June 2016

Microsoft announced today that the much awaited Anniversary Update for Windows 10 will be available on August 2.

The Anniversary Update will introduce a massive set of new features and improvements to Windows 10.

This includes among many other things Linux Bash support, extensions for Microsoft Edge, Windows Ink for better ink support, Cortana updates and improvements, and more.

Better late than never. Microsoft is about to release an update to the company's Get Windows 10 application for Windows 7 and Windows 8 devices that includes a decline option.

Microsoft has been criticized heavily for its aggressive push of the Windows 10 operating system. The company's offer looks like a good one on first glance: upgrade your existing version of Windows to Windows 10 for free in the first year.

Selfrando is a new protective feature of the Tor Browser that improves the web browsers defense against hacking attempts and the de-anonymization of users.

Tor browser is a popular tool for remaining anonymous on the Internet. It is used by journalists and activists, and regular users as well to do things on the Internet anonymously.

Just-Install is a command line driven program for Windows that enables you to batch install a selection of programs on the operating system it is run on.

Google Prompt is a new 2-step verification option that improves the usability of the second verification step by pushing a prompt to a connected smartphone that you just need to tap on to allow or deny the request.

2-step verification, often also called 2-factor authentication, is a popular security option to improve the sign-in security of user accounts.

As the name implies, instead of just having to enter username and password to sign-in, a second form of verification is required to complete the process.

Process Logger Service is a free program for Windows that installs itself as a service to monitor process creation on the computer it is installed on.

Processes are launched when you start a program on a device running Windows, but also automatically by software, services or the operating system.

While you may be able to identify some of the running processes easily, the programs you started for instance, you may miss the bulk of process creation and termination as it happens in the background.

Plex Media Server 1.0 is now available for download. The latest version of the popular cross-platform media server application is mostly a bug fix release but still noteworthy due to the version bump.

Plex Media Server enables you to run a media server on a computer running Windows, Mac or Linux, or on various NAS systems including those offered by Netgear, Synology or QNAP.

The content the media server makes available is then accessible through applications, again on desktop devices, mobile devices, smart TVs and consoles to name a few.

YouTube works well most of the time if you use a relatively new device to access the site even if you push the available video resolution to the maximum.

The same cannot be said for low power devices, for instance the majority of computers that are five or even ten years old.

While YouTube works when you access the site, you may experience full load on the cpu, your laptop becoming hot like crazy, video stutter, battery drain, or other issues.

One of the most frustrating experience when it comes to software is how some companies won't accept no for an answer when it comes to software.

A prime example of this is how Microsoft advertises Windows 10 on devices running Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Instead of displaying a one-time dialog to users with clearly identifiable Yes, No and maybe "not now" options, it uses various tactics to push its new operating system.

ShadowCopyView is a new portable program for the Windows operating system that lets you browse Volume Shadow Copy snapshots, and copy individual files as well.

Volume Shadow Copy is a Windows Service that creates snapshots of files and folders either automatically or manually. It is used by Windows features such as System Restore, and can also be used by third party tools.

One of the main advantages that it offers is that it can copy files even when they are in use.