If you own a Samsung computer or laptop and you can’t seem to get the Windows 10 Upgrade Icon on your taskbar, it is because Samsung blocked it…and didn’t tell anyone. It was a Microsoft employee trying to help out a Samsung/Windows customer that discovered that Samsung deliberately installed software to stop the Windows upgrade.
Samsung also now blocks the regular Windows Update feature that brings you the latest fixes for Windows 7 and 8...apparently on some laptops. This puts Windows users at risk, leaving them exposed to security holes and bugs according to an independent Microsoft support engineer. This is an outrage, no matter how you look at it.
Now, a little background. I own a Samsung Laptop with Windows 8.1 installed. I can safely say that this computer is the worst computer I have ever owned…and it was this computer and Windows 8.1 that was the final straw towards my move to Apple. It was and still is, a piece of junk that has been close to being tossed into the nearest garbage can on several occasions. I don’t use it now since I purchased an Apple MacBook Pro laptop. But I do try to keep it to date.
A few months ago, I wiped it out and installed a clean version of Windows 8.1 that I downloaded directly from Microsoft. It was free of crapware, which is why I did it, not to mention the fact the computer ran poorly . Well, guess what? It did not work well…in fact it was terrible! I had no choice but to wipe it out and reinstall the Windows 8 that came with the computer…complete with crapware! So, if you own a Samsung computer, you have to use their supplied software. And it runs badly!
But back to the story at hand. I have 3 computers running Windows, including the Samsung… and it was the only computer that didn’t get the upgrade logo. Last week, I told you about a small script that, when run, would put the upgrade icon in the task bar. I ran it on the Samsung and it worked. Now, because of my past experience with updating software on this computer, I am very worried that Windows 10 will also run badly.
Samsung had no right to secretly block the Windows 10 upgrade. They remind me of Sony a few years ago that secretly installed a rootkit to block people from supposedly pirating their music. My advice to you and to myself is never buy a Samsung product of any kind. May they burn in hell for all they do to screw consumers.
Thanks for letting me rant. In spite of Samsung, there are some good stories and tips here that will be of great help to you (I hope) and your computing life. Be sure to read the last story about the myths surrounding smartphones. I learned a few things I did not know. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Samsung Laptops Are Quietly Disabling Windows Update
In disabling Windows Update, the Samsung software is of course behaving like malware. And the consequences of this change, which are made without the user’s knowledge, could be dire.
The Internet is getting faster than ever but the US still lags behind
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Stolen US government passwords leaked across Web
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US Navy Pays Millions for Extended Windows XP Support
The US Navy last year entered into a Microsoft Custom Support Agreement (MCSA) so it can continue using Windows XP past that OS’s support expiration.
Google strikes at Apple Music with free streaming
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Computer Tips and Tricks
Best techniques for the safe disposal of drives
The design of today’s solid-state drives has made classic data-wiping techniques ineffective. But there are sanitizing procedures that will effectively render sensitive data on SSDs — and other rewritable storage devices — unintelligible.
The Best Free Antivirus for 2015
Relying on Windows's built-in antivirus for protection is a big mistake. Luckily, you can get an upgrade without paying a cent.
Microsoft is Updating Office Online
Among the changes are new text formatting features for Word Online, object formatting for PowerPoint Online and new viewing experiences for both Word and PowerPoint Online.
How to remove bloatware
Bloatware is annoying at best; at worst, it's malware like Lenovo's Superfish that puts your system at risk. Here's how to scrape the bloatware barnacles off your shiny new Windows PC
Google finally makes 'Undo Send' an official feature of Gmail on the Web
As its name suggests, Undo Send gives you a set period of time after dispatching an email to change your mind — so once you’ve clicked “Send” you’ll see an option to reverse it on your screen for between 5 and 30 seconds.
Mobile Computing
How to take sharp smartphone photos
Struggling to get your smartphone photos looking sharp? Here are a few ways to ensure your mobile photography is crisp rather than mushy.
Verizon Named Fasted Mobile Network Carrier of 2015
Verizon beat rivals AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile in the magazine’s annual nationwide tests, which found all four major networks have ramped up their speeds in recent years.
T-Mobile will let you upgrade your smartphone anytime you want
But there's a catch: You have to commit to a new smartphone as part of the new upgrade program. Also, only a select number of flagship phones are available for an upgrade.
Microsoft Office for Android is now available for everyone
After launching a version of Office for Android tablets in January, Microsoft's productivity suite is now out of preview and widely available for Android smartphones. As before, the app is nearly identical to its attractive iOS counterpart.
7 of the Biggest Smartphone Myths That Just Won’t Die
Smartphones have only been mainstream for less than a decade, but myths have still built up over time. Some of these myths have been around for years and just won’t go away...like closing apps on an iPhone will speed it up...not true.
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