FalconTech LLC

Some welcome news!

You can finally change the goofy Gmail address you chose years ago – FalconTech LLC Someone is celebrating a birthday tomorrow—it’s Gmail. The iconic email service debuted 22 years ago on April 1, forever altering what people expected from free email. But 22 years is a long time, and the username you chose when you finally got your hands on an invite in 2004 may not have stood ...

If you use Notepad++, this is an important article to read!

Notepad++ users take note: It’s time to check if you’re hacked – FalconTech LLC Infrastructure delivering updates for Notepad++—a widely used text editor for Windows—was compromised for six months by suspected China-state hackers who used their control to deliver backdoored versions of the app to select targets, developers said Monday.

A new security threat to be aware of...

ClickFix may be the biggest security threat your family has never heard of – FalconTech LLC Over the past year, scammers have ramped up a new way to infect the computers of unsuspecting people. The increasingly common method, which many potential targets have yet to learn of, is quick, bypasses most endpoint protections, and works against both macOS and Windows users.

If you haven't already upgraded, replaced, or mitigated your Windows 10 systems, today is a good day to do so!

Windows 10 support “ends” today, but it’s just the first of many deaths – FalconTech LLC Today is the official end-of-support date for Microsoft's Windows 10. That doesn't mean these PCs will suddenly stop working, but if you don't take action, it does mean your PC has received its last regular security patches and that Microsoft is washing its hands of technical support.

Always a good idea to check for recalls on potentially hazardous products every so often...

Anker’s recent power bank recall involves over 481,000 units – FalconTech LLC The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) has issued a formal notice with more details about the five power banks that Anker voluntarily recalled earlier this year. The agency has received 33 reports of incidents involving fires and explosions caused by the power banks, with four of them ca...

The end of an era...

AOL announces September shutdown for dial-up Internet after 34 years – FalconTech LLC After 34 years of connecting Americans to the Internet through phone lines, AOL recently announced it is shutting down its dial-up modem service on September 30, 2025. The announcement marks the end of a technology that served as the primary gateway to the World Wide Web for millions of users throug...

Some different options to extend your Win10 PC for a bit longer...

How to get another free year of updates for your Windows 10 PC – FalconTech LLC Officially, Microsoft will stop providing new security updates for Windows 10 PCs after October 14, 2025, a little over a decade after its initial release. It's a stick that Microsoft is using to push upgrades to the newer Windows 11, whether you install it on a PC you already have or buy a brand-ne...

Some useful info and tips to help protect yourself and others...

Phishing and Malicious Emails: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe – FalconTech LLC In today’s increasingly connected world, email remains one of the most common methods of communication—and unfortunately, one of the easiest entry points for cybercriminals. Phishing and other malicious email campaigns are more sophisticated and dangerous than ever, and they’re targeting not j...

Just a reminder to be cognizant of end-of-support dates for all software, services, and computer operating systems!

Office apps on Windows 10 are no longer tied to its October 2025 end-of-support date – FalconTech LLC For most users, Windows 10 will stop receiving security updates and other official support from Microsoft on October 14, 2025, about five months from today. Until recently, Microsoft had also said that users running the Microsoft Office apps on Windows 10 would also lose support on that date, whethe...

The end of an era...

On May 5, Microsoft’s Skype will shut down for good – FalconTech LLC After more than 21 years, Skype will soon be no more. Last night, some users (including Ars readers) poked around in the latest Skype preview update and noticed as-yet-unsurfaced text that read "Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams.

Just another example of why security (including account security and MFA/2FA) is so important!

Children’s data hacked after school software firm missed basic security step, internal report says – FalconTech LLC The hack of a company that helps schools track tens of millions of students appears to be the largest breach of American children’s personal information to date, school officials and cybersecurity experts say.

Keep an eye on pricing changes... (Part 2)

Home Microsoft 365 plans use Copilot AI features as pretext for a price hike – FalconTech LLC Microsoft has two announcements for subscribers to its Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans today. First, you're getting the Copilot-powered AI features that Microsoft has been rolling out to businesses and Copilot Pro subscribers, like summarizing or generating text in Word, drafting slideshows....