Microsoft has a patent application for pausing your game to show you an ad. Published on September 3, it describes a system that suspends play at a quiet moment, plays “promoted content”, then grants a credit that holds off the next break for a while. Not on public displays, but on private user displays. It is becoming increasingly obvious that Microsoft is trying to blur the boundary of where ads are acceptable, and this time the boundary runs through the games themselves.
Tagged Microsoft
How to Use Alphanumeric Passwords with Windows Hello
This is yet another documentation-related post. The information surrounding Windows Hello, especially why the use of PIN is recommended, is simply out of context for users who would be actively looking up the answers. On Windows, traditionally speaking, a user would create an account for a Windows machine, then the login details would stay on the local machine. On current version of Windows 11, however, Windows highlights PIN as the new authentication mechanic, calling it more secure than the password.
How to Disable Microsoft Account on Windows
Microsoft has been aggressively pushing online accounts on local machines as far back as Windows 8, if I recall correctly. Beginning with Windows 10, now the operating system constantly demands the user is recommended to login via an online account instead. All of my Windows installations are virtual, and logging into my actual Microsoft account doesn’t give me any additional benefit.
Microsoft Office, Windows, and Subscriptions
Subscription is the new bane of the internet. It’s been the bane of the modern technology as many users would wail. We are living in a world where some products and services are inherently subscription-based, where it is simply not possible to acquire the said products or services without subscription, say Netflix. But this isn’t about some shows exclusively on Netflix. No, this is about products that were originally sold as one-time-purchase, now in the process of rough transition to subscription model.
Windows 10, Subscription, and Security Update
Microsoft announced that the company will provide a subscription-based security updates, $30/year for “legacy” PCs. It is truly a diabolical plan considering Windows 11 has the infamous TPM requirements, thereby the older PCs simply became obsolete. On Bootcamp side of the business, we are yet to hear from neither of the companies on whether or not Windows 11 will finally be supported on Mac machines. (reminder: although it is possible, officially Bootcamp does not support Windows 11)
How to Connect MTP Devices on macOS
Media Transfer Protocol, or MTP, is something Microsoft came up with in the days of PMPs and PMCs. If the history teaches us anything, it is that most of the remnants from MP3 eras were fragmented and chaotic patchwork of technologies to make that one proof of concept to just barely work.
Hide Home Button on Microsoft Edge
Nobody has “home” anymore on world wide web. We move around freely, because we are all tied around Google, not Yahoo, the yellow page of, well, internet. But oddly enough, Edge does not have accessible options to simply remove the Home button from the toolbar, despite the fact that it is doable.
Block Suggested Apps on Windows 10
Windows has more than one way to put up advertisement on your workstation now. And it is called ‘Suggested Apps’, kindly suggesting you to play Candy Crush Saga again. Needless to say, kindly installing the game and playing it on your work computer will ruin your work performance and get you fired. Or at best, get caught by your boss and thrown a pink slip on your face.
Stop Windows 10 from Downloading Unwanted Apps
Windows 10 picked up the installing bloatware tactic from its competitor. Windows is now installing Candy Crush Saga without user permission, and it even comes preinstalled on some machines.
Karabiner Settings for Microsoft Sculpt Keyboard
Karabiner setup has gotten longer than I expected, so here’s a separate post dedicated for Karabiner-Elements.
Microsoft Sculpt Keyboard on Mac
I wrote a simple —but ridiculously long— review on Amazon on using MS sculpt keyboard on Mac. Again, it works, but not as it was promised by bloggers or tech-journalists who had written pre-release reviews. It won’t work, because the keyboard is specifically designed and assigned for Windows 8 exclusive features, and Microsoft has no plan to release Mac drivers. Now I would argue those aren’t even features in the first place.
Make Great Games, Not Kinect Games Says Xbox Rep.
Finally someone who knows what industry they are dealing with in Microsoft. In recent interview with Polygon, head of Xbox simply answered make great games.
Samsung is Finally Desperate: Pro needs no keyboard?
Samsung has been releasing numerous anti-Apple advertisements in years, and now Samsung is finally making its final desperate moves. It’s not the specs, it’s not the features, but it’s the lack of the features they wish to promote in anti-Apple, anti-Microsoft, anti-Amazon commercial. Yeah, that’s how boring it can be.