In a security bulletin, Microsoft describes two flaws in Windows Codecs Library. The company points out both are remote code execution vulnerabilities. Unlike a spate of recent Windows problems, these flaws are not only related to Windows 10 May 2020 Update (version 2004). Microsoft says the vulnerabilities are affecting all Windows 10 versions from build 1709 and onwards. They also affect the Windows 10 Server 2019 and version 2004 Core....

Right, I used the word ugly three times in the opening because that’s how Microsoft describes this item. However – and I promise I am not being a contrarian – I think this is a nice-looking sweater. Of course, I am not cool or oblivious enough to pull this sweater off, but still, I like it. Customers can grab the WindowsUglySweater based on MS Paint on the Microsoft Store. It costs $69....

As usual, Microsoft accompanied the release of the Skip Ahead build with a blog post. As mentioned, no new features were discussed. However, Windows Insider “Tero Alhonen” found an interesting addition and highlighted it on Twitter. It seems Microsoft is working on adding native support for Virtual Machines to Windows 10. On build 18204, users can enable Virtual Machines through the settings path Control Panel>Programs>Turn Windows Features on or off....

Specifically, Microsoft Dynamics 365 will be integrated with FedEx network intelligences to create a new “logistics as a service” solution. Retailers, merchants, and organizations can leverage the service to help streamline product deliveries and nurture improvements in communication during the delivery process. Microsoft and FedEx have been in a partnership since 2020, when both promised to “transform commerce.” While that has not really happened yet, this week’s announcement is pushing towards the goal....

When users have Microsoft Edge in enhanced security mode, the browser will be “more conservative” when dealing with unfamiliar websites. This mode provides added security by turning off Just-in-Time (JIT) JavaScript compliation and also adding more system protections. For example, Hardware-enforced Stack Protection and Arbitrary Code Guard (ACG). Together, these tools will prevent a malicious website from attacking. Browsing Modes The new modes are available via “Privacy, Search, and Services” in the Microsoft Edge settings....

If you’re unfamiliar with PHP, it is a scripting language that is popular amongst developers because of its general purpose flexibility. It has become particularly popular amongst web developers. In a blog post on PHP lists, Microsoft engineer Dale Hirt confirmed the decision. Hirt leads support of PHP within Microsoft and he said version 8.0 will not be supported. “We are committed to maintaining development and building of PHP on Windows for 7....

1 Features2 All in the Past Surface chief Panos Panay once suggested its existence by saying a Surface Phone was his baby. However, Microsoft’s game-changing device has remained a mystery… until today. In a Windows Developer video, vice president and Technical Fellow Laura Butler confirmed McLaren was real. Before getting into what Butler said, some background on the Surface Phone is necessary. This was the device Microsoft was expected to transform the smartphone market with....

In fairness to Joe Belfiore, there are some important caveats. You may remember that Samsung introduced a special Microsoft version of the Galaxy S8. This handset had core Microsoft services (the full Office suite) baked into it. Microsoft sells this non-Windows device through its Microsoft Store. It was hoped that Samsung would introduce a Windows 10 Mobile version of the S8, but it never happened. However, the Microsoft-oriented handset is the one being used by Belfiore....

Starting with the Cortana fix, Microsoft was responding to user complaints that the SearchUI.exe in Cortana was hogging CPU resources. Microsoft’s KB4512941 update released at the end of last month seemed to cause the problem. Microsoft confirmed the issue a week later and promised a fix, which arrive this week in Patch Tuesday. “Addresses an issue that causes high CPU usage from SearchUI.exe for a small number of users. This issue only occurs on devices that have disabled searching the web using Windows Desktop Search,” Microsoft said in the security update KB4515384 released yesterday....

The leaked infographic shows that Microsoft’s current-generation console has sold 36.2 million units. It also shows that the best-selling game on the device is Call of Duty: Black Ops II with 11.4 million units sold. It is unclear when this data was prepared, but we imagine it was recent. Whether 36.2 million is a respectable number or not depends on how you thought Xbox One was doing. Certainly, there were those who predicted the console was hovering around the mid-twenty million....

It’s taken a while, but that’s no longer the case. Surface Pro 4 users now have access to the same functionality thanks to a simple firmware update. For the unfamiliar, the dial is a cylinder Bluetooth device that can sit on the screen and be used to adjust ink color, scroll, control music, and more. Thanks to the Pro 4’s relatively small screen, you aren’t going to want it sitting on the glass most of the time, but it’s a useful productivity tool all the same....

In its announcement, Microsoft says IoT is becoming increasingly important for enterprise customers. The company has been one of the leaders in developing IoT products for companies of all sizes. Microsoft says reducing cost expenditure for customers is important. Microsoft IoT Central gives organizations key skills to build and manage connected apps in one place. Creating a hub for IoT development also needs to meet security and scalability demands. IoT Central builds on Microsoft’s significant experience in connected solutions....

“You’ll collaborate with teams throughout Microsoft and with processor and device manufacturers to build a kernel that provides…great performance for virtualization-based features like Windows Sandbox and Windows 10X containers,” one part reads. For the unfamiliar, Windows containers let users run apps from various OSes in different environments. You may be familiar with them through Windows 10’s sandbox, which lets you run untrustworthy apps in an isolated environment to protect from malware....

There are a couple of things worth noting. Firstly, it seems Redmond has struggled to fix this problem with firmware update. This is not an official policy it seems as Microsoft has previously said it is working on a fix for the Surface Pro 4 screen problem. Secondly, it is unclear if the company has now decided to just replace faulty units. As we have previously noted, screen flickering on the Surface Pro 4 has been a long-standing issue....

Many Win7 users have already jumped ship to Windows 10 following an aggressive campaign from Microsoft over the last year. However, Windows 7 had a vast install base and many millions of users are still on the platform. Not least enterprises who have not been able to update to Windows 10. For those remaining Win7 holdouts, Microsoft is pressing home that this is the end of the road. “After January 14, 2020, if your PC is running Windows 7, it will no longer receive security updates....

While the organizations originally announced the challenge back in September, Facebook has now provided a data set to build research on deepfakes. The Deepfake Detection Challenge involves $10 million in grants and rewards. With grant money, researchers can develop detection systems for AI deepfake videos. Facebook’s dataset includes 100,000-plus videos including paid actors leveraging the best deepfake technology. While most of us know deepfake videos because of entertaining videos on YouTube, the technology has also raised questions....

Over recent years, Microsoft has thrown its weight behind the Launcher. Each month the app receives feature updates and has become one of the most popular apps on Android. With version 5.10, Microsoft Launcher provides more customization over Theme settings. Four options are included, Light, Dark, System, and Transparent. For this feature to work, users will have to be running Android 9 or newer. Looking at the dark theme, Microsoft has made improvements with this update....

This is the latest preview of the next Windows 10 update and is available to Insiders on the Release Preview ring. While Windows 11 will be getting the bulk of new features moving forward, this update does put some new tools into Windows 10. In July, Microsoft confirmed 21H2 will launch in October. A week later, the company added details about what changes to expect. Specifically, Microsoft said Windows 10 21H2 will bring some new features to users, including passwordless improvements for Windows Hello for Business....

When a preview is usually sent out for an individual Windows app, a full general release usually follows weeks later. For some reason, Microsoft held onto Sticky Notes 3.7 in preview for seven weeks. Either way, version 3.7 of the app adds some interesting tools, including the reintroduction of a classic feature. Microsoft says Ink Analysis is available once more. This feature was previously removed because of a bug, which has now been fixed....

Using a leaked spreadsheet Business Insider found data on how much employees get, including the highest-paid executives, as well as information on staff retention. One of the big questions is whether Microsoft is fair to its employees, considering the company is the most valuable in the world. The data comes from an email chain from dozens of female technical employees in Microsoft who shared stories about disparities in pay and promotions....