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Timed Silence: An Open Source Android App to Automatically Silence Your Phone
AppWizard
November 8, 2024

Timed Silence: An Open Source Android App to Automatically Silence Your Phone

Timed Silence is a Kotlin-based application for Android, created by Felix Nüsse, that manages smartphone volume settings, allowing users to mute, vibrate, or ring with sound. The app requires initial setup permissions and features an intuitive interface with a pause/play button. Users can create custom schedules, including pre-defined ones for "Night" and "Day." The app effectively activates Do Not Disturb (DND) at scheduled times, muting notifications while allowing calls and messages from specified contacts. Additional features include Calendar integration, Keywords for managing volume levels, Bluetooth compatibility, and a Sanity Check for priority contacts. The app is available on F-Droid, with source code and APKs on GitHub.
Android 15's first monthly software update is finally rolling out now
AppWizard
November 7, 2024

Android 15’s first monthly software update is finally rolling out now

Google has begun distributing the first monthly software update for Android 15, which includes various fixes and enhancements along with the latest security patch. The rollout is phased, starting for devices running Android 15, and users will receive a notification when the update is available. Key fixes in this update include: - Bluetooth: Fix for range issues on the Pixel 9 series. - Camera: Resolution of camera tilt issues when zooming on the Pixel 9 series. - Display and Graphics: Correction of flashing white dots on the Pixel 9 series and screen brightness flickering on the Pixel 8a. - Sensors: Fix for occasional failure of Adaptive brightness on the Pixel 9 series. - Touch: Resolution of keyboard dismiss button issues on the Pixel 9 series. - User Interface: General performance and stability improvements for multiple Pixel models (Pixel 6 to Pixel 9 series). The software version is AP3A.241105.007 for Pixel models from Pixel 6 to Pixel 8a and AP3A.241105.008 for the Pixel 9 series.
Even Microsoft Notepad is getting infused with AI
Winsage
November 7, 2024

Even Microsoft Notepad is getting infused with AI

Microsoft is introducing a new AI feature called Rewrite in its Notepad application, currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders. Users can activate Rewrite by highlighting text and using the right-click menu or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+I, which opens a dialogue box with AI-suggested rewrites and adjustable options for Length, Tone, and Format. There is also an option to disable the AI functionality in the app settings.
Valorant is winning the war against PC gaming cheaters
AppWizard
November 4, 2024

Valorant is winning the war against PC gaming cheaters

In 2020, multiplayer games experienced a surge in cheating during COVID-19 lockdowns, with titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, and Destiny 2 struggling against aimbots and wallhacks. Riot Games launched Valorant with its anti-cheat system, Vanguard, which has effectively deterred cheat developers. Vanguard employs a kernel-level driver that detects unauthorized access attempts and has led to a decrease in traditional software cheats, although some cheaters have shifted to hardware solutions like direct memory access (DMA) techniques. Vanguard has also been successful in detecting and blocking suspicious hardware-level DMA attempts. Currently, triggerbots account for about 80 percent of cheats in Valorant. Vanguard was introduced to League of Legends, resulting in over 175,000 account bans. A study from the University of Birmingham indicated that Valorant has the top anti-cheat system, while other games like Call of Duty: Warzone continue to struggle. Riot is exploring collaborations with Microsoft to enhance security and may adjust Vanguard's activation based on Windows 11 features. There are no plans for Linux support due to risks of kernel manipulation. The potential rise of AI-powered cheats presents a new challenge, as AI could replicate human gameplay, complicating anti-cheat efforts.
9 ways to decrease power consumption on your Windows server
Winsage
November 1, 2024

9 ways to decrease power consumption on your Windows server

Excessive power consumption in Windows Server management can result from misconfigurations and inefficient component management. Strategies to enhance energy efficiency include: 1. Adjusting power settings through the Power Options menu, which offers Balanced, High Performance, and Power Saver plans, and fine-tuning Processor Power Management settings. 2. Disabling unnecessary services and roles via Server Manager to lower CPU load. 3. Investing in energy-efficient hardware, such as processors with low thermal design points, energy-efficient RAM, and solid-state drives instead of hard disk drives. 4. Scheduling resource-intensive tasks during off-peak hours to balance power load. 5. Utilizing virtualization with Hyper-V to consolidate workloads and reduce the number of active devices. 6. Optimizing the cooling system with variable-speed fans and maintaining proper airflow. 7. Using remote management tools like Windows Admin Center and PowerShell to manage servers without physical access, reducing the need for peripherals. 8. Regularly updating firmware and drivers to ensure hardware operates efficiently. 9. Reducing display power consumption by turning off inactive monitors and setting them to sleep mode after inactivity.
Can't quit Windows 10? Microsoft will charge for updates next year. Here's how much
Winsage
October 31, 2024

Can’t quit Windows 10? Microsoft will charge for updates next year. Here’s how much

Microsoft is implementing a pricing structure for Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 as it approaches its end of official support on October 14, 2025. Business customers will face a subscription cost starting at 0 for the first year, escalating to 0 in the second year and 0 in the third year, totaling 0 per PC over three years. Education customers will pay significantly less, with costs of for the first year, for the second year, and 0 for the third year. Consumers can secure a one-year ESU subscription for , but it cannot be renewed after the first year, with updates ending on October 25, 2026. Businesses using Microsoft Intune and Windows AutoPatch can receive a reduced first-year cost of . Businesses subscribed to Windows 365 will automatically receive an ESU license for their Windows 10 PCs. Discounts for nonprofit organizations are planned but details are not yet available.
Microsoft will charge Windows 10 users $30 per year for security updates
Winsage
October 31, 2024

Microsoft will charge Windows 10 users $30 per year for security updates

Microsoft has released a guide to help users prepare for the end of support for Windows 10, scheduled for October 14, 2025. The guide introduces an Extended Security Updates (ESU) subscription available for an annual fee, which will provide monthly security patches beyond the deadline. This program is now accessible to both individual consumers and business clients, unlike previous versions that were limited to commercial clients. The subscription focuses on critical security issues and will not include additional features or enhancements after October 2025. For users unable to upgrade to Windows 11 due to hardware or software limitations, the ESU subscription offers a solution. Enrollment for individual users will open in 2025, and the primary audience for the ESU program includes organizations managing multiple PCs that cannot transition to Windows 11. Starting November 1, Microsoft will offer the standard 5-by-5 ESU option on the Volume Licensing price list, with the first ESU release scheduled for November 2025. The base license for businesses will cost per device for the first year, with costs doubling for each subsequent year, and fees are cumulative for late joiners.
Microsoft isn’t secretly installing Recall on your Windows PC
Winsage
October 29, 2024

Microsoft isn’t secretly installing Recall on your Windows PC

Microsoft's Recall feature, intended for capturing screenshots on Copilot Plus PCs, has faced controversy due to security concerns, leading to its delay and prioritization of security enhancements. Currently, Recall is not available for testing on Copilot Plus PCs, and there is speculation about its automatic installation with the Windows 11 version 24H2 update. IT manager Chris Titus claimed that Recall would be installed on all systems with the 24H2 update, but Microsoft clarified that it will be an optional feature that users can uninstall. Windows expert Albacore noted that the 24H2 update includes changes to simplify Recall's removal for system administrators, not mandatory installation. Bugs related to Recall's removal have been reported, and Microsoft confirmed that users would have the ability to uninstall the feature. Brandon LeBlanc from Microsoft reiterated that Recall has not been made available to Windows Insiders yet. Despite this, concerns about potential covert installation persist in online discussions.
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