cost-saving

Winsage
October 23, 2025
Support for Windows 10 officially ended recently, leaving users with unsupported PCs to consider transitioning to MacOS or Linux. Zorin OS launched its significant upgrade, Zorin OS 18, which received over 100,000 downloads in two days, with 72% coming from Windows machines. Échirolles, France, has transitioned its town hall computers to Free & Open Source software, including Zorin OS, although only 10% of those machines are using it. Microsoft is offering an additional year of security updates for Windows 10 for a fee. The "End of 10" campaign provides guidance for Windows 10 users transitioning to Linux. Linux has a wide range of applications and is considered accessible for those familiar with Windows. Continuing to use Windows 10 without support poses security risks, while Linux offers a seamless upgrade process without new hardware requirements. Zorin OS can mimic the Windows interface and supports running Windows applications through Wine. Users must decide whether to invest in a new Windows 11 computer or explore Linux as a cost-saving alternative.
AppWizard
October 22, 2025
Meta will discontinue the standalone Facebook Messenger desktop app for Windows and Mac, effective 15 December. Users will need to transition to the browser version, which has led to frustration among those who preferred the app for its focused messaging experience. Meta referred to the app as 'deprecated' but provided little explanation for its removal. Industry analysts suggest the decision is part of a cost-saving initiative, while UK users feel it diminishes their choices. Meta has urged users to back up their encrypted chat history, noting that conversations may not transfer automatically to the browser version. The decision comes as Facebook faces declining relevance in the UK, amid regulatory challenges and public skepticism. Earlier this year, Meta introduced a paid subscription model for Facebook and Instagram in Britain, allowing users to opt out of personalized advertising. Reports indicate that over 700 employees have been laid off in the UK, intensifying perceptions of the company retreating from the market. Concerns have also emerged regarding Meta's use of user data and AI, with reports revealing that posts could be used to train AI systems without explicit consent. The discontinuation of the Messenger app symbolizes a loss of user control and has prompted some users to reconsider their engagement with the platform.
Winsage
August 6, 2025
OpenAI has made its gpt-oss models, with 120 billion and 20 billion parameters, available for public use on AWS's Bedrock platform, marking the first open model release since GPT-2 in 2019. These models are not entirely open source, as users do not have access to the underlying code or training datasets. AWS's chief evangelist, Danilo Poccia, expressed enthusiasm for the integration of these models, which are designed for coding, scientific analysis, and mathematical reasoning, and can be integrated into business workflows. Analysts note that OpenAI's models provide substantial value compared to competitors, aligning with Amazon's cost-saving strategy. AWS hosts various open models, but Claude from Anthropic was absent from the recent press release, indicating a complex competitive landscape. The addition of OpenAI's models to AWS is seen as a potential step towards deeper collaboration between the two companies.
AppWizard
August 5, 2025
The mobile app market is experiencing significant growth in 2025, with Android holding over 71% of the global smartphone market share. The North American Android app development sector is projected to reach .31 billion by 2026, driven by increased smartphone adoption and a shift to mobile-first strategies. Small and medium-sized enterprises view mobile apps as essential for customer engagement and operational efficiency, with 87% recognizing their importance. Detroit has become a key player in mobile app development, benefiting from its strategic location in the Eastern Time Zone, which facilitates real-time collaboration with partners across North America. The city offers competitive tax incentives, lower operational costs, and a growing pool of tech talent, with major companies like Google and Microsoft establishing operations there. Local development teams in Detroit can engage in synchronous collaboration, enhancing decision-making and minimizing miscommunication. They possess a deep understanding of North American business practices and regulatory requirements, leading to better-designed apps that resonate with users. Engaging Detroit-based developers can be more cost-effective than offshore alternatives, as local teams typically complete projects 30-40% faster. The average cost to develop a medium-complexity Android app in Detroit ranges from ,000 to 0,000, significantly lower than in cities like San Francisco. Detroit's tech talent pool has expanded due to local universities and coding bootcamps, producing graduates specializing in mobile app development. The city attracts experienced developers seeking better work-life balance and lower living costs. Canadian companies benefit from Detroit's proximity and cultural similarities, facilitating partnerships and simplifying cross-border projects. U.S. development services are often competitively priced for Canadian businesses when considering quality. Detroit's Android app development firms are integrating advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and IoT into applications. The city's automotive industry expertise enhances development for connected vehicles and industrial IoT systems. Local development relationships focus on long-term partnerships, ensuring ongoing support and updates for applications. Proximity allows for regular communication and strategic planning, fostering better outcomes and stronger business relationships.
AppWizard
July 9, 2025
Ubisoft has announced a reduction in workforce at its Red Storm studio, eliminating 19 positions as part of a restructuring strategy for global cost efficiencies. The company emphasized the necessity of this move and stated that it is aligned with the studio's project needs. Ubisoft will provide severance packages, extended health-care benefits, and career transition assistance to those affected. The layoffs are specific to Red Storm, with no other studios facing cuts at this time. This is the second instance of workforce reductions at Red Storm, following layoffs in August 2024.
Tech Optimizer
July 7, 2025
Atlassian has migrated its database infrastructure to Amazon Web Services’ Aurora, transferring four million Postgres databases that support Jira implementations. The migration involved approximately 3,000 PostgreSQL servers across 13 AWS regions. The move aims to reduce costs, enhance reliability, and improve performance, upgrading the service level agreement from 99.95% uptime on RDS to 99.99% on Aurora. Samsung has postponed the completion of its chip manufacturing plant in Texas due to difficulties in securing customers. Infosys has advised its employees against exceeding nine hours and 15 minutes of work daily to combat burnout. Qantas has acknowledged a cyberattack affecting six million customers and will provide details on the incident's impact. Xerox has acquired Lexmark from Ninestar Corporation for .5 billion. India and Australia are collaborating on a research initiative to improve tracking of submarines and underwater vehicles. JPMorgan Chase has requested to terminate its custom top-level domains, ".CHASE" and ".JPMORGAN." China’s National Space Administration has released images of Earth and the Moon taken by its Tianwen 2 probe.
Winsage
May 15, 2025
Citrix is promoting its virtualization platforms to address rising hardware costs and upcoming U.S. tariffs effective April 2025. Vice President Philipp Benkler suggested that organizations could extend the lifespan of existing hardware by using eLux, an operating system acquired from Unicon. As businesses face the end-of-life for Windows 10 and the transition to Windows 11, Citrix advocates for deploying centrally managed remote desktops from existing endpoints through its virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) platform. However, VDI implementation can face challenges such as "boot storms," which may lead to performance issues. Citrix recommends its NetScaler platform to manage these challenges without requiring additional hardware. While Citrix's approach aims to mitigate tariff-related costs, the company has increased its licensing prices, necessitating careful evaluation by organizations considering VDI. Security concerns also arise with NetScaler, as it is often targeted by cybercriminals, potentially introducing vulnerabilities. The effectiveness of Citrix's solution depends on each organization's IT landscape, budget, and ability to manage technical complexities.
Winsage
February 5, 2025
Microsoft has updated its support documentation for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10, detailing the pricing structure for commercial customers starting in 2024. The costs are set at per device for the first year, doubling in the second year, and reaching four times the initial cost in the third year. Organizations that join in Year Two must still pay for Year One, as the ESUs are cumulative. Free support for most versions of Windows 10 will end in November 2025. Organizations with a Windows 10 endpoint connected to a Windows 365 Cloud PC may qualify for free ESUs, and Windows 10 virtual machines in Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop can access ESUs for up to three years with an active Windows 365 subscription license.
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