A dangerous and recurring bug that prevents users from making emergency 911 calls has once again affected Google's Pixel smartphones. Multiple owners have reported that in an emergency, their phones have frozen or failed to connect to 911. This is ... not a new problem for the Pixel line of devices. A similar, high-profile bug caused widespread concern in 2021, which was later identified as a conflict with the Microsoft Teams application. Users Report Alarming Failures Recent complaints on platforms like Reddit describe frightening scenarios where the phones failed in a moment of crisis. Owners ... (view more)
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Google has announced a significant breakthrough in quantum computing. It says an algorithm, nicknamed "quantum echoes," is the first that has an advantage in a practical situation. The company reports its Willow quantum chip performed a complex ... calculation approximately 13,000 times faster than the world's most powerful supercomputer. This development moves beyond abstract benchmarks toward solving practical, real-world problems. Like Parallel Computing on Steroids Quantum computing is like parallel computing on steroids - but instead of running many threads, it explores all possibilities in ... (view more)
Bathroom fixtures manufacturer Kohler has launched Dekoda, a toilet-mounted health tracking device that analyzes waste to provide insights about hydration, gut health, and potential medical issues. The device, priced at $599, represents the ... company's entry into digital health monitoring and requires an ongoing subscription to access collected data. Dekoda attaches to the rim of a toilet bowl using an expanding clamp mechanism that requires no tools for installation. The device uses advanced optical sensors and spectroscopy, a technique that observes how light interacts with materials, to ... (view more)
Microsoft is working to address multiple serious bugs introduced by its October, 2025 security update for Windows 11 (dubbed KB5066835 ), which has left users unable to fix their computers when problems occur. The bug disables many keyboards and ... mice at the worst possible moment. The most critical issue affects the Windows Recovery Environment, a built-in troubleshooting tool that automatically appears when a computer fails to start normally. After installing the update, USB keyboards and mice stop working entirely in this repair mode, leaving affected users with no way to click buttons or ... (view more)
Are you caught up in a romance scam? Are blackmailers threatening to expose your pictures and videos to friends and family? If so, you've come to the right place. Keep on reading below for some very helpful information; or, if you need help ASAP, ... contact me here and I'll call back to answer your questions. I'm happy to help. -- Infopackets Reader Peter T. writes: " Dear Dennis, I came across your website after reading your fantastic articles on how to deal with Instagram sextortion and how to handle blackmail on Snapchat . Thank you for that. I have a similar issue. A few days ago I met ... (view more)
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation establishing safety requirements for Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots interacting with children. However, he vetoed a more restrictive bill that would have broadly limited minors' access ... to the technology. The approved legislation, SB 243, makes California the first state to require AI chatbot operators to implement specific safety protocols for companion chatbots. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, and mandates several protective measures for users. Key Requirements of the New Law Under SB 243, chatbot developers must establish ... (view more)
Spotify is expanding a new feature designed to solve a long-standing problem for parents: children's music infiltrating their personalized playlists and recommendations. The streaming service announced that managed accounts are now available for ... Premium Family subscribers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The feature follows successful pilot programs in 10 markets with smaller user bases. Dubbed 'Managed Accounts,' it allows parents to create separate music experiences for listeners under 13 years old within the main Spotify app. How Managed Accounts Work ... (view more)
Google has declined to fix a security vulnerability in its Gemini AI assistant that allows attackers to embed hidden instructions in emails and calendar invites. The flaw, known as ASCII smuggling, uses invisible characters that users cannot see but ... that artificial intelligence systems can read and process. Security researcher Viktor Markopoulos from cybersecurity firm FireTail discovered the vulnerability and reported it to Google in September. The company dismissed the issue, stating it only constitutes social engineering rather than a technical security bug. How the Attack Works ASCII ... (view more)
Microsoft is intensifying its long-standing push to require a Microsoft account for Windows 11 (a sign on with an email address) versus using a local account which does not require an email address. It's reportedly disabling popular workarounds used ... to create local accounts, an option many users prefer for privacy and simplicity. In a recent preview build released to developers, the company has removed methods that allowed users to bypass the mandatory online sign-in, signaling a stricter enforcement of its policy. Closing Installation Loopholes According to reports on the latest Windows ... (view more)
Navigation app Waze is now rolling out "Conversational Reporting," a new feature that allows drivers to report road hazards using natural voice commands. This update comes approximately one year after the feature was first announced and aims to ... create a safer, hands-free reporting experience for its users. The system is designed to be more intuitive than previous voice command functionalities, which required specific syntax to work correctly. The new feature leverages artificial intelligence to understand conversational language, eliminating the need for drivers to interact with their screens ... (view more)
Microsoft has officially released Windows 11 version 25H2, marking the company's annual "feature update" for 2025. It's a quicker install than many updates, which is down to both the delivery and content of the update. Unlike traditional Windows ... updates that replace entire system files, version 25H2 utilizes a streamlined "enablement package" approach. The update activates feature code already present on machines running 24H2, requiring only a single restart to complete the installation process. Shared Codebase Simplifies Update Process Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 share the same ... (view more)
Google has launched an advertising campaign targeting Windows 10 users with pop-up messages that imply the operating system is risky. The ads encourage users to switch to Chromebooks as the official end-of-life date for Windows 10 is officially ... here. The pop-up advertisements are said to be appearing on Google.com for those still using the decade-old operating system. The timing coincides with today's deadline, after which users will need to sign up to an extended support program if they plan on using Windows 10 past the due date. In most countries this requires a payment (cash or Microsoft ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Alejandro M. writes: " Dear Dennis, I stumbled across your website and read your articles on what to do if someone threatens to expose you and how to deal with online blackmail . I have a similar situation. A week ago I joined a ... Spanish sexting group that was recommended in a forum online. It looked active and legit, so I figured I'd give it a go. Not long after, I matched up with an attractive woman that supposedly lives near me. She seemed completely normal - polite, and even a little reserved. The texts were sporadic but eventually picked up steam, at which point she ... (view more)
Microsoft has announced it will provide one year of no-strings free Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for Windows 10 users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Unlike the rest of the world, there's no need to follow any special conditions. Windows ... 10: The End is Near The end-of-support date for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025. Beyond this date, devices will no longer receive crucial security patches unless they are enrolled in the ESU program. Microsoft has shifted policy several times, originally suggesting the ESU was - as with previous Windows editions - only for businesses. It then offered ... (view more)
A new app with an unusual function, Neon Mobile, has surged in popularity to become the number two social app on Apple's US App Store. The app pays users for recordings of their phone calls, which are then sold to artificial intelligence companies. ... The idea is to capture real examples of both what people say in conversations and the way they speak. This could power both language generating models and those which produce spoken audio. How Users Earn Money Neon reportedly pays users 30 cents per minute for calls made to other Neon users and 15 cents per minute for calls to anyone else, with ... (view more)
Google has confirmed it is developing a unified version of its Android operating system that will run on both smartphones and PC-style devices. It's effectively a full-blown merger of two systems: the technology behind Android and the user ... experience of ChromeOS, as seen on Chromebooks. The project was discussed at the Snapdragon Summit 2025, where Google's SVP of Platforms & Devices, Rick Osterloh, explained the new strategy: "We are building together a common technical foundation for our products on PCs and desktop computing systems." (Source: 9to5google.com ) Your Phone Becomes ... (view more)
Apple's efforts to make the iPhone as thin as possible have had an unexpected benefit. The new Air model is considerably easier to repair and replacing the battery is simpler according to gadget fixing experts. The handset earned a 7 out of 10 ... rating for repairability from iFixit, a site that gives advice on how to repair devices and replace components. While 7 might not sound much, previous iPhone models have scored as low as 4 out of 10. (Source: ifixit.com ) That's been partly by design, with Apple historically not keen on users repairing devices or replacing parts rather than using its ... (view more)
Researchers say a malware operation involving 224 malware-laden Android apps was particularly creative. They used a combination of tactics to disguise the malware and hide it from Google and security researchers. Human Security, which revealed ... details of the operation, has labeled the operation as "SlopAds". Its ultimate goal was to hijack phones and tablets to make bogus clicks to make it look like a user has viewed an ad on a site operated by the scammers. They then collect revenue from advertisers who are unaware no human saw their message. (Source: humansecurity.com ) The researchers say ... (view more)
Windows 10 users can now sign up for free security updates from Microsoft after it removes standard support in October. It's an option for people who can't or won't upgrade to Windows 11. Officially Microsoft will no longer update Windows 10 as ... standard after October 25, the system's end of life date (it originally debuted back in July of 2015). This means no technical support, no new features and no security patches. (Source: windowscentral.com ) As we've covered, that went down particularly badly with people whose machines don't meet the hardware specifications for Windows 11. This includes ... (view more)
Apple is to release an iPhone model that costs $1,999. It's the most expensive model yet and raises questions about how sustainable such pricing is. The model in question is the iPhone 17 Pro Max, specifically the version with a 2-terabyte storage ... option. That's more than some desktop computer hard drives. It's only the addition of this size storage that increases the price from last year's equivalent models, with the lower capacity versions still starting at "only" $1,199. Indeed, much of the specs remain the same, with the main differences being cosmetic with new colors (who hasn't wanted a ... (view more)
Google has been fined nearly $3.5 billion for unfairly manipulating the online ad markets. European Commission officials said the move had harmed rival companies and may have meant higher prices on consumer products. The ruling has not only been ... condemned by Google but could cause diplomatic and economic disputes between the European Union and United States. The case is about advertising exchanges, which are systems where would-be advertisers and websites wanting to display ads for money are brought together. The theory is the exchanges automatically find the most efficient pairings, meaning ... (view more)
Emails which appear to come from Apple email servers may be carefully crafted spam. Scammers have found a way to abuse Apple's calendar tools to disguise the spam and bypass filters. The spam is getting to many more recipients than usual as the ... messages appear to come from the user noreply[@]email.apple.com. It appears to be convincing enough that some spam filter systems are treating it as coming from a legitimate source within Apple, which is clearly not something most people would want blocked. The trick behind the spam is that the original message isn't sent as a standard email. Instead ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Jean Paul R. writes: " Dear Dennis, Please help - someone is threatening to expose me online ! I came across your site after reading an article on what to do if someone is harassing you on Instagram . To be honest, my story is ... very similar. I'm a 40-year-old guy from France; last Wednesday, I matched with a curvy Thai girl on the ThaiFriendly app. At first she wanted to chat over Instagram , so I gave her my contact info and we chatted on there for a bit and exchanged a few photos. Things escalated quickly and she asked to see what I looked like, then asked me if I want to ... (view more)
iOS WhatsApp users should make sure their app is up to date following a dangerous security attack. The technique is particularly effective but fortunately seems to be highly targeted so far. It's been described as a zero-click attack, meaning a ... phone could be comprised simply by a user receiving a message. That's different to most messaging-based attacks which require a user to open an attachment or image, or to click on a link. The issue affects the Mac, iPhone and iPad apps for WhatsApp and is the result of a particularly unfortunate combination of two vulnerabilities. One is with WhatsApp ... (view more)
Google has escaped the threat of being forced to sell off Android or the Chrome browser. But a court says it must share data to make it easier for rivals to compete in the search market. Last year a court found Google had acted unlawfully to ... maintain its dominance in the online search market. This included the steps it took to make it the default search engines on some browsers. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had called for a range of harsh measures to rectify Google's behavior, most strikingly to force it to sell Android or Chrome to a third party. The logic there was that this would break ... (view more)
Google says stories it has warned all Gmail users about a security issue with the service are highly misleading. It says claims of a major data breach affecting all users are wide of the mark. The stories appeared to stem from a very genuine breach ... at Salesforce, a major operator of customer relationship management tools. It's suffered a number of successful targeted attacks in recent months. It's an attractive target as it handles data for numerous big name companies. (Source: withsecure.com ) Google Ads Data Affected In many cases the attacks haven't involved software vulnerabilities but ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader George L. writes: " Dear Dennis, I was reading online that Microsoft's latest Windows 11 update ( KB5063878 ) is breaking NVMe and SSD drives, causing catastrophic data loss. I have Windows 11 on my laptop and I'm terrified - does ... this mean my NVMe could stop working at any moment? Should I uninstall the update or stop using my computer until this is fixed? Please help me understand what's really going on, because I'm not very tech-savvy and I don't want to lose my family photos and documents. " My response: Thanks for your message. You're not alone - many people have seen ... (view more)
Microsoft is adding new features to Microsoft 365 for Windows 11 users. They are described as "Companion" or "mini apps" and will be built into the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. The features are only for Microsoft 365. That's the subscription ... version of the Office package where users get updates for as long as they are paying the annual fee. They won't be available on the standalone Office or on Windows 10. The idea of the mini-apps is to make it easier to carry out core tasks without the need to open up full-blown apps or visit a web page. Calendar Tool Enhanced The File Search ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Tyler M. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just came across your article on how can I stop sextortion - thanks for that. I have a somewhat different issue, though similar. While on vacation in Thailand, I met a beautiful local woman at a ... bar in Bangkok. She offered to be my personal guide (plus benefits!) and promised to show me around for the duration of my visit. I was skeptical at first, but knew that this type of ' transactional relationship ' was common in Thailand. After a few drinks I gave in - we exchanged numbers and added each other on Instagram. Everything seemed fine; ... (view more)
Microsoft is ditching Windows 11 SE, a special version of the operating system designed for low cost computers in schools. It's effectively a surrender in a battle against Google Chrome for the education market. Windows 11 SE debuted a few weeks ... after the main system and was a rough equivalent to the special Windows 10 S system, though with one fundamental difference. Windows 10 S only let users install apps from the Windows Store rather than through direct download from third parties. Windows 11 S doesn't include access to the Windows App store and has no way for users (intended to be pupils ... (view more)
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My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
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