News and Interest are going to go wider

The optional update  (KB5003214) for Windows 10 for 2004, 20H2 and 21H1 is out today and it indicates several fixes to the News and Interests

“News and interests on the taskbar is now available to anyone who installs this update!

Improves the news and interests hover experience to prevent accidental openings.

Adds the Open on hover option (checked by default) to the News and interests menu. To access it, right-click a blank space on the Windows taskbar and open the News and interests menu.”

Note that ALL THREE of the recent releases are covered with this update showcasing that the recent release is minor and not a major release since it can share the same code base as the other two.

Microsoft Build – the developer conference started today and the news regarding Windows 10 is that they aren’t talking about Windows 10. We’re supposed to hear about the future of Windows “very soon.

Speaking of very soon, DefCon will be changing soon we’ll be sending out the alerts soon!

Click here to agree

ISSUE 18.19 • 2021-05-24

LEGAL BRIEF

By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq.

Any time you install new software or a new service, you are faced with a seemingly simple task: checking a box confirming that you agree to the company’s terms of service.

If you’ve followed the associated link, chances are you’ve encountered 20 or 30 (or 40) pages of pseudo-English. Using the ubiquitous Microsoft Services Agreement as an example, here’s what you are typically agreeing to. For simplicity, we’ll stick with basic U.S. accounts. Most specific products and some special types of account (for example, accounts for minors, education accounts, and organizational accounts) have additional rules. Other rules apply in other countries. Your mileage may vary.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.19.0 (2021-05-24).
This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.19.F (2021-05-24).

Win7 to Win10 activation trouble

LANGALIST

By Fred Langa

A subscriber lost his Win7 product key and wonders what will happen if his free Win10 upgrade fails to properly activate, especially now that the old, manual “get a replacement key” methods no longer work!

Surprisingly, the original product key might still exist in several unusual locations, even after the upgrade — but digging it out could take some doing. Here are the options, with additional information about what happens if you don’t activate!

Plus: More on OneDrive’s permanent vs. impermanent local copies.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.19.0 (2021-05-24).

Amazon is turning Echo and Ring into transmitters on June 8

PUBLIC DEFENDER

By Brian Livingston

You may not have been expecting this, but those nice little Echo speakers you bought to play music — as well as your Ring Cams, Video Doorbell Pros, Level door locks, etc. — will begin talking on June 8 to a gaggle of gadgets that may be up to a mile from your home or office.

These always-on communications will not use Wi-Fi, although your speakers, security cameras, and so forth probably already connect with your Wi-Fi router. Instead, Amazon has built a new capability into devices that the corporation may have sold to you as long ago as 2018.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.19.0 (2021-05-24).

Freeware Spotlight — Win10 Settings Blocker

BEST UTILITIES

By Deanna McElveen

A computer user who can’t access the Windows settings is a computer user who has less chance of breaking something.

A few years ago, Sordum.org came out with a handy tool called Win10 Settings Blocker to block access to Windows settings. We’ve used it on scores of computers owned by our clients. We’ve used it on public-access kiosks, nursing-home med carts, computers for the Mennonite communities in our area, and countless others. The program is portable, free, and clean. Perfect!

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.19.0 (2021-05-24).

Wi-Fi vulnerabilities affect all

ON SECURITY

By Susan Bradley

FragAttacks is a newly discovered set of vulnerabilities that, when exploited, allows an adversary to steal data by intercepting a network.

For once, a threat may be less dangerous than advertised.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.19.0 (2021-05-24).

Tasks for the weekend – May 22, 2021 – Status of 21H1

(Youtube here)

The May 2021 version of Windows 10 21H1 has been released and Microsoft is doing a “dribble out”. You will see it if you click on check for updates.

While this will probably be the least impactful Windows 10 release we’ve seen in a long time, I still recommend that for those who

1. Dual boot
2. Have older machines
3. Had issues in the past

to hold back and wait for a bit.

I know that I’ll probably have to repair the QuickBooks pdf printers (I normally do each release), and I’ve seen some folks still have issues with partitions as well as a person having a BSOD after the install. Remember we have a forum set up for questions as you have them.

Microsoft is tracking the known issues here.

Remember if you want to stay on 20H2 and ensure you are not even offered up 21H1, use this 20H2 registry key download. Merely click on it to install it in your computer and it will ensure you aren’t offered 21H1.

Once I give you the all clear, I’ll have you install the 21H1 registry key. But until then, as you can see in the video, if you don’t have the 20H2 registry key in place, the minute you click on “Check for Updates” it will install 21H1!

News and Interests is not a new feature

So that thing with the weather that you think is the new thing with 21H1? It’s actually not new for that feature release. Rather it’s included in all supported Windows 10 May releases.

Now the interesting thing is that I’ve yet to see it on a domain joined or even a machine where the windows updates are get via group policy.

Anyone else seeing this in a domain or business setting yet?

21H1 is getting close

Windowslatest reports that 21H1 is getting close to release.

B shares that 21H1 is out for “seekers”

Remember these days it’s a bit nicer behaved and will offer itself up and not be forced.

The good news is that it’s a smaller release this time so it shouldn’t take that much time to install.  But I’m a waiter, not a seeker 🙂

Remember if you have any questions – we have a forum for you!

Other Apple privacy practices

ISSUE 18.18 • 2021-05-17

APPLE

By Nathan Parker

Not all privacy settings are neatly contained in the main Settings app in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

In my previous articles in this series on Apple’s privacy settings, I enumerated those found in what we might call the “usual places.” There are some others involving privacy that are found elsewhere. This final article in the series will help you find those “out of the box” controls.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.18.0 (2021-05-17).
This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.18.F (2021-05-17).

Another OneDrive problem caused by poor documentation

LANGALIST

By Fred Langa

Microsoft’s OneDrive service can be excellent, but it also can be frustratingly hard to use to its fullest, impeded by documentation that’s sparse, scattered, and incomplete.

For example, OneDrive has three very different ways of handling your files, but only one — and it’s not the default — leaves behind a permanent, fully normal, local copy on your hard drive!

None of this is explained in OneDrive’s “getting started” documentation or in its top-level help files — but is explained in today’s column.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.18.0 (2021-05-17).

Should you give Microsoft all of your passwords?

PUBLIC DEFENDER

By Brian Livingston

A new feature of Microsoft’s Edge browser is causing our readers to ask, “Is this MS initiative going to place our account info at risk?” Should Web users allow their browsers to store usernames and passwords for sites they must sign in to?

You’re not going to like the answer, but it’s: Yes and No.

Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.18.0 (2021-05-17).