Tech News Weekly: Issue 146
New layout for the news, do you like it? New AI tool by Proton, Microsoft rolling out Recall in Windows 11 in the EU, and a shoutout to Windows Sandbox ;)
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Article(s)
Getting started with Windows Sandbox
A sandbox offers an excellent option to run files in a protected environment. It is a great option to run suspicious or untrusted files or applications. Anything that happens in the sandbox stays in the sandbox.
Windows comes with its own sandbox, but it is disabled by default. It is thankfully easy to enable the sandbox to start using it. Note though that Windows Sandbox is only included in Pro, Education, and Enterprise editions of Windows 10 and 11.
Here is how you do that:
Open the Start menu.
Type Windows Features.
Select “Turn Windows features on or off” from the results.
Check Windows Sandbox in the window that opens.
Select the OK button.
Restart the PC when asked to do so.
Just start Windows Sandbox from Start whenever you need it. This is the only inconvenience and it is similar to launching a virtual machine on the device.
You can use copy & paste to transfer individual files into the Sandbox, or, if you prefer something permanent, edit the config to map folders, which you may then access at any time.
The Windows environment works pretty much like the regular Windows installation. You can install apps in it, open files, or use the Internet. This is great for testing or running apps or files that you do not trust, especially since nothing persists once you exit the sandbox.
You may use logon scripts, however, to install software on start. This may be useful if you want to add another security software or test software.
News
Operating Systems
Microsoft announced a range of AI features that should be available from June 22 on for most Windows 11 users who run Copilot+ PCs. Here is a quick overview:
Use natural language in Settings to find preferences quickly.
New Click to Do actions, including Practice in Reading Coach, read with Immersive Reader, draft with Copilot in Word, and Microsoft Teams actions.
Photos app Relight feature “brings professional lighting controls to your snapshots”.
Paint gets sticker generator and object select.
Snipping Tool gets perfect screenshot option and color picker.
Copilot Vision (US-only) allows Copilot to see what you see on your Windows device.
Quick Machine Recovery (probably not something that requires a Copilot+ PC). Link
Microsoft claims that Windows 11, version 24H2, is the most reliable version of Windows yet (what else). Unexpected restarts dropped by 24 percent compared to Windows 11, version 22H2. Link
Microsoft is rolling out the rather controversial AI feature Recall in the European Economic Area with the June 2025 preview update for Windows 11. Link
The official Backup app for Windows 10 and 11 includes a transfer option now. You may use it to transfer files and settings from a Windows 10 or 11 PC to a PC running the latest version of Windows 11. Pretty basic and there are some things that you need to be aware of. Still, may be worth a shot for some users. Link
Windows 11 may soon get an option to connect multiple audio output devices simultaneously. Sounds like a niche feature, what do you think? Link
Mobile
TapTrap is the name of an almost-invisible attack that works on Android devices. It does not require any extra permissions and may be used to gain permissions, launch apps unexpectedly, and more. Link
Browser
Brave Browser 1.81 will block the AI tool Recall from taking screenshots of the browser window and activity automatically. Link
Google Chrome 138: A point update fixes three security issues in the desktop and Android versions of Google’s browser. Expect other Chromium-based browsers to release updates soon as well. Link
Firefox 141 Stable was released this week. It includes a new locally-run AI that may help users with the management of tabs. More precisely, with moving tabs into groups automatically. Link
Privacy and Security
Security researchers found a way to identify individual people using WiFi. This works only, if the person is carrying a device that sends out WiFi signals. Link
Biometric features are extracted from Channel State Information (CSI) and processed through a modular Deep Neural Network (DNN) featuring a Transformer-based encoder. The network is trained using an in-batch negative loss function to learn robust and generalizable biometric signatures. Experiments on the NTU-Fi dataset show that our approach achieves competitive results compared to state-of-the-art methods, confirming its effectiveness in identifying individuals via Wi-Fi signals.
Software and Services
Anyone using the Windows version of WhatsApp? Meta is apparently preparing to switch from the current UWP-app to a web wrapper, which, according to reports from the beta, may use lots of RAM. Link
Microsoft is ending support for Microsoft 365 Apps installed via the Microsoft Store in December 2026. Asks subscribers to switch to the Click-To-Run version instead. You can check the version by selecting File > (Office) Account > About. Link
Recall WiFi is a lightweight app for Windows that lists past wireless connections in its interface. A security rating is given for each and you can use it to reveal the password of the connection. Handy little tool. Link
QuickLook, an open source tool to preview files in Windows, has received a new update with plenty of new features, including a built-in Thumbnail Viewer plugin and previews for 3D models.. Link
Thunderbird 141.0 adds a new archive action to mail notifications and a warning, if the user’s OpenPGP key expires soon. Also, plenty of fixes, including some security fixes. Link
Windows 10-to-11 upgrader FlyBy11 can now download the latest Windows 11 ISO using the Media Creation Tool. Useful for users who do not want to be bothered picking their device’s architecture or Windows version before the download. Link
Gaming and Entertainment
Netflix revealed plans to shareholders to double its ad-revenue in 2025. This sounds like “more ads” and maybe also another round of price increases coming up for Netflix subscribers. Link
No more movies and TV show purchases on the Microsoft Store. Microsoft announced the end of that, leaving only games and apps in the Microsoft Store. Link
YouTube is rolling out a new commenting update for mobile users that puts comments into threads to improve the readability and accessibility. Link
AI
Netflix said that it used generative AI “to create a scene in the sci-fi show The Eternaut”. This is going to increase across the board soon, likely. Link
OpenAI announced ChatGPT agent, a new AI mode that can “perform tasks” for the user. It is an agentic AI that runs tasks for the user. Link
Proton launched Lumo, a “privacy-first AI”. Lumo is based around the same principles as other Proton products. Proton says that the AI keeps no logs, does not share data, does not train using inputs or data from users, and uses zero-access encryption.
Lumo offers some interesting features. There is Ghost mode, which works a bit like private browsing mode. The chat is gone immediately after you close it. Lumo supports web search, file uploads, and integrates with Proton Drive.
Best of all, you can try it for free, even if you do not have a Proton account. Link
Hardware
Other
DuckDuckGo added an option to hide AI-generated images in its image search engine. The new feature is available already. All you have to do is select “hide” under AI images to stop these images from showing up. Whether that is hiding all AI images or only specific ones remains to be seen. Link
Google is increasing the price of subscriptions for its Nest devices again. Price went up from $6 to $10 and $12 to $20 per month in a two-year period. End in sight? I do not think so. Link
PayPal World is a new service that connects some of the largest payment systems and digital wallets. Partners include PayPal, Venmo, Tenpay Global, NPCI International Payments Limited, and Mercado Pago. The main gain for users of these services is that they can make payments or transfers, even if their original payment system, say PayPal, is not officially accepted. Link
Did I miss something of importance this week? Let me and everyone else know in the comments!