Why 5G Has Airlines So Spooked

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning that travel early next year could be disrupted by the latest 5G expansion, though the telecommunications industry has pushed back against those claims.

The agency first warned about potential issues in a November bulletin, explaining their concerns that the frequencies utilized for this updated 5G service have the potential to impact an aircraft instrument called the radio altimeter. These sensors, which measure a plane’s height above the ground, are critical in guiding pilots during landings.

On the other side of this issue, CTIA, the lobbying group representing the wireless industry, refuted some of those claims in an electronic filing sent to the FAA. The CTIA called such analysis of the 5G operations “flawed” and said nearly 40 other countries are already using this spectrum without issue, including Japan and Denmark.

“In some of these countries, 5G signals operate in the spectrum adjacent to aviation equipment. U.S. airlines fly in and out of these countries every day. If interference were possible, we would have seen it long before now,” said CTIA President and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker.

A spokesperson for the FAA told Popular Science that wireless companies in those other countries have had to take mitigating steps to address any issues, such as turning down power levels or changing antenna directions.

In response to the agency’s November bulletin, Verizon and AT&T pushed back their 5G launch plans to January and agreed to reduce power levels from cell towers using this spectrum for six months while monitoring the change, according to CNET.

However, the FAA issued additional directives earlier this month outlining potentially more restrictive measures, including limiting the use of radio altimeters at certain airports where the technology could be deemed unreliable due to 5G interference. And, the FAA is expected to issue more specific warnings and restrictions ahead of the anticipated 5G update, currently slated for January 5 in 46 metropolitan areas.

Regulators from the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are currently weighing proposals from the telecommunications and aviation industries to find a compromise that will allow for the 5G expansion without impacting the safety or operations of airlines. That includes considering 5G “buffer zones” around airports.

In the meantime, airlines themselves have been predicting turbulence. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby anticipates about 4 percent of the airline’s daily flights could be diverted or cancelled if the current FAA guidelines are imposed and the 5G update takes place as planned. That includes flights from some of the largest airports in the country, Kirby said. It could also leave some pilots unable to utilize radio altimeters in low-visibility landings.

A coalition of aviation industry groups including the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a joint statement urging “meaningful discussion” among regulators as January approaches.

“Time is running out before millions of air travelers and the shipping public experience significant disruptions such as flight delays, flight cancelations and backups to the already-stressed supply chain,” the statement reads. “We implore the FCC, FAA and NEC [National Economic Council] to continue meaningful discussions in good faith and to identify mitigations and reach a successful implementation plan that will ensure new 5G technologies can safely co-exist with the aviation industry.”

Credit: popsci.com

Why Your Car Door Won't Lock Or Unlock Properly

Just because power locks are now standard on even the lowliest entry-level econoboxes doesn't mean there are fewer problems with your car's most basic security feature. In fact, the presence of keyless entry means there are even more parts lurking within the depths of your car than there would have been with old-school analog locks.

If you're having problems getting in and out of your car due to a power lock malfunction, here are a six common reasons why your door locks may not be working.

Key fob battery dead. A simple >battery replacement in the key fob could solve your problem. Batteries are typically a coin type, but consult your owner's manual for the exact number. (Or remove the dead battery from the fob; the battery size is typically printed on the battery itself. You may need to look in the manual or online to learn how to open the fob.)

Blown fuse. The next simplest solution could be a blown fuse. Before your take your car to a dealer, checking your power door lock fuse could prevent a costly visit. Your owner's manual should point you to the specific location of the fuse box, but they are typically located behind a plastic panel near your driver's side footwell and usually don't require any tools to remove. Once you've removed the fuse box lid, the inside of the lid (or the owner's manual) should have a diagram showing the functions of various fuses. Look for the one corresponding to the door locks. You might need pliers or tweezers to pull it out (some carmakers supply a pulling tool on the inside of the fuse box lid). See if the small metal squiggle in the center of the fuse is connected or not. A blown fuse will have a noticeable gap. Be sure to replace the fuse with a new one of the same amperage. <

Key fob malfunction. Unfortunately key fobs are a bit more complex than a good old-fashioned key. If the battery isn't the culprit, you'll need to take the fob to your dealer to get it diagnosed. They'll connect it to a computer to check if the fob is still sending out the proper signal. If not, the fob will have to be replaced.

Solenoid malfunction. When you press the buttons on a key fob, it sends a signal to a solenoid inside your car doors. The solenoid translates the electronic signal to a mechanical action, in this case moving a steel rod that the turning of a key in a keyhole used to accomplish. The solenoid within a door that's not locking/unlocking will require the removal of the inner door panel to replace.

Rod or connector broken. Though less likely than an electronic malfunction, there's always the possibility that one of the aforementioned rods or (more plausibly) plastic connectors has broken. The network of hardware links the switches on the door panel with the inner and outer door handles and locks. Plastic hardens over time and can become brittle, or gunk has seeped into and accumulated in the door via the window's repeated opening and closing. As with the solenoid replacement, this will require the removal of the inner door panel to diagnose and fix, though if there are any problems they will be visible to the naked eye.

Electrical problems. If none of the above resolves the issue, there may be an electrical problem. Every electrical component requires a logic board and a wire that can be ultimately traced to a power source (the battery). A malfunctioning logic board or a break in the wire could cause problems. If the lock and unlock function works intermittently, there could be an electrical short in the system due to the plastic insulation of the wire being worn down. If it has ceased to function at all, the wire could be broken.

Remember that almost all cars still have a physical key that can be used to lock and unlock the car. It might be hidden in your key fob or exist as a separate backup that came with the car. You can at least use that to lock your car for peace of mind until you or a professional mechanic can resolve the issue.

Credit: autoblog.com

What Those Orange And Green Dots Mean On Your iPhone

Apple Bytes: 

Every now and again, you'll see a tiny dot-shaped light appear at the top of your iPhone screen (iOS 14). Sometimes it's orange. Sometimes it's green. Ever wonder about it?

A quick search of the Apple Support page will provide the answer.

(select any image to enlarge)      

Orange dot

The orange dot is telling you that your iPhone's microphone is being used by an app. It'll appear when you use voice memos, maybe briefly after you close out your camera, or if you're using any app that exclusively records your voice.

Green dot

The green dot is telling you that your iPhone's camera is being used by an app. You'll see it when opening your camera, or taking pictures on Instagram, Snapchat, or any social media app that allows you to take pictures and post them. 

That's pretty much it. Neither the orange or the green indicate anything particularly concerning.

Credit: mashable.com

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc. - Executive Board Minutes
December 10, 2021

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Bill Balch, Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Linda Tingley, Bob Irish, Linda Irish, Richard Cunningham, Bob Leiner, Don Forgette, Steve Maly and Alan Marcus.

Secretary’s report read by Bob Kenlay. Jim Trimboli made a correction to the minutes of November to correct the balance to read $1602.50.

Jim Trimboli then read the current Treasurer's Report. The current balance is $1724.50.

Alan Marcus has written up the procedure to run “The Hat” program. He then ran a simulated demonstration to run the program for the 50/50 drawing and the gift card drawings.

Bob Leiner asked if anyone has looked into the scheduling of the Orchid Club for member meetings for 2022. Bill Balch said he would check the schedule and get back to Alan Marcus.

Steve Maly questioned our investigation into cellular internet. Bob Kenlay suggested that we wait until the cellular companies make the transition to 5G in February 2022.

Alan Marcus will contact the “DOD” to open the kitchen by 8:00AM for the holiday party.

Linda Tingley will bring the food for the Holiday party.

Future meeting topics:

Dec 15 - “Media Creation & Backups” by Alan Marcus
Jan 19 - “Turn Photos Into Screen Savers & Albums” by Bill Balch
Feb 16 - “Computer Settings” by Richard Cunningham
Mar 16 - “Computer Q & A” by Alan Marcus

The meeting adjourned at 9:55AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bob Kenlay, Secretary

Verizon Customers: Check Your Privacy Settings - ASAP

A new 'Verizon Custom Experience' update is automatically tracking your data, location, and contacts.

Verizon customers take note: One of the telecom giant’s latest, seemingly bland email blasts contains some potentially major privacy changes under the guise of a more “tailored” service.

A new program innocuously titled the “Verizon Custom Experience” is sold to users as a way for the company to “personalize our communications with you, give you more relevant product and service recommendations, and develop plans, services and offers that are more appealing to you.” To accomplish this, all a Verizon subscriber needs to do is... allow the company access to all the websites you visit, apps you use, as well as see everyone you happen to call and text.

Well, okay, so that’s a bit misleading. You don’t “need” to allow access, Verizon already default granted it. However, you can manually go in and change a few settings to remedy the situation, though. Here’s how.

Easy to overlook, but easy to fix. All one needs to do is log in to their Verizon mobile account, then go to privacy settings. From there, you can toggle all of your data sharing options and read Verizon’s more detailed explanation of each service. Those managing more than one line on their accounts can also disable the features on each separate number, as well. It’s a small move, but definitely one to consider, data is tracked enough these days.

The announcement email from your smartphone provider is easy to miss and get tossed into the trash folder. That may be what Verizon is counting on here, because it doesn’t take long to realize the new “personalization” system is really just a giant data collection scheme. Although Verizon promises that all your information remains in-house and will not be sold to any third parties, the company already encompasses enough to make this an unappealing prospect.

Luckily, it’s pretty quick and easy to disable your Custom Experience.

Credit: inputmag.com

Make Sure Your Fitbit Is Counting Steps Correctly

There are a few easy fixes if your tracker feels off.

It seems like everyone these days is trying to hit their 10,000 steps, close their rings, or complete whatever other task their wrist-based fitness tool urges them to do.

Do you like seeing how many steps you've taken in a day? But, if you're worried the count from your Fitbit might not we accurate, don't fret, here are three tips to make sure it's tracking accurately.

1. Make sure you are wearing your Fitbit device correctly

Wearing your tracker incorrectly could cause issues with how its tracking your data. Here's a quick checklist of things you could be doing wrong:

Is your tracker on your non-dominant hand? If you're wearing it on your dominant hand there might be too much movement, potentially causing an inaccurate read.

Is your Fitbit in direct contact with your skin? Make sure it isn't being worn over a shirt or something similar.

Make sure your Fitbit isn't too tight during everyday use. According to Fitbit's guide, it should be able to slide on your wrist a bit. During exercise, the company recommends you place the tracker a bit higher and slightly tighter on your wrist, about two fingers width away from your wrist bone.

2. Restart your Fitbit

Try restarting your Fitbit because sometimes problems are easily solved with a quick Off and On. Also, if your Fitbit is super low on battery, charge it, because electronic devices on low batteries don't always perform well.

3. Recalibrate your Fitbit's stride length

This is the most complicated but likely best way to make sure your step count is accurate. This is definitely the thing to do if your feel like your tracker is not working correctly or you want to be sure it is as accurate as possible.

Here are the steps to take:

(refer to the enlargeable image below these steps)

First things first, you need to go to a place where you're certain of the distance. A track is the easy answer here.

Count your steps as you walk or run an exact distance, such as 100 meters. Fitbit recommends you take a least 20 steps for this process.

Divide the distance traveled by the number of steps taken. That's your stride length in meters if you're using a track, or in whatever measure you chose to use.

You'll then have to convert the stride length from meters (or whatever) to centimeters or inches. Google is your friend here, people.

Now you can manually change your stride length in the Fitbit app. Here's how you do that.

Open the Fitbit app and go to your account. You page should look something like this.

Select "Activity & Wellness" from the list of options on your account page.

Click "Exercise."

Scroll down and select "Stride Length." You'll have to pass a few options before you see it. It'll look like this.

Manually change your stride strength using the calculations you did earlier. All you do is enter your data and your step count should be more accurate.

From this point on, your Fitbit tracker should be as accurate as ever. Happy walking.

Credit: mashable.com

Intel Drivers Not Allowing Upgrade To Windows 11

Some PC owners will need to upgrade their drivers before upgrading to Windows 11.

Microsoft recently placed a compatibility hold on some PCs to prevent them from upgrading to Windows 11. The move is to prevent potential issues that can arise when using specific Intel Smart Sound Technology (Intel SST) drivers on Windows 11. Affected systems won't see the option to upgrade to Windows 11 until they're running newer Intel SST drivers.

Microsoft outlines the known issue in a recently updated doc.

"Intel and Microsoft have found incompatibility issues with certain versions of drivers for Intel Smart Sound Technology (Intel SST) and Windows 11," reads the doc. "Windows 11 devices with the affected Intel SST driver might receive an error with a blue screen."

"The affected driver will be named Intel Smart Sound Technology (Intel SST) Audio Controller under System Devices in Device Manager and have the file name IntcAudioBus.sys and a file version of 10.29.0.5152 and earlier or 10.30.0.5152 and earlier."

The compatibility hold has been put in place to safeguard the upgrade experience for devices with affected Intel SST drivers.

Microsoft details a workaround for the issue. PC owners can check with their device's manufacturer to see if an updated driver is available and then install it. The issue is resolved by updating Intel SST drivers to version 10.30.00.5714 and later or 10.29.00.5714 and later.

Assuming there aren't any other safeguards affecting your device, you should then be able to upgrade to Windows 11. Note that it can take up to 48 hours to see the option to upgrade after you've installed the latest Intel SST drivers.

Microsoft discourages people from manually upgrading to Windows 11 on affected PCs.

Credit: windowscentral.com

Apple Announces Self Service Repair

Apple Bytes: 

Apple yesterday (11-17-21) announced Self Service Repair, which will allow customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs access to Apple genuine parts and tools. Available first for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups, and soon to be followed by Mac computers featuring M1 chips, Self Service Repair will be available early next year in the US and expand to additional countries throughout 2022. Customers join more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) and 2,800 Independent Repair Providers who have access to these parts, tools, and manuals.

The initial phase of the program will focus on the most commonly serviced modules, such as the iPhone display, battery, and camera. The ability for additional repairs will be available later next year.

“Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “In the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and training, and now we’re providing an option for those who wish to complete their own repairs.”

Apple builds durable products designed to endure the rigors of everyday use. When an Apple product requires repair, it can be serviced by trained technicians using Apple genuine parts at thousands of locations, including Apple (in-store or by mail), AASPs, Independent Repair Providers, and now product owners who are capable of performing repairs themselves.

Self Service Repair

To ensure a customer can safely perform a repair, it’s important they first review the Repair Manual. Then a customer will place an order for the Apple genuine parts and tools using the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store. Following the repair, customers who return their used part for recycling will receive credit toward their purchase.

The new store will offer more than 200 individual parts and tools, enabling customers to complete the most common repairs on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13.

Self Service Repair is intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices. For the vast majority of customers, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair.

Expanded Access to Apple Repairs

In the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and training, including more than 2,800 Independent Repair Providers. The rapidly expanding Independent Repair Provider program originally launched in the US in 2019 and has since grown to more than 200 countries, enabling independent repair shops to access the same training, parts, and tools as other Apple Authorized Service Providers.

In addition, Apple continues to offer convenient repair options for customers through its global network of over 5,000 AASPs that help millions of people with both in- and out-of-warranty service for all Apple products.

By designing products for durability, longevity, and increased repairability, customers enjoy a long-lasting product that holds its value for years. Apple also offers years of software updates to introduce new features and functionality.

Credit: apple.com

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc. - Executive Board Minutes
November 12, 2021

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Bill Balch, Linda Tingley, Don Forgette, Bob Leiner, Bob Roesener and Alan Marcus.

Secretary’s report read by Bob Kenlay. No corrections or additions necessary.

Jim Trimboli read the Treasurer's Report. The current balance is $1602.50. Jim Trimboli made a motion that we give 10 gift cards for $10 each at the holiday meeting. Bob Kenlay seconded the motion. The question was called and the motion was accepted. It was suggested that we make up some badges for the people that will be volunteers at our regular meetings.

Linda Tingley reported that she will purchase and bag the sweet rolls for the Holiday party. We estimated that we expect about 80 attendees.

Bob Roesener suggested we should put out about 20 chairs for the regular

Future meeting topics:

Nov 17 - "Password Management” by Bob Kenlay

Dec 15 - “Media Creation and Backups” by Alan Marcus

Jan 19 - “Turn Photos into Screen Savers and Albums” by Bill Balch

Don Forgette suggested that all CTC officers and workers write up job procedures of their positions which could be posted on the CTC website.

Alan Marcus will make mention at the meeting of any interested members who would volunteer in becoming a board member, please notify the board.

Linda Tingley made a motion that the entire 50/50 proceeds be awarded at the Holiday party. Bill Balch seconded the motion. The motion was accepted.

The meeting adjourned at 10:05AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bob Kenlay, Secretary

Windows 11 Runs Into Issues With Some Built-in Apps

Many of the built-in apps on Windows 11 won't open on some PCs.

Windows 11 PCs may have an issue opening certain built-in applications. The Snipping Tool, Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel are among the affected apps. The problem is related to an issue with a Microsoft digital certificate that expired on October 31, 2021. Release preview update KB5006746 can mitigate some of the issues. Microsoft is working on a fix for the Snipping tool and other remaining problems. 

Microsoft details the issue:

Starting on November 1, 2021, some users might be unable to open or use certain built-in Windows apps or parts of some built-in apps. This is caused by an issue with a Microsoft digital certificate, which expired October 31, 2021.

The following applications might be affected:

• Snipping Tool
• Accounts page and landing page in the Settings app (S mode only)
• Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing, and Emoji Panel
• Input Method Editor user interface (IME UI)
• Getting started and Tips

Windows 11 preview update KB5006746 mitigates the issue for the following apps:

• Touch Keyboard, Voice Typing and Emoji Panel
• Input Method Editor user interface (IME UI)
• Getting started and Tips

The fixes in the preview update will likely make their way to Windows 11 in the next set of Patch Tuesday updates. 

Credit: windowscentral.com

Secret List On Facebook That's Tracking You Online

Facebook may be tracking every app that you visit.

If you do online banking, they’re probably tracking when you click on your banking online app through your phone.

To see your own Off-Facebook Activity you need to go to Settings on the Facebook app, find Your Facebook Information and then click on Off-Facebook Activity.

To delete the list just click Clear History. A message should pop up saying “Your activity has been cleared”. The apps that have previously been listed in the section should disappear.

You can also select the More Options button. Here, you can download the information collected about you or manage any future data collection.

Credit: nypost.com

Tesla Model 3 Is The Most American Electric Car

The most American electric car you can buy isn't a Ford or a Chevy. It's a Tesla.

That's according to the 2021 Made in America Auto Index released by American University's Kogod School of Business.

The index, now in its ninth year, ranks models on sale in the US based on how much of their labor, parts, manufacturing, and research and development come from domestic sources. Vehicles also score points if their company is based in the US and if profits land in the US.

The Tesla Model 3 came in third overall in this year's ranking, with 65% of its parts coming from the US or Canada. It earned an overall score of 82.5. The electric-vehicle maker builds its US-market models at a plant in Fremont, California. It's working to open up another US factory in Austin, Texas.

The Model 3 was only beat out by the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray and Ford Mustang GT, which topped the list. Last year's winner, the Ford Ranger pickup, dropped to 16th place after its US/Canadian content was reduced from 70% to 45%.

Tesla's Model S sedan and Model Y SUV tied for fifth place, while the Model X SUV took eighth, tying with the Ford F-150. The next most American EV is the Chevrolet Bolt, which comes in at 55th place. Ford's Mustang Mach-E SUV took the 75th spot, with 15% US/Canadian content and an overall score of 19.5. It's assembled in Mexico.

Credit: businessinsider.com

How Does A Clone Differ From An Image

From the Archives of CTC, Inc:


Tech News and Views

Not too long ago I wrote an article about cloning vs. imaging a hard drive. But, some users are still confused. So here goes another attempt at an explanation of the differences.

If you make a clone of your hard drive, you will have an exact sector for sector copy. If you remove the hard drive from your computer and replace it with the clone, the computer will behave the same way it did before you made the switch. The operating system and all of the programs will transfer. But, let's suppose you made the clone a month ago. If so, everything is out of date. You could make a new clone everyday, but clones take a long time to make and each time you clone you overwrite the data that was on that drive.

Images are also exact copies, but the data is compressed, so you can have many images on one disk and the new ones will not overwrite the older ones. However, to boot your computer so you can restore an image, you must have made and now will have to use a recovery disk. To make one, just type "Create a Recovery Disk" in the Windows 10 search box and follow the prompts.

Originally posted by Alan Marcus

Part 2 of 2: Fixing The 10 Biggest Annoyances in iOS 15 & iPadOS 15

Apple Bytes: 

See part 1 of 2 > > HERE

(Note: select any image to enlarge)

6. Disable Quick Note gesture for Apple Pencil on your iPad

Quick Note is probably one of the best new features in iPadOS 15, as it lets you create a floating note on top of whatever you’re doing. It’s context-aware, and it lets you link to what you’re viewing on the screen.

But it’s also really easy to invoke the Quick Note by swiping in from the bottom-right corner of the screen. There’s no way to disable the finger gesture, but you can disable it for the Apple Pencil. That way, you won’t accidentally trigger Quick Note when you’re trying to draw something on the screen. Open the “Settings” app, go to the “Apple Pencil” section, and from the “Right Corner Swipe” option, tap the “Off” button.

7. Disable the little window previews when launching apps on your iPad

The new multitasking menu in iPadOS 15 finally makes Split View easier to use. But there’s a new feature called Shelf that you might find annoying. The shelf is a feature that shows up for a couple of seconds at the bottom of the screen after you open an app, if that app has multiple windows open. For new users, this is more annoying than helpful.

Sadly, there’s no way to disable the Shelf feature, but you can make it disappear. For that, you’ll have to quit the other open windows. To do that from the Shelf itself, just flick the little window previews.

8. Disable the search gesture on the lock screen

Spotlight Search is really useful: Just swipe down and the search is ready to go. It’s not so useful though when you keep accidentally triggering it from the Lock Screen. If you’re finding it annoying, you can disable this feature from the “Settings” app. Here, go to “Face ID & Passcode,” and disable the “Today View and Search” toggle. Now your iPhone won’t open search when you accidentally swipe down when your phone is locked.

9. Stop the separation alerts from bothering you

Separation alerts is a new feature in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. If you leave your iPad or AirPods behind, your iPhone will gently let you know using a notification. The problem is that this feature isn’t always reliable or smart, like when you intentionally leave your iPad at home or work.

If the separation alerts are bothering you, you can do two things.

You can disable them by opening the “Find My” app, and choosing a device. Then, tap the “Notify When Left Behind” option. Here, tap the “New Location” button to add a new area. You can add this area for all devices if you choose to. Alternatively, you can disable the “Notify When Left Behind” feature from the top.

10. Enable the new features that Apple didn’t

Yes, a couple of features like SharePlay are missing from the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 releases. But what’s even more confusing is the fact that Apple chose not to enable some features that were supposed to be enabled by default. Two features stick out here.

Mail Privacy Protection: This feature prevents pixel tracking in emails. Once enabled, it will stop email trackers from knowing if you opened the email and where you opened it from. It’s a great feature, but you’ll need to enable it manually from Settings> Mail> Privacy Protection> Protect Mail Activity.

iCloud Private Relay (iCloud+): Apple decided to make this a Beta feature that isn’t enabled by default. iCloud Private Relay acts as a proxy connection for all the traffic that goes through Safari. It’s routed through two sets of servers that anonymize the traffic in such a way that even Apple can’t track it. You can enable it from Settings> Profile> iCloud> Private Relay.

Credit: lifehacker.com

Part 1 of 2: Fixing The 10 Biggest Annoyances in iOS 15 & iPadOS 15

Apple Bytes: 

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 are solid updates to the iPhone and iPad. Yes, there’s not a whole lot going on this year, and we’re still waiting on features like SharePlay and Universal Control, but this is the year of small, stable updates. That said, every year Apple tends to add some features that are less than ideal, and this one’s no different. Thankfully, you have the option to disable the most annoying features, if you truly hate them.

(Note: select any image to enlarge)

1. Put the Safari address bar back on top

On the iPhone, there’s a new, gesture-based tab bar at the bottom of the screen. It’s quite intuitive, and easy to reach on the bigger iPhones, so as we’ve said before, you should try and embrace the new Safari tab bar. But if you’re used to the Safari address bar being at the top, there’s some good news for you. Just open the Safari app on your iPhone and tap the “Aa” button. Here, choose the “Show Top Address Bar” option. The address bar has now moved to the top.

2. Disable window tinting in Safari

This one’s another side-effect of the Safari redesign. Safari’s tab bar now takes the prominent color of the website (if the website chooses to provide it), and while this might look great in product shots, the tab bar color changing every time you switch to a different website is certainly jarring. If you want, you can disable this feature from the “Settings” app. Here, go to the “Safari” section and disable the “Allow Website Tinting” feature.

3. Disable the annoying Shared For You sections

In iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, the Share For You section is everywhere. It’s on the Safari start page, the For You section in Photos, the Podcasts app, and the Music app. It shows the relevant shared links from iMessage conversations, which might be useful once or twice, but probably not when those links just stay there all the time.

Thankfully, you can disable the Shared for You section in particular apps, or for the entire OS. Open the “Settings” app and go to Messages> Shared with You. Here, disable the “Automatic Sharing” feature to stop this for all apps. Or you can individually disable the feature for Music, TV, Safari, Photos, Podcasts, and News.

4. Stop random widgets from appearing on your home screen

When you buy a new iPhone with iOS 15 installed, you’ll see two new widgets at the top. In fact, if you’re using a Smart Stack widget with the Smart Rotate feature enabled, Apple will just start showing random widgets to you out of nowhere.

This is thanks to the new Widget Suggestions feature that you can turn off. To do this, tap and hold a widget, and tap “Edit Stack.” Here, disable the “Widget Suggestions” feature.

5. Disable App Library on your iPad

With iPadOS 15, the App Library comes to the iPad. It’s a single screen that shows all installed apps in intelligent folders. On the iPad, you access it using its own icon at the far end of the Dock.

If you don’t like this Dock icon, or if you don’t plan on using App Library, you can disable it. Open the “Settings” app and go to the “Home Screen & Dock” section. Here, disable the “Show App Library in Dock” option.

See part 2 of 2 > > HERE.

Credit: lifehacker.com

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc. - Executive Board Minutes
October 8, 2021

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Bill Balch, Linda Tingley, Steve Maly, Bob Irish and Alan Marcus.

Secretary’s report read by Bob Kenlay. No corrections or additions necessary.

Jim Trimboli read the Treasurer's Report. The current balance is $1562.04. Jim Trimboli will make a presentation at the next regular meeting for volunteers to assist at our monthly meetings.

Alan Marcus will make an announcement for the members to make suggestions for meeting topics.

Linda Tingley will investigate the possibility of pre-package food for the Holiday party.

Future meeting topics:

Oct. 20 - “BookWright” by Richard Cunningham
Nov. 17 - "Password Management” by Bob Kenlay

The meeting adjourned at 9:40AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bob Kenlay, Secretary

Car Headlights Are Becoming More High-tech Than Ever

Headlights are quietly undergoing a technological revolution, and regulators are trying to catch up.

For much of automotive history, innovation came to headlights gradually. But over the last few decades, the pace has quickened. Now, automakers are using LED technology to create arrays of tiny lights that can cast complex beam patterns. The so-called adaptive driving beams can illuminate an entire road while shutting off any bulbs that would shine in the eyes of oncoming drivers.

Even more sophisticated headlights have such high resolution that they can display graphics or even animations. These could be used to display warnings or other important information in front of the driver. In theory, the technology could enable a car to project an entire movie from its headlamps.

As of now, federal regulators are in the process of making rules that could completely change the way drivers see the road and each other.

Credit: cnbc.com

Play Armchair Astronaut With NASA's Interactive Mars Experiences

Explore the Martian surface from the comfort of your sofa with NASA's new online interactive experiences. A pair of web-based adventures let anyone with an internet connection and a bit of imagination visit Jezero Crater, the landing site of NASA's Perseverance rover, no astronaut training required.

The first experience, "Explore with Perseverance" (HERE) lets you follow alongside the rover as if you were on the Red Planet itself. Composed mostly of images taken by the probe from various vantage points, the program is padded with additional images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Experiment) camera.

"It's the best reconstruction available of what Mars looks like," Parker Abercrombie, a senior software engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said in a statement. "We can highlight scientifically interesting rocks and other features, or the Ingenuity helicopter flight locations."

Unlike on Earth, where you can get your bearings by looking at landmarks such as trees and buildings, the Martian terrain can be "really hard to wrap your head around," Abercrombie said. These new experiences are meant to help people understand location and distance as if they were on Mars.

Parents and teachers are encouraged to share 3D views with kids, while adults can steal some time away from work to become a part-time explorer. The 3D function is a user-friendly version of the Advanced Science Targeting Tool for Robotic Operations (ASTTRO) used by NASA's rover team to select interesting targets of study.

"It's a unique challenge to set things up so people can browse in a way they'll understand, since users have varying experiences in using 3D environments," according to Abercrombie. "This is a great opportunity for the public to follow along with the mission, using the same type of visualization tools as the mission scientists."

A second activity, called "Where is Perseverance?" (HERE) shows the real-time location of the probe and Ingenuity Mars Helicopter as they study the local scenery. The site, also based on ASTTRO, is regularly updated with new views and points of interest after every drive and flight. "Terrain maps like this one allow scientists to spot interesting places to look for possible evidence of ancient life," according to the JPL. "And you'll be able to share in the journey."

Using "practically the same software" as NASA, anyone can zoom in and out and pan around the Red Planet, following the rover's route and stopping points, complete with markets indicating the Martian day and a peak at where Perseverance and Ingenuity might head next.

The Curiosity mission has a similar online experience. (HERE)

Credit: pcmag.com

EdgeDeflector Fights Back When Windows Ignores Your Settings

Sometimes Windows ignores your default browser settings, but that isn't an issue if you have EdgeDeflector. The app redirects links to your browser of choice, including links that normally ignore default browser settings.

Many are frustrated that Windows 10 and Windows 11 don't always follow default browser settings. Certain aspects of the operating systems open webpages in Microsoft Edge, regardless of which browser someone has set as a default. In comes EdgeDeflector, an app designed to quietly intercept any redirects to Edge back to your browser of choice.

The app just received an update to version 1.2.3.0. The update doesn't bring much in terms of new features that people will notice, but its rollout is a good chance to highlight the app. Windows 11 pushing people to Microsoft Edge made headlines recently, so many will be on the lookout for a simple way to never see Edge.

With EdgeDeflector in place, when you click a link from a widget on the new OS you will still go to your browser of choice, not Edge. While EdgeDeflector redirects links, its maker emphasizes that it only runs locally. This means that it doesn't collect data regarding the links people click. It doesn't store data regarding links either. It works by having EdgeDeflector become the default app for Microsoft Edge links found throughout the OS.

Credit: windowscentral.com

UPDATE: In November 2021 Microsoft began blocking EdgeDeflector from working in Windows 11. Read more in this news article at theverge.com.

UPDATE: (December 2021) After early reports confirmed that Windows 11 would include an even more labyrinthine process for switching your default browser than the one required in previous versions, the company has seemingly reversed course, now allowing users to switch browsers with the click of a single button. More HERE.

How To Add Sound To LibreOffice

From the Archives of CTC, Inc:


Tech News and Views

Here's the way to add sound to LibreOffice Impress.

Add sound to LibreOffice Impress Presentation

• Open the Impress presentation and Audacity (side by side)
• Click Record in Audacity and record the sound for the first slide. Click Stop to stop recording.
• Click File Export Audio and OK. Give file a name or number (such as slide 1) and save as WAV file.
• When Edit Metadata slide appears, just click OK.
• Go to Libre Office and click View. Select Slide Transition
• Choose None for transition
• Click down arrow by word Sound
• Click Other Sound
• Click the number of the saved sound file that matches the slide
• Click Open
• Click Slideshow and start from current slide to preview recording
• Click Edit Delete to delete audio track from Audacity, so you can record sound for next slide.
• Repeat process for remaining slides.

When you have recorded sound for each slide, click Insert Sound and then select respective slide. An image of a speaker will appear on the slide. Drag the image off to the side of the frame so that when a slide show is shown the speaker picture is not visible. Save all and then test the program.

The finished program with the speaker icons can be copied to a flash drive and to another computer.

Originally posted by Alan Marcus

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc. – Executive Board Minutes
September 10, 2021

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Bill Balch, Don Forgette, Bob Leiner, Richard Cunningham and Alan Marcus.

Secretary’s report read by Bob Kenlay. No corrections or additions necessary.

Jim Trimboli read the Treasurer's Report. The current balance is $1551.04.

Future meeting topics:

Sep 15 - "Zoom Meeting” by Bill Balch

Oct 20 - “BookWright” by Richard Cunningham

Nov 17 - "Password Management” by Bob Kenlay

The meeting adjourned at 9:40AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Kenlay, Secretary

How To Force Quit Your iPhone

Apple Bytes: 

Some days our iPhones, like us, just can't seem to get it together. Your phone is stuck, frozen, or just not operating the way it should. The old IT adage of "turn it off and turn it back on" doesn't even work. In those cases, you need to force quit your iPhone.

Instructions are similar for each model, but differ slightly:

• iPhone X, Xs, Xr, 11, or 12: Press and quickly release the volume up button, then do the same with the volume down button. Hold the side button until the Apple logo appears, then release it.


• iPhone 8 or SE (second generation): Same as later models. Press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and release volume down. Hold the side button and release when the Apple logo appears.


• iPhone 7: Press and hold both the volume down and Sleep/Wake (side) button at the same time. Release both when the Apple logo appears.


• iPhone 6 or SE (first generation): Press and hold the Sleep/Wake (side) button and the home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

Force quitting your iPhone is a simple way to reboot it and, hopefully, fix whatever sluggishness compelled you to do so in the first place. If your phone is still acting up, you may need to look into different fixes.

Credit: mashable.com

How To Combine PDF Files

There's a super-easy free tool you can use.

If you ever find yourself with the need to combine several PDFs into one single file, you may be immediately frustrated. It's not immediately obvious how to achieve what you're trying to do.

Luckily, Adobe, the creator of the PDF, offers a super-simple and free online tool that will help you combine your files in a matter of minutes.

Adobe's free online tool to combine PDFs offers a clean and simple interface that's easy to understand. The first time you use the tool, you don't need to sign in, and you can just select to download your merged file when you've completed the process.

If you want to use the tool again, you will need to sign in with your Google, Facebook, or Apple account, or by creating an account with your email address and a password. When you do sign in, you get the additional option to share your file by either generating a link or emailing it to others.

To get started, you need to get your PDF files into the main "Combine Files/Merge PDFs" box you will see at the top of the page. You can do this by dragging and dropping your PDF files into the box, or you can click the "Select Files" button to choose files you have saved on your computer.

Once you've uploaded your PDF files, it's just a matter of clicking the "Merge/Combine" option toward the top right of your screen. If you're signed in, you'll need to give the new file a name before the "Combine" button is clickable. After you've completed the combine process, you can download or share your new file.

From the completed merge screen, you'll also see a menu on the right-hand side of the page. This menu gives you further options to edit your file, including the ability to reorganize the pages, split the PDF, edit it, convert it into an alternative file format such as a JPEG or Word file, and to add a comment. Simply click on each option to make it happen.

Credit: mashable.com

The Difference Between Computer Image And Backup

From the Archives of CTC, Inc:


Tech News and Views

Many computer users do not understand the difference between a computer image and a computer backup.

Generally, backups refer to saving documents, pictures, downloads, videos and music. The backups are generally made by saving to an external hard drive, but, since flash drives have increased in size, some users are backing up to them instead.

Since backups do not include programs such as Printshop, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, etc, and don't include the operating system (such as Windows, Linux, etc), if the computer crashes, all of that missing information has to be re-installed. If the user had created an image (all files and programs from the computer), all could be re-installed in one fell swoop.

Originally posted by Alan Marcus

Norton And Avast Announce Massive Merger Worth Over $8 Billion

NortonLifeLock will acquire Avast as part of a merger valued between $8.1 billion and $8.6 billion. The acquisition combines two of the best antivirus software makers. The deal will see NortonLifeLock purchase all of Avast's shares. The combined companies will have over 500 million customers. By the end of the second year following the merger, NortonLifeLock expects to reach a costs savings of approximately $280 million.

"This transaction is a huge step forward for consumer Cyber Safety and will ultimately enable us to achieve our vision to protect and empower people to live their digital lives safely," says Vincent Pilette, chief executive officer of NortonLifeLock. "With this combination, we can strengthen our Cyber Safety platform and make it available to more than 500 million users. We will also have the ability to further accelerate innovation to transform Cyber Safety."

Avast's chief executive officer, Ondřej Vlček, also shares thoughts on the merger. "At a time when global cyber threats are growing, yet cyber safety penetration remains very low, together with NortonLifeLock, we will be able to accelerate our shared vision of providing holistic cyber protection for consumers around the globe," says Vlček.

"Our talented teams will have better opportunities to innovate and develop enhanced solutions and services, with improved capabilities from access to superior data insights. Through our well-established brands, greater geographic diversification and access to a larger global user base, the combined businesses will be poised to access the significant growth opportunity that exists worldwide."

Avast shareholders will be entitled to a combination of cash considerations and newly issued shares in NortonLifeLock or choose alternative considerations.

Credit: windowscentral.com

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc. – Executive Board Minutes
August 13, 2021

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Linda Tingley, Bill Balch, Don Forgette, Bob Leiner, Steve Maly, and Alan Marcus.

Secretary’s report read by Bob Kenlay. No corrections or additions necessary.

Jim Trimboli read the Treasurer's Report. The current balance is $1559.04. Bob Kenlay made a motion to give five $10 gift cards the rest of this year. Jim Trimboli seconded the motion. The board passed the motion.

Don Forgette said he was ready to give the "Cellular Internet Alternatives” at the next meeting.

Future meeting topics:

Aug 18 - "Cellular Internet Alternatives” by Don Forgette and Bob Kenlay

The meeting adjourned at 9:50AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bob Kenlay, Secretary

New Bank-fraud Malware Called Vultur Infects Thousands Of Devices

Recently detected Android malware, some spread through the Google Play Store, uses a novel way to supercharge the harvesting of login credentials from more than 100 banking and cryptocurrency applications.

The malware, which researchers from Amsterdam-based security firm ThreatFabric are calling Vultur, is among the first Android threats to record a device screen whenever one of the targeted apps is opened. Vultur uses a real implementation of the VNC screen-sharing application to mirror the screen of the infected device to an attacker-controlled server, researchers with ThreatFabric said.

The typical modus operandi for Android-based bank-fraud malware is to superimpose a window on top of the login screen presented by a targeted app. The “overlay,” as such windows are usually called, appears identical to the user interface of the banking app, giving victims the impression they’re entering their credentials into a trusted piece of software. Attackers then harvest the credentials, enter them into the app running on a different device, and withdraw money.

“Banking threats on the mobile platform are no longer only based on well-known overlay attacks, but are evolving into RAT-like malware, inheriting useful tricks like detecting foreground applications to start screen recording,” ThreatFabric researchers wrote of the new Vultur approach in a post.

They continued: This brings the threat to another level, as such features open the door for on-device fraud, circumventing detection based on phishing MO’s that require fraud to be performed from a new device: With Vultur fraud can happen on the infected device of the victim. These attacks are scalable and automated since the actions to perform fraud can be scripted on the malware backend and sent in the form of sequenced commands.

Vultur, like many Android banking trojans, relies heavily on accessibility services built into the mobile OS. When first installed, Vultur abuses these services to obtain the permissions required to work. To do this, the malware uses an overlay taken from other malware families. From then on, Vultur monitors all requests that trigger the accessibility services.

The malware uses the services to detect requests that come from a targeted app. The malware also uses the services to prevent deletion of the app via traditional measures. Specifically, whenever the user tries to access the app details screen in the Android settings, Vultur automatically clicks the back button. That blocks the user from accessing the uninstall button. Vultur also hides its icon.

Another way the malware remains stealthy: trojanized apps that install it are full-featured programs that actually provide real services, such as fitness tracking or two-factor authentication. Despite the cloaking attempts, however, the malware provides at least one telltale sign that it’s running whatever trojanized app installed Vultur will appear in the Android notification panel as projecting the screen.

Once installed, Vultur starts the screen recording, using VNC implementation from a well-known Android app (Ars is leaving out the name, but it's included in the ThreatFabric report). To provide remote access to the VNC server running on the infected device, the malware uses ngrok, an app that uses an encrypted tunnel to expose local systems hidden behind firewalls to the public Internet.

The malware is installed by a trojanized app known as a dropper. So far, ThreatFabric researchers have found two trojanized apps in Google Play that install Vultur. They had combined installations of about 5,000, leading the researchers to estimate that the number of Vultur infections is numbered in the thousands. Unlike most Android malware, which relies on third-party droppers, Vultur uses a custom dropper that has come to be called Brunhilda.

“This dropper and Vultur are both developed by the same threat actor group,” ThreatFabric researchers wrote. “The choice of developing its own private trojan, instead of renting third-party malware, displays a strong motivation from this group, paired with the overall high level of structure and organization present in the bot as well as the server code.”

The researchers found that Brunhilda was used in the past to install different Android banking malware known as Alien. In all, the researchers estimate Brunhilda has infected more than 30,000 devices. The researchers based the estimate on malicious apps previously available in the Play Store, some with more than 10,000 installations each, as well as figures from third-party markets.

Vultur is programmed to record screens when any of 103 Android banking or cryptocurrency apps are running in the foreground. Italy, Australia, and Spain were the countries with the most banking institutions targeted.

Besides banking and cryptocurrency apps, the malware also harvests credentials for Facebook, Facebook-owned WhatsApp messenger, TikTok, and Viber Messenger. Credential harvesting for these apps occurs through traditional keylogging, although the ThreatFabric post didn’t explain why.

While Google has removed all Play Market apps known to contain Brunhilda, the company’s track record suggests that new trojanized apps will probably appear. Android users should only install apps that provide useful services and, even then, only apps from well-known publishers, when at all possible. People should also pay close attention to user ratings and app behavior for indications of malice.

Credit: arstechnica.com

Tesla's New Adapter Will Let Others Use It's Fast Charging Stations

Electric cars are on the rise in the United States. Nearly half of all car-buying adults are open to the idea of bringing a battery-powered vehicle into their home, and automakers like Ford are reporting triple-digit sales increases of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. But finding a charger on the road, which can be challenging, may soon become easier thanks to electric automaker Tesla: The company recently pledged to open its proprietary charging network to other electric vehicles in late 2021.

While most electric car charging is done in the home, commuters and travelers often need to charge on the go, and will then have to find public EV chargers along their route. There’s just one catch: the charging infrastructure in the United States is still very young, and coming across a place to plug in isn’t as easy as finding a gas station, at least not yet.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk first announced that Tesla was planning to open its network to non-Tesla vehicles via a tweet on July 20, and later expanded upon the idea during the manufacturer’s quarterly earnings call on July 26.

“We’re currently thinking it’s a real simple thing where you just download the Tesla app and you go to Supercharger,” said Musk, referring to the company’s line of fast chargers. “And you just indicate which stall you’re in. So you plug in your car, even if it’s not Tesla.”

Currently, all Tesla Superchargers in the US use a proprietary inlet connector with a form factor that can only be used to charge Tesla-branded vehicles. Other EVs on the market use an open standard like the Combined Charging System (CCS) or less common CHAdeMO connector. This means that the Supercharger inlet cannot be physically inserted into a non-Tesla vehicle to charge it.

The solution involves a small new piece of hardware. Musk says that the company will start selling a Tesla-designed adapter which sits between the car and the Supercharger, which will allow owners of non-Tesla vehicles to use the Supercharging network along with the Tesla app to charge their vehicle.

The expansion of charging networks in the U.S. is reaching a critical tipping point. As more automakers move towards electrification, the need for additional chargers is predicted to grow at an astronomical rate. In fact, President Joseph Biden recently called for providers to reach a milestone of a half-million chargers installed by 2030 and set out to establish an infrastructure funding bill to make the target a reality.

But recent bipartisan compromises seek to cut the available funding for EV charging infrastructure expansion in half, meaning that charging may get a bit more crowded before it gets better. Since Tesla controls a large portion of the total chargers deployed today, allowing other vehicles to charge on the Supercharging network could ease the crunch.

There are currently 43,525 public charging stations across the nation, according to the US Department of Energy. However, only 5,260 of those stations actually have DC Fast Charging, which is necessary for EV drivers to quickly top off their battery mid-trip, readily available. The remaining 88 percent of charging stations have slower charging speeds that are meant to charge an EV’s batteries over longer periods of time, such as overnight at a hotel. That’s obviously not ideal if you just need some quick juice.

Confusingly, a charging station refers to a physical location that usually has multiple individual chargers where multiple vehicles can charge near one another simultaneously, like how a gas station has multiple pumps. For example, a total of 18,875 fast chargers exist, but they are distributed amongst those 5,260 stations.

The total number of chargers described by the Department of Energy includes 1,074 fast charging stations built by Tesla. And the good news is that each of those has approximately five times the number of average chargers per station, 10 cars as opposed to a non-Tesla station’s average of 2 cars. This means that Tesla’s Supercharging network makes up around 20 percent of all stations and over 56 percent of all total chargers on all networks today, but only Tesla vehicles can charge at these locations. With Tesla offering to open its charging stations up to other automakers, the ability to charge away from home becomes significantly easier for owners of vehicles made by other brands.

This proclamation was met with mixed feelings from Tesla owners, who fear that opening the network up to non-Tesla vehicles will cause even more congestion. Tesla’s charging stalls have appeared online during busy travel times like Thanksgiving, when lines overflowed out of parking lots while vehicles waited for chargers.

Musk says that Tesla plans to address this by adjusting the network’s pricing, increasing the cost to charge when the network is “jam-packed” in order to deter unnecessary charging. Likewise, vehicles that charge more slowly due to technological constraints will also face higher costs, because the longer a vehicle charges, the longer the wait for another vehicle becomes. This is also expected to improve as Tesla continues to aggressively roll out additional Superchargers to offset the increasing amount of cars on the road.

As of now, Tesla hasn’t revealed an exact timeline for when it plans to expand its charging network to non-Tesla vehicles. However, Musk estimates that it will begin rolling it out before the end of 2021. Much like hot dogs and buns, the number of electric vehicles on the road will never quite be equal to the number of public chargers. That isn’t necessarily a problem, especially as the primary means of juicing up is accomplished at home. And as the network continues to grow relative to the number of new EVs on the road in the next decade, pain points like congestion will hopefully become a thing of the past.

Credit: popularscience.com

Malware Is Being Distributed Via Fake Windows 11 Installers

Malware is masquerading as Microsoft's next-gen operating system to infect unsuspecting users' systems.

Malware is being distributed using a fake Windows 11 installer, according to Kaspersky. The security firm says one example malware contained in a file called "86307_windows 11 build 21996.1 x64 + activator.exe" increased its file size to 1.75GB using "one DLL file that contains a lot of useless information" to create the illusion that it was a legitimate Windows 11 installation tool. That illusion extended beyond the size of the executable file, too.

Kaspersky says opening that file invokes a series of installers resembling "an ordinary Windows installation wizard," complete with a license agreement that notes "that it would also install some sponsored software." Which is true, in a sense, except in this case the additional software in question is malware rather than a pre-installed version of a game like Candy Crush.

The installed malware "can be very wide-ranging—from relatively harmless adware, which our solutions classify as not-a-virus, to full-fledged Trojans, password stealers, exploits, and other nasty stuff," the company says. It's not clear if some of these schemes eventually install Windows 11 as well or if they all leave victims with their existing version of Windows instead.

Kaspersky says its security offerings "have already defeated several hundred infection attempts that used similar Windows 11–related schemes." The company advises PC users looking to use Windows 11 ahead of its official release to join the Windows Insider Program—which is currently the only legitimate way to install the operating system—instead of downloading shady files.

Credit: pcmag.com

Learn To Use BCC To Protect The Privacy And Security Of Others

Here's an excerpt from a 2016 article at HowToGeek.com that is important information for anyone who does mass emailings.

What BCC Is, and Why You’re a Terrible Person If You Don’t Use It

Few amenities in the modern digital workflow are so widely available but so widely ignored as the the email BCC function. If you’re guilty of misusing or neglecting its power (and there’s a good chance you are), it’s time to repent and, in the process, cut down on spam and protect the privacy of your neighbors, friends and family.

What Is BCC and Where Did It Come From?

There are three address slots in every email client: TO, CC, and BCC, which stand for “[deliver] to”, “carbon copy”, and “blind carbon copy”, respectively. These denotations are a holdover from the world that preceded electronic mail: physical letters and memos.

Why is the BCC function so important? It allows you to send an email to someone without that person seeing everyone else that receives the email, effectively safeguarding their private information.

Now, you may be asking yourself “So what? What does it matter?” It matters for several reasons. First and foremost, there is the simple issue of privacy and treating the privacy of the people on your contact list (be they friends, family, or neighbors) respectfully. It goes without saying that the people who fire off forwards and mass emails with dozens of their friends and associates do not take the time to personally contact each of those dozens of recipients and ask if they would like their contact information shared with everyone else on the addressee list.  It’s outright disrespectful to share contact information without the permission of the individual in question.

It becomes even more disrespectful and troublesome the more diverse the crowd of people you’re email is. If you’re emailing ten people in a small civic organization that already know each other, the issue might be moot. If you’re a teacher and you’re emailing dozens (if not hundreds) of students some supplemental material, suddenly you’re sharing the personal contact information of a lot of people with a lot of other people they may not wish to share with.

Worse yet, if anyone accidentally hits “Reply All” to any of the emails you send out with fully loaded TO and CC slots, every single person on the original recipient list receives the reply. At best, that’s relatively harmless but certainly wastes the time of everyone else as they open the email to see what’s new in the discussion. At worst, as has happened many times in corporations across the world, the email can take on a life of its own as hundreds of employees reply, argue, and otherwise interact with the email. Such a reply-all chain reactions can span thousands of emails.

Second, and of more practical concern to those of you that could care less about good email etiquette and protecting your friends’ privacy, these kind of bulk emails inadvertently create neat little lists of email addresses for malicious software and spammers to harvest. If your email address ends up on a huge email forward sent around the proverbial world, you can rest assured that somewhere along the line you’ll end up on a spam list. Worse yet, if one of the users who ends up with your forwarded email sitting in the bowels of their inbox ends up hit by malware that replicates via contact lists and email addresses found in the inbox, you’ll likely end up with a malicious email finding its way to you.

Using BCC Wisely

If you’re in the latter camp, those who ignore the BCC function, you’re likely asking yourself what you can do to avoid the privacy and security faux pas outlined above. Don’t worry, once you’re aware how terrible it is to ignore the BCC function, it becomes readily apparent what you need to do to wash yourself of your previous poor email behaviors.

When you find yourself with a legitimate reason to email a whole lot of people at one time. Like, for example, you’re switching to a new email provider or you want to send your new mailing address to a hundred of your friends and relatives, the only appropriate thing to do is to put their addresses in the BCC slot. This ensures that all the evils of mass TO/CC emailing are eliminated: the email addresses of all the recipients are kept private, there is no chance of a spam bot or piece of malware on one recipient’s computer harvesting the email of another recipient, and if any of them need to reply to you to ask a question or such, they won’t blast out their question or comment to every other person.

BCC increases privacy, increases security, and cuts down on the inbox crud your friends and associates have to wade through. There’s absolutely no reason to avoid using it when doing so is as simple as putting the addresses in a different address slot.

Thanks for reading and putting this information to good use.