Computer News

CCleaner 5.63
“Users on versions v5.57 through to v5.62 have been automatically updated to the new version to take advantage of its enhanced security and improved performance. Users will not notice any change to any of their product settings and can continue to use it as normal. Minor UI changes and bug fixes”
Download (I use portable) | Release Announcement | Forum Announcement
See also: Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall

VirtualBox 6.0.14
“This is a maintenance release.”
Download | Changelog

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Humans will not ‘migrate’ to other planets, Nobel winner says
“Humans will never migrate to a planet outside of Earth’s solar system because it would take far too long to get there…”We are talking about hundreds of millions of days using the means we have available today. We must take care of our planet, it is very beautiful and still absolutely liveable.””
I feel like we already know that?

Taco Bell recalls 2.3 million pounds of seasoned beef from restaurants in 21 states
On Monday, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced some of Taco Bell’s seasoned beef products sent to restaurants nationwide have been recalled because they “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal shavings.”
Ha! For it to be a risk they would have to put beef in their food first. The Taco Bell’s around here barely put a trace amount in the tacos.

Win10 1809 And Under Updated
“This non-security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:” a whole bunch of “Addresses an issue”

Win10 1909
Windows nerds parroted a guess that 1909 would be released this month. Nope, November. It’s is a boring update and I am 100% fine with that. There is a new feature that sounds interesting, “Favored CPU Core Optimization.”
I wouldn’t be in a hurry for this y’all. There ain’t much there there.
Microsoft: What’s new in Windows 10, version 1909

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Updated
“Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Acrobat and Reader for Windows and macOS. These updates address critical and  important vulnerabilities.  Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.”
Download (US) | All Downloads | Security Bulletin

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Internet Archive releases 2,500 MS-DOS games so you can relive the ’90s
“This will be our biggest update yet, ranging from tiny recent independent productions to long-forgotten big-name releases from decades ago,”
Have at it ya old Geeks!

Deepfake videos ‘will cause worldwide chaos and pull society apart’ expert warns
“Deepfake videos are becoming increasingly easy to make, and harder than ever to detect, experts warn.
As fake videos are used to spread misinformation quickly around the world, there are fears that more effort is going into developing deepfake-generating tools than into detection.”

Readers Beware: AI Has Learned to Create Fake News Stories
“What deepfakes did for video—producing clips of famous people appearing to say and do things they never said or did—these tools could do for news, tricking people into thinking the earth is flat, global warming is a hoax or a political candidate committed a crime when he or she didn’t. While false articles are nothing new, these AI tools allow them to be generated in seconds by computer.”

Jeff Bezos’s Master Plan
“What the Amazon founder and CEO wants for his empire and himself, and what that means for the rest of us.”
Long article that is worth the read. Why? Lot’s of reason but you can start with this:
Amazon – Our Positions

Chinese anger over Hong Kong ensnared 3 big US businesses this week — and critics say they bent to Beijing
China’s business bullying jumps to new heights over tweet by NBA Rockets GM
Opinion: LeBron James undermines values he’s espoused in most disgraceful moment of career

Alzheimer’s: Scientists find the cause of evening agitation
“A new study has uncovered a biological clock circuit that may explain why people with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia can become more agitated or aggressive in the early evening.
The researchers hope that their findings will lead to new treatments that help to calm the aggressiveness and agitation that individuals with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases commonly experience as part of a condition known as “sundowning.”
Too late to help my Dad. I hope they do find anything to actually help soon.

Former Apple employees are making a deadbolt that you unlock with your phone, and it’s backed by Walmart
Walmart. There’s a name that screams “quality”.

The Best and Worst Drivers By City
My area (Richmond) came in 10th worst. No argument there. But Detroit is the best? There is freaking no one there. In the several times I’ve been back recently the only place I see any traffic is on the highways (74/94/96) at what would be “rush hour” for them. It’s only light traffic for most of the Eastern / North Eastern seaboard.

Google Chrome 77.0.3865.120
“This update includes 8 security fixes.”
Download desktop version 32-bit or 64-bit
Chrome for Android 77.0.3865.116 was released 2 days ago.

Firefox 69.0.3
Couple of fixes.
Download 32-bit or 64-bit

Latest Drivers
AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.10.1 Optional
Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers Version 21.40.2: Windows 7 | Windows 8.1 | Windows 10
Intel Wireless Bluetooth Drivers Version 21.20.0/21.40.2: Windows 7 | Windows 8.1 | Windows 10
Intel RST Drivers Version 17.7.0.1006

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

I just saw Ghacks was sold. Lots of folks are unhappy about it.

Cambridge Analytica whistleblower: US heading in ‘same direction as China’ with online privacy
“Just because it’s not the state doesn’t mean that there isn’t harmful impacts that could come if you have one or two large companies monitoring or tracking everything you do,” he said…While Cambridge Analytica has since shut down, Wylie said the tactics it used could be deployed elsewhere, and that is why data privacy regulation needs to be dramatically enhanced. “Even if the company has dissolved, the capabilities of the company haven’t,” he said. “My real concern is what happens if China becomes the next Cambridge Analytica, what happens if North Korea becomes the next Cambridge Analytica?”

Amazon Workers May Be Watching Your Cloud Cam Home Footage
“Dozens of Amazon workers based in India and Romania review select clips captured by Cloud Cam, according to five people who have worked on the program or have direct knowledge of it.“

Win10 Updated
“This is a required security update that expands the out-of-band update dated September 23, 2019. This security update includes the Internet Explorer scripting engine security vulnerability (CVE-2019-1367) mitigation and corrects a recent printing issue some users have experienced.”
1903 – October 3, 2019—KB4524147 (OS Build 18362.388)
1809 – October 3, 2019—KB4524148 (OS Build 17763.775)

Political Operatives Are Faking Voter Outrage With Millions Of Made-Up Comments To Benefit The Rich And Powerful
“A fierce battle over the regulation of the internet was riddled with millions of fake comments in the most prolific known instance of political impersonation in US history…The New York attorney general opened an investigation and has since issued subpoenas to more than a dozen entities — estimating that “as many as 9.6 million comments may have used stolen identities.”
You need to read this.

Firefox 69.0.2
3 fixes.
Download 32-bit or 64-bit | Release Notes

CCleaner 5.62
A meh update. I would skip it.
Download (I use portable) | Release Announcement
See also: Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

iVerge – Microsoft doesn’t think Windows is important anymore
“The operating system is no longer the most important layer for us…What is most important for us is the app model and the experience.”
Maybe that’s why Win10 updates are a mess.

Here’s that hippie, pro-privacy, pro-freedom Apple y’all so love: Hong Kong protest safety app banned from iOS store
“Apple has banned an app that allows people in Hong Kong to keep track of protests and police activity in the city state, claiming such information is illegal.”
So when is Apple gonna ban Waze? OIC, it’s just big tech giving in to the Chicoms again.

Sorry, not much free time lately.

Latest Drivers
AMD Chipset Drivers 1.9.27.1033
AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.9.3 Optional
Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 436.48
Intel Windows 10 Graphics DHC Drivers 26.20.100.7212

Wise Disk Cleaner 10.2.5
Download (I use portable) | Release Notes

Windows 10 Updated
“Security updates to Internet Explorer”. ATM this you have to manually install the update. If you aren’t using IE ignore this update.
1903 – September 23, 2019—KB4522016 (OS Build 18362.357)
1809 – September 23, 2019—KB4522015 (OS Build 17763.740)
1803 – September 23, 2019—KB4522014 (OS Build 17134.1009)

Macrium Reflect v7.2.4473
Download | Release Notes
When attempting download you’ll get a pop-up asking for your email addy. Just click continue an do not enter email addy.

VMware Workstation Player 15.5
Support for new OS versions and a few fixes.
Download | Release Notes

Samsung Magician Software v6.0.0.100 “Released”
Download Page | Download
You’ll probably get an error message when attempting download, as is always the case. Apparently a global company like Samsung can’t handle a little download traffic and can’t be bothered to update the release info.
Try Major Geeks to download.

Chrome Updated
Version 77.0.3865.92 released for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. The desktop version has 4 security fixes. The Android version “includes stability and performance improvements.”
Download desktop version 32-bit or 64-bit
Android users, you’ll get it when they feel like making it available to you at the Play Store.

Firefox 69.0.1
1 security fix and a few bugfixes.
Download 32-bit or 64-bit

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Sam Esmail’s new Battlestar Galactica series won’t be a reboot
“BSG fans, this will NOT be a remake of the amazing series @RonDMoore launched because… why mess with perfection? Instead, we’ll explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar,” Esmail tweeted. “So say we all!”
So say we all.