Martin Brinkmann

Martin Brinkmann is a journalist from Germany who founded Ghacks Technology News back in 2005. Martin started his career as a tech support representative at a large German financial corporation which he used to finance his college education in English, Information Technology and History.


He quit college and his job when Ghacks began to attract a large enough readership. He made the decision to become a full time blogger and webmaster, and has not looked back since.


Martin is interested in all things tech. His primary focus is on desktop operating systems, web browsers, Internet services, and privacy related topics.


He published the book The Complete Windows 10 Privacy Guide: Windows 10 Fall Creators Update version in 2017. Martin writes a weekly column for fellow tech site Betanews as well.


You can reach Martin on Facebook or on Twitter. Please use the contact form at the bottom of the page to contact the author directly.


Martin has been quoted or mentioned in many major online and print publications, including Forbes, Lifehacker.com, ComputerWorld, LinkedIn, Reddit, Betanews.com, Bleeping Computer, TechCrunch, PC World, Tom's Hardware, Slashdot, Hacker News, The Register, and more.


Martin's articles on Ghacks

Notepad++ 8.5.7 fixes 4 security issues

The developer of the open source plain text editor Notepad++ has released the security update Notepad++ 8.5.7 to the public. The latest update addresses four security issues in the client and introduces […]

Thunderbird 102 to 115 upgrades are now enabled

Thunderbird 115 is the latest major version of the open source email client. Users of the application, who wanted to upgrade to the new version, had to download and install Thunderbird 115 […]

Google enables real time checks in Chrome's Safe Browsing security feature

Google announced a range of new features and changes for its Chrome web browser to celebrate the browser's 15th birthday. Among the changes are a bit of fresh paint for the browser's […]

Microsoft offers an explanation for the hack of its cloud

Bugs and coincidences seem to have allowed Chinese-based hacking group Storm-0558 to steal a private MSA key from Microsoft and gain access to the accounts of organizations, including American government agencies. The […]

Microsoft ends printer driver installations and updates via Windows Update

Windows users who connect a printer to a PC may notice one of two things: the printer is detected automatically and usable right away, or it is not. It is then necessary […]

YouTube wants to show you less but longer ads

Google is changing how it serves advertisement to YouTube viewers who watch the streaming service on TV. Many smart TVs come with YouTube's app installed by default or an option to install […]

Critical security vulnerabilities in ASUS routers -- update immediately

Three ASUS Wi-Fi routers are vulnerable to three critically rated remote code execution vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors to take over the devices. The affected wireless routers are the […]

Google patches 4 high-rated security issues in latest Chrome 116 update

Google released a security update for Google Chrome 116 for desktop operating systems and for Android today. The update addresses 4 high-rated security issues in the web browser. The update is published […]

Meta is removing Facebook's dedicated News section in several European countries

Facebook parent company Meta announced today that it is removing the dedicated news section on Facebook for users in several European countries. In An Update on Facebook News in Europe, the company […]

OneDrive: photos in albums count twice against a user's storage quota

Microsoft is informing OneDrive customers currently about a planned change that may have a significant impact on storage quotas. From October 16, 2023 on, photos uploaded to OneDrive may count twice against […]

Windows' File Explorer opens folders slowly? This trick may speed things up

Microsoft has changed File Explorer, the default file management tool in Windows, significantly with the release of Windows 11 and the first feature update for Windows 11. The upcoming 2023 update for […]

Windows 11 21H2 is reaching end of support and devices will be upgraded automatically

Microsoft's Windows 11 version 21H2 operating system is reaching end of support on October 10, 2023. The Windows 11 version will receive a last batch of security updates on the day before […]

YouTube showing ads with uBlock Origin enabled? Here is a fix!

The only sane way for watching videos on YouTube who don't pay the exorbitant price for YouTube Premium is to use a content blocker. One of the main reasons for that is […]

Microsoft is removing WordPad from Windows

When it comes to opening text documents on Windows devices, users have the choice between the plain text editor Notepad and WordPad, a text editor that supports rich text format features. Many […]

Meta may launch ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram in the EU

A New York Times report suggests that Meta is considering a fundamental business model shift. The company may launch special versions of Facebook and Instagram in countries of the European Unition that […]

Windows 11 Development: overview of the August 2023 changes

The month of August 2023 was a busy one for Windows 11 Insiders. Microsoft released a lot of builds in this month. Highlights include more customization options regarding Edge, Bing Search and […]

Is Google scanning and removing Saved user links?

For some time now, Google users have had the option to save links as collections using Google Saved. The feature, which is not linked to the Bookmarks feature, can be compared to […]

In Windows 11, the line between the legitimate and adware becomes increasingly blurred

For the last two or so months, Microsoft has been running campaigns in its Windows 11 operating system to get customers to switch the default web browser in Google Chrome to Microsoft […]

Sustainable and repair-friendly Fairphone 5 released

Different users have different requirements when it comes to selecting a new mobile phone, but there are is some common ground to be found. Device support plays a role, as it determines […]

Microsoft caves in: allows use of default browser in Windows 11 for some users

When you run a search in Windows 11 or activate links in some other parts of the operating system, then you will have those links opened in the Microsoft Edge web browser. […]

Google Chrome 116's second point update addresses a security issue

Google has released a point update for Chrome 116 Stable that addresses a security issue in the desktop and Android versions of the web browser. The company switched from a bi-weekly release […]

Vivaldi 6.2 speeds up performance and adds this unique feature

Vivaldi 6.2 is the newest version of Vivaldi Technologies web browser. The new version marks a major milestone for the project, as it speeds up the opening of new browser windows significantly […]

Firefox 117: native language translations, last Firefox 102 update and security fixes

Mozilla Firefox 117 is the latest version of the open source Firefox web browser. Launched on August 29, 2023, Firefox 117 ships with the new native language translation feature, enables credit card […]

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Enterprise, hints at ChatGPT Business

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and other AI products, announced the launch of ChatGPT Enterprise today. The Enterprise-focused version of ChatGTP offers several advantages over the free and plus versions of ChatGPT […]

These tools will soon be removed in Microsoft Edge to make it simpler

Microsoft announced the removal of several tools in its Microsoft Edge web browser to "improve the user experience" and simplify the browser. Starting in Microsoft Edge 117, which Microsoft plans to release […]

Google Messages may use Garmin Response for SOS Emergency feature

Google is working on integrating emergency SOS functionality into its Google Messages application. The safety feature is designed to allow users to request help even in locations and situations without mobile and […]

Microsoft publishes mitigation instructions for Downfall vulnerability in Windows

Microsoft published a support article about the recently disclosed CVE-2022-40982 vulnerability, commonly referred to as Downfall, that affects Windows devices. The vulnerability was disclosed earlier this month. It affects several Intel processor […]

How to enable Firefox's native translate feature in Firefox 117

Mozilla plans to release Firefox 117 Stable on Tuesday. The next stable version of the web browser includes the long-awaited native translate integration, which does not require server connections and works online […]

How to disable Android's new Ads Privacy features

Google Android users may see a new message after the installation of updates that informs them that new ads privacy features are available. Google claims that the new features improve user privacy […]

Meta retires Messenger Lite for Android

Meta announced plans to retire Messenger Lite, formerly known as Facebook Messenger Lite starting August 21, 2023. The company that was once known as Facebook introduced Messenger Lite as a resource-friendly alternative […]

Dropbox limits Advanced plan storage after unlimited policy backfires

Dropbox announced plans to change the storage policy of its Dropbox Advanced plan after some customers started to abuse of the unlimited storage offer. Dropbox Advanced is a plan designed for businesses […]

Windows 11's new Settings homepage is half promotion half pointless

Microsoft released a new Insider build to the Beta channel of the Windows 11 operating system. One of the new features of the release brings the new Settings homepage to testers. Microsoft […]

WinRAR security issue more wide-reaching than thought [Update]

A recently disclosed security issue in the archiving software WinRAR is affecting other software programs as well. The developers of WinRAR released version 6.23 of the popular archiving software earlier this month. […]

Gmail: Google improves security of sensitive actions

Google announced today that it is improving protections for certain sensitive actions on Gmail to improve security for all users. The company's email service, like any other email service, is a lucrative […]

Google addresses five security issues in Chrome 116 point update

Google published a point update for Chrome 116 today that addresses five security issues in the desktop versions and the Android version of the web browser.  The update is available already, but […]

Firefox users may import Chrome extensions now

One of the main arguments brought forth for the switching to the WebExtensions system for browser extensions was that it made cross-browser extensions easier. Firefox users may now reap the benefits of […]

Bitwarden launches Secrets Manager for teams

Bitwarden Secrets Manager is an open source end-to-end encrypted service that teams may use to "store, manage, automate, and share secrets at scale". Aimed at development teams, who often need to share […]

Windows 10 users may now attach Microsoft Edge's sidebar to the desktop

Microsoft has published Microsoft Edge 116, a new stable version of its Chromium-based browser. Released on August 21, 2023, Microsoft Edge 116 includes security updates and two new features. Existing installations of […]

Privacy is Sexy: custom privacy scripts for Windows, Linux and macOS

Privacy is Sexy is a free service that allows users of desktop operating systems to improve their privacy by creating and executing custom scripts. The service is available for Windows, Linux and […]

Open Source Office Suite LibreOffice 7.6 is now available

The Document Foundation has released the open source office suite LibreOffice 7.6 Community Edition today. The new version is packed with new features and improvements. It is also the last major release […]