Extortion, but make it software

October 5, 2025

🤖 Extortion, but make it software: Just a reminder, Microsoft’s killing Windows 10, and support ends Oct. 14. I’m sure hackers have the date penciled in their calendar. That’s 400 million computers going vulnerable overnight. Want security? Pay up, or replace your whole machine. Low-income families, seniors, remote workers, kids with homework? Too bad, Microsoft doesn’t care. See my new PC recommendations here.

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Tags: computers, extortion, hackers, kids, security

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Transformers? More like informers

MidJourney

The privacy threat no one blocks

ChatGPT

You mention Antarctica once. Just a throwaway joke near your phone, “Wouldn’t it be cool to go freeze my face off?” Suddenly, your phone, laptop, smart TV, smart speaker and even your fridge are pitching you parkas like it’s QVC Arctic Edition. 🥶

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🕵🏻‍♂️ Keep your email private: Free email providers like Gmail and Yahoo track what you do. I use StartMail because it keeps my inbox secure, stops spam and keeps my personal info private. Try it free for 7 days, and when you sign up, you’ll get my 60% off deal for the first year!

Free cloud storage: What you really get and what to do when it runs out

Bing Image Creator

You set your phone to back up photos, turn on file sync, and next thing you know, you get a message: “Storage full.” Wait, what the heck happened?

Let’s clear up your cloud storage confusion.

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When you’re everyone’s unpaid emotional support intern

Bing Image Creator

“Hey, Kim, This isn’t tech. I’m the one keeping the peace, at work, at home, with friends. I smooth things over and manage everyone’s moods. It’s exhausting, but if I stop, I’m scared everything unravels. What should I do?” — Megan from Cincinnati

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Clippy’s final form: “Vibe working” is coming to Word and Excel. Microsoft’s new Agent Mode uses GPT-5 to build entire spreadsheets and docs just from a prompt, while narrating its every move. There’s even a PowerPoint mode that makes decks and does its own research. Somewhere, an intern just burst into tears of joy.

OpenAI adds parental safety controls: After a slew of lawsuits and deaths, ChatGPT will now flag suicidal prompts from teens, with one big but: Both you and the kids have to opt in first. If something happens, human reviewers step in and alerts go out. Oh, you can also block ChatGPT past bedtime. Remember when you were a teen? Yea, they can get around these controls without a problem.

ChatGPT pulls an all-nighter: OpenAI just dropped Pulse, a new Pro-only feature that works while you sleep. It reads your chats, data and random wishes (like my Antarctica trip), then hands you a personalized morning briefing. I’m going to try it and report back.

🧽 AI’s dirty dishes: AI was supposed to save time. Instead? You’re cleaning up its mess. A new Stanford study says 41% of workers are busier with “workslop” since tools like ChatGPT and Copilot showed up, thanks to sloppy drafts, useless decks and bad edits. The bots aren’t just taking your job, they’re trying to give you theirs.

💾 Windows 10’s doomsday date: Microsoft is pulling the plug on Windows 10 support Oct. 14. Europe gets free updates for a year, but here in the U.S.? You’ve got three options: cough up $30, burn 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, or back up your stuff to OneDrive and pray you don’t run out of storage. Protection ends October 2026.