Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes from outside the world of technology. Every Wednesday, we feature news articles that grabbed our attention over the past week. We hope you find this week’s\u00a0 ‘Wednesday Newsbytes’ informative and interesting!<\/span><\/p>\n Microsoft to permanently disable Internet Explorer on Windows 10 on Feb. 14<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n On Feb. 14, an update to Microsoft Edge will permanently disable the desktop version of the company\u2019s long-retired browser, Internet Explorer 11 (IE11), on most versions of Windows 10, according to an updated FAQ. The change, Microsoft says, will not be reversible, and any calls to IE11 will be redirected to Microsoft Edge, which includes an IE mode.<\/span><\/p>\n There are a few exceptions. The FAQ says that the IE11 desktop application remains in-support on these products:<\/span><\/p>\n Windows 8.1 (note: Microsoft Edge version 109 will be the last supported version on Window 8.1<\/span><\/p>\n Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) (note: Microsoft Edge version 109 will be the last supported version on Windows 7)…<\/span><\/p>\n …In addition, Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer platform (MSHTML\/Trident), including WebOC and COM automation, will continue to be supported.<\/span><\/p>\n What Microsoft refers to as \u201cIE11 visual references\u201d, such as icons on the Start Menu and taskbar, will be removed in the June 2023 Windows security update. However, the company warns users not to uninstall IE11, since its functionality is needed for Microsoft Edge IE mode.<\/span><\/p>\n The FAQ cautions, \u201cIf your organization still has dependencies on IE11, you must take steps now to complete your transition before February 14, 2023, or risk business disruption…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at IT World Canada.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Microsoft’s Windows 10 block followed by another irritating attempt to get you to upgrade<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n It appears that Microsoft is now on a serious campaign to get everyone moved across to its very latest Windows 11 operating system. Just this week, the US company confirmed that it will no longer offer Windows 10 on its official store meaning anyone who is still using older Windows 7 or Windows 8 software will have to make the jump straight to Windows 11.<\/span><\/p>\n However, even if you are a long-time Windows 10 user it seems that you still won’t escape the nudge to upgrade. As spotted by the team at Windows Latest, Microsoft is targeting PCs with full-screen adverts that suddenly pop up in an attempt to get devices switched over to Windows 11.<\/span><\/p>\n Screenshots posted on the Windows-centric site show the message which reads, “Now unlocked: You’re eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11.” This is followed by two prominent buttons to either get it now or schedule the 4GB download for later.<\/span><\/p>\n At first glance, it appears there is no way to stop the upgrade…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Express.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Bard: Google launches ChatGPT rival<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Google is launching an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered chatbot called Bard to rival ChatGPT.<\/span><\/p>\n Bard will be used by a group of testers before being rolled out to the public in the coming weeks, the firm said.<\/span><\/p>\n Bard is built on Google’s existing large language model Lamda, which one engineer described as being so human-like in its responses that he believed it was sentient.<\/span><\/p>\n The tech giant also announced new AI tools for its current search engine.<\/span><\/p>\n AI chatbots are designed to answer questions and find information. ChatGPT is the best-known example. They use what’s on the internet as an enormous database of knowledge although there are concerns that this can also include offensive material and disinformation.<\/span><\/p>\n “Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence, and creativity of our large language models,” wrote Google boss Sundar Pichai in a blog.<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Pichai stressed that he wanted Google’s AI services to be “bold and responsible” but did not elaborate on how Bard would be prevented from sharing harmful or abusive content.<\/span><\/p>\n The platform will initially operate on a “lightweight” version of Lamda, requiring less power so that more people can use it at once…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at BBC News.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n This Is Why So Many People Hate Microsoft Edge<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Microsoft was once the creator of the world’s most popular internet browser, but the time when everyone used Internet Explorer has long since passed. In an attempt to recapture its previous web browsing relevance, the company launched Microsoft Edge. The browser has undergone a constant string of upgrades in the years since, including one that shifted it to Google’s Chromium platform (via Microsoft). With the same basic platform as the current most popular browser, and a whole host of features with more being added as time went on, Edge has everything it needs to be a success.<\/span><\/p>\n There is, however, a slight problem: people hate it. In a SlashGear poll, Edge came very low down in the popularity rankings, averaging just over 6%. This puts it way behind Chrome, which topped the list at 56%, and lagging well behind Apple’s homegrown effort, Safari, which 27% of readers said they use. It even lagged behind Firefox, which has its own string of problems.<\/span><\/p>\n As far as the source of the vitriol, it’s a little complicated. Part of it is ancestral, or as ancestral as a product made by a 47-year-old software company can get. Other people hate it because of Microsoft’s forceful marketing practices. If you’re not in the two main groups, don’t worry, there’s a far longer list of reasons why people are swerving Edge. Why, despite Microsoft’s best efforts, do people have a very strong dislike for the company’s premier browser?<\/span><\/p>\n People still haven’t forgiven Internet Explorer<\/span><\/p>\n Some of Edge’s problems date back to before it was born. Everyone who uses the internet will be aware of Microsoft’s previous browser, Internet Explorer…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Slash Gear.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n This Age-Old Email Scam Is Back With A Modern Scare Tactic Twist, Don’t Fall For It<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Scams in some form or another have been around for ages, and certainly through the majority of the computer era. They employ different rouses and have different goals, but one thing that binds many of them is they rely on victims letting their guard down. One that is making the rounds right now hopes to achieve this by using a series of scare tactics.<\/span><\/p>\n This is not a brand new scam, but basically a revision of an older one that’s been around for a long time. Like many people, I begin my mornings by checking my inbox, nuking unwanted emails, and replying to (or making note of) ones with important information. One that managed to slip past Gmail’s spam filter was titled “(New) Payment Report” followed by a series of numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n At first I assumed this was another take on the PayPal scam that made increased rounds during the holidays. That one works by creating a fraudulent invoice in PayPal with a prompt to call a help desk number to cancel the transaction. Spoiler: while the invoice does actually come from PayPal, the help number is not associated with the payment service, and you can (and should) safely ignore the invoice.<\/span><\/p>\n That wasn’t what this ended up being, though. Instead, it was a long-winded email attempting to extort 1.6 Bitcoin, which based on today’s valuation is worth nearly $37,000. The email claims to come from someone who purchased access to email accounts from hackers, with mine included in the list.<\/span><\/p>\n It further claims that the sender “easily managed” to log into my email account, and from there somehow managed to install the Cobalt Strike Beacon payload on every device I use to access my email, regardless of the operating system…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at Hot Hardware.<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Hustle bros are jumping on the AI bandwagon<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The world of financial influencers promise viewers they can use ChatGPT to make big bucks with no effort. The schemes they suggest are dubious, but reveal how the AI chatbot might erode our online world.<\/span><\/p>\n The grind-set, side-hustle, passive-income crew has a new favorite toy: ChatGPT. On YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, a motley assortment of established and would-be financial influencers are pumping out videos advising how you \u2014 yes, YOU \u2014 could be making tens of thousands of dollars in your sleep with the help of OpenAI\u2019s chatbot.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of the craziest softwares I\u2019ve ever seen on planet Earth, and you can become a millionaire just using ChatGPT I guarantee you,\u201d advises a young man in one video wearing a \u201cCEO\u201d beanie.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you start today, you could literally have a million-dollar course creation business by this time next year,\u201d says a woman in another tagged \u201c#investinyourself,\u201d #6figuresidehustle,\u201d and \u201c#7figurebusiness\u200b\u200b.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou can become a millionaire just using ChatGPT, I guarantee you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s no surprise that this excitable group has jumped on the AI bandwagon. Though the technology underpinning ChatGPT is not in itself revolutionary, the decision by creator OpenAI to make the system free has exposed millions to a novel form of automation \u2014 one with the potential to \u201cdisrupt\u201d \u2014 for better or worse \u2014 numerous industries and workplaces.<\/span><\/p>\n The launch of ChatGPT last November capped a year of AI hype…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at The Verge<\/span><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Iowa funeral home discovers Alzheimer’s patient still alive in body bag<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Mortuary workers at a funeral home in Iowa were shocked to discover that a woman delivered to them in a body bag was still breathing, reported The Daily Beast on Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\n “The Des Moines Register reports that the Glen Oaks Alzheimer\u2019s Special Care Center in Iowa declared the 66-year-old Alzheimer\u2019s patient dead on Jan. 3 and shipped her off to The Ankeny Funeral Home & Crematory,” said the report. “That\u2019s where staffers saw her chest moving and called 911.”<\/span><\/p>\n The unconscious but still-living woman was transferred swiftly to a hospital, and then to hospice care…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read more at RawStory.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Thanks for reading this week’s Wednesday Newbytes. We hope you found these articles informative, interesting, fun, and helpful. Darcy & TC<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Wednesday Newsbytes: No More Internet Explorer After Feb 14, Microsoft’s Irritating Attempt to Force You to Upgrade, Meet Bard: Google’s ChatGPT, Why People Hate MS Edge, An Old Email Scam is Back, Make Millions with ChatGPT Scams… and more! Every day we scan the tech world for interesting news in the world of technology and sometimes\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4421,4432,4431,2247,4430,1678,2509,1,1426,3590,1680,1656,1674,4372,4353,4221,2366],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24964"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24964"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24964\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24966,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24964\/revisions\/24966"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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