Wednesday 14th October 2026

Google Account – Linked Apps/Accounts
Over time, you may have allowed some apps to access certain Google features such as your Calendar, Google Drive or Gmail.  You may have used the “Sign in with Google” option to sign in to some accounts.  From time to time, it might be worth looking at what links you have set up and whether you still need them – for example, you may have linked your Google account to other accounts that you no longer use.

You can see these links to other apps/accounts by going to:-
https://myaccount.google.com/linkedapps

You will see a list of linked apps.  Click one to see more information and, if appropriate, remove the app’s access to the relevant Google features.

Under “View by”, you can use the buttons to see:-

• Sign in with Google - See which accounts you sign in to using Sign in with Google.
• Linked accounts - See which accounts you allowed to access some of your Google information, or vice versa.
• Access to - See where you allowed other accounts to access specific Google features (e.g. Calendar or Gmail).

Landline Switch Off
The PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), the analogue telephone landline system, which has been in use for over 100 years, is due to be switched off by the 31st of January next year (2027).  The original target date was the end of 2025, but this was extended to give the industry, especially telecare alarm providers, more time.  We have discussed the landline switchover to digital several times before:-

• Sept 2021 - https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2021/09/
• June 2022 - https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2022/06/
• May 2024 - https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2024/05/
• June 2024 - https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2024/06/
• Dec 2024 - https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2024/12/

Before the end of January next year, existing landline phones need to be switched to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) connection, branded by some companies as “Digital Voice” or similar.  This Which? article from 7 July this year has more:-
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/digital-voice-and-the-landline-phone-switch-off-what-it-means-for-you-aPSOH8k1i6Vv

The switch to Digital Voice/VoIP often coincides with an upgrade to full fibre (i.e. Fibre to the Premises or FTTP), but VoIP can work on FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet), which is fibre except for the last link between your house and the street cabinet.

The rollout of full fibre will not finish until around 2032.

We had quite a long discussion about the pros and cons of Digital Voice.  One of the key issues is ensuring you can make an emergency call in the event of a power cut.  Digital Voice relies on having power to the ONT (Optical Network Terminal - the box where the fibre comes in), the router (aka hub), and the DECT phone base station (if applicable).  Your telecoms provider must provide a battery back-up system for at least one hour if you don't have a working mobile phone service.  Alternatively, you could purchase your own UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to support the system, possibly including your desktop PC, etc.

iPhone 18 and iOS 27
We talked about this last time, just hours before Apple made the announcements at its event.  This article from Macworld has more to say about iOS 27:-

https://www.macworld.com/article/3233886/not-sure-whether-to-update-to-ios-27-these-new-iphone-features-will-convince-you.html

In particular, this article looks at some of the new AI features:-

• The improved AI Siri with a Siri app which will remember your previous chats.
• New AI features in the Photos app – Clean Up, Extend and Reframe.
• New AI features in Safari.
• AI-generated Shortcuts.

Also, the translucency of the controversial Liquid Glass effect can now be adjusted using a slider control.

If you want to know more about the iPhone 18 Pro, this Engadget article explains:-
https://www.engadget.com/2274578/iphone-18-pro-feature-try-when-unboxed/

In particular, it describes:-

• New camera controls, including variable aperture.
• Changes to the Dynamic Island.
• And faster charging.

Googlebooks Launched
At the Club in June, we mentioned that Google was developing Googlebooks:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2026/06/

Googlebooks will run an Android-based operating system so they can run Android apps.  Developers will be encouraged to upgrade their apps to work on laptop-sized screens.  This article from Ars Technica has more details, including five Googlebooks that have just been launched:-
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/09/googlebook-laptops-launch-october-4-starting-at-899-preorders-for-five-models-live-today/?comments-page=1#comments

Virgin Media Email Service Ending
Virgin Media stopped offering new email accounts back in 2022, and they are now ceasing to provide email services completely.  This affects Virgin Media email accounts which end with any of the following:-

• ntlworld.com
• blueyonder.co.uk
• virgin.net
• virginmedia.com

Virgin Media have made an arrangement for customers with the above email accounts to transfer them to Junara, an email service provider.  There will be a charge to use the Junara service, but existing Virgin Media customers will get the first 12 months free, as I understand it.  Customers should receive an email explaining their options.  Clearly, this could be an opportunity for scammers to get in on the act, so customers need to be cautious and make sure they are only dealing with Virgin Media or Junara.  See the Virgin Media announcement for more detail:-
https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/helping-customers-understand-upcoming-changes-to-their-virgin-media-email-services/

Note that users who fail to take any action will, after 165 days, have their email account deleted.

Customers could set up a free email account with Google's Gmail (gmail.com), Microsoft's Outlook (outlook.com) or Proton Mail (proton.me/mail) instead.  Proton's free email account is limited to 1GB of storage, but you can pay £3.99 a month for 15GB and other benefits.

Next Session
Wednesday 11th November 2026 at 2pm by Zoom.

Wednesday 9th September 2026

Drones
Tony has recently acquired a small drone.  There are some rules about flying drones, which are briefly outlined in this Currys article:-
https://www.currys.co.uk/techtalk/photography/caa-drone-new-rules.html

For more detailed information, including where you can or cannot fly drones, see this Civil Aviation Authority page:-
https://www.caa.co.uk/drones/open-category/drone-code/

WhatsApp Usernames
Until recently, to communicate with a person or group on WhatsApp, you would have to give them your phone number.  Now, WhatsApp is introducing usernames.  If you register your unique username, then you can give the username, instead of your phone number, to allow people to contact you, thus keeping your phone number private.  This feature is being rolled out gradually, so it may not be fully available yet on your phone.

To take advantage of this, you need to create a username.  From the main WhatsApp screen, press the 3-dots (top right), Settings, Account, Username.

Even if you don’t think you will use a username, by creating one now, you are more likely to get a name you like before someone else registers that name.  You can subsequently change your username, but the old name will then be available to someone else.

Once you have set up a username, you can also set up a Key.  This is an additional security measure when someone contacts you via your username – they will also need the Key.  This would prevent someone from generating random or guessed usernames to make contact.  To set this up, go to your Username as above.  Tap Contact me by username to select either:-

• Everyone, or
• People who know my key

When you select the latter, a Key (a 4-digit code) will be generated for you.  If you ever want to change the Key, just tap on it and it will generate a different one.  

See this Which? article for more details:-
https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/whatsapp-usernames-whats-changing-and-why-it-matters-avprt1r1bWYj

You can find more details on the WhatsApp FAQ pages:-
https://faq.whatsapp.com/

In the left-hand column, click on Get Started, Usernames.
I would suggest reading About usernames and How to contact someone by username.

Even when you have set up a username, you can still give someone your phone number to allow them to contact you if you wish.  Also, people/groups you have already chatted with will retain your phone number.

If you would like to learn more about other features and security tips in WhatsApp, see this PCMag article:-
https://uk.pcmag.com/social-media/154253/10-must-know-whatsapp-tricks-to-maximize-your-messaging

Phones & Motion Sickness
If you are one of many people who suffer from motion sickness when using a phone, tablet or laptop while in a moving vehicle, there may be features that can help.

The problem is that the screen you are looking at is essentially fixed, but your body senses the braking, accelerating and cornering of the vehicle.  This mismatch can quickly make some people feel queasy.  The solution to help with this is to add some dots to the screen which move in sync with the vehicle.

Apple have had this feature for a year or so.  They call it “Motion Cues”.  To access this feature, go to:-
Settings, Accessibility, Motion, Vehicle Motion Cues.

You can set the feature to enable automatically when the phone detects that you are in a moving vehicle, or you can operate it manually.  See this Apple Support page for more details:-
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph55564cb22/ios

Google is adding a similar feature to Android called “Motion Assist”.  It is being rolled out gradually on Android 17, starting with Google’s own Pixel phones.  To access the feature, go to:-
Settings, tap your name/photo (aka your Profile) and look for Motion Assist under Personal & device safety.

Some other Android phone manufacturers (e.g. OPPO) have introduced a similar feature of their own.  See this Android Authority article for more:-
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-android-17-motion-assist-rolling-out-3702494/

New iPhone 18 and iOS 27
Apple is expected to announce its new iPhone 18 range today (9th September), including its first folding phone.  It seems that the folding phone will be called the iPhone Duo, not Ultra as previously thought, and could be launched in October.  The standard iPhone 18, 18e and Air 2 will not be available until Spring next year.  To learn more, see this MacRumors article:-
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/apple-september-2026-what-to-expect/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky

iOS 27 is also expected to be announced today and released later this month.  The main change is a brand-new version of Siri that uses AI and can perform much like ChatGPT or Claude.  There will also be a Siri app.  For more details of iOS 27, see:-
https://www.apple.com/uk/os/ios/

Windows 11 September Update
In addition to fixing 966 flaws (mostly found by AI), yesterday’s Patch Tuesday update introduces some notable features.  It will allow you to move the Taskbar to the top or side of the screen (a feature Windows 10 had!).  You will also be able to adjust the size of the Start Menu.  This Windows Central article takes you through some of these enhancements and how to enable/disable them:-
https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-11s-september-update-reshapes-key-parts-of-the-os-and-these-3-customizations-instantly-make-the-new-release-feel-faster-cleaner-and-more-personal-to-use

Windows 11 26H2, the annual version update, is expected to arrive in October.  It will not have any major new features and will be what Microsoft call an “enablement update”.  This means it is small and quick to update and essentially just ‘enables’ features that were downloaded with previous updates.  See this PC World article for more:-
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3206876/windows-11-26h2-arrives-in-october-heres-why-you-shouldnt-skip-it.html

Will AI Kill Us All?
Evan Hubinger, a researcher at Anthropic, hit the headlines today (9th September) by posting a statement that he believes there is a greater than 10% chance that AI could kill all humans within the next 10 years.  This BBC article  is one of many that reported this:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgwy1k42w4o

Anthropic, producer of Claude AI, is one of the major AI companies in the USA, along with OpenAI, the producer of ChatGPT.  Many other companies have AI products, including Microsoft (Copilot), Meta, X (Grok), Google (Gemini), and there are many more around the world, including in China.  It is difficult to see how any common controls can be applied to AI worldwide.

Chrome Update
Dave mentioned that the latest Chrome update is available - Chrome 153 on Windows, Mac and Linux - which fixes a number of bugs. See the Chrome Releases blog for more details:-
https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/

As I mentioned last time ("AI Finds Lots of Bugs"), Google is looking to release Chrome updates more frequently and finding a way to ensure they are installed more quickly.

Hearing Aid App
Brian had a problem with the app for his Oticon hearing aids crashing when opened.  It then requires a reboot of the phone to get it working.  I suggested he could try swiping the app off in the App Switcher to close the app, rather than rebooting the phone - tap the square button at the bottom of the screen, or swipe up from the bottom and pause in the middle.

I suggested contacting Oticon tech support.  They have a support page at:-
https://www.oticon.co.uk/support
but I can't find any way to contact them directly other than their phone number in Denmark.

Microsoft Rewards
Linda asked how she could use her Microsoft Rewards.  You can use 1,000 Reward points to buy Windows 10 extended support.  Visit:-
https://rewards.bing.com/dashboard
to see your points. Go to the Redeem tab to see ways of spending or donating your points.

Next Session
Wed 14th October 2026 at 2pm by Zoom

Wednesday 12th August 2026

AI Finds Lots of Bugs
At the Club in June, I mentioned Anthropic’s powerful new AI, Mythos, which could find flaws in software which could be exploited by hackers.  The unconstrained version of Mythos was made available to software vendors so they could fix their software before the bad guys could get hold of this kind of powerful AI.  I gave the example that a new Firefox update had fixed a massive 432 flaws in April and suggested we would see many more fixes being issued by all major software vendors.  We can now see this happening.  Microsoft shipped fixes for a record 206 CVEs (“Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures") in June’s Patch Tuesday for Windows.  This was followed up in July’s Patch Tuesday with 622 CVEs being fixed!  See this Malwarebytes article for more:-
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/bugs/2026/07/july-2026-patch-tuesday-fixes-622-microsoft-cves-including-three-zero-days
And Windows August Patch Tuesday (yesterday) fixes another 400 flaws:-
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-august-2026-patch-tuesday-fixes-400-flaws-3-zero-days/

Also, Google has released 1,072 bug fixes for its Chrome web browser – that’s more than the last 23 updates combined!  Google is looking at doing updates more often – potentially twice a week instead of once per month.  Also, Chrome currently only installs an update when it is restarted, so Google is working on a system to ensure updates are implemented more quickly.  See this article from Ars Technica:-
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/07/chrome-may-get-faster-updates-with-no-restart-required/

This trend will probably continue for a few months, as ever more powerful AI tools are used to shake the 1000s of legacy bugs out of the common software we all use.

We briefly discussed that some updates, such as Windows updates, are not applied until the system is restarted.  Dave pointed out that Windows "Fast Startup" can cause issues with updates, as it saves the system kernel and drivers to the storage drive so they can be quickly reloaded on startup - effectively, it is a reduced version of hibernate.  Some updates may need a complete restart to load all the new components.  It turns out that Fast Startup is enabled by default.  Since the meeting, I have found this SuperOps website that explains more about this and offers some advice on when to turn it off:-
https://superops.com/tech-hub/what-is-windows-fast-boot
This article also explains how a feature called "Fast Boot" in the system BIOS (the system's firmware, technically known as UEFI on modern systems) works and compares it to Fast Startup in Windows.

Built-in security in Windows (and other systems) is continually improving, but nothing is 100% safe.  Windows Security does provide a range of protections in addition to antivirus protection - have a look at this Microsoft article if you want to know more:-
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/operating-system-security/system-security/windows-defender-security-center/windows-defender-security-center

Google Search Operators and Tricks
The Toolbar
When you perform a search, you will see a Toolbar at the top which looks something like this:-

Initially, it starts on “All”, showing all types of sites, but you can be more specific by selecting, for example, Videos or Shopping.

The Tools tab allows you to select websites created within a specified timeframe, e.g., Past week.

You can also use the All results option to select Verbatim for more exact matches to your search words, rather than including spelling variants etc.

The Advanced Search allows you to narrow down the search.  Some of these things can also be done using Operators (see below) – if you know them.

Operators
Google Search can use a number of operators to help you search more effectively. Some commonly used examples are:-

• Placing a phrase inside double quote marks (“…..”) will search for the exact phrase, rather than just the individual words in any order.
• A minus sign ( - ) in front of a word or phrase will search for sites that do not include that word or phrase.  (Note, using ”-ai” removes the AI overview at the beginning of the search results.)
• Placing “OR” between 2 words or phrases will search for pages containing either one, but not necessarily both.

This site has a complete(?) list of these operators:-
https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-advanced-search-operators/

Calculate and Convert
Just search for “Calculator” (or just “calc”), and one will appear on the screen.

You can also just search for the equation to see the solution – and the Calculator will appear too.  For example, searching for “94+58” gives:-

You can express calculations in a number of ways, e.g. “sqrt 256” will reveal the square root of 256.

Google can also convert between units.  For example, “300 metres in ft”.

Currency conversions will be based on the real-time conversion rates.

WikiHow has more on this:-
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-the-Google-Calculator

Easter Eggs
On a more frivolous note, Google Search has a number of Easter Eggs built in, that is, little surprises when you search for certain things.  My favourites are:-

• Solar eclipse
• do a barrel roll
• askew

You can find a complete(?) list of Easter Eggs and other odd things on Wikipedia:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Google_Easter_eggs

Google Doodles
The Google logo which you see at google.com changes regularly to celebrate or commemorate current or historic events.  All these logos are curated on this site:-
https://doodles.google/

You can use the Library tab at the top to find Doodles by date, topic, etc.

iPhone Fold
There are rumours that Apple may announce a folding iPhone next month when they introduce the iPhone 18.  This would be Apple’s first folding phone and is expected to be called the iPhone Ultra.  Folding phones have existed in the Android world for a while, from companies including Samsung, Motorola and Google.  See this Tom’s Guide article for more on the Ultra and the iPhone 18:-
https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/iphone-ultra-and-iphone-18-pro-pre-order-date-just-tipped-heres-when-you-can-get-yours

NotebookLM becomes Gemini Notebook
We have mentioned Google’s NotebookLM product a few times.  It is an AI research assistant with a number of features to analyse and present information.  I used it at the July Club last year to turn the previous month’s Club into a podcast – see “AI Tools” in the blog:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/07/

Google is rebranding NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook.  This article by Paul Thurrott explains more:-
https://www.thurrott.com/a-i/339032/google-rebrands-notebooklm-to-gemini-notebook

Google Drive Storage Limits
You get 15GB of free storage (* see below) on your Google Drive.  From 7th July, backups of your Android devices will count towards your total allocation.  To be honest, I thought they already did!  See this article from PCMag:-
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-is-giving-you-less-free-storage-for-your-android-backups

Google Photos used to be stored for free, but these now (since June 2021) also count towards your storage limit.  To see your current usage, go to:-
https://one.google.com/storage
You can buy more storage space by clicking on Get more storage.

Google’s free offering of 15GB is considerably more generous than Apple and Microsoft, who only provide 5GB of free iCloud and OneDrive storage.

* Dave pointed out that, in some cases, you may only get 5GB of Google Drive when you set up a new Google Account.  To get 15GB, you need to link your mobile number to the account.  This would presumably prevent someone setting up multiple accounts of 15GB, as they could only link the mobile number to one of them.  This was introduced earlier in the year, as reported by this 9to5Google article from 14th May:-
https://9to5google.com/2026/05/14/google-account-free-storage-changes-15gb/

Office 2021 – End of Support
If you are using Microsoft Office 2021, note that support ends on 13th October this year.  This means it will not get any more security updates or bug fixes after that date.  You can, of course, continue to use it if you wish.  See this Microsoft Support page:-
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/system-requirements/end-of-support-for-office-2021

You can purchase the newer version – Office Home 2024 – from Microsoft for £119.99:-
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/get-started-with-office-2024
This gives you Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

If you want a free alternative that is probably as powerful, consider LibreOffice:-
https://www.libreoffice.org/

Google Assistant Ends
If you use the Hey Google voice command to open the assistant on your Android phone, you will be switched to Gemini rather than the old pre-AI assistant.  According to this article in Ars Technica, the old assistant will be killed off on 4th September or shortly after:-
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/08/google-plans-to-kill-assistant-on-your-phone-on-september-4/

You should receive an email from Google explaining this change.

Windows Virtual Desktop
Brian asked about this.  You can configure Multiple Desktops in Windows 10 or 11.  You can launch a new Desktop by either:-

a) Click on the Task View icon on the Taskbar which looks like this:-

(Note: if the Task View icon is not on the Taskbar, right-click on the Taskbar, select Taskbar Settings, then turn Task View on.)

b) Or, press the Windows Key and Tab (Win Key + Tab).

Click on New Desktop to open a new desktop.  You can repeat this to open more virtual desktops.  If you close a Desktop with apps open, those apps will move to another desktop.

You can move between virtual desktops by using:-
Ctrl+Win Key+Left/Right Arrow

This PCWorld article has more on this subject:-
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2940362/windows-11s-multiple-desktops-saved-my-sanity-even-when-i-missed-one-big-feature.html

Next Session
Wed 9th September 2026 at 2pm by Zoom

Wednesday 8th July 2026

Google Maps - Back in Time
Linda asked about how to see earlier views in Google Maps.  We discussed this back in June 2022 - see the relevant blog:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2022/06/

I think you can only do this on the web version rather than a mobile app.  Select the area you want to see and go to Street View.   At the top left, it shows the date of the image and, if other dates are available, you can select those.

Windows 10 Extended Support - Extended
Support for Windows 10 officially ended on 14th October 2025.  However, they offered the ESU (Extended Security Updates) program to provide those vital security updates, initially for 1 year up to October this year.  We discussed this last year, most recently last October – see the relevant blog:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/10/

However, they have now, with few, if any, announcements, extended this for a further year up to 12th October 2027. You can still enrol in the ESU in one of the following 3 ways:-

1. Use Windows Backup to sync your PC settings to OneDrive,
2. Redeem 1000 Microsoft Reward Points (go to bing.microsoft.com), or
   
3. Pay $30.

To enrol in the ESU program go to:-

1. Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update
2. Select Enrol Now

Note that you need to be signed in with a Microsoft Account (as opposed to a Local Account).

See this Microsoft page for full details:-
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/extended-security-updates?r=1

Also, this Ars Technica article from 25th June this year has further comment:-
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/microsoft-adds-another-year-to-windows-10-extended-update-program

US Government Blocks Fable 5 – Then Unblocks It
Last month we discussed Anthropic’s new powerful AI model called Mythos.  It was so powerful that its initial release was limited to a collection of software manufacturers in a process called “Project Glasswing”.  I mentioned that, on 9th June, Anthropic had just released “Fable 5” – an AI based on Mythos but with strong restrictions (“guard rails”).  However, a few days later, the US government instructed Anthropic to suspend Fable 5 due to “security concerns”.  See this Ars Technica article dated 13th June for more details:-
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/06/anthropic-shuts-down-fable-mythos-models-following-trump-admin-directive/

Anthropic had previously fallen foul of the US Defence Department when it refused to allow its products to be used for either mass surveillance or autonomous warfare. Anthropic is currently in a legal dispute with the Pentagon.  Could this be why the Trump administration has effectively banned the release of Fable 5?

However, subsequently, the US Administration has lifted the block – see this article dated 1st July from Ars Technica:-
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/after-spooking-trump-into-safety-testing-anthropic-ai-models-get-global-release/

It seems that Anthropic have added further “guardrails” and resolved (some of) their issues with the US government.  Some reports have indicated that these extra protections built into Fable have significantly limited its capabilities for legitimate work.

Android 17
Android 17 is being released.  As usual, Google Pixel phones will be the first to get it, with other manufacturers following in a few months.  See this Ars Technica article for more details:-
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/06/android-17-starts-hitting-pixel-phones-and-watches-today/

Pixel 11 Phone
And on the hardware side, it looks like Google will announce the next new phone in their Pixel series, the Pixel 11, at an event in New York on 12th August (which is also the date of the next Computer Club meeting).  See this brief article from Ars Technica yesterday:-
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/googles-pixel-11-launch-event-is-set-for-august-12-with-possible-price-increases/

Apple Announces Price Increases
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, that they will be increasing prices significantly.  This is mainly due to the increased cost of memory and storage chips, which are in extremely high demand to build new AI data centres.  See this Mac Rumors article for more:-
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/06/17/apple-increasing-prices/

Nice of Tim Cook to announce this bad news before he leaves the job and is replaced as Apple CEO by John Ternus in September.

iPhone in 2276 Time Capsule
As part of the USA’s 250th birthday (which they like to call the semiquincentennial), a time capsule has been sealed to be opened again on the 500th anniversary.  One of the items included is an iPhone 17 Pro Max.  I’m not sure what they will make of it when they open the capsule in 2276!  It will look very primitive by then, I imagine.  Seems unlikely that the battery would survive that long – it might have burst into flames and destroyed the other contents of the capsule!

For more about the time capsule, see the America250 website:-
https://america250.org/time-capsule/

Search Engines – Google Alternatives & AI
The traditional (i.e. pre-AI) search engine looked for key words.  They used software called a crawler or spider to continually roam through web pages and create an index of words and their locations (by web address).  This Wikipedia page has a timeline of search engines:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_web_search_engines

As you can see, Google was not the first search engine.  The “Google.com” domain was registered in September 1997.  There have been many others since then, although Google has a dominant position in terms of market share.  However, note that many other “search engines” actually use the indexes created by Google or Bing.  This article from SoftMaker considers some Google alternatives:-
https://www.softmaker.com/en/blog/friday-chat/blog-google-alternatives

AI can now help us with searching.  The conventional Google search now puts an AI summary ahead of its actual search results, but you can also click/tap “AI Mode” to access its Gemini AI and ask questions in natural language.  Many other companies offer AI chatbots that attempt to answer your questions including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Anthropic’s Claude, Perplexity, etc.  This PCMag article lists some AI search engines:-
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-ai-search-engines

AI will give answers based on information it finds.  It can make mistakes and even invent things, so, if it is important, do further research to verify the details.

Traditional search engines such as Google and Bing are free to use.  To finance them, they incorporate adverts – you have to be careful not to confuse an advert with the real search results.  Search engines such as Kagi (kagi.com) are paid-for (although there is a free trial) and therefore don’t have adverts.  AI chatbots usually have a free tier, but you can pay to get access to the latest AI model, memory, so it can recall your previous conversations, and more time if you ask it to perform complex tasks.

Many people will search from the browser’s Address Bar; this will use whatever search engine is enabled in the browser’s Settings.  If you are not sure how to change the search engine in your particular browser, just search for instructions! Alternatively, if you want to use, say, Kagi, just go to:-
https://kagi.com/

You can, of course, set a Bookmark/Favourite for your chosen search engine, making it quick and easy to access without delving into Settings.

Dave mentioned NotebookLM, another Google product, which you can access at:-
https://notebooklm.google/
In particular, you can upload documents, videos, audio files, etc to NotebookLM and then ask questions, get a summary or find connections just based on the data you have uploaded.

By uploading documents to any AI service, you can get responses just based on those documents, which reduces the likelihood of hallucinations.

Dave mentioned the use of "operators" in a Google Search, such as the "-" sign, double quote marks, etc.  We will perhaps explore these further next time.

Google Photos Search
Linda has an issue with the Google Photos app on her iPhone SE.  The Search icon goes to a "Terms and Conditions" screen about using AI, but there seems to be no way to accept these terms or continue.  We did not have a solution to this issue.

Next Session
Wed 12th August 2026 at 2pm by Zoom

Wednesday 10th June 2026

SMS Blaster – Arrests in Canada
You may remember that at the Club last October, I mentioned a new threat from a device known as an SMS Blaster – see the blog from October 2025:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/10/

In April this year, Bleeping Computer reported that 3 men had been arrested by the Police in Canada for using such a device.  See the Bleeping Computer article for more details:-
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/canada-arrests-three-for-operating-sms-blaster-device-in-toronto/

French Government Ditching Windows
As the world divides politically, this also has effects on technology.  In an effort to reduce its dependence on companies in the USA, France’s Inter-ministerial Digital Directorate, DINUM (Direction Interministérielle du Numérique), is planning to move to using Linux rather than Microsoft Windows.  This TechCrunch article explains more:-
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/10/france-to-ditch-windows-for-linux-to-reduce-reliance-on-us-tech/

This appears to be part of larger plans for France, and Europe in general, to move to “digital sovereignty” – see this briefing paper from the European Parliament Research Service back in 2020:-
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/651992/EPRS_BRI(2020)651992_EN.pdf

No doubt the current political situation has given further impetus to the move away from USA tech companies.

Goodbye to Jeeves
The search engine Ask.com, originally known as Ask Jeeves, has shut down from the 1st May after nearly 30 years.  Ask Jeeves was an alternative to Google Search. This article from Android Authority is one of many reporting the end of Jeeves:-
https://www.androidauthority.com/ask-jeeves-shut-down-3663052/

Brian asked how many Search engines there are.  Google is far and away the largest search engine by market share at over 90%.  Microsoft's Bing only has about 5%.  The statcounter website shows the relevant market share:-
https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share

Some are very country focused.  For example, Yandex, the Russian search engine, has less than 1% market share world-wide, whereas in Russia, it has over 70%.

Googlebook
At the Club in December last year, we mentioned that Google was developing a new laptop Operating System (OS) based on Android – see the relevant blog post here:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/12/

The new OS was code-named “Aluminium”, although I don't think this name will be used for the final product.

Google has now announced that new laptops will be available later this year based on this new Android system combined with their AI system Gemini.  These laptops will be called Googlebooks.  You can read Google’s blog post about this dated 12th May this year here:-
https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/meet-googlebook/

They are calling the cursor a “Magic Pointer” that uses AI to offer contextual options, sometimes by just wiggling the pointer.  Being Android-based, Googlebook will integrate closely with your Android phone, allowing you to switch seamlessly between laptop and phone for certain tasks.

Google will not be manufacturing Googlebooks themselves, but rather they will partner with companies including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo.

Chromebooks will still continue and be supported for now, but if Googlebooks ‘take off’, maybe this will change.  It seems that Chromebooks are seen as a budget laptop whereas Googlebooks are more of a premium device.  Here is another article, this time from ZDNet, which discussed the new Googlebooks and future of Chromebooks:-
https://www.zdnet.com/article/googlebook-vs-chromebook-differences/

Dave suggested that Googlebooks may have more on-board AI processing capability.  Although local AI processing may become more common on all platforms and new chips are being produced for this purpose such as Nvidia's Spark.

Video Conferencing Platforms
Linda asked about alternatives to Zoom, such as Microsoft Teams.  We had a very brief discussion about this.  After the meeting I found this article which considers some alternatives:-
https://zapier.com/blog/best-zoom-alternatives/

Mythos is Not a Myth
In April, AI company Anthropic launched Claude Mythos Preview.  Mythos is an AI tool that is particularly good at identifying vulnerabilities in other software.  But not just finding them – it can create a targeted hack to exploit those vulnerabilities.  Further, it can use several flaws in combination to make a more powerful exploit.

Realising how dangerous this tool could be in the hands of the ‘bad guys’, Anthropic made the decision to only release this preview version to companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, Crowdstrike, NVIDIA, The Linux Foundation and many others in an initiative they have named “Project Glasswing”.  The objective being to allow the major software suppliers to use Mythos on their system and fix all the flaws before the hackers of the world get hold of it.

Mozilla, the producer of the Firefox browser, was also included in Project Glasswing.  As described in this TechCrunch article, the results are staggering.  In April this year, Firefox shipped with 432 bug fixes, compared to just 31 a year ago:-
https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/07/how-anthropics-mythos-has-rewritten-firefoxs-approach-to-cybersecurity/

The Anthropic article below (see next section, “AI Needs a Brake Pedal”) states: “in its first weeks, Mythos Preview found more than ten thousand high- and critical-severity software vulnerabilities across the world’s most important systems”.  

Anthropic may be first out of the traps with Mythos, but you can bet that the other AI companies, including those in China, will not be far behind.  It is imperative that any tech company providing software, including firmware embedded in hardware, use Mythos (or whatever follows it) to eliminate bugs from existing systems and to test any new software before release.  Expect to see vast numbers of software updates for everything!

Yesterday (9th June), Anthropic launched Claude Fable 5, a generally available version of Mythos which has in-built ‘guard rails’.  It is also launching a new version of Mythos called ‘Mythos 5’ which is restricted to approved organisations.  See the TechCrunch article for more:-
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/09/anthropics-claude-fable-5-is-a-version-of-mythos-the-public-can-access-today/

AI Needs a ‘Brake Pedal’
In an interview with BBC Newsnight on 4th June, Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic (the producers of Claude AI), suggested we may need to slow down the development of AI.  He points out that 80% of the code for Claude AI is already produced by itself!  Soon, AI systems will be able to develop their own successor.  You can read about this interview on this BBC page:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2124z7g45o

Jack Clark co-authored this article, entitled “When AI Builds Itself” which delves further into this potential development:-
https://www.anthropic.com/institute/recursive-self-improvement

Next Session
Wed 8th July 2026 at 2pm by Zoom

Wednesday 8th April 2026

May Meeting Cancelled
As my wife will be undergoing knee-replacement surgery, I will not be able to run the Computer Club in May.  So, the next meeting will be on the 10th of June.

Happy Birthday Apple
Apple celebrated its 50th birthday on 1st April.  It was founded in a garage on 1st April 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne as a partnership called Apple Computer Company.  Wayne left within a year and Jobs and Wozniak formed Apple Computer Inc. on 3rd January 1977.  The name changed to the current Apple Inc. in 2007.

Apple is now one of the largest companies in the World – see the current ratings at:-
https://companiesmarketcap.com/gbp/

If you want to explore the history of Apple in more detail, see this Wikipedia article:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.

Apple Age Verification
Speaking of Apple, they have launched age verification in the UK (and also South Korea and Singapore) with the update to iOS26.4 on iPhones and iPads.  Adults who do not verify their age will, like children, see restricted content only.  As this is a function of the operating system on the phone, work-arounds like using a VPN will not help.

If you have a credit card on file, or have held your Apple Account for more than 18 years, this would confirm you are an adult.  Otherwise, you could add a credit card or scan your driving licence.  See this Apple Support article:-
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/125662

GOV.UK One Login
John mentioned this relatively new system for logging into Government online services called GOV.UK One Login.  Previously, there was a login system called Government Gateway which could allow you to access HMRC and a few other services.

It seems that the newer GOV.UK One Login will gradually replace the Government Gateway system and provide a single login to all services.

You can read more about it on this gov.uk site:-
https://www.gov.uk/using-your-gov-uk-one-login

iPhone Hacking Tool
In more iOS news, a sophisticated hacking tool known as DarkSword has been leaked on the code-sharing site GitHub.  It can affect users running iOS 18.4 to 18.7 who simply visit a malicious or compromised website.  It can then access much of the data on the iPhone/iPad.

It does not affect users with earlier versions of iOS or those who have updated to iOS26.  Because of the seriousness of this exploit, Apple have released an update to the affected operating systems for users who are unable or unwilling to upgrade to iOS26.  This TechCrunch article has more:-
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/01/apple-releases-security-fix-for-older-iphones-and-ipads-to-protect-against-darksword-attacks/

As Dave pointed out, some users don't want to update to iOS26, probably because it introduces the new "Liquid Glass" user interface.  So, Apple are not forcing the upgrade, but just providing protection from this.

Trying Out Linux with DistroSea
My thanks to Dave for introducing me to this service.  DistroSea allows you to run any one of many Linux distributions in your browser – nothing to download or install.  It’s a great way just to try Linux.

This ZDNet article explains more:-
https://www.zdnet.com/article/you-can-test-all-the-best-linux-distros-right-in-your-web-browser-with-this-site/

You can also have a look at this YouTube video which considers Linux Mint in particular running within DistroSea:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7F-iBuyres

To use this service, just go to:-
https://distrosea.com/

You will need to sign in with your Google Account first or you will not have Internet access.  As you are running Linux remotely there is a lag which will depend on the speed of your connection.

WINE on Linux
John mentioned using WINE on Linux to run Windows apps.  Since the meeting I found this ZDNet article on using WINE:-
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-run-windows-apps-on-linux-with-wine/

Word on Linux
Allan asked about using Microsoft Word on Linux.  If you have a perpetual license version of Microsoft Office, you may be able to install Word in WINE.  I reminded everyone that Microsoft Office apps can be run for free using Office Online at:-
https://www.office.com/
You need to sign in with your Microsoft Account and then you can run apps, including Word, in your browser on any system.  While the online apps are not as fully-featured as the paid-for installed versions, they are adequate for many people and it's free to try them.

We also mentioned LibreOffice, which can run on Windows and Linux, and has a word-processor, spreadsheet etc which are comparable in capability to Microsoft Office.  Again, LibreOffice is free, so you can give it a try.

ClickFix Scams
So-called ClickFix scams have been around for some time but appear to be on the increase.  These scams first falsely tell you that there is a problem with your device. Then they offer a ‘solution’ which, if you follow the instructions, will actually install malware on your device!  The way to prevent this – DON’T DO IT!

The ‘fix’ offered may ask you to invoke the RUN command by typing “Windows Key + R”.  Then it tells you to paste a malicious command (which has already been ‘copied’) by typing “Ctrl + V”.  Pressing Enter or clicking “OK” will then execute this command.

Variants of the ClickFix scam may ask you to launch the Windows Terminal or PowerShell window (Windows Key + X, then “i”) followed by a ‘paste’ and then ‘Enter’.

Sometimes, the hackers will create a malicious website, maybe emulating a bank or social media site, and then present the ClickFix as a CAPTCHA (i.e. are you human?) test.

No legitimate software will ever ask you to do this.  The scam relies on inexperienced users just following the on-screen instructions.

This article from security company Kaspersky dating back to April 2025 explains more:-
https://www.kaspersky.co.uk/blog/what-is-clickfix/28910/

Test Network Performance
You can do a test of your Internet speed by using services such as the popular:-
https://www.speedtest.net/

You can run this same speed test using an app on your mobile device by searching for “Speedtest by Ookla” in the app store.  Using your mobile device is handy as you can test the wi-fi speed in various parts of your house.

Another test can be found at:-
https://www.fusionconnect.com/speed-test-plus
This gives a very simple and clear set of results showing Download and Upload speeds, Latency and Jitter.

For general web browsing or download files, it is the speed that essentially matters.

For video calls and gaming, both Latency and Jitter are important.

The upload and download speeds depend on the package you have purchased from your ISP.  However, using wi-fi will cause further reductions in speed as the signals may have to pass through walls or other objects between your router and your device (e.g. PC, phone, tablet) and the signal will degrade with distance.

For video calls, the Latency should be less than 100mS and the Jitter should be less than 30mS.

For optimum performance, use a wired connection (i.e. an Ethernet cable) if possible, rather than wi-fi.

If your wi-fi performance is poor, you could try moving the device closer to the router.

If you have a router that can be controlled through an app on your phone, you may be able to change some settings, such as:-

• Changing the wi-fi connection to your device to High Priority.
• Setting the connection to 5GHz or 2.4GHz – one might work better than the other.

High Priority, as the name suggests, will mean your router will favour the device you are using for the video call over demand from other devices around the house.

Wired connections can be impractical to install, but another option is using Powerline Adapters. These use the mains electrical wiring in your house to carry the network signal between the router and the device.  This is an example of a pair of Powerline Adapters on Amazon:-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-PA7017P-KIT-Passthrough-Configuration/dp/B089DKK2K7

Junk Mail
Tony mentioned that he received quite a lot of spam/junk mail.  This seems to be correctly identified and put into the Junk Folder.  It's unlikely that the senders of this kind of spam will respect 'unsubscribe' requests.  It may be possible to create filters to delete the spam as soon as it is received.  This Apple Support page has instructions for creating filters for iCloud Mail on an iphone:-
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph02be4f1c8/ios

Routers Being Hacked
John mentioned that some routers are at risk of being hacked.  Generally, it is the older models that are susceptible to attack.  If your router is more than 5 years old, you should consider replacing it.  If you are using an ISP-supplied router, you should contact them and ask for an upgrade.  Newer routers automatically update their firmware, which can add protections when new bugs are discovered - older devices needed to be manually updated which was quite a complex process.

Next Session
As explained above, there will be no session in May, so the next meeting will be:-
Wed 10th June 2026 at 2pm by Zoom

Wednesday 11th March 2026

Digital Legacy
We briefly touched on this topic at the end of last month’s session.  I should have mentioned that we have talked about this topic before.  In fact, it is one of the subjects for which I have combined all previous discussions into a single document which you can find on my website:-
https://rogerparr100.wixsite.com/docs
(Note, you can also get to my website by clicking the link on the right of this blog.)
Click on the Computer Club tab and then select the document entitled “Digital Legacy”.

There are many other documents here based on topics which we have covered multiple times at the Club.

Dave kindly took us through a presentation called “Digital Estate” .  This is a pdf version of that presentation:-
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rjxe84tkyollxsuuwpkpn/2026-03-Dave-Digital-Estate-presentation.pdf?rlkey=zpx9uaey9avqt8wlxcywubkaa&st=u2td4nzm&dl=0

This led to some further discussion around this topic.  Trying to summarise all your digital assets may seem quite daunting and you may choose to do nothing.  However, giving some thought to this subject and taking some actions could make things easier for those you leave behind.

Rob pointed out that 2FA/MFA which could be codes sent to your phone may also be needed for someone to access your accounts.

Snitcher,space is Shutting Down
At the Club in August and December last year (2025), I talked about a couple of services you could use, Snitcher Space and Ask Silver (see next heading below), to analyse an email to see if it was likely to be a scam – you can read those blogs here:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/08/, and
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/12/
Look for the heading “Scam Analysers” in both blogs.

Unfortunately, snitcher.space has announced that it will be shutting down its service on 15th March this year.

They suggest an alternative service – EML Scanner at:-
https://emlscanner.com/

This service has a free tier which allows you to scan 3 emails per day, so that should be enough for most people.  There are paid tiers which offer more scans per day, more powerful AI and higher accuracy.

Ask Silver
Ask Silver now works on the web as well as on WhatsApp.  It can also analyse more than just emails – you can upload any text, image or website and even check a phone number.  To use this free service, go to:-
https://www.asksilver.com/

Previously, this service was only available via WhatsApp.  If you still want to use it that way, scroll down to the bottom of the above web page and click on Use Ask Silver on WhatsApp.

Gmail Ending POP Fetch
Google has fairly quietly published this item on its Support pages:-
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/16604719?hl=en

The Register published an article on 5th Jan 2026 based on this Google Support page:-
https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/05/gmail_dropping_pop3/

Essentially, the Gmail feature “Check mail from other accounts” is going away.  I have previously recommended using this function where people are migrating from another email service to Gmail.  It could present them with all the email arriving in the old account in the one Gmail inbox.  I have mentioned this at the Club on several occasions, most recently in February last year (2025) under the heading “Changing Email Address”.  See the relevant blog here:-
https://computerclub100.blogspot.com/2025/02/

To check if you are using it, go to Gmail on the web at:-
gmail.com
Click on the Settings Cog and click See all settings.
Select Accounts and Import at the top.
Look for the heading Check email from other accounts.

You will see a list of any other accounts you are fetching mail from.  If nothing is listed there, you are not using this feature so you are fine.

If you are using this feature, you will have to use another way to receive emails from those accounts.  If the accounts allow you to forward email, then you could do that. – note that you will usually need to visit the web version of the email account to set up forwarding.  Alternatively, you will have to add the other account(s) to an email app – this could be Thunderbird on a PC or any email app (e.g. Apple Mail, Gmail app, etc) on a mobile device.

POP vs IMAP
The above topic led to a brief discussion on the two protocols used by email apps.  The older method is POP which was used back when we only had one device to access email.  Now we may have mail apps on phones, PCs and tablets, so IMAP is the protocol now used.  So POP is essentially and obsolete protocol.  If you want to read more about this, I have since found this excellent explanation on the BlueMail website:-
https://bluemail.me/blog/pop3-or-imap/

Report Fraud replaces Action Fraud
From the 4th December last year, the Police online platform for reporting cyber crime and fraud has changed from Action Fraud to Report Fraud.  It is operated by the City of London Police.  The website for the service is:-
https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/

If you use the old URL of “actionfraud.police.uk”, it will redirect you to this new site.

The telephone number remains unchanged as:-
0300 123 2024

This article from techUK explains more:-
https://www.techuk.org/resource/report-fraud-service-replaces-action-fraud-as-uk-s-official-fraud-reporting-portal.html

If you have been a victim of fraud, then Report Fraud is the place to go, but, as Brian asked, what if you just want to report a suspicious email. In that case, just forward the email to:-
report@phishing.gov.uk

That email will go to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) who will investigate, although they will not report back directly to you.  Here is the relevant NCSC web page:-
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-email

How Are Credit Card Details Stolen?
Following the above discussion on fraud, Linda asked how fraudsters manage to steal someone's credit card details.  A number of possibilities were suggested.  Since the meeting I have found this Aura web site entitled "14 Ways Scammers Can Steal Your Credit Card Numbers":-
https://www.aura.com/learn/how-do-people-steal-credit-card-numbers

Google Search Personalisation
Google Search can provide personalised results, so everyone’s search results might be slightly different.  The results can be based on things such as your location and search history.  Even if you are not signed into Google, the results can still be based on some of these factors by using browser cookies.

You can check if personalisation is turned on by performing a Google Search, either on the web or in your mobile app.  Then scroll down to the bottom.  If search personalisation is turned on, you will see:-
“Results are personalised – Try without personalisation”

By clicking/tapping on “Try without personalisation”, it will repeat the search without personalisation.  Note, this will NOT permanently turn personalisation off.

If personalisation is turned off, you will see:-
“Results are not personalised”

To turn this feature on or off, do the following:-

1. Click/tap on your Account Circle/Picture (top right).
2. Click/tap on Search personalisation.
3. Use the slide-switch to turn Personalise Search on or off.

In general, you may get better, more relevant search results by using personalisation.  However, if you have concerns about privacy you could switch to a more privacy-focused search engine such as DuckDuckGo.  On your mobile device you could use the DuckDuckGo app instead of Google.  On a PC, you could use the DuckDuckGo browser which you can download from the Microsoft Store, or just switch to the DuckDuckGo search engine in your current browser’s settings.

This Google Support page has more about search personalisation:-
https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/12410098?hl=en

Next Session
Wed 8th April 2026 at 2pm by Zoom