Issue # 36 | April 13, 2017
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New Design - New Newsletter - New Schedule
This week I will start publishing the newsletter like I used to. Once a week. Hopefully with this newly designed newsletter it will be easier for myself - and you - my dedicated readers to keep up to date with the swiftly moving world of technology.
One difference you will notice right away from the old newsletter is that the articles here are for the most part introductions to the published stories as opposed to recreating the entire article in the newsletter. Each article here has a link to the full article if you are interested to learn more. This will make it easier for me to get newsletters out regularly.

This new format will hopefully be a better experience for all of you, my dedicated readers.
This Week's Technology News
Goodbye Windows Visa
If you are using Windows Vista it’s time to move on. That is because earlier this week Microsoft released the official release of the Windows 10 Creators Update, bringing with it new 3D, gaming, privacy, and security functionality to the operating system and at the same time announced the end of Windows Vista support.

What this means is that  Microsoft is officially ending Windows Vista extended support as of April 11, 2017. This was expected and is five years after the operating system hit its end-of-maintenance support date of April 10, 2012, and roughly 10 years since Microsoft first released Windows Vista to a litany of complaints and its eventual replacement by the much more well-received Windows 7.

Windows 10 Creators Update 
The Windows 10 Creators Update is rolling out to Windows 10 PCs across the world. The massive Windows 10 update is packed full of features, like Start menu tile-folders, an overhauled Game Mode, and further integration of the Control Panel into the new Settings menu.

There is something for everyone here.

Learn more by reading the Full Article
New Microsoft Word Threat Found
Not long ago I warned against a scam alert and now here is yet another threat that involves Microsoft Word. We live in scary times dedicated readers.

You might want to be extra careful about what files you open in Word over the next few days: Attackers are exploiting a previously undisclosed vulnerability in Microsoft Office to sneak malware into your system.

Read the Full Article to Learn More 
Scammer Alert
 
Sometimes having the best anti-virus software on your computer is not enough. Sometimes email messages will get through that threaten your security and financial welfare – because the email does not contain a virus. Also criminals continue to use old technologies like phone calls, snail mail and faxes to separate you from your money.

As in this case, criminals will try to get to your cash through the simple use of your fax.

A very common trick of cyber criminals today is pulling at your heartstrings. For example. This morning a co-worker reported receiving this fax/email message. I share this in order to help spread the word. Never ever respond to messages like this.

Here is the actual fax, which in our case was received through a connected email account. Today many fax accounts are often attached to email.

 
Read The Full Article
Social Media Begins Responding to Fake News
Fake news is anything but fake, it is a very real problem. Both Facebook & YouTube which have been outlets for creators of fake news are starting to respond to this threat. In fact one of the biggest ways in which Russia interfered with the presidential election of 2016 was through the publishing of fake news stories which even included entire Facebook pages.



Microsoft Sprinkles Your iPhone
Microsoft has launched a new iOS camera app called Sprinkles. I am not sure if we actually need another iOS camera app, but I guess Microsoft thinks we do. I do think Microsoft picked a cool name for this app. It’s called Sprinkles. With Sprinkles Microsoft is taking on a genre currently dominated by Snapchat. Like Snapchat Sprinkles brings with it captions, stickers, and emojis and more fun stuff.

There was a time, not so long ago, when you’d take a photograph and that would be that. Each photo would capture a moment in time, and remain unsullied by filters and other silly stuff. And then Snapchat arrived on the scene, and changed everything.

Microsoft’s Sprinkles

Sprinkles is an iOS camera app which lets you do a host of different things with each photo you snap. You can add your own caption, add stickers and emojis, and place virtual photobooth-style props about your person.

Sprinkles utilizes Microsoft’s machine learning capabilities. The app will suggest captions based on what’s in the photo, resize and align stickers to fit your face, auto-detect your age, and inform you who your celebrity lookalike is.

Sprinkles is a strange app, but one that’s likely to appeal to a certain demographic. That being the younger generation who need to add something, anything, to a photo before letting anyone see it. Which is, we assume, why Microsoft called this app Sprinkles in the first place.

Sprinkles is available for free on the iTunes App Store right now.
Was Apple Hacked? 
Apple’s iPhones and Apple IDs are a tough nut to crack for hackers, but it’s not impossible. At least that’s what a group of hackers seem to suggest, as they’re currently attempting to blackmail Apple for up to $100,000 before they start “remotely wiping millions of iPhones”. Can they actually do it? Should you be worried? It’s unclear at this point.

Should you change your @icloud password? Learn more by checking out our full article.   
William Mann | Borough of West Chester | wmann@west-chester.com | www.wctechblog.com