costs Archives

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.

Tech Optimizer

November 7, 2024

TotalAV vs PCProtect: Which Is the Best Antivirus?

TotalAV offers superior protection and user experience compared to PCProtect, with affordability enhancing its appeal. TotalAV blocked all prepared malware samples and nine out of ten wild samples in tests, while PCProtect missed two prepared and three wild samples, achieving a 75% effectiveness score. TotalAV features an intuitive interface, effective password manager, and superior VPN, while PCProtect's interface could benefit from redesign. TotalAV provides three pricing options, with the basic version covering four devices, making it more cost-effective than PCProtect, which is available for three devices. Both antivirus programs support Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. TotalAV has received high ratings from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, while PCProtect has not been evaluated by leading cybersecurity firms.

Winsage

November 7, 2024

Windows Server 2025 takes admins by surprise

Unexpected instances of Windows Server 2025 have emerged following a routine security update, affecting approximately 7 percent of Heimdal's customers. A customer reported that every Windows Server 2022 system in their office either upgraded to Windows Server 2025 or was about to do so. The issue was traced to the Windows Update API, where Microsoft mistakenly labeled the Windows Server 2025 upgrade as KB5044284, which is typically associated with Windows 11. Heimdal has blocked KB5044284 across all server group policies to prevent further upgrades. Users affected by the upgrade face challenges in reverting to the previous configuration, including evaluating backup strategies and potential licensing costs.

AppWizard

November 6, 2024

Valve introduces recording function to Steam

Valve has introduced a new game recording feature for Steam that allows players to record, replay, and create clips of their gameplay. This feature is compatible with both PC and Valve's Steam Deck. The key component is the Background Recording mode, which continuously captures gameplay and saves it to a hard drive, with users able to toggle it on or off. The Steam Timeline interface provides real-time updates during recording sessions, logging significant events like achievements and screenshots. The technology is designed to minimize impact on gaming performance, but users with Intel GPUs may face limitations as the feature does not support these graphics cards. The feature was initially launched in beta in June before its official rollout.

AppWizard

November 5, 2024

I’ve seen the future of gaming — AI model creates playable Minecraft from a picture

Oasis is an AI model that generates Minecraft-like gameplay using only images, developed by Decart and Etched. It is described as the world's first real-time AI world model, dynamically constructing gameplay based on user input and visual data, processing commands and generating frames at approximately 20 frames per second. The AI architecture combines Vision Transformer technology with a diffusion model, allowing for frame generation in about 0.04 seconds on a single NVIDIA H100 GPU. However, the gameplay experience is low-resolution and glitchy, with issues related to object permanence and unexpected environmental shifts. The technology could transform the gaming industry by enabling rapid game development and real-time adaptation to player preferences, while also raising concerns about copyright and creative ownership. As the technology evolves, improvements in resolution, frame rates, and game complexity are anticipated.

Winsage

November 3, 2024

New Microsoft Windows Attacks—Stop Doing This Now, US Government Warns Users

The FBI has warned users about vulnerabilities in popular webmail accounts, highlighting risks to passwords and multifactor authentication (MFA) due to emerging cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has advised Windows users to reconsider SMS-based MFA. CISA's guidance targets Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and enterprise users, emphasizing a sophisticated spear-phishing campaign affecting various sectors, including government and IT. Spear phishing, although less than 0.1% of phishing emails, accounts for 66% of successful breaches, with average costs of USD 4.76 million and potential losses up to USD 100 million. CISA notes that foreign threat actors often impersonate trusted entities and use malicious remote desktop protocol (RDP) files to gain unauthorized access. CISA has recommended ten security measures for organizations, including restricting outbound RDP connections, blocking RDP files, enabling MFA, and adopting phishing-resistant authentication methods. CISA advises against SMS-based MFA due to its vulnerability to SIM-jacking attacks. Kaspersky has raised concerns about SIM swap fraud, particularly in areas with high smartphone usage. Organizations are encouraged to use stronger MFA alternatives, such as software authenticators or passkeys.

Winsage

November 2, 2024

Microsoft is asking for 30 of your American dollars to keep Windows 10 safe for a year after it’s put out to pasture

Windows 10 users will lose official support from Microsoft on October 14, 2025. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will be available to consumers for the first time, allowing users of older systems to receive critical security updates for an additional year. The ESU program is a temporary solution and not intended as a long-term fix. Consumers will pay a fee for a single year of security updates, while businesses will face escalating costs that double each year. If a business joins in the second year, it must also pay for the first year's updates, as the ESUs are cumulative. The ESU program provides a way to maintain security for Windows 10 users before transitioning to Windows 11.

Winsage

November 1, 2024

Windows 10 support ends in October 2025, but you can pay $30 to get another year of security updates

Microsoft has announced that mainstream support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025, urging users to upgrade to Windows 11. Users can continue using Windows 10 but will face increasing risks as Microsoft will stop providing security, bug fixes, and feature updates. Extended Security Updates (ESU) will be available for personal users for one additional year and for business users for up to three years, with escalating costs. Personal users will not receive updates after October 2026, while business customers can extend updates for a fee that increases annually. Even with ESU, only security updates will be provided, with no bug fixes or feature updates.

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.

AppWizard

November 1, 2024

Open Source App ‘Easy Watermark’ on Android Helps You Protect Your Images

Easy Watermark is an open-source application for Android developed in Kotlin by rosu, designed to simplify the watermarking process for images. It features a user-friendly interface that allows users to add text and emoji watermarks with ease. The app provides various editing options, including fonts, sizes, colors, and angles, as well as a single tile mode to prevent watermark duplication. Users can also add custom logos using the 'Icon' option. Easy Watermark can be installed from F-Droid or purchased on the Play Store, and its source code is available on GitHub.