceived by many as advertising, but you can switch them off for good. Go to Preferences>System>Notifications. Scroll down to Additional settings and remove the functions you do not want to use. Malware programs Scan for viruses Windows 11 has a built-in security programme called Windows Defender. It is automatically activated if you are not running any other security package and it takes care of itself. However, if you want, you can start a virus check yourself. Open the Settings menu>Privacy and security>Windows security>Protection against viruses and threats. Now a new program will open that is focused on security and here you can dodge Quick scan to start a virus scan. It’s also possible to select Options for searching to perform a full virus scan or one that takes place in offline mode. Under Windows Security there are also other important features. If all icons are green, no action is required, but you can tweak the settings by clicking on the respective feature. Protect yourself against Trojans An extortion trojan is a malware that locks your private files and demands payment to unlock them. Windows 11 can protect you against this in advance. Open Protection against viruses and threats and scroll down to Manage ransomware protection. Switch on the feature Regulated folder access. By default, the standard Windows folders are protected, but you control this yourself by selecting Protected folders. Avoid false positives Controlled folder access only allows programs/apps that Microsoft has approved. If it blocks an application that you know is trustworthy, you can “whitelist” the app. Go to Controlled folder access and select Allow an app in Controlled Folder Access. Click on the Add an allowed app and select Recently blocked apps or Browse blocked apps. Theft Find a missing computer Windows 11 has a feature to help you find a device that has gone missing. With internet and location enabled, you can see where it is and you can have it ring loudly, allowing you to find it with ease. You can also send messages to the finder and, in the worst case, delete sensitive information. Switch on the feature via Settings>Privacy and Security>Find my device. If your device has disappeared, go to account.microsoft.com/devices on any device and sign in with your Microsoft account. Locate the correct device in the list and tap Find my device.

X’s Grok AI is scanning your tweets. Here’s how to disable it
Elon Musk, the divisive CEO of Tesla and more recently the owner of Twitter (now known as X), is a fierce critic of the AI industry—but now also a deeply invested participant in that very same industry. X’s Grok generative AI product is being integrated into the web and mobile versions of the social network, and training itself on billions of tweets thanks to an automatic opt-in for all users. (All large language model (LLM) AI tools need to be trained on massive amounts of text, which is why ChatGPT periodically releases new versions with an updated core database.) Well, it seems like a constantly refreshed pool of conversations from some of the web’s most active users was simply too much for company xAI to resist, which now automatically scans your “posts as well as your interactions, inputs, and [Grok search] results.” At the moment, X is using Grok as a chatbot for premium users and to replace human-made summaries of late-breaking news stories, with predictable issues resulting. The flippant and “rebellious” tone of the Grok model’s responses has been criticized by initial users, and its reliance on constantly updated data from X seems to make it particularly susceptible to deliberate misinformation campaigns. All X/Twitter users are automatically opted into having their data scanned by Grok, whether they pay for premium features or not. Thankfully, it’s possible to opt out manually… though not particularly straightforward. To keep Grok from scanning your content, go to X’s Settings menu on the web (the option is not available in the official app). Click Privacy & Safety, then Grok, then remove the checkmark from Allow your posts…to be used for training and fine-tuning. At this point, I can’t help but point out that the word “grok” (a verb meaning “to understand deeply”) entered the mid-century lexicon from Robert Heinlein’s 1961 novel Stranger in a Strange Land. Heinlein, who also wrote sci-fi staples like The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers, is iconic for both his expansive speculative fiction and heavy-handed libertarian themes. He’s a favorite among Silicon Valley tech CEOs like Musk. Heinlein was also famously obsessive about the need for privacy and the dangers of losing it, something that he expressed both in his fiction and his personal life. I wonder how he’d feel about a ubiquitous social network scanning every word you’ve written on it (and beyond) without so much as a “by your leave,” for the purpose of training an AI tool.