The end of Windows 10

Will Microsoft end Windows 10, the world's most widely used operating system, with a hard cut?

It’s standard practice for Microsoft to phase out its operating systems after 10 years. There have always been complaints, but this time I expect nothing less than a storm of outrage. Because 2025 changes everything: Many computers that still run Windows 10 perfectly well are, according to Microsoft, not compatible with Windows 11. And we’re not talking about outdated junkers wheezing through boot-up with noisy fans—we’re talking about powerful machines. At the same time, Windows 11 is far from dominating the market—roughly 30% use it, while nearly two-thirds are still on Windows 10. Windows 11’s new security concept will separate the wheat from the chaff—and there's no solution in sight!


Free VPN for everyone? Not so fast!

Recently, the news broke that Microsoft was adding VPN to their Edge browser. It sounded to good to be true, so I did some research. Turns out, the benevolence is limited.

Recently, the news broke that **Microsoft was adding VPN to their Edge browser**. Naturally, it didn't take long for doubters to weigh in. Why would Microsoft do such a thing? Would the folks in Redmond be able to rise above themselves and put out something cool for the benefit of their users? Offer them a potential way to save money even at the risk of muddling their beloved ad-optimized user profiles? It sounded to good to be true, so I did some research. Turns out, *the benevolence is limited*.

Recently, the news broke that Microsoft was adding VPN to their Edge browser. Naturally, it didn't take long for doubters to weigh in. Why would Microsoft do such a thing? Would the folks in Redmond be able to rise above themselves and put out something cool for the benefit of their users? Offer them a potential way to save money even at the risk of muddling their beloved ad-optimized user profiles? It sounded to good to be true, so I did some research. Turns out, the benevolence is limited.


900,000 fake reviews for a perfect rating

Overly euphoric reviews easily create suspicion. Is is just an ad in disguise? Amazon is currently suing two companies that sell fake reviews.

I was recently looking for a new Bluetooth speaker to add proper sound to the upcoming balcony season. I have little expertise in this area so I looked around the Internet and did some research. I quickly chanced upon a product with reviews that promised "unmatched rich basses", "crystal-clear highs", "incredible runtime" and that was lauded as the "perfect companion for every party". These were either highly enthusiastic customers–or fake reviews. **Amazon just recently sued two companies that sell phony reviews** on a large scale.

I was recently looking for a new Bluetooth speaker to add proper sound to the upcoming balcony season. I have little expertise in this area so I looked around the Internet and did some research. I quickly chanced upon a product with reviews that promised &quot;unmatched rich basses&quot;, &quot;crystal-clear highs&quot;, &quot;incredible runtime&quot; and that was lauded as the &quot;perfect companion for every party&quot;. These were either highly enthusiastic customers–or fake reviews. Amazon just recently sued two companies that sell phony reviews on a large scale.


Will/Can there be a Europe without WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram?

Meta fears for the future of Facebook, WhatsApp, even Instagram in Europe. But what's behind the dispute?

Meta, formerly Facebook and still a genuine tech giant, has recently made a scary threat: Either we (EU) allow the company to process our data the same way it did for years, **or Facebook, WhatsApp, and even Instagram have no future in Europe**. The threat literally took our breath away–never before had we laughed so hard! It's difficult to imagine a company would kill its golden goose without a fight, after all. But what caused this hilarity and what are the opposing views exactly?

Meta, formerly Facebook and still a genuine tech giant, has recently made a scary threat: Either we (EU) allow the company to process our data the same way it did for years, or Facebook, WhatsApp, and even Instagram have no future in Europe. The threat literally took our breath away–never before had we laughed so hard! It's difficult to imagine a company would kill its golden goose without a fight, after all. But what caused this hilarity and what are the opposing views exactly?


A Merry Christmas 2021 from the Ashampoo Blog team!

The Christmas mood can't be forced or triggered via light show. Sometimes, it's the small things that make all the difference–like a little Christmas tree.

It's now been two years since I wrote my last Christmas blog. As we all know by now, many things were bound to change–not necessarily for the better. So this is another year I find myself struggling to get into the Christmas spirit, despite the neat decorations on our tree in the foyer, and the Christmas balls and elves lining our window sills. For quite a while, I was in a rather sullen mood and mostly ignored the lights, after all, deadlines were rushing up fast and work makes no allowances for Christmas sentimentalities. And thus, December seemed gray and and full of business as usual–until Christmas finally caught up with me. It was because of a little tree, and old German Christmas song, and an American who sang it.

Ashampoo: 21 years of adventure

It totally escaped me that Ashampoo has just turned 21. Time to take a stroll down memory lane. Brace yourselves for pretty women, volcanoes and software in Low German!

I recently had a chat with one of our US partners, who mentioned in passing that Ashampoo has now been around for **21 years** and has *certainly come of age*. Since I generally tend to forget anniversaries, I wasn't aware of that. So I took a trip down my Ashampoo memory lane, which has been under construction for 13 years now, and reminisced about how it all started. Every now and then I get emails asking me *to tell you more about Ashampoo and the people behind it*–so here you go: Brace yourselves for pretty women, volcanoes and software in Low German.

I recently had a chat with one of our US partners, who mentioned in passing that Ashampoo has now been around for 21 years and has certainly come of age. Since I generally tend to forget anniversaries, I wasn't aware of that. So I took a trip down my Ashampoo memory lane, which has been under construction for 13 years now, and reminisced about how it all started. Every now and then I get emails asking me to tell you more about Ashampoo and the people behind it–so here you go: Brace yourselves for pretty women, volcanoes and software in Low German.


The end of linear television?

When I was a child, we had magic hours throughout the day. The news were on at 8 pm on the dot, and a must-watch for everyone in the household. But is television finally dying?

When I was a child, we had **magic hours** throughout the day. *The news were on at 8 pm* on the dot, and a must-watch for everyone in the household. If you looked out the window then, you'd see an empty neighborhood of row houses and mostly abandoned yards and patios. In front of a turquoise green background, male and female newscasters read out one piece of news after the other, from a sheet of paper, *stoic as stones* and without batting an eyelid even in the face of the most devastating of disasters. We learned everything that happened in the world–and hadn't already been covered in the morning paper. Afterwards, it was entertainment shows with hosts dressed in ghastly sports coats or crime series featuring grumpy detectives in their mid-fifties who'd solve murder cases in gray cities. We had a **whopping three channels** and were anxious to arrange our daily routine around them. But *is television finally dying*, now that video and streaming portals are successfully stealing their viewers, both young and old?

When I was a child, we had magic hours throughout the day. The news were on at 8 pm on the dot, and a must-watch for everyone in the household. If you looked out the window then, you'd see an empty neighborhood of row houses and mostly abandoned yards and patios. In front of a turquoise green background, male and female newscasters read out one piece of news after the other, from a sheet of paper, stoic as stones and without batting an eyelid even in the face of the most devastating of disasters. We learned everything that happened in the world–and hadn't already been covered in the morning paper. Afterwards, it was entertainment shows with hosts dressed in ghastly sports coats or crime series featuring grumpy detectives in their mid-fifties who'd solve murder cases in gray cities. We had a whopping three channels and were anxious to arrange our daily routine around them. But is television finally dying, now that video and streaming portals are successfully stealing their viewers, both young and old?


Ashampoo, COVID-19 and I

No doubt, the corona virus has found its way into our parts. As a company, we're supposed to keep our cool and that is reflected in our systematic and prudent preparations. Let's take a quick look at Ashampoo, our strategies in dealing with Corona and how

Being the calm and relaxed spirit that I am, I tend to miss the occasional piece of news. Naturally, I am acutely aware that we're currently under siege by a new virus. Still, I recently **stared in disbelief at the empty shelves** that used to carry loads of toilet paper and cooled my heels for a total of 40 minutes in the lengthy line at the checkout. The air was tense and conversations brief. I almost felt tempted to ask *whether we were at war again*. No doubt, the corona virus has found its way into our parts. As a company, we're supposed to keep our cool and that is reflected in our systematic and prudent preparations. Let's take a quick look at Ashampoo, our strategies in dealing with Corona and how we feel about it.

Being the calm and relaxed spirit that I am, I tend to miss the occasional piece of news. Naturally, I am acutely aware that we're currently under siege by a new virus. Still, I recently stared in disbelief at the empty shelves that used to carry loads of toilet paper and cooled my heels for a total of 40 minutes in the lengthy line at the checkout. The air was tense and conversations brief. I almost felt tempted to ask whether we were at war again. No doubt, the corona virus has found its way into our parts. As a company, we're supposed to keep our cool and that is reflected in our systematic and prudent preparations. Let's take a quick look at Ashampoo, our strategies in dealing with Corona and how we feel about it.


Microsoft's change of heart in the browser market: Edge reborn

Edge is now built on Chromium. Old name, new underpinnings! So what's new?

Our web developers at Ashampoo are quite pleasant fellows. Gentle folks with fawn eyes. But even their looks turn to stone once the I word is dropped, i.e. Internet Explorer. For years, **IE set the standard**, being both a bane and blessing. Whether unadventurous private user or member of an IT staff, Internet Explorer was the gateway to the world-wide web for many. And web developers in their quest to have their websites render correctly more often than not suffered the many *awkward development decisions* by Microsoft. During my time as a QA clerk, I had to report time and time again that sites that were working fine in Firefox or Safari didn't behave as expected in Internet Explorer. But that's all in the past, since **Edge is now built on Chromium**! Old name, new underpinnings! So what's new?

Our web developers at Ashampoo are quite pleasant fellows. Gentle folks with fawn eyes. But even their looks turn to stone once the I word is dropped, i.e. Internet Explorer. For years, IE set the standard, being both a bane and blessing. Whether unadventurous private user or member of an IT staff, Internet Explorer was the gateway to the world-wide web for many. And web developers in their quest to have their websites render correctly more often than not suffered the many awkward development decisions by Microsoft. During my time as a QA clerk, I had to report time and time again that sites that were working fine in Firefox or Safari didn't behave as expected in Internet Explorer. But that's all in the past, since Edge is now built on Chromium! Old name, new underpinnings! So what's new?


PSD2: What European bank customers need to know

Have you heard of PSD2? PSD2 stands for the European Commission's latest payment services directive and will govern all credit and debit card related payment transactions above €30. PSD2 will come into full effect on September 14, 2019!

Have you heard of **PSD2**? No? No biggie, many companies seem to be feeling the same way! That's surprising since PSD2 stands for the European Commission's latest *payment services directive* and will govern all credit and debit card related payment transactions above €30. Third-party payment providers like PayPal are also affected. PSD2 will come into full effect on September 14, 2019 and will usher in a new era of credit card payments. After that, the information usually given on the back of the card (owner, credit card number and security code) will no longer suffice to authorize transactions, making successful credit card theft considerably harder. But, although only a few days away, both credit card companies and banks are currently **struggling hard** to implement the directive.

Have you heard of PSD2? No? No biggie, many companies seem to be feeling the same way! That's surprising since PSD2 stands for the European Commission's latest payment services directive and will govern all credit and debit card related payment transactions above €30. Third-party payment providers like PayPal are also affected. PSD2 will come into full effect on September 14, 2019 and will usher in a new era of credit card payments. After that, the information usually given on the back of the card (owner, credit card number and security code) will no longer suffice to authorize transactions, making successful credit card theft considerably harder. But, although only a few days away, both credit card companies and banks are currently struggling hard to implement the directive.


The most recent posts in Business: