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Turn yourself into a Google Workspace and Microsoft Office pro

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Turn yourself into a Google Workspace and Microsoft Office pro

Google Workspace and Microsoft Office are built for productivity, and they work even better when you really know what you’re doing. 

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Below are a handful of the best tricks I’ve picked up from years of using this software. Maybe they can unlock some extra time in your day.

5-MINUTE PHONE PRIVACY AUDIT TO STOP THE SNOOPS

Copy and paste formatting: You picked the perfect font, size and spacing. Now copy that all over your document (or spreadsheet or presentation). Select the text and click the paint roller icon in the toolbar. Click and drag over the text you want to transform. Voila!

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Roll it back: Three people and 12 versions later, you’re totally lost editing a Google Doc. Retrace your steps by opening File > Version history > See version history. Choose a time on the right, and you’ll see who did what (and when!). On the flip side, unless you save the doc as a new one with a different filename, everyone gets to see your edits.

A woman types on her computer. (iStock)

Tell it like it is: Dictate text instead of typing to save time or give your wrists a break. You don’t need to buy anything new; it’s all built in. In a Google Docs document, open Tools > choose Voice typing. In Word, go to Home > Dictate. FYI, you can use commands like “period” and “comma” for punctuation and “new paragraph” and “new line” for formatting.

Cut out the distractions: Here’s a Word trick to focus on your text and nothing else. Open the View tab on the menu, then click Focus. Presto, everything except the document vanishes and you’re in a full-screen view. Move the cursor to the top of the screen or hit Esc when you’re ready to be distracted again.

HOW TO SCORE CHEAP STUFF (TO KEEP OR RESELL)

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Freeze frame: In Excel, it helps to keep your column and row headings stuck in place while you scroll around big spreadsheets. Select the cell where the actual data starts, and then click the View menu > Freeze Panes.

Sharing is caring: This one’s perfect for when you want to share a Google Doc as a template but you don’t want other people messing around in your file. Click Share, then change the link settings to Anyone with the link and choose Editor. Before you hit “Send,” replace the text in the URL that says “edit” with “template/preview.” It’ll force recipients to make their own copies and edits, leaving your original under your full control. So smart!

In this photo illustration, Google app logos, Drive, YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, Google and Google Maps are displayed on the screen of an iPhone on June 08, 2023 in Paris, France. (Chesnot/Getty Images)

What’s that word again? In Word and Docs, right-click on a word and choose Define to find out what it means. You can even get guidance on pronunciation. Just do this before your big presentation, OK?

A shortcut you’ll use all the time

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TIME-SAVING TRICKS USING YOUR KEYBOARD

This one is so good it deserves a little more space. There’s an easy way to open a new Google Doc file, Google’s version of a Word document. The same goes for opening a new Google Sheet (Google’s version of Excel). 

You can even use it to open Google Calendar with a new blank calendar entry for you to fill in, which is faster than going through your calendar itself or Google Drive.

Close-up of a woman’s hand with a computer mouse. (Getty Images)

First, make sure you’re signed in to your Google account. Then open the Chrome browser and type in the name of a Google application followed by “.new” in the browser’s URL bar.

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Here’s a handy list for reference. You can use any of the following shortcuts for each application:

  • Google Docs: document.new, docs.new, doc.new
  • Google Sheets: spreadsheet.new, sheets.new, sheet.new
  • Google Slides: presentation.new, slides.new, slide.new
  • Google Forms: forms.new, form.new
  • Google Keep: keep.new, notes.new, note.new
  • Google Calendar: meeting.new, cal.new
  • Google Meeting: meet.new

Get tech-smarter on your schedule

Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

Copyright 2024, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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