{"id":901530,"date":"2026-04-26T02:40:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T07:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/the-main-street-tech-report-microsoft-says-third-party-antivirus-software-is-no-longer-needed\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T02:40:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T07:40:50","slug":"the-main-street-tech-report-microsoft-says-third-party-antivirus-software-is-no-longer-needed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/the-main-street-tech-report-microsoft-says-third-party-antivirus-software-is-no-longer-needed\/","title":{"rendered":"The Main Street Tech Report: Microsoft Says Third Party Antivirus Software Is No Longer Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Anti-Virus<\/picture><\/div>\n
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Anti-Virus software in 2003 (Photo by Joe Raedle\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n

Getty Images<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Welcome to The Main Street Tech Report, your weekly roundup of the most important small business technology news. Here are five key developments in AI, automation, and digital tools that emerged this week-and what they mean for your business.<\/p>\n

Microsoft Officially Says You Don’t Need Extra Antivirus on Windows 11<\/h2>\n

Hans-Christian Dirscherl of PCWorld <\/em>reports that Microsoft<\/a> has announced Windows 11 users do not need to add third-party antivirus software. According to the company, Microsoft Defender \u2013 Windows 11 built-in protection software \u2013 has made it \u201cthe most secure Windows yet.\u201d Defender is activated by default and continuously updates to protect against malware, suspicious downloads, and phishing websites. Microsoft suggests for those who run multiple devices or implement parental controls may want to add an extra layer of protection but for most users Windows Defender is enough, providing it\u2019s fully updated. (Source: PCWorld<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Why this is important for your small business: <\/h2>\n

I\u2019m sure the makers of anti-virus software aren\u2019t thrilled to hear that news, but wasn\u2019t the writing on the wall? I always wondered why anti-virus and malware protection wasn\u2019t already built into a device\u2019s operating system and turns out it is (and probably always was). My advice is to work with your IT professionals to fully configure Microsoft Defender to provide protection, ensure that your users are upgrading their operating system when required and leave out any additional bloatware from anti-virus software makers.<\/p>\n

OpenAI Turns on Cost-Per-Click Ads Inside ChatGPT<\/h2>\n

OpenAI<\/a> has switched its ChatGPT ads to pay-per-click pricing in a significant shift from its previous cost per thousand impressions model, Digiday<\/em> reports. According to details, advertisers can bid between $3 and $5 per click in the Ads Manager interface. Cost per clicks give advertisers more direct, measurable results for customer engagement in comparison to CPMs. And since February, the rate for CPMs has dropped from $60 to as low as $25, decreasing ad revenue for OpenAI. The benefit for advertisers is CPCs allow them to compare their ad spend on other platforms like Google. Gartner analyst Nicole Greene said, \u201cIn a world where everything is changing due to AI tech and consumer behaviors, this consistent measurement will help advertisers justify reallocation of spend to OpenAI.\u201d (Source: Digiday<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Why this is important for your small business: <\/h2>\n

Sadly, ChatGPT \u2013 and likely other AI platforms \u2013 is heading down the same \u201ccost-per-click\u201d black hole that Google prefers. And it really is a black hole. My experience with CPC is frustrating and disappointing: Google tells me an ad got a thousand clicks and yet my landing page shows five people hit it. Why the difference? No one ever answers that question and yet my ad budget is duly depleted. <\/p>\n

Yelp Launches AI-Powered Assistant to Streamline Local Search and Bookings<\/h2>\n

Yelp has made significant upgrades to its AI-powered assistant \u2013 Yelp Assistant. Instead of just producing listings, the assistant can answer questions, recommend businesses, and complete actions like reservations or appointments. Users can complete these tasks using natural language with Yelp Assistant that can interpret complex queries and requests.<\/p>\n

Yelp\u2019s large database of reviews and photos help explain why a specific business fits the request. The system is now integrated with platforms such as Vagaro (beauty\/wellness), Zodoc (healthcare appointments), and Calendly. Also new is Menu Vision \u2013 a feature that allows users to view menus up-close before ordering. Yelp is evolving from a search\/discovery engine to a transaction-powered assistant, making the search experience smoother. (Source: Search Engine Land<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Why this is important for your small business: <\/h2>\n

My company sells technology services and software B2B so I\u2019m less inclined to use Yelp. But if I were a B2C company or my business was more attuned to Yelp\u2019s audience I would be diving deeply into the platform\u2019s latest AI offerings and integrations. I would probably be using an outside Yelp expert as well. I\u2019ve worked with other small businesses who have done well reaching prospects on Yelp but only after investing a considerable amount of effort and resources to do so.<\/p>\n

Start Vibe coding in AI Studio With Your Google AI Subscription<\/h2>\n

This week, Google announced that Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers have \u201cincreased usage limits\u201d in Google AI Studio to make app creation more accessible. This includes access to Gemini Pro and Nano Banana Pro, making it easier for developers and hobbyists to transition from experiments to production. Before this update, developers had to manage API (Application Programming Interface) keys, quotas and usage-based charges early in the process. Now developers can more easily assess monthly costs before committing to API pricing through this new subscription model. \u201cThese benefits offer an easy entry point to developers who would like to experiment and prototype more deeply with AI Studio,\u201d Google stated. (Source: Google<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Why this is important for your small business: <\/h2>\n

Claude has been receiving all the \u201cvibe-coding\u201d attention lately (with a little shared with OpenAI) but my prediction is that Google is going to ultimately be the main player, particularly as it rolls out more tools within their AI Studio to help developers create solutions. Keep a close eye on the upcoming Google I\/O event on May 19th<\/sup> where I\u2019m expecting the company to announce many blow-your-mind AI developments.<\/p>\n

HubSpot Introduces Outcome-Based Pricing for AI Agents Starting April 14<\/h2>\n

HubSpot has introduced \u201coutcome-based pricing\u201d for its Breeze Customer Agent and Breeze Prospecting Agent, offering a more valuable way for businesses to leverage AI. Rather than paying just for licenses, HubSpot\u2019s new model attaches costs to completed tasks. According to the company, the cost per conversation has been reduced to $0.50 from $1 per \u201cresolved conversation\u201d by its Breeze Prospecting Agent. For the Prospecting Agent, the cost is $1 per qualified lead. This move by HubSpot demonstrates an understanding that businesses are looking for measurable ROI that could make adoption easier for those who are more skeptical about AI tools. \u201cBusinesses are being asked to make big bets on AI right now\u2026 Outcome-based pricing removes that risk,\u201d HubSpot\u2019s Chief Customer Officer, Jon Dick, said. (Source: Small Business Trends<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Why this is important for your small business:<\/h2>\n

This is a very interesting way to price a product and one that\u2019s more suitable to companies looking for clear ROI on their technology investments. As a CRM provider, it\u2019s always difficult to quantify the value of what we sell. This type of approach makes it a more tangible discussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a technology story that small business owners should know about? Share it with me on X @genemarks, and it may be featured in a future edition of The Main Street Tech Report.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Gene Marks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anti-Virus software in 2003 (Photo by Joe Raedle\/Getty Images) Getty Images Welcome to The Main Street Tech Report, your weekly roundup of the most important small business technology news. Here are five key developments in AI, automation, and digital tools that emerged this week-and what they mean for your business. Microsoft Officially Says You Don’t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":901531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[193,180],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-901530","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-report","8":"category-street"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/901530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=901530"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/901530\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/901531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=901530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=901530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=901530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}