Month: September 2024
Windows 11 users, be careful with the latest update – Microsoft admits it can cause havoc with crashes, endless restarts, and BitLocker woes
Unexpected errors and unprompted reboots are some of the gremlins present in patch KB5043145.
Last week, Microsoft released an optional update for Windows 11, and unfortunately it has been causing some serious trouble in some cases.
This is an optional update (KB5043145) for Windows 11 23H2 which was supposed to bring some minor quality-of-life improvements, but turned out to pack some unexpected bugs.
In the support document for the update, Microsoft has acknowledged some known issues, with nasty problems including some users being prompted to restart their devices, sometimes multiple times, while others are witnessing their PC locking up with either blue or green screen errors.
Furthermore, some devices open the Windows Automatic Repair tool after multiple restarts, and even BitLocker recovery can pop up in some cases. BitLocker is a Windows security tool that can protect your device’s data by encrypting it, but it’s only available to users of Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. So, if you’re not using those – and most folks reading this will be on Windows 11 Home – you won’t be affected by that particular bug.
We saw BitLocker-related update problems and repeated unprompted restarts earlier in the year, and so these issues seem to be continuing, sadly.
(Image credit: Future)
Investigation is underway – standby for further info
In the support document, Microsoft says that it’s currently investigating these issues and that more information will be provided when available. So for now, we can sit tight and wait for feedback from the software giant.
Remember, though, that this is an optional update – you don’t have to install it and can just steer well clear. I would recommend doing just that with this preview update, especially as we currently aren’t aware of any workarounds for these bugs.
However, if you have already taken the plunge with KB5043145 and have encountered any of these gremlins, you can send Microsoft a message via the Feedback Hub app and describe your experience. This information could help Microsoft understand the problem and find a solution more quickly.
Alternatively, Neowin, which spotted this development, suggests that you can visit the Feedback Hub and search for ‘KB5043145.’ This should return the most relevant posts on the forum regarding the patch, and if you see any complaints that echo your issues and concerns, you can upvote those to increase their visibility.
Overall, in terms of bugs cropping up over and over, it’s not a pretty picture that’s being painted of Windows 11 these days. It feels like there are more issues with the newest OS than with its predecessor, Windows 10, which still enjoys widespread popularity – and maybe that’s one of the reasons why.
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“So aggravating”: Outdated ads start appearing on PS5 home screen
Players are annoyed as new home screen needs work.
Enlarge (credit: Getty)
PlayStation 5 owners are reporting advertisements on the device’s home screen. Frustratingly, the ads seem to be rather difficult to disable, and some are also outdated ads and/or confusing content.
The ads, visible on users’ home screens when they hover over a game title, can only be removed if you disconnect from the Internet, IGN reported today. However, that would block a lot of the console’s functionality. The PS5 dashboard previously had ads but not on the home screen.
Before this recent development, people would see game art if they hovered over a game icon on the PS5’s home screen. Now, doing so reportedly brings up dated advertisements. For example, IGN reported seeing an ad for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse “coming soon exclusively in cinemas” when hovering over the Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales game. Webheads will of course recall that the Spider-Verse movie came out in June 2023.
Best Prime Day Robot Vacuum Deals: Relax While a Robot Cleans for You
Tired of lugging a heavy vacuum around the house? It might be time to invest in a robot vacuum. These early Prime Day savings make that much more affordable.
Tired of lugging a heavy vacuum around the house? It might be time to invest in a robot vacuum. These early Prime Day savings make that much more affordable.
The Echo Hub smart home controller is down to a new all-time low price
The Echo Hub offers an intuitive interface, making it easy for the whole household to control the smart home. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Amazon offered some pretty good deals ahead of its Prime Big Deal Days sale last week and continues to do so, but admittedly we’ve seen most of these discounted prices before. Today’s deal on the Echo Hub is the exception, though, as Amazon is now selling it at a new all-time low price of $124.99 ($55 off). That’s a deal available only to Prime members, but other retailers like Best Buy and Target are also matching this deal in case you’re not signed up for Prime.
As a refresher, the Echo Hub is a smart home controller housed in a small, Fire tablet-like device you can choose to mount up on the wall. It makes controlling a smart home incredibly simple; all you need to do is tap its eight-inch touchscreen, and you can adjust smart thermostats, lights, and even security devices like video doorbells. What makes it even more convenient is its support for Matter and Thread, so you can also connect it to other smart home platforms beyond Amazon Alexa — though admittedly, it integrates best with other Amazon devices.
All in all, the Echo Hub is a helpful little gadget that makes the smart home more intuitive for everybody in the household to navigate, from tech-averse relatives to young kids. It helps, too, that you can even use the Echo Hub to play music and stream videos, but without ads and a camera like an Echo Show smart display for extra privacy.
Read our Echo Hub review.
A few more ways to save
The USB-C Apple Pencil has returned to its all-time low of $69 ($10 off) at Amazon and Walmart. The stylus offers tilt sensitivity and is compatible with the entire current iPad lineup, and like the second-gen Apple Pencil is easy to store as it magnetically attaches to the side of your iPads. Unfortunately, it doesn’t charge wirelessly like the second-gen Apple Pencil, though, and also lacks pressure sensitivity and pairing.
You can buy the unlocked Samsung Galaxy A54 5G for $249.99 ($200 off) from Best Buy, which is one of its best prices to date. The smartphone offers some nice flagship specs at a low price, including a 6.4-inch 120Hz OLED screen and a robust IP67 water and dust resistance rating. It also comes with Samsung’s solid security update policy, with the company promising five years of security updates. Read our review.
The black and yellow versions of the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds are down to their all-time low price of $79.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. If you’re looking a pair of affordable noise-canceling wireless earbuds, Nothing’s buds are our top picks. They lack bells and whistles like wireless charging, but they do deliver great sound and other cool perks for their price like ChatGPT integration, a low-latency mode for gaming, and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. Read our review. Read our hands-on impressions.
The Echo Hub offers an intuitive interface, making it easy for the whole household to control the smart home. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Amazon offered some pretty good deals ahead of its Prime Big Deal Days sale last week and continues to do so, but admittedly we’ve seen most of these discounted prices before. Today’s deal on the Echo Hub is the exception, though, as Amazon is now selling it at a new all-time low price of $124.99 ($55 off). That’s a deal available only to Prime members, but other retailers like Best Buy and Target are also matching this deal in case you’re not signed up for Prime.
As a refresher, the Echo Hub is a smart home controller housed in a small, Fire tablet-like device you can choose to mount up on the wall. It makes controlling a smart home incredibly simple; all you need to do is tap its eight-inch touchscreen, and you can adjust smart thermostats, lights, and even security devices like video doorbells. What makes it even more convenient is its support for Matter and Thread, so you can also connect it to other smart home platforms beyond Amazon Alexa — though admittedly, it integrates best with other Amazon devices.
All in all, the Echo Hub is a helpful little gadget that makes the smart home more intuitive for everybody in the household to navigate, from tech-averse relatives to young kids. It helps, too, that you can even use the Echo Hub to play music and stream videos, but without ads and a camera like an Echo Show smart display for extra privacy.
Read our Echo Hub review.
A few more ways to save
The USB–C Apple Pencil has returned to its all-time low of $69 ($10 off) at Amazon and Walmart. The stylus offers tilt sensitivity and is compatible with the entire current iPad lineup, and like the second-gen Apple Pencil is easy to store as it magnetically attaches to the side of your iPads. Unfortunately, it doesn’t charge wirelessly like the second-gen Apple Pencil, though, and also lacks pressure sensitivity and pairing.
You can buy the unlocked Samsung Galaxy A54 5G for $249.99 ($200 off) from Best Buy, which is one of its best prices to date. The smartphone offers some nice flagship specs at a low price, including a 6.4-inch 120Hz OLED screen and a robust IP67 water and dust resistance rating. It also comes with Samsung’s solid security update policy, with the company promising five years of security updates. Read our review.
The black and yellow versions of the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds are down to their all-time low price of $79.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. If you’re looking a pair of affordable noise-canceling wireless earbuds, Nothing’s buds are our top picks. They lack bells and whistles like wireless charging, but they do deliver great sound and other cool perks for their price like ChatGPT integration, a low-latency mode for gaming, and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. Read our review. Read our hands-on impressions.
DirecTV To Buy Rival Dish Network
DirecTV has agreed to acquire struggling rival Dish Network, creating a satellite TV behemoth with nearly 20 million subscribers. The complex transaction, announced Monday, involves private equity firm TPG acquiring a majority stake in DirecTV from AT&T for $7.6 billion. DirecTV will then purchase Dish for $1 and assume its debt.
The deal provides a lifeline for Dish, which faces $2 billion in debt due November with only $500 million in available cash. EchoStar, Dish’s parent company, will retain its wireless spectrum investments and operate independently. Subject to regulatory approval and creditor agreement, the merger is expected to close in late 2025. DirecTV and TPG will provide $2.5 billion to cover Dish’s immediate financial needs. The deal’s fate remains uncertain, as a similar 2002 merger attempt was blocked on antitrust grounds.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
DirecTV has agreed to acquire struggling rival Dish Network, creating a satellite TV behemoth with nearly 20 million subscribers. The complex transaction, announced Monday, involves private equity firm TPG acquiring a majority stake in DirecTV from AT&T for $7.6 billion. DirecTV will then purchase Dish for $1 and assume its debt.
The deal provides a lifeline for Dish, which faces $2 billion in debt due November with only $500 million in available cash. EchoStar, Dish’s parent company, will retain its wireless spectrum investments and operate independently. Subject to regulatory approval and creditor agreement, the merger is expected to close in late 2025. DirecTV and TPG will provide $2.5 billion to cover Dish’s immediate financial needs. The deal’s fate remains uncertain, as a similar 2002 merger attempt was blocked on antitrust grounds.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.