BRUCEB NEWS
Zero Click Searches & Google AI Mode
AI is taking over online searches. At the moment, that’s good news - the AI summaries are increasingly reliable and helpful. In the long term, they might be so good that paradoxically, they contribute to the enshittification of the internet. It’s a big, complicated,...
Grammar Are For Winners!
Need help with spelling and grammar? Of course you do! You already get help with your spelling. Microsoft Word and Outlook automatically fix common errors on the fly as you type,...
Windows 10 Has Ransomware Protection – Here’s Why It’s Not Turned On
Microsoft added built-in ransomware protection to Windows 10 two years ago. When you check, you'll find it's not turned on. This will seem strange. It should be a good thing to...
How To Set Up A New Windows 10 PC Without A Microsoft Account
There are good reasons to set up a new Windows 10 PC without a Microsoft account, even if you intend to link it to a Microsoft account eventually. The bad news is that Microsoft...
Dark Patterns Are Evil – And They’re Everywhere
I hate to interrupt the steady flow of happiness and joy in the news, but I want to call your attention to a small way that our civilization is degrading into a dystopian hell....
Microsoft Makes It Easy To Encrypt Your Email (Well, Easier Than Before, Anyway)
Let's talk about email encryption. That didn't take long! I've never seen a room empty out that quickly. I'd like to thank the fourteen of you who are still reading. I didn't...
How To Use The Archive Button In Outlook
Outlook has an Archive button, right next to the Delete button. You haven't noticed it because we have trained ourselves for twenty years to let our eyes slide over anything in...
Security Tip: Use Authy For Two-Factor Authentication
I want to talk to you about two-factor authentication and why you should use Authy to generate codes on your phone. Oh, come on! Don't give me that look. I know you don't want to...
How To Get Rid Of The “Microsoft Account Problem” Notification
If you get a notification that you have a "Microsoft account problem," you don't have a problem and you don't have to fix anything. You haven't been hacked and you don't have a...
Google, Antitrust, And Zero-Click Searches
When you search for the phone number for Bruceb Consulting, Google shows the phone number. Does that seem obvious? It's a relatively recent change. Google only began serious...
Windows 10 Tip: Dress Up Your Desktop With A Theme
Microsoft has gorgeous collections of photos that you can use for free as your Windows wallpaper. A typical theme rotates through ten or fifteen photos; when you get bored,...
Acronyms You Should Know: TL;DR
Too Long. Didn't Read. You've seen it in Bruceb News articles. If you're over 35, you probably thought it was a mistake. Au contrariwise! I don't make mistakes. Sometimes,...
How To Stop Microsoft Teams From Starting Automatically
Last month Microsoft rolled out an update to some Office 365 business subscriptions that for the first time includes the app for Microsoft Teams. Some of you are seeing the Teams...
Your Office 365 Mailbox Is Not Backed Up (But It’s . . . Wait, Is That Okay?)
If your small or midsize business uses Office 365, there is probably no backup of your mailboxes. A backup - long-term retention of a copy of your mailbox in a separate place -...
Your Backup Program Is Not Backing Up OneDrive Files (But It’s Okay!)
Backups are hard. I have a story to tell you about why your backup program is not backing up OneDrive files – but don’t panic! This is just a public service announcement that may...
Save Screenshots With Snip & Sketch
The latest update to Windows 10 version 1903 includes Snip & Sketch, an update to the venerable Snipping Tool that has been part of Windows since Vista in 2007. The new app...