Operating Systems, Windows

Microsoft announces release of Windows 11

June 26, 2021 savepoin

Microsoft announced the release of Windows 11 on June 24, 2021. Windows 11 is set to be released on October 5, 2021.

Some of the changes include changes to the Microsoft Store and apps, as well as a new partnership with Amazon to bring their catalog of Android apps and games to Windows users.

Windows 11 will be available as an update to existing Windows 10 devices that meet its specifications. Windows 11 requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) chip. Minimum hardware and Processor requirements for Windows 11 and other versions are also available. These requirements apply to physical PCs and Virtual Machines (VMs). Users can run a PC Health Check app to see if their current PC is compatible to run Windows 11.

If Windows 11 is installed on devices that do not meet these requirements, security updates may not be available, and kernel mode crashes may occur more often.

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 Home and Pro on October 14, 2025.

More information can be found at microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11.

Data Breaches, Hardware, Privacy of Data

Western Digital reports data security issue with some My Book Live devices

June 26, 2021 savepoin

Western Digital has reported a security issue with two of its devices: My Book Live and My Book Live Duo. Some of these devices have lost user data. These device should be disconnected from the internet.

Apps and Utilities, Google

Google Workspace now available to all Google users

June 26, 2021 savepoin

Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) has now been made available to all Google users, including free Google user accounts. More information is available at workspace.google.com/faq.

Update: G Suite Legacy Free Edition will no longer be available as of July 1, 2022. This will not affect users with a free Google account using Gmail, Docs, Sheets and other apps.

Apps and Utilities, Microsoft Office

Visio diagramming web app will be included in Microsoft 365

June 26, 2021 savepoin

Microsoft will soon include a lightweight version of its Visio diagramming app in certain Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Visio documentation can be found at support.microsoft.com/en-us/visio.

Amazon Sidewalk will be activated on compatible devices June 8th 2021

June 1, 2021 savepoin

Amazon Sidewalk is Amazon’s new neighborhood IoT network that will be enabled by default on all compatible devices starting June 8, 2021. These devices include Echo home assistants, Ring cameras, etc. Sidewalk uses a small portion of wireless bandwidth and can be deactivated from the Alexa app in order to not share Wi-Fi connections with other Amazon devices in the neighborhood.

Custom Technology Services