Wednesday Newsbytes: Microsoft Sinks to New Lows Promoting Edge; Fire Sale on Your Data; AI Coming to Windows 11; Windows 12 Hints; Microsoft Offers Windows 11 to Unsupported PCs (again)… and more!
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 ‘Wednesday Newsbytes’ informative and interesting!
Microsoft sinks to new depths with ads for Edge browser in Windows 11
Is the latest barrage of promotional activity pushing people over the Edge?
Windows 11 (and 10) users are experiencing quite a barrage of advertising for Edge of late, as Microsoft rather unwisely seems to be dead set on trying to push folks to use the browser rather than Chrome (or other rivals).
Windows Latest(opens in new tab) spotted a fresh couple of ad-related initiatives, the first of which is an expansion of something we recently reported on.
That would be the pop-up that Microsoft pushes on those using Edge when they travel to the Google Chrome download page, in a very unsubtle attempt to persuade against this act of browser defection.
Previously, the pop-up involved telling users that Edge employs the same tech as Chrome (both are Chromium-based), but with the “added trust of Microsoft” (and it was followed up by a large banner advert, albeit only in testing).
Now, however, that initial pop-up has a bit added on the bottom noting that by clicking the ‘Browse securely now’ button, you’ll make Edge your default browser, and that this offer is “valid for 1 person/account within first 14 days of joining.”
Offer? What now?
Windows Latest also points out that another fresh line of attack for driving Edge adoption is aimed at those who have the Edge bar turned on (an experimental feature that consists of a small floating bar). These users will see adverts appear on their desktop offering gift cards…
Forget Milk and Eggs: Supermarkets Are Having a Fire Sale on Data About You
When you use supermarket discount cards, you are sharing much more than what is in your cart—and grocery chains like Kroger are reaping huge profits selling this data to brands and advertisers
When you hit the checkout line at your local supermarket and give the cashier your phone number or loyalty card, you are handing over a valuable treasure trove of data that may not be limited to the items in your shopping cart. Many grocers systematically infer information about you from your purchases and “enrich” the personal information you provide with additional data from third-party brokers, potentially including your race, ethnicity, age, finances, employment, and online activities. Some of them even track your precise movements in stores. They then analyze all this data about you and sell it to consumer brands eager to use it to precisely target you with advertising and otherwise improve their sales efforts.
Leveraging customer data this way has become a crucial growth area for top supermarket chain Kroger and other retailers over the past few years, offering much higher margins than milk and eggs. And Kroger may be about to get millions of households bigger.
In October 2022, Kroger and another top supermarket chain, Albertsons, announced plans for a $24.6 billion merger that would combine the top two supermarket chains in the U.S., creating stiff competition for Walmart, the overall top seller of groceries. U.S. regulators and members of Congress are scrutinizing the deal, including by examining its potential to erode privacy: Kroger has carefully grown two “alternative profit business” units that monetize customer information, expected by Kroger to yield more than $1 billion in “profits opportunity…
Microsoft’s AI-powered Bing is coming to the Windows 11 taskbar
A new update brings a series of fresh features to Windows 11, including Bing’s ChatGPT and a preview to an iOS Phone Link.
The new Bing has been undergoing lots of upgrades recently, including changes to its chat limits, a new integration with Skype, availability in the the Bing mobile app, and even the addition of voice search.
Now AI-powered Bing will have a new home — on the Windows 11 taskbar.
On Monday, Microsoft announced that it is taking “a major step forward adding to the incredible breadth and ease of use of the Windows PC” by introducing a typable Windows search box, placing the capabilities of the new Bing front and center in the taskbar […]
Although Microsoft hasn’t revealed an an exact date for larger rollout, the tech giant does say that “soon” hundreds of millions of Windows 11 users will get access to the new AI-powered Bing taskbar, which could point to an expansion in the new Bing preview sooner rather than later…
Intel and Microsoft seem to be hinting at Windows 12
The next major version of Windows will likely be focused on new AI-powered features thanks to x86 chip advancements.
Both Intel and Microsoft seem to be preparing for the as yet unannounced Windows 12. The hardware leaker @leaf_hobby, known for revealing the full specs of Intel’s Xeon chips before launch, has published details about Intel’s Meteor Lake desktop platform. Intel reportedly mentions internally that its next-gen CPUs will support Windows 12.
While the tweet has since been deleted, VideoCardz notes that Meteor Lake is expected to include 20 PCIe Gen5 lanes and support for Windows 12. We asked Intel to comment on the leak, but the company refused. Microsoft also declined to comment on the reports of Intel preparing to support Windows 12.
While Microsoft hasn’t announced any plans for Windows 12, there are already signs the company is looking to future versions of Windows to integrate AI-powered features. “As we start to develop future versions of Windows we’ll think about other places where AI should play a natural role in terms of the experience,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s head of consumer marketing, in an interview with The Verge earlier this week…
Microsoft could ditch the Taskbar junk for a more minimalist Windows 11 look
A new customization option may be coming to Windows 11
Microsoft may be adding a new customization option in an upcoming Windows 11 update – one that could address a feature that a good amount of users find annoying.
According to Twitter user @PhantomOfEarth(opens in new tab) and reported on by MSPowerUser(opens in new tab), the Windows 11 Dev Insider build 25300 contains three strings that make turning off the date and time on the system tray on the right side of the Taskbar an option. Those strings are ‘Hide taskbar clock,’ ‘Hide time and date in the system tray,’ and ‘Turn this on to hide your time and date information in the corner of your taskbar.’ Most likely the setting will be located on the Taskbar, as other settings that configure it are located there.
However, this is all still mere conjecture at this point. Finding these strings inside the build doesn’t guarantee implementation. And even if it was confirmed the feature would be coming to Windows 11, we still don’t have a release date.
What does this mean for Windows 11?
Personally, I find the date and time on the Taskbar one of the most standard and useful features on the OS. It’s extremely convenient to simply glance to the right and see the exact time of day, especially when absorbed in other projects that would otherwise interfere with my concept of time.
However, having more customization options is never a bad thing…
Microsoft accidentally offers Windows 11 upgrades to unsupported PCs again
Affected PCs weren’t able to upgrade this time, but it’s the second in less than a year that Microsoft has made this mistake.
Microsoft has once again accidentally offered the Windows 11 upgrade to PCs with unsupported hardware. Twitter user PhantomOcean3 spotted the mistake earlier this week, where Microsoft was showing fullscreen prompts on unsupported hardware. Microsoft has now explained the mistake, noting that PCs that didn’t meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11 weren’t able to complete the upgrade.
“Some hardware ineligible Windows 10 and Windows 11, version 21H2 devices were offered an inaccurate upgrade to Windows 11,” explains Microsoft in a support note. “These ineligible devices did not meet the minimum requirements to run Windows 11. Devices that experienced this issue were not able to complete the upgrade installation process.”
Microsoft had a similar issue last year when it offered the Windows 11 upgrade to PCs that weren’t officially supported…
Temu: What to Know About the Trending Shopping App
Everyday prices are extra high right now, so shoppers are turning to sites like Temu for their huge selection of affordable products. But many people have been wondering: Is Temu reputable?
Temu quickly became the number one free app on both the App Store and Google Play after its launch in September 2022. Their unbeatable prices across over 250 categories are hard to resist in times like these. From baby bibs and beauty items for as low as $0.44, to power tools and pet supplies under $3, Temu has a little something for everyone looking to shop more affordably.
But with prices that seem too good to be true, it’s no surprise that people want to know if Temu is a reputable and safe place to shop. Don’t worry, we’ve done the research and even tried shopping at Temu ourselves to bring you the truth. So, if you’re wondering if Temu is the real deal, we’ve got the answers for you.
A Little About Temu
Temu (pronounced “tee-moo”) is an online shopping site that hosts millions of third-party vendors, allowing them to sell all kinds of low-priced products to U.S. and Canadian shoppers.
Temu is a Boston-based company founded by PDD Holdings, a multinational commerce group with a market cap of over $120 billion. Temu is also the sister company of Pinduoduo, the leading social commerce company in China…
Read more at The Krazy Coupon Lady.
Thanks for reading this week’s Wednesday Newbytes. We hope you found these articles informative, interesting, fun, and helpful. Darcy & TC.
