Firefox Nightly users can now summon Microsoft Copilot from the browser sidebar — an optional, opt‑in hook that exposes Copilot’s chat, voice and summarization capabilities inside Firefox while reopening a broader debate about privacy, platform boundaries, and the creeping normalization of...
Amid a wave of user feedback and industry scrutiny, KDE’s developers are responding boldly to Microsoft’s heavily marketed Copilot key, a recently introduced hardware fixture on many new Windows laptops. Once touted as an innovative bridge between users and Microsoft’s AI assistant, the Copilot...
ai integration
copilot key
discover
flatpak
gnome
hardware keys
kde
kde frameworks
kde plasma
keyboard customization
keyboard firmware
keyboard shortcuts
linux desktop
microsoft copilot
open source
open source advocacy
plasma 6.5
remapping
userchoice
wayland
Logging in to Windows 11 after setup should be the start of a smooth PC experience, but for many users, it’s felt more like a gauntlet of annoying popups. For months, Microsoft has been bombarding users with the “Second-chance Out-of-Box Experience” (SCOOBE): an intrusive string of prompts...
consumer rights
dark patterns
edge browser
microsoft ecosystem
microsoft scoobe
onedrive
operating system
os setup
out-of-box experience
productivity tools
software design
software prompts
system setup
tech industry
tech news
ui redesign
userchoiceuser experience
user frustration
windows 11
Microsoft once again finds itself under the regulatory spotlight, this time in Brazil, where Opera Software has triggered an antitrust investigation by the country’s competition authority, CADE. At issue are old grievances in a new world: the perennial claim that Microsoft leverages its Windows...
ai integration
ai lock-in
antitrust
antitrust investigation
brazil regulation
browser competition
chrome
competition policy
default browser
digital competition law
digital ecosystems
edge browser
global tech regulation
market dominance
microsoft
opera software
platform neutrality
tech regulation
userchoice
windows operating system
Windows 10 users in the European Economic Area are witnessing an era of increased autonomy over their app defaults thanks to the rollout of build 19045.6029 (KB5061087) in the Release Preview Channel. While this update is mostly evolutionary rather than revolutionary, the subtle shifts in the...
browser default settings
build updates
com activation bug
curl update
default browser
default pdf viewer
digital markets act
eea windows users
microsoft windows
operating system review
pdf default options
software updates
system customization
tech regulation
userchoice
windows 10
windows 10 update
windows defaults
windows regulation
windows security
For decades, Microsoft’s Windows operating system has greeted users with a familiar preloaded landscape of apps: Edge for web browsing, Bing for internet searches, the Microsoft Store for downloading software, and a smattering of baked-in experiences like widgets and curated news feeds. For...
app management
bing
browser defaults
digital markets act
digital sovereignty
edge
european union
microsoft
os customization
privacy
regulatory compliance
software uninstallation
system control
tech regulation
userchoice
web browsers
windows
windows 10
windows 11
windows store
Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has continued to drive significant shifts in Microsoft’s business practices—especially regarding how the Windows platform interacts with competing web browsers. In a notable move, Microsoft has announced the end of persistent Edge browser prompts for users in...
browser competition
browser defaults
browser prompts
default apps
default settings
digital rights
dma
edge browser
eu regulations
european digital markets act
microsoft
microsoft store
regulatory compliance
system defaults
tech regulation
third-party apps
userchoice
web browsers
windows
windows search
For years, Microsoft’s aggressive promotion of the Edge browser has frustrated countless Windows users. Annoying popups and stubborn default settings became a hallmark of the experience, with Microsoft persistently nudging—or, some would say, nagging—users to designate Edge as their primary web...
app uninstall
browser defaults
developer apis
digital markets act
edge replacement
eu regulation
european union
microsoft edge
microsoft store
privacy
regulatory compliance
search engines
software updates
tech policy
userchoice
web browser
windows 10
windows 11
windows features
windows settings
For years, Microsoft Edge has been at the forefront of the Windows ecosystem—not just as a browser bundled with every Windows installation, but as the subject of persistent prompts urging users to make it their default. For many, especially those outside the United States, these constant nudges...
app uninstallation
browser defaults
browser nudges
default apps
default browser
digital markets act
eu regulations
eu tech regulation
microsoft edge
microsoft store
software freedom
system customization
system defaults
system modularity
tech legislation
user autonomy
userchoice
windows 10
windows 11
windows search
Navigating the familiar digital corridors of Windows 11, many users recognize Microsoft’s ambition to deliver a seamless, connected experience out of the box. Enhanced cloud integration, productivity widgets, and data-driven recommendations are all testament to a vision where convenience reigns...
cloud integration
default settings
diagnostic data
microsoft
onedrive
operating system
os customization
privacy concerns
privacy settings
start menu
startup apps
system performance
tech community
user autonomy
userchoiceuser privacy
widgets
windows 11
windows tips
When Elon Musk, the world-renowned entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla, found himself unable to set up a new Windows 11 laptop without first creating a Microsoft account, he did more than vent on social media—he reignited a vital global conversation about privacy, digital autonomy, and the complex...
cloud computing
data control
data security
device setup
digital independence
digital privacy
digital rights
local accounts
microsoft account
microsoft windows
online security
privacy concerns
privacy workaround
tech activism
tech controversy
tech industry
tech transparency
user autonomy
userchoice
windows 11
Motorola’s latest smartphones are about to become the digital Noah’s Ark of artificial intelligence assistants, featuring a pre-installed menagerie of apps from not just the monolithic Google, but also Microsoft’s Copilot and the upstart Perplexity AI. This isn’t a random act of corporate...
ai assistants
ai ecosystem
ai landscape
antitrust lawsuit
default settings
device manufacturer
digital assistants
digital competition
google antitrust
microsoft copilot
mobile device security
motorola
perplexity ai
pre-installed apps
regulatory impact
smartphone innovation
smartphone market
tech industry trends
tech regulation
userchoice
In a bold move amidst the ongoing browser wars, Mozilla is taking significant strides to position Firefox as a viable alternative to Microsoft's default Edge browser on Windows 11. Here's the kicker: Mozilla is experimenting with a sneaky-yet-transparent option that sets Firefox as the default...
As we hurtle deeper into a digital era driven by constant change and technological updates, Microsoft is making headlines again. Just when you thought you had your operating system figured out, the tech titan is gearing up to initiate a forced upgrade for Windows 11 users still using the...
In continuation of our commitment to reduce fragmentation of the web for all developers, and to create better web compatibility for our customers, we plan to support the Declarative Net Request API and other changes proposed as part of Manifest V3. The decision to embrace Manifest V3 changes is...
Anybody wonder if this is going to cause a lot of problems for Windows 7 and 8 users? Windows 10 has caused a lot of problems. I like to choose what I install. I think I'll wait a bit before updating and see how big a mess MS makes. It may be safer not to update if you are careful where you go...
Microsoft had an ambitious goal with the launch of Windows 10: a billion devices running the software by the end of 2018. In its quest to reach that goal, the company aggressively pushed Windows 10 on its users and went so far as to offer free upgrades for a whole year. However, the company’s...
bugs
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file management
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windows 11
Whether you do it during the Windows 10 upgrade process or after the new operating system is installed, dealing with your web browser choice and making it the default is simple on the new OS.
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