NZCity NewsLinks -

All Links

18 Mar 2025

Search

Rory McIlroy takes drama out of playoff to win The Players and build momentum to the Masters
McIlroy now has 39 wins worldwide, and plenty of momentum on his side with the Masters a month away.

Microsoft shot itself in the foot with its latest Windows update
Last week’s March update for Windows 11 24H2 was already causing problems for users, but now it appears to be a headache for Microsoft itself… because it’s inadvertently uninstalling the Copilot AI assistant that the company has been pushing over the past few years. According to Windows Latest, an unexpected bug has crept into the update that causes the Copilot app to be uninstalled on some devices and unpinned from the taskbar. The problem occurs with updates KB5053598 (Windows 11 24H2) and KB5053602 (Windows 11 23H2) as well as KB5053606 (Windows 10 22H2). Microsoft has confirmed the bug, updated the respective release notes accordingly, and is already working on a solution. What can you do? Until Microsoft fixes the issue, you can manually reinstall the Copilot app from the Microsoft Store and pin it to the taskbar again. Incidentally, Copilot for Microsoft 365 isn’t affected by the bug. Other problems with the update It was previously reported that the March update for Windows 11 24H2 PCs is riddled with issues, with users getting unexpected BSOD errors (Blue Screen of Death), crashing SSDs, and errors with Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). See more in our coverage of that problematic update. Problems with Remote Desktop were previously reported back in October 2024 when Microsoft first released Windows 11 24H2. According to Windows Latest, this month’s recent update has probably made those problems worse. Microsoft is currently investigating. Further reading: How to roll back a problematic Windows update

Telegram founder allowed to leave France following arrest
The billionaire has been accused of failing to properly moderate his app to reduce criminality.

Logitech’s MX Vertical mouse rarely goes on sale — it’s 30% off now
Logitech’s MX series of premium mice are some of the most popular around if you don’t want a gaming mouse, but they don’t come cheap. Today, you can get the MX Vertical—the company’s most advanced ergonomic vertical design—for just $70 on Amazon. That’s $30 off its retail price, a discount of (hang on just a second, let me get out my calculator app… carry the one…) 30 percent. The MX Vertical is a delicious blend of stylish shape, premium components, and comfy materials. Ergonomics are relative and up to personal preference, of course, but the 57-degree “handshake” position of the mouse sure feels comfortable to me. The mouse doesn’t skimp on functionality, either, with two thumb buttons and a sensitivity switch that can be customized, a 4,000 DPI sensor, and Logitech’s neat Flow functionality that can switch between Bluetooth or dongle-connected devices just by moving to the side of the screen. If the MX Vertical has one weakness, it’s that it’s an exclusively right-handed design. (Southpaws will want to check out the Logitech Lift, which is less fancy but comes in a left-handed version.) But if you’re ready to buy, hop on this deal quickly. Discounts on MX mice have a history of disappearing without warning. Save 30% on the Logitech MX Vertical mouse with this rare dealBuy now at Amazon

7 Google Assistant features vanishing soon as Gemini transition approaches
Time is running out for Google Assistant as Gemini prepares to take its place on mobile and—eventually—smart devices. Now Google is announcing another round of features that Google Assistant is soon to lose. None of the about-to-be-yanked features are all that critical, but the move is yet another sign that Google Assistant is going by the wayside. The nixed features were spotted by 9to5Google on a support page that lists other deprecated Google Assistant features, including more than a dozen that were dropped early last year. Among the chopped Google Assistant features that owners of Nest smart speakers and displays might miss is Family Bell, which allowed users to create reminder bells for family events such as breakfast or dinner time. Originally launched back in 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic, Family Bell was actually marked for deletion more than a year ago, but it continued to work for many users past its expiration date. Indeed, I can still access a Family Bell settings page in the Google Home app for iOS. That said, the presence of the Family Bell feature in the updated list of soon-to-be-removed Google Assistant features suggests that the function is about to be shut down for good. Also on the chopping block is the ability to get birthday reminders using Routines—again, not a huge deal, but annoying for those who have integrated such reminders into their Google Assistant automations. Luckily, you’ll still be able to ask the Assistant to remind you about a given birthday. Another feature that’s disappointing to lose is the ability to ask Google Assistant to favorite, share, or ask when a given photo was taken. That means no more asking “Hey Google, when was that picture taken?” when a cute photo of my daughter in grade school appears on my Nest Hub Max. Sure, you’ll still be able to tap the screen for sharing controls and images details (you can do the same in Google Photos too), but still, it’s just one less thing that Google Assistant can do. Other Google Assistant features that are going away include the ability to change photo frame or ambient screen settings with your voice, translating a live conversation using interpreter mode, and getting daily updates from the Assistant. The Google announcement didn’t note exactly when the Assistant features will be dropped. Here’s the complete list, another with details on possible workarounds: Favorite, share, and ask where and when your photos were taken with your voice. You can still favorite and share your photos in the Google Photos app and see where and when your photos were taken on your Smart Display and tablet. Change photo frame settings or ambient screen settings with your voice. You can still change your photo frame settings in your Smart Display settings. Translate your live conversation with someone who doesn’t speak your language with interpreter mode. Translating a single word or phrase from one language to another will still work. Get birthday reminder notifications as part of Routines. You can still ask your Assistant to set a reminder about birthdays you care about. Ask to schedule or hear previously scheduled Family Bell announcements. Get daily updates from your Assistant, like “send me the weather everyday.” You can schedule updates when you create a custom Routine. Use Google Assistant on car accessories that have a Bluetooth connection or AUX plug. Google announced last Friday that it would soon phase out Google Assistant across its mobile and smart devices, including Nest speakers and displays. Specifically, Google said that a “new experience” powered by Gemini would be coming to smart devices “later this year.”