Newsletter Archives

• How to fix problems with Microsoft’s Phone Link app

  Posted on February 17, 2025 at 02:45 CST by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.07 • 2025-02-17

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Phone Link pairs your iPhone or Android phone with Windows, but it doesn’t always cooperate. Here’s how to fix technical troubles that may pop up in the process.

  I often use Microsoft’s Phone Link to sync my iPhone and Android phone with Windows so I can access mobile calls, messages, contacts, and photos from my phone directly on my PC. I especially like to write and answer texts using my desktop keyboard and mouse rather than my phone’s tiny virtual keys. But Phone Link can sometimes misbehave.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.07.0, 2025-02-17).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Windows 11 Android, Bluetooth, iPhone, Newsletters, Phone Link, Settings, Troubleshooting

• How to link your smartphone with Windows 11

  Posted on February 12, 2024 at 02:44 CST by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Connecting your iPhone or Android phone to Windows 11 lets you make phone calls, send texts, and view notifications directly from your PC.

  As an iPhone owner and Windows user, I’d like to be able to access my phone from my computer at times. Maybe I want to make or answer a call, or send or view a text message, but my phone isn’t handy. Or maybe speaking or chatting with someone feels easier when I’m already using my PC for other tasks. Whatever the scenario, this is a capability I often need. And it’s all doable with the right tools.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.07.0, 2024-02-12).

  Windows 11 Android, Bluetooth, iPhone, Newsletters, Pairing Phone, Phone Link, Photos, Texting

• How can an e-cigarette know the age of its user?

  Posted on August 7, 2023 at 02:44 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  The dominant e-cigarette manufacturer Juul filed in the US last month an application to sell a new technology that requires age verification and prevents the use of third-party, candy-flavored vaping cartridges.

  Juul nearly went bankrupt in November 2022 after agreeing to a $439 million settlement with several US states. The attorneys general of those states successfully argued that the company had marketed fruity flavors specifically to appeal to minors.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.32.0, 2023-08-07).

  Public Defender Age Verification, Bluetooth, health, Newsletters, Pod ID, Regulation, safety

• Microsoft: Win10 1903 having problems with Bluetooth speakers

  Posted on August 23, 2019 at 22:12 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  This one’s odd.

  According to the just-posted KB 4518538, “Bluetooth speakers don’t work after update 4505903 is installed on Windows 10, version 1903.”

  After you install update 4505903 on Windows 10, version 1903 on a computer that has an internal speaker installed, you experience one of the following issues:

  • A Bluetooth speaker can’t connect to the computer.
  • A Bluetooth speaker can connect to the computer. However, the speaker output sounds noisy (bad quality).
  • A Bluetooth speaker can connect to the computer. However, the sound is generated by the internal speaker instead of the Bluetooth device.

  Additionally, in Device Manager, you notice an entry under the Sound, video and game controllers node for Microsoft Bluetooth A2dp Source that shows a yellow bang (exclamation mark) icon.

  Here’s what’s odd. KB 4505903 is July’s “optional non-security” second monthly cumulative update. I have no idea why the second July update would have a problem that doesn’t occur in the first August cumulative update. (We haven’t yet seen the second August cumulative update for Win10 1903.)

  UPDATE: @abbodi86 has what sounds like the right diagnosis:

  The issue is probably caused by some combination, or bad sequence, of patches. It does not seem directly related to the update

  Windows Patches/Security Bluetooth

• On forced upgrades

  Posted on March 9, 2016 at 12:12 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Just got this entertaining message from Alan Arndt:

  Woody,

  I applaud all your efforts with regards to Microsoft’s Force update to Windows 10 and the automatic and uncontrolled updates of Windows 10 itself.  I certainly expect to upgrade my home machines and work machines to Windows 10 before the free update period ends.  However, even though we are using Windows 8.1 at home and work I haven’t been terribly motivated to make the switch.  A big concern is the way Microsoft intends to force updates down your throat.  For that an many other reasons I have only purchased Windows 10 Pro, however, several of my machines (3 laptops, came with home editions of Windows 7 & 8 and only get the Home version of Windows 10).  It would be very nice if Microsoft would offer a reasonably priced upgrade from one to the next instead of basically the full price of a new copy of Windows.  To experiment with things I have updated the three laptops (two son’s and mine – as I only use it for trips, not daily use), and one home computer (with Pro).

  Anyhow, my main point of this letter is to address the forced updating of Windows 10.  Recently I was on a business trip, with only my laptop to use.  I put my computer to sleep for a few minutes while I stepped away.  I came back and my Bluetooth mouse wouldn’t work.  No explanation why.  It seems the Bluetooth interface had been turned off.  I can’t get it to turn on from the Action center.  I can’t find it under settings for devices to turn it on.  I notice that there is a yellow triangle exclamation point on my computer, so I run troubleshooting.  It says I need to restart to apply updates but it allows me to continue troubleshooting process.  Sure enough.  It comes back and says I need to restart and apply updates.  Are you KIDDING ME?  God damn Microsoft BUSTED my computer when I stepped away for a few minutes because they applied updates.

  I very EXPLICTLY do NOT WANT to install any updates when I am gone on a trip.  Who knows what will happen.  So now I have no bloody choice because they have broken my computer and are forcing me to abandon what I am working on, restart everything and pray the computer still works.  What a bunch of jerks.

  Note that the Bluetooth issue with the mouse is especially frustrating because I have my laptop set to turn off the touchpad when I am using the mouse.  When the mouse disappears without properly shutting it off the touchpad is NOT re-enabled.  This is quite annoying enough when the laptop goes to sleep or is put to sleep by closing the lid, because that’s what it remembers when it wakes up.  So if you packed up things and put the mouse away, you are screwed next time to wake up the laptop.  Very poor thinking all around.

  Windows Patches/Security Bluetooth, Windows 10