What is USB Kill Kit

When you update or upgrade your computer to Windows 10, the setup will look for the compatibility of both the hardware and software. And in this process, if suddenly got an error message saying, “Some apps need to be uninstalled” or “You need to uninstall a program in order to continue”, you have to look for the program(s) that might be causing the compatibility issues. But worry not as this post will help you resolve the issue. Simply follow the given suggestions below.

Option 1 – Look for the incompatible programs

There are times when Windows 10 will point out the programs that are incompatible with Windows 10. In this situation, just click on the Uninstall and continue button and then wait for the process to be completed. For more information, you can check out the official site Ready for Windows by Microsoft. This site can help you determine which software versions are compatible with Windows 10 and which ones are not. All you have to do is select the Windows 10 version and type your App name, after that, you will see the results about its compatibility. Thus, it’s now easier for you to figure out which software is causing an issue and if there is a new updated version available that you can install instead.

Option 2 – Try to install the Windows Update in a Clean Boot State

Putting your PC in a Clean Boot state can also help you install Windows Updates or Upgrades without any trouble because, during this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” checkbox and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• After that, try to install the Windows Updates or upgrade again.

Option 3 – Try creating a new user account

Creating a new user account can resolve the “Some apps need to be uninstalled” error when upgrading or updating your Windows 10 PC. All you have to do is create a new admin account and initiate the setup. And this is a new user account, there will be no third-party applications installed on your computer. Thus, the installation should go through without any trouble. And in case you’ve already installed programs for that user, you just have to uninstall them all and then re-run the setup.

Option 4 – Perform a clean install

If none of the options worked, you can try to clean install Windows 10. Just make sure that you have the ISO from the official Microsoft Website and then a bootable USB drive to install Windows 10 again. Take note that this will delete all the data from your drive where Windows 10 was installed previously.

Running the Windows Update service does not always go well as from time to time, you could encounter some errors when using it. One of these errors is the Windows Update Error 0xc1900403. In such cases, you will see the following error message under the Windows Update section:

“There were problems installing some updates, but we’ll try again later, If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help – 0xc1900403”

The log files displayed in the error message may include, “0XC1900403 – MOSETUP_E_UA_CORRUPT_PAYLOAD_FILES”. This indicates that the payload files are corrupted which is why you’re getting the Windows Update Error 0xc1900403 and to fix it, you can try to restart your computer and install the updates again or reset the Windows Update-related folders. You could also run the Windows Update troubleshooter or use either the Standalone Installer or the Media Creation tool. For more details, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Restart your computer and try installing the Updates again

Restarting your computer can also help in fixing the Windows Update failed to install error 0x80240034. There are cases where the issue resolves on its own as it could just be some simple network or PC error.

Option 2 – Delete the contents in the Software Distribution folder and Catroot2 folder

• Open the WinX Menu.
• From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
• Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.

net stop wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
• Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.

After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:

• Type each one of the following commands.

net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver

• After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.

Option 3 – Try running the Windows Update troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update Error 0xc1900403. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 4 – Try to use the Media Creation tool

The Media Creation tool in Windows allows you to use the ISO installation file to make a bootable device that you can use to install Windows on your PC. Note that this is kind of different from the usual installation process as it could erase your computer’s current settings and data on the primary drive. Thus, before you proceed, you need to backup all your data into some removable drive and then use the Media Creation Tool to make a bootable drive.

• After making the bootable drive, you need to plug it into your computer and then reboot.
• Next, tap the F10 or Esc key to open the boot options.
• Now set the boot priority of the removable drive the highest. Once the setup comes forth, follow the next onscreen instructions and install Windows without any problems.

Building your own custom PC system can be one of the greatest things you can do to your budget. Instead of going for a rebuild, we will go into detail about why building your own PC is a much better option. Also, note that if you do not possess enough technical knowledge about a topic there are plenty of stores that will offer you advice on components and after all, you can always get help from a friend.

So without further diversion from the topic, let us explore all the benefits of building a custom computer.

Building a custom PC is cheaper

At the first look, this statement does not feel right since when you look at the prebuilt systems you get a feeling that it is much cheaper than do it yourself variant and although CPU and GPU seem like a great deal I beg you to look under the hood on other components. Usually to lower price compromise would be made on other crucial components like SD or power supply, a PC case, or motherboard so even if you have a good CPU and GPU that will not matter much since other components would not be able to catch up with them. After all, prebuild computers will need to pay people who are building them and there is no way that will be cheaper if you just plain went and bought the same components yourself and install them.

When you are in control in choosing each component there is not only being cheaper online, it is flexibility with building itself. You choose which components you want to be stronger and which to be normal. Also, you can choose the exact model of the given component leaving you more in control and open to future upgrades.

More flexibility

Also, it may sound irrelevant but when building your own custom PC you can also choose which company you would like to purchase for each model, yes considering the CPU it is AMD or Intel but when you are buying a case, SSD, GPU, and other components choosing the right company for your needs is also the thing that should not be overlooked.

You can customize it the way you want

Not really a quality argument but with a custom PC build, you can choose would you like that RGB component or not, you choose do you like white or black fans, and many more things. You really can place a personal stamp on the computer making it indeed a personal computer.

You choose OS and applications

When you buy an already prebuilt PC, usually it comes with some sort of OS on it, sometimes it is freedos, Linux and sometimes it is Windows Home. When you get your hands dirty you can place whichever system you want on it and install applications that you use and know and some preinstalled typical apps.

Same as Windows 10, Windows 11 also keeps track of date and time using an internet time server. But in a case that you need to change the date or time for any kind of reason here is a guide for that process:

1. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open settings
2. Click on Time & Language in Taskbar
3. Inside Time & Language click on Date & Time
4. Turn off Set Time Automatically by clicking on the switch next to it
5. Below find Set the date and time manually and click on Change
6. Inside, Change Date and Time window use the drop-down menu to set desired date and time

Jp2klib.dll Error - What is it?

Jp2klib.dll is a type of Dynamic Link Library. This file is developed by Adobe Systems Inc and associated with CS2 (Creative Suite 2 Premium). Like all DLL files, this file also contains small programs that support programs developed by Adobe Systems on your PC. The function of Jp2klib.dll is to load and run programs. Jp2klib.dll error occurs when it fails to do so. It occurs during program startup. Jp2klib.dll error is displayed in several different formats depending on the cause of the error. Here are some common error messages that you may come across:

• "JP2KLib.dll not found."
• "Cannot find C:\WindowsSystem32\JP2KLib.dll."
• "Cannot start Creative Suite 2 Premium. A required component is missing: JP2KLib.dll. Please install Creative Suite 2 Premium again."
• "Cannot register JP2KLib.dll."
• "The file JP2KLib.dll is missing."
• "This application failed to start because JP2KLib.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."
• JP2KLib.dll Access Violation."

Solution

Error Causes

There are several causes for the Jp2klib.dll error code pop-up. These include:

• Hardware failure
• Jp2klib.dll file not properly registered
• Viral infection
• Deleted, missing, or corrupted Jp2klib.dll file
• Registry problems
• Another program overwrote the Jp2klib.dll file

The good news is that this is not a fatal error code like the blue screen of death errors. However, it is still advisable to resolve it right away to avoid inconvenience.  This error may limit your ability to access your desired program.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Follow these methods to resolve Jp2klib.dll error code on your PC in a few minutes without any professional assistance or technical know-how:

Method 1 - Re-register the Jp2klib.dll file

Sometimes Jp2klib.dll error may occur if the DLL file is not registered properly. In such a situation "JP2KLib.dll not registered" error message will pop on your computer screen. To resolve, all you need to do is register this file. Follow these steps to register the Jp2klib.dll file on your PC:

1. Go to the start menu, type the command in the search box. Don’t press enter yet.
2. First, hold CTRL-SHIFT and then press it. This action will prompt a permission dialog box. Click yes to proceed.
3. You will be asked to enter a command, here simply type regsvr32 /u JP2KLib.dll and then press enter.
4. This will first unregister the previous Jp2klib.dll file. Now type regsvr32 /i JP2KLib.dll and press enter to re-register the same file.
5. After this, close the command window and reboot your PC to activate changes.

Method 2 - Check the Recycle Bin and Restore the Jp2klib.dll file

If you come across this error message "JP2KLib.dll not found”, this indicates a missing Jp2klib.dll file. This usually happens if you recently uninstalled a program on your system which was also supported by the Jp2klib.dll file due to which the file was also deleted. But don’t worry! Check your recycle bin to retrieve the accidentally deleted file on your system. If you find it restore, but if you don’t then simply download it from a reliable DLL website.

Method 3 - Scan for Viruses

Install and run an antivirus to detect viruses. Viruses are malicious programs that damage and corrupt DLL files like the Jp2klib.dll file. Scan for all viruses on your PC and remove them to fix the problem.

Method 4 - Repair the Registry

If you don’t clean the registry often it becomes accumulated with obsolete files like bad and broken entries, cookies, and junk files. These files corrupt the registry and damage system and DLL files also stored in the same location. It then leads to such error message pop-ups. To resolve, download Restoro. This is an advanced PC Fixer deployed with a registry cleaner. It is easy to use and in just a few clicks can repair the Jp2klib.dll error on your PC. The registry cleaner scans and removes all obsolete files. It cleans the registry and repairs the damaged system and DLL files. Click here to download Total System Care and fix the Jp2klib.dll error.

As you know, each one of the applications that you use in your Windows 10 computer has its own set of permissions by default. These applications either allows or denies the interactions between a few other applications, depending on their own needs. This is why you might suddenly encounter a message that says,

“This app wants to access your pictures” or “This app wants to access your account info”

both of which are followed by two buttons that will ask you to Allow or Deny the action. You can always click on any of the given options. This will determine the permission of the application. Users in Windows 10 are given the option to either allow or deny applications in accessing their account information like name, picture and other account information. Thus, in this post, you will be guided on how you can change the Privacy settings of these apps to allow or deny them permission to access not just your account info but for all users, as well as specific apps in Windows 10. The user account information is part of the Privacy data in Windows 10 that you can control easily using the Settings app. In fact, you can revoke or grant access permission for your account information, all the users and specific applications to do that, follow each one of the instructions provided below carefully.

Allow or deny apps permission to account info for yourself:

Step_1: The first thing you have to do is open Settings. From there, select Privacy. Step_2: After that, scroll and look for Account info and select it. Step_3: Now turn off the toggle button for the “Allow apps to access your account info” option if you want to deny apps permission to your account info. But if you want to allow them access, simply turn the toggle button on. Keep in mind that when you allow access or permission, you can select which apps can access your picture, name, and other account info by simply using the settings on the page you’re currently in.

Now if you want to allow or deny apps to access your account info for all the users, here’s what you have to do:

Step_1: First, open Settings and click on the icon for Privacy. Step_2: Next, scroll down until you see the Account info located on the left side and then click on it. Step_3: After that, click on the Change button under the “Allow access to account info on this device” section. If you want to deny account info access for all other users, then turn the toggle button off. Doing so will automatically disable not just the account info access for all users but also for all the apps as well.

On the other hand, if you want to allow or deny account info access to specific apps, you can do so by following these steps:

Step_1: As you did earlier, go to Settings and click on the Privacy icon. Step_2: After that, scroll down and select Account info located on the left side. Step_3: Now turn on or off the toggle button under the “Choose which apps can access your account info” section if you want to deny or allow specific apps permission to access Account Info. If you’ve turned on the toggle button under the “Allow apps to access your account info”, all the apps get access permissions by default.

RegClean Pro is a program developed by Systweak Inc. RegClean Pro cleans such invalid registry errors using its advanced scan engine. It not only fixes invalid registry entries, it also defragments the registry, keeping it streamlined for smoother system performance.

RegClean Pro defines auto-start registry entities that allow the program to run each time the system is restarted, it also adds various Scheduled tasks in Windows Task Manager in order to launch the application at various times. This application has been found bundled up with various other potentially unwanted applications, also several anti-virus programs have detected this application for optional removal.

About Potentially Unwanted Applications

What is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?

Have you ever detected an unwanted program on your computer system and pondered how it got there since you’re confident that you didn’t consciously download or never gave authorization to be installed? Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), also known as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA), are programs that you never wanted in the first place and sometimes come bundled with freeware software. Once installed, the majority of these applications can be hard to eliminate and become much more of a nuisance rather than a benefit. The term PUP was coined to outline this crapware as something other than malicious software. Similar to malicious software, PUPs cause problems when downloaded and placed on your PC, but what makes a PUP different is you grant consent to download it – the fact is very different – the software installation bundle actually tricks you into accepting the installation. No matter whether it is viewed as malware or otherwise, PUPs are nearly always harmful to a computer owner as they will bring on spyware, adware, keystroke logging, along with other nasty “crapware” features on the PC.

What do PUPs do on your PC, precisely?

PUPs come in many forms. Commonly, they will be seen in adware bundlers which are known to use aggressive and misleading advertising. Most bundlers install multiple adware applications from various vendors, each of which has its own EULA policy. Safebytes Anti-Malware totally eliminates this threat and safeguards the computer against unwanted programs or adware infection. They will also come in the form of web browser extension add-ons and toolbars. They may keep track of your online movements, redirect your search results to risky sites where spyware and adware can be downloaded, hijack your search page, and slow your web-browser down to a crawl. PUPs lie in the gray part of the software spectrum. Also in the large majority of the cases, people won’t be aware that they are installing an unwanted program. Even if the PUPs really aren’t inherently malicious, these software programs still do practically nothing good on your computer system – they will take valuable resources, slow your PC, weaken your computer security, making your PC more vulnerable to viruses.

How you can stop PUPs

• Read carefully before accepting the license agreement as it might have a clause about PUPs. • Do not accept standard, express, default, or any other installation settings which are recommended. Always select “custom” installation. • Install an advert blocker/pop-up blocker; Deploy anti-malware products like Safebytes Anti-Malware. These types of software programs could establish a wall between the computer and online criminals. • Be alert if you download and install freeware, open-source software, or shareware. Never install applications that seem suspicious or malicious. • Use official product websites for downloading software. Stay away from download portals altogether as most websites compel users to download the software using their own download manager, which is often bundled with some sort of unwanted programs.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware due to the presence of Malware? Do This!

Practically all malware is bad, but certain types of malicious software do more damage to your computer or laptop than others. Some malware sits in between the computer and the internet connection and blocks a few or all websites which you want to check out. It might also prevent you from the installation of anything on your PC, particularly anti-virus programs. If you’re reading this article right now, you’ve perhaps recognized that virus infection is a reason for your blocked internet traffic. So what to do when you want to install an anti-malware application like Safebytes? There are a few actions you can take to circumvent this issue.

Download the software in Safe Mode with Networking

In Safe Mode, you are able to change Windows settings, uninstall or install some software, and remove hard-to-delete viruses and malware. If the virus is set to load immediately when the computer boots, switching to this mode may prevent it from doing so. To get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the computer is booting up or run MSConfig and look for the “Safe Boot” options under the “Boot” tab. After you restart into Safe Mode with Networking, you can download, install, as well as update anti-malware software from there. Following installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate most standard infections.

Switch to an alternate web browser

Certain viruses might target vulnerabilities of a particular web browser that block the downloading process. If you seem to have a trojan attached to Internet Explorer, then switch to an alternate web browser with built-in security features, such as Chrome or Firefox, to download your preferred anti-malware program – Safebytes.

Install and run anti-malware from a USB drive

Another method is to download and transfer an anti-malware application from a clean PC to run a virus scan on the infected system. Follow these steps to run the antivirus on the infected computer. 1) On a clean PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug in the USB drive into the uninfected PC. 3) Double click on the downloaded file to open the installation wizard. 4) Choose a USB flash drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you wish to install the application. Follow activation instructions. 5) Remove the USB drive. You may now use this portable antivirus on the infected computer. 6) Double-click the antivirus software EXE file on the pen drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up up all types of malware.

A Look at the Best Anti-Malware Program

These days, anti-malware software can protect your PC from different types of internet threats. But exactly how to decide on the right one among various malware protection application that is available out there? As you might be aware, there are numerous anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. Some are worth your money, but most aren’t. You have to purchase a product that has obtained a good reputation and detects not only viruses but other sorts of malware too. Amongst few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended program for the security-conscious end user. Safebytes is among the well-established computer solutions firms, which provide this all-inclusive anti-malware software program. With its cutting-edge technology, this application will let you eliminate several types of malware like computer viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, adware, ransomware, and browser hijackers. SafeBytes has great features when compared to other anti-malware programs. The following are some of the features you will like in SafeBytes. Real-time Protection: Malware programs trying to enter the computer are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. They are very efficient in screening and getting rid of various threats because they’re constantly revised with new updates and alerts. World-class AntiMalware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software goes much deeper than most anti-virus tools to clean out your computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine locates and disables hard-to-remove malware that conceals deep within your personal computer. Internet Security: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety ranking to each and every site you visit and block access to web pages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you against identity theft, or known to contain malware. Fast Scan: Safebytes Anti-Malware, with its advanced scanning engine, offers ultra-fast scanning which can immediately target any active on-line threat. Lightweight: This program is not “heavy” on your computer’s resources, so you will not notice any performance problems when SafeBytes is operating in the background. Premium Support: For any technical issues or product support, you can get 24/7 professional assistance via chat and email.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you wish to manually remove RegCleanPro without the use of an automated tool, it may be possible to do so by removing the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You will likely also want to reset your browser. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

The following files, folders, and registry entries are created or modified by RegCleanPro

Although it’s easy to set up wired printers in most cases and they have their charm, you don’t have to be around the printer if you are connected to the same network. So in this post, you will be guided on how you can install and set up a wireless printer on your Windows 10 computer. The idea here is to ensure that your Wi-Fi printer and your Windows 10 computer are connected on the same network and to do that, you need to carry out the following steps:

• You have to connect the printer to the Wi-Fi network.
• You have to add the printer or scanner to Windows 10.
• You have to install the printer software.
• You have to change the default printer.
• And troubleshoot the printer.

For more details, follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Connect your printer to the Wi-Fi network. In this step, you need to turn on your printer and look for the option to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Note that the step to connect to the Wi-Fi network depends on what kind of printer you use as well as its OEM since there will be a user interface or a Wi-Fi button that will get the job done for you. Once your printer is connected to the Wi-Fi network, you need to keep it turned on until the setup is completed. Step 2: Next, add a printer or scanner to Windows 10

• Since you’re already connected to the Wi-Fi network, you now have to go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
• From there, click on the Add a printer or scanner option.
• After that, the scanning process will begin as Windows 10 looks for the printer and once it finds it, it will display the printer in the result.
• Choose the Wi-Fi printer from the results and click on the Add device option. Once you click this option, Windows will install the drivers via Windows 10 update. Note that this process will apply to all the printers – connected, wireless, and so on.

Step 3: You have to install a printer software In this step, you need to use the driver software from the OEM even though the default printer software works since in most cases, the driver software from OEM works better compared to the default ones and offers much better functionality like ink-saving modes, and many more. Step 4: You now have to change the default printer After installing the printer software, you now have to set or change the default printer in your computer. If you have not installed any printer, the default printer in Windows is the one that saves the files. Now since you have already installed your printer, all that’s left for you to do is to change the default printer of Windows 10 to the one you installed earlier. To do that, follow these sub-steps:

• Go to Settings and navigate to Devices > Printers & scanners.
• From there, check the checkbox labeled, “Let Windows manage my default printer” if there are many printers. This will recommend you to use the most used printer. But if you don’t want to switch to the most used printer, then uncheck the checkbox.
• Once done, click on the printer you want to set as the default one and go to Manage, and then click on the Set as default button.

Step 5: If you have any issues with your newly installed printer, then you need to troubleshoot it One of the first basic troubleshooting you can perform to resolve the printer issue is running the Printer Troubleshooter. This built-in troubleshooter can detect and automatically fix the problem for you. To use it, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “exe /id PrinterDiagnostic” in the field and click OK or hit Enter to open the Printer Troubleshooter.
• Then click the Next button and follow the next on-screen instructions to fix the issue with the printer.

Valve has announced the first gaming PC handheld console: Steam Deck. At its core, Stead Deck is just a portable, small PC in little casing. It uses AMD Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU architecture, has 16GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. It is a portable device with both a touchpad and joystick packing a seven-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 (16:10 aspect ratio). The screen has an ambient light sensor for automatic light adjustments same as your modern mobile device. Stating to Valve battery will hold up from two to eight hours depending on the activity of the user and what exactly he is doing. The handheld comes also with a carrying case.

Steam Deck operating system and software

Out of the box, Steam Dock comes with the latest Valve’s version of SteamOS 3. Just for comparing, the steam box was coming SteamOS 2, so this new Linux-based OS is aimed to provide better performance and better compatibility. Naturally, all Linux games in your Steam library will work right out of the box but Valve has something called PROTON inside OS, it is emulation software based on Wine that will supposedly let you play all of your Library games on a given OS. One big thing to mention here is that this is PC after all meaning that if you do not like having SteamOS on it you can install Windows instead and so far as we know it will support Windows 11. Now with Windows 11, you will be able to play all of your Steam games and run any kind of Windows software on it including EPIC store, battle.net, and others.

Cost and release date

The initial release date is set for December 2021 and today on July 16^th Valve is opening you can reserve your copy if you want to pre-purchase. Follow this link if you want to reserve your copy. Reserve your Steam Deck device The price of the device will depend on the memory capacity which you would like to have. Please note that each of the 3 offered devices will have the same hardware, the only difference will be in memory available, and the most expensive version will also have anti-glare screen, everything else is identical. 64GB model will be $399, 256GB model will have the price of $529 and largest one with whooping 512GB will be $649

Conclusion

Valve ventures into the digital hardware domain again but it is unsure will they make it this time. Both Steam machine and their controller were in long run failed and later unsupported products so perhaps some customer caution is advised. Although having a handheld PC is tempting I would advise seeing how the overall market will accept this contraption before throwing money into it.

DuckDuckGo has risen in the public eye as a private search engine offering searches without tracking. A less known fact about DuckDuckGo is that they have their own browser, well they have it for the Android platform and it was stated that it is coming for desktops soon.

People were excited for this new browser for a few reasons, one of them being privacy and another that it is built from scratch, not using existing chromium runtime that assured users that privacy is the main focus. Still, lately, things got a little out of control. Duckduckgo is under fire from users since a security researcher has discovered that there is an exception for Microsoft trackers inside Browser.

The main feature of their browser is that it blocks tracking scripts and most online advertising with the goal of preventing servers from collecting data about your online behavior. Of course, tracking protection is never 100% effective since it requires a lot of manual labor from people to add sites and links to blocklists but it was discovered that DuckDuckGo has a defined exception in the browser for Microsoft owned ad networks and tracking scripts giving them free pass even when they are related to privacy compromisation.

Zach Edwards first pointed out the exception in a series of tweets, after noticing DuckDuckGo on iPhone and Android wasn’t blocking LinkedIn and Bing advertisements on Facebook’s Workplace site.

You can capture data within the DuckDuckGo so-called private browser on a website like Facebook's https://t.co/u8W44qvsqF and you'll see that DDG does NOT stop data flows to Microsoft's Linkedin domains or their Bing advertising domains.

iOS + Android proof:
👀🫥😮‍💨🤡⛈️⚖️💸💸💸 pic.twitter.com/u3Q30KIs7e

— ℨ𝔞𝔠𝔥 𝔈𝔡𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔡𝔰 (@thezedwards) May 23, 2022

DuckDuckGo’s CEO and founder, Gabriel Weinberg, replied with his own series of tweets.

Most of our other protections also apply to MSFT-owned properties as well. This is just about non-DuckDuckGo and non-Microsoft sites, where our search syndication agreement prevents us from stopping Microsoft-owned scripts from loading, though we can still apply protections post-load (like 3rd party cookie blocking). We are also working to change that.

DuckDuckGo says it uses over 400 sources for search engine results, including the company’s own web crawler, but typical link results are sourced most commonly from Bing. According to Weinberg, DuckDuckGo’s ability to use Bing search results depends on a carved-out exception for Microsoft’s ads in the mobile browser. A representative from DuckDuckGo told that third-party cookies from Microsoft services are still blocked.

Of course, the main aim and campaign of DUckDuckGo's rise was private search and private browsing so this kind of news did not go well among long supporters. The latest statement from them is as follows:

We have always been extremely careful to never promise anonymity when browsing, because that frankly isn’t possible given how quickly trackers change how they work to evade protections and the tools we currently offer. When most other browsers on the market talk about tracking protection, they are usually referring to 3rd-party cookie protection and fingerprinting protection, and our browsers for iOS, Android, and our new Mac beta, impose these restrictions on third-party tracking scripts, including those from Microsoft.

What we’re talking about here is an above-and-beyond protection that most browsers don’t even attempt to do — that is, blocking third-party tracking scripts before they load on 3rd party websites. Because we’re doing this where we can, users are still getting significantly more privacy protection with DuckDuckGo than they would using Safari, Firefox and other browsers. This blog post we published gets into the real benefits users enjoy from this approach, like faster load times (46% average decrease) and less data transferred (34% average decrease). Our goal has always been to provide the most privacy we can in one download, by default without any complicated settings.