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windows

Microsoft Ends Support for Windows 10: Millions Urged to Upgrade

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A major shift is on the horizon for millions of PC users. Today, Microsoft will officially stop supporting Windows 10, ending nearly a decade of updates for one of the world’s most widely used operating systems.

Once that happens, Windows 10 devices will no longer receive security patches or bug fixes, leaving them increasingly exposed to cyber threats. Microsoft is urging users to make the jump to Windows 11, but not everyone can.

“The end of support for Windows 10 is shaping up to be a disaster for both consumers and the environment,” Nathan Proctor, senior director at U.S. consumer advocacy group PIRG, told the BBC. “We deserve tech that lasts,” Proctor, who also campaigns for the “right to repair” in the U.S, added.

Despite being nearly ten years old, Windows 10 remains a dominant player. Microsoft estimates that its software runs on more than 1.4 billion devices worldwide, and roughly 43% of them were still using Windows 10 as of mid-2025, according to Statcounter.

Inside the UK, consumer watchdog Which? Tech magazine believes as many as 21 million people could be affected by the change. Its September survey found one in four users planned to keep using Windows 10 past the deadline, while one in seven expected to buy a new computer.

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Lisa Barber, the magazine’s editor, cautioned that criminals “are going to target people, they are going to exploit weaknesses and they are going to want to steal your data.” Proctor and other consumer advocates also believe the upgrade could fuel unnecessary waste as working devices get scrapped.

“People are tired of living in a world filled with short-lived devices we can’t fix, or lose software support, or are otherwise forced into the waste stream.”

Without updates, Windows 10 machines won’t get new protections against viruses, ransomware, or malicious software.

Microsoft is offering two paths forward. You can either upgrade to Windows 11, which is free for those with compatible hardware, or sign up for extended security updates. This temporary patch program extends vital security coverage until October 2026.

Microsoft’s Yusuf Mehdi, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, cautioned that companies may “find it challenging to maintain regulatory compliance with unsupported software.”

“Looking ahead, 2025 marks an important milestone for Windows. We saw the spirit of innovation on full display at CES in January, as the Windows ecosystem came together to unveil breakthrough technologies and introduce new Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs. And that momentum is only growing, as new silicon technology, thoughtful hardware designs and on-device AI experiences give people more of a reason to upgrade their Windows PC. With AI becoming a more natural and helpful part of everyday life, 2025 continues to emerge as the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.”

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Software developers are also likely to phase out compatibility over time, meaning older PCs could lose access to new features or apps.

“Many people will have to purchase new devices — despite the fact that their current computers work just fine.”

Windows 11, released in 2021, raised the bar for hardware requirements, especially around TPM 2.0 security chips, leaving many older PCs behind. It also prompts users to sign in with a Microsoft account, a change that some users find intrusive due to privacy concerns.

Even for those willing to upgrade, the process requires backing up data, verifying hardware compatibility, and potentially adjusting to a new interface.

Launched in 2015, Windows 10 was promoted as “the last version of Windows,” with rolling updates expected to keep it current indefinitely. For ten years, Microsoft issued regular updates that introduced new tools, accessibility improvements, and crucial security patches.

Now, as the curtain falls, millions face a decision whether to pay for short-term protection, buy a new device, or take their chances with an unpatched system.

crowdstrike

CrowdStrike Says More Than 97% Of Windows Sensors Are Back Online 

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CrowdStrike stated that nearly all Microsoft Windows sensors are fully operational again after an update from the company dismantled computer systems all over the world, impacting airlines, banks, and more. 

CrowdStrive said “More than 97% of Windows sensors were online as of Wednesday evening. The systems are nearly fully restored after the company’s July 19 software update crashed millions of Windows-based devices and froze corporate networks,” according to CBS News. 

Microsoft estimated that the error brought down 8.5 million Windows devices. Fortune 500 companies are enduring more than $5 billion in losses, according to Parametrix, an insurance company. 

​​CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologized for the outage in a LinkedIn post Thursday. He reassured customers that the “company was doing its best to fully restore computer systems.”

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“I am deeply sorry for the disruption this outage has caused and personally apologize to everyone impacted. While I can’t promise perfection, I can promise a response that is focused, effective, and with a sense of urgency,” he wrote.

CrowdStrike said that they blame the failure on a bug that was in a program designed to identify problems before customers update their devices. 

“This resulted in problematic content data being sent to clients,” CrowdStrike said on its website.  

“The global outage highlights the fragility of interconnected  IT systems,” according to experts. 

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company said the “outage draws attention to the trade-offs IT organizations must make between updating their environments to protect against cyberattacks versus managing changes that can introduce instability.”

Delta Air Lines, said Thursday that “operations have returned to normal.”

Internet Explorer

Microsoft Officially Retires Internet Explorer Web Browser 

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This past week Microsoft confirmed that its well-known web browser, Internet Explorer, would be retired after years of declining user engagement. Initially launched in 1995, Internet Explorer was the standard for web browsing on all Windows computers. 

More often than not, Windows users opted not to upgrade from the traditional IE browsing format, but security researchers are emphasizing that IE and its many security vulnerabilities, that also contributed to its shut down, were still existent. 

Microsoft will begin disabling the IE application on all Windows 10 devices, prompting users to instead download its next-generation Edge web browser, which was initially released back in 2015. The original IE icon will remain on user devices, and Edge will be incorporating a service called “IE Mode” so users can preserve access to old websites that were specifically made for Internet Explorer. 

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Microsoft says it will support “IE mode through at least 2029. Additionally, IE will still work for now on all supported versions of Windows 8.1, Windows 7 with Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates, and Windows Server.”

Industry analysis shows that more than half a percent of total global browser market shares are held by Internet Explorer. 

“I do think we’ve made progress, and we probably won’t see as many exploits against IE in the future, but we will still have remnants of Internet Explorer for a long time that scammers can take advantage of,” says Ronnie Tokazowski, an independent malware researcher and principal threat advisor at the cybersecurity firm Cofense.

“Internet Explorer as the browser will be gone, but there are still pieces that exist.”

“We haven’t forgotten that some parts of the web still rely on Internet Explorer’s specific behaviors and features,” Sean Lyndersay, the general manager of Microsoft Edge Enterprise, wrote.

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“There was a real need to start over with Edge rather than trying to salvage IE. The web has evolved and so have browsers. Incremental improvements to Internet Explorer couldn’t match the general improvements to the web at large, so we started fresh,” he stated. 

Maddie Stone, a researcher for Google’s Project Zero vulnerability hunting team, wrote that hackers are still able to exploit vulnerabilities within the IE application, which is a problem, referring to previously unknown vulnerabilities as “zero-days.” 

“Since we began tracking in-the-wild 0-days, Internet Explorer has had a pretty consistent number of 0-days each year. 2021 actually tied 2016 for the most in-the-wild Internet Explorer 0-days we’ve ever tracked, even though Internet Explorer’s market share of web browser users continues to decrease. Internet Explorer is still a ripe attack surface for initial entry into Windows machines, even if the user doesn’t use Internet Explorer as their internet browser,” she wrote.

IE will begin to be phased out of Windows devices in the coming months, but its legacy will live on for the standard it set for optimal web browsing.

Technology

Satya Nadella: Reshaping Microsoft and the Future of Technology

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Though his executive decisions have inspired criticism, time has shown that under Nadella’s leadership Microsoft is poised to once again dominate the industry with a suite of innovative, useful products and services.

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Microsoft Logo at store

Microsoft Surface Pro X: Review Roundup

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Microsoft is certainly interested in presenting itself as a hardware-focused company, as evidenced by its strong keynote address this year which details the company’s plans for mass-market computer products for next year and beyond. While many of the most exciting products discussed at this event aren’t due to be launched until the 2020 holiday season, the release dates for refreshes of the company’s existing hardware have just recently passed. In advance of Microsoft’s release of the Surface Pro X, reviews of the cutting-edge device have hit the Internet, and critics have mixed feelings.

The Surface Pro X uses a processor based on the ARM architecture, rather than the x86 architecture more common for the Windows operating system. As such, the Surface Pro X runs a version of Windows specifically built for compatibility with this processor, meaning many third-party programs familiar to Windows users won’t function on the device as well as you might expect. In order to run x86 apps, the Surface Pro X uses an emulation layer which is compatible with 32-bit x86 apps, but not 64-bit ones. Apps running through this emulation layer are significantly slower than native ARM-optimized apps, and can run into various unexpected problems. Photoshop, for instance, is a 32-bit x86-optimized app, and while it does function on the Surface Pro X, it is so slow as to be nearly unusable. Other apps, like Lightroom, won’t run at all, as they are built for 64-bit x86 processors.

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Although the ARM architecture is ideal for mobile environments, as it is more power-efficient than its x86 counterpart and has better support for LTE, the majority of Windows developers have not made their programs available on this platform. Microsoft-made apps like Edge run fine, though, and some third-party apps like Google Chrome are compatible. Perhaps this is the reason why Microsoft is positioning the Surface Pro X as a tablet which runs Windows and features an optional keyboard cover rather than as a device to replace one’s laptop or desktop PC. The app compatibility issues led The Verge’s Dieter Bohn to call the device “a computer built for a world that doesn’t exist.” 

Overall, the Surface Pro X is a tough sell when compared to products like the iPad, which has a mature app ecosystem, superior battery life, and many of the same features.

Though reviewers complained about the device’s unfortunately limited functionality, they praised the look and feel of the Surface Pro X. This iteration of the Surface tablet features a thinner design and smaller bezels than previous ones, but maintains its signature kickstand, which is emblazoned with the Windows logo. The display was also well-received, with reviewers like Jacob Krol of CNN calling it “sharp and vibrant.” The 13-inch screen, featuring a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 2880×1920 resolution, is ideal for watching movies and editing photos, among other graphics-intensive applications. (Very few modern video games, however, will work on the device.) Depending on how you use the Surface Pro X, the battery life can last between 5 and 13 hours, which CNet’s Dan Ackerman characterized as “respectable but not record-breaking.” The device does support fast-charging, however, and can be charged via one of its two USB-C ports. Dieter Bohn, despite his criticisms of the device’s software functionality, called the Surface Pro X “the best-looking computer [he’s] used in the past year.”

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Reviewers also judged the Surface Pro X’s optional $269 Signature Keyboard with Slim Pen. Though it is expensive, they praised the improved design of the accessory relative to the models of years past, and considered it essential for getting any advanced computing work done with the device. The keyboard was considered robust and comfortable, but the small size of the trackpad was criticized. Though initially met with skepticism, the Slim Pen device was also well-received, and reviewers quickly adjusted to the stylus’ flat shape, though some complained it became uncomfortable after a while.

Overall, the Surface Pro X is a tough sell when compared to products like the iPad, which has a mature app ecosystem, superior battery life, and many of the same features. Though Microsoft is taking an important step by pushing Windows compatibility with ARM architecture to compete with companies like Apple and Samsung in the tablet market, this iteration simply doesn’t have the developer support, speed, and battery life necessary to justify its price tag.

Girl on Computer

Who is the Pixelbook Go For?

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There’s no question that the Pixelbook Go is an impressive-looking device. Multiple reviewers have praised the product’s sleek build quality and carefully considered design, in addition to its unusual twelve-hour battery life. But for a laptop that starts at $650, it offers little in the way of features. Instead of the traditional, more powerful Windows or macOS operating systems, the Pixelbook Go runs Chrome OS, a platform designed to handle Google’s Chrome web browser and do little more. To its credit, the Pixelbook Go has the hardware chops to perform this task excellently, but its constrained featureset may leave prospective buyers skeptical of its practicality, particularly considering the expansive spate of options available at this price point.

Though the company is often praised for the build quality and design of its products, including its flagship Pixel line of smartphones, Google has been known to introduce consumer products that fail to take off in the competitive personal electronics market. Take, for instance, last year’s Pixel Slate, a ChromeOS tablet starting at $599 with a premium look and feel that offers even less functionality than the company’s laptops, especially without its optional $199 keyboard case or $99 Pixelbook Pen. Even though this expensive tablet runs Android apps, many are not optimized for the Pixel Slate, leading to an unreliable user experience when dealing with third-party software. The Pixel Slate supports split-screen multitasking, for instance, but many third-party apps are not yet compatible with this feature. While the product was nonetheless praised by reviewers for what it was, it was a commercial flop, and Google seems to have shifted its focus away from ChromeOS tablets towards laptops at least for the time being.

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While the Go is significantly cheaper than Google’s premium version released earlier this year, its price point, at essentially twice the cost of Chromebooks by other manufacturers, puts the product into a class all of its own. For that additional price, consumers are treated to impressive hardware specs that ensure the task of browsing the web, even when using multiple tabs and accessing content-heavy sites, remains fast and smooth. Chrome on the Pixelbook Go runs about as well as it does on any other laptop on the market, with the exception of Google’s own, more expensive 2-in-1 hybrid Pixelbook. And the Go features a high-quality, 1080p display, which, combined with a battery life that lasts all day and then some, renders the device perfect for extended Netflix or Youtube binge sessions.

The problem with the Pixelbook Go is the existence of laptops running exactly the same software almost as well for half the price or less. For $299, Samsung’s take on the Chromebook concept features a display of the same resolution and a similar, attractive design, with specs that are likely more than adequate for the tasks one might seek to accomplish within the confines of the Chrome web browser. And for $100 less, Asus’s Chromebook C423 features a lower-resolution screen but can handle light web browsing with ease. Consumers willing to spend $650 on a laptop are likely better off purchasing one that features a full operating system like Windows or MacOS, rather than what is in essence little more than a stripped-down version of Android. At this price point, Windows laptops with similar specifications are abundant, including Microsoft’s own Surface Laptop, and while they may not share the attention to detail of the Pixelbook Go’s build quality, the boost in functionality their more sophisticated software environments offer more than makes up for it. 

With all that being said, I still wouldn’t say the Pixelbook Go looks like a bad product. It’s simply one with an unclear market. While people who buy the Go are likely to be satisfied with their decision, the fact of the matter is that any number of better value propositions exist at and below its price point. As such, though it appears to be an acceptable device with some impressive specifications, it’s hard to recommend the Pixelbook Go to anyone when considering its alternatives.

 

Featured image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/momandson/8229514301

Microsoft

Microsoft Hopes to Revolutionize Computing with Surface Neo and Duo

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Though its Windows line of products has represented by far the most popular choice of operating system for decades, Microsoft is relatively new to the hardware space, as the cornerstone of its business has long been its software offerings. Barring their Xbox series of video game consoles, the company has only been manufacturing mobile computing devices for a few years, starting with its innovative Surface 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrid in 2012. With the original Surface tablet, Microsoft intended to directly compete with Apple’s iPad line, but also aimed to innovate on the form factor by offering a keyboard accessory and a kick stand as well as compatibility with the Surface Pen, for precise touch input. While the Surface line of products has been a moderate financial success for Microsoft, the products have received acclaim from critics and consumers alike, and the Surface products have a very high favorability rating among customers.

Building on the success of its Surface tablets, and iterating on the philosophy of enabling different types of functionality that inspired the design of these tablets, Microsoft recently announced an entirely new suite of Surface products, many of which will not launch until Holiday 2020. The most notable of Microsoft’s announcements are the Surface Neo and the Surface Duo, which are a folding tablet and a folding smartphone, respectively. These two products have  a form factor which is fundamentally unlike any product that has since been announced, marking a bold new direction for the company. The two products, the latter of which resembles a smaller version of the former, feature two displays placed almost directly next to one another, separated by a hinge that allows the device to fold 360 degrees.

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When closed, the devices resemble notebooks or journals, but constructed with a sleek and sturdy-looking metallic finish. When opened, the devices can be used in the form factor of a traditional laptop, with the lower screen acting as a software keyboard, or held sideways like a book. They can be opened further at 180 degrees to allow the two screens to work as one for a widescreen viewing experience. If the devices are opened further, they can sit on a table, with one screen allowing for a viewing experience from a distance. Finally, if the devices are folded all the way, they can be held in the hand like a traditional tablet or smartphone, with displays present on both sides.

Microsoft intends for these devices to enable a level of creativity and productivity not possible on other devices by allowing them to assume what they call different “postures.” As the devices can be unfolded and positioned in a variety of ways, each of these postures also enables different software opportunities, as the operating systems of the devices are able to detect how they are being held and offer options to the user accordingly. For instance, the Surface Neo can be used with a magnetically-attached keyboard peripheral, which can be placed on top of half of the lower screen, allowing the remainder of the display to be used as a trackpad. Additionally, both devices are compatible with styluses, allowing for precision input for a variety of applications, but perhaps most notably for digital artists.

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During the keynote in which these devices were announced, representatives from Microsoft envision the current decade as being one in which devices are used for consuming content, and see the following decade as being one characterized by using technology to create things, hoping to lead the industry in that direction. By announcing these devices so far ahead of their release dates, Microsoft intends not only to give developers time to work on software applications that take advantage of their unique form factor, but also to give consumers an opportunity to invest in the Microsoft digital ecosystem in advance of the release of these groundbreaking products. 

Perhaps the most surprising feature of Microsoft’s announcement is the fact that the Surface Duo runs the Android operating system, leveraging software from Google, a direct competitor to the software giant. After the failure of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system, which failed to gain traction in large part because of the absence of support from third-party developers, Microsoft has seemingly given up on creating mobile operating systems. However, the company’s decision to go with Android, currently the most popular mobile operating system around the world, is a clear advantage to consumers, who will have access to a wide range of already-existing apps. The extent to which third-party developers take advantage of the unique form factor of the Neo and Duo, however, remains to be seen, and this factor likely will predict the long-term success of the products overall.