Tech In General Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Chicago IT Support & Cyber Security

Google says its Gemini AI will soon be able to access your messages and utilities on your phone. I fail to see that as a good thing.

July 8, 2025 by Edward Silha

If you use an Android phone, there’s a good chance Google’s Gemini AI is now interacting with your apps, even if you thought you had disabled it. The company recently rolled out changes that grant Gemini new levels of access to messages, phone calls, and third-party apps like WhatsApp, regardless of whether users had previously opted out. If that sounds invasive, it’s because it is.

In emails sent to Android users ahead of the rollout, Google framed the change as a convenience upgrade. Gemini, they said, can now help users perform everyday tasks more easily, such as initiating calls, sending messages, and launching utilities. These functions, Google explained, would be available “whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” The update began rolling out automatically on July 7. [Read more…]

Homoglyph Phishing: When One Letter Steals Everything

July 7, 2025 by Edward Silha

You click a link. It takes you to a site that looks exactly right. The logo matches, the name checks out, and everything feels familiar. But something’s off. And before you realize what it is, you’ve handed over your login, your credit card, or worse, your network credentials. The trick wasn’t in the layout or the content. It was in the letters.

Cybercriminals are using homoglyphs—lookalike characters from other alphabets—to build fake domains that mimic real ones down to the pixel. A Cyrillic “а” is nearly identical to the Latin “a” your eyes expect to see. To a browser, they’re completely different. To a person, they’re the same. That’s the whole con. [Read more…]

Microsoft Retires the Blue Screen of Death, Because Apparently Black Is More Soothing

June 27, 2025 by Edward Silha

After 40 years of glaring blue error messages and frowny faces, Microsoft is giving the infamous Blue Screen of Death a final sendoff. Starting later this summer, Windows 11 devices will crash in a new color. Say hello to the Black Screen of Death.

The change isn’t just about ditching the old aesthetic. Microsoft says the new screen will simplify crash messages and speed up recovery. Gone is the sad face emoticon. In its place is a stripped-down message with technical details like the stop code and system driver that triggered the failure. The goal is to help users recover faster and give IT teams what they need without dragging them into a full-blown forensic session. [Read more…]

When the Code Breaks, the AI Doesn’t Get the Call. I do

June 17, 2025 by Edward Silha

The buzz around AI-powered coding tools is hard to avoid, and I get asked about them a lot. Instead of continuing to repeat myself I figured it was time to write down exactly why I don’t use them, and why that decision isn’t about being for or against AI in some grand ideological sense. This is just a practical take based on how I work, what I value, and what actually helps me get things done.

The core issue is speed—or the lack of it. If AI tools helped me move faster, I’d consider them. But they don’t. The idea of having an AI assistant write code for me sounds nice. A little robot fixing bugs while I sip coffee? Sure. But it doesn’t work like that. Any code that goes into my projects has to meet a standard, and that means reviewing it line by line. I have to understand what it’s doing, why it’s doing it, and feel confident I can tweak it later. Otherwise, it’s a liability. [Read more…]

Gmail Mobile Is Auto-Summarizing Your Emails, No Permission Needed

May 30, 2025 by Edward Silha

Gmail users on Android and iOS are about to see a lot more AI, whether they ask for it or not. Google has started rolling out a new update that automatically generates summaries for emails in the mobile app. The summaries, powered by Gemini, will show up at the top of the message view—no tapping required.

Previously, users had to opt in by pressing a “Summarize this email” button. That’s gone. Now, Gmail will decide when a summary might be useful and insert it without prompting. Google hasn’t said exactly what criteria it uses to trigger a summary, but the company hints it’s targeting long messages or email threads with multiple replies. In practice, it’s likely going to be a low bar. Google’s been eager to boost user engagement with its AI tools across its entire product line. [Read more…]

Social Media