end date Archives

Winsage

May 9, 2025

Microsoft Confirms Upgrade Options For Windows Users With Old PCs

Microsoft has issued a warning to the 240 million Windows users still on Windows 10 that they will lose all security support for their PCs, urging them to upgrade to a secure Windows 11 PC, preferably the Copilot+ PC. While 500 million Windows 10 users can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, many face the choice of buying new hardware or operating without security updates. The deadline for Windows 10 support is set for October 14, 2025. Microsoft has been using full-screen pop-ups to encourage users to reconsider their setups, as only 20 million users engage with Copilot weekly compared to 400 million using ChatGPT. Despite this, Microsoft claims strong early reception for Copilot+ PCs, with 15% of premium laptops sold in the U.S. during the holiday quarter being Copilot+ models. A feature called Recall, which tracks user activity, raises privacy concerns for those considering the upgrade.

Winsage

April 9, 2025

Microsoft extends support for key Windows tool – but probably not the one you’d expect

Microsoft will continue to support driver update synchronization for Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) servers, postponing the planned deprecation initially set for April 18 due to customer feedback. Paul Reed, Azure Compliance Senior Program Manager, noted the importance of this feature for organizations, particularly in regulated environments. A revised timeline for the future of WSUS driver synchronization will be developed, and Microsoft is open to ongoing customer feedback.

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

GTA V joins Xbox and PC Game Pass this April with both Legacy and Enhanced versions | Esports News – The Times of India

Grand Theft Auto V will return to Xbox Game Pass on April 15, available on all Xbox consoles, cloud services, and for the first time on PC Game Pass. Both Legacy and Enhanced versions will be included, allowing for optimized gameplay across platforms. The game will support cross-platform play among players on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Rockstar Games Launcher. No official end date for its availability on Game Pass has been provided, but it is expected to remain for approximately six months based on historical patterns.

Winsage

April 1, 2025

Windows 11 market share grows rapidly with the end of Windows 10 approaching

As of March 2025, Windows 10 has a market share of 54.23%, down 4.43 percentage points from the previous month, while Windows 11's market share has risen to 42.66%, an increase of 4.53 percentage points. Windows 11's adoption has surged by 15.98 percentage points since March 2024, while Windows 10 has declined by 14.84 percentage points during the same period. Regular support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025, with only the Extended Security Updates program available for continued security updates. Windows 7 has a market share of 2.22%, Windows XP is at 0.33%, and Windows 8.1 stands at 0.28%.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

OneNote to perish alongside Windows 10

Microsoft has announced that support for the Windows 10 version of OneNote will end in October 2025. Users are encouraged to transition to OneNote for Windows within Microsoft 365 and uninstall the outdated app to continue receiving new features and security updates. Starting in June 2025, users will experience slower synchronization speeds, and by July 2025, in-app banners will be introduced to prompt users to switch.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

Windows 10 Support is Ending; Here’s What You Need to Do Next

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. After this date, Windows 10 PCs will still function but will not receive security updates or bug fixes, leading to potential vulnerabilities and compatibility issues. Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11, which currently has a market share of 38%. Users can maintain security by keeping antivirus software and browsers updated, and Google Chrome will continue to receive updates on Windows 10. Microsoft offers an Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 10, providing critical updates for a fee, with the first year starting on November 11, 2025, and ending on October 13, 2026. Consumers will need to upgrade to Windows 11 by October 2026 unless further extensions are announced. There are methods to bypass Windows 11's hardware requirements, such as using tools like Rufus or Registry workarounds. Alternatives to upgrading include Chrome OS Flex and Linux Mint, both of which offer user-friendly environments for continued computing tasks.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

Microsoft continues removing features from Windows Control Panel: Why?

Microsoft is gradually phasing out the Windows Control Panel, moving various system settings to the modern Settings app. Recent updates indicate that more mouse-related settings are being relocated, reinforcing this transition. While the timeline for the complete removal of the Control Panel is uncertain, the ongoing migration suggests that its disappearance is inevitable, prompting users to prepare for a full transition to the Settings app.

Winsage

March 1, 2025

Microsoft’s Free Windows Upgrade—When Does Offer Expire?

Microsoft is facing a challenge as the end of life for Windows 10 approaches in October, with hundreds of millions of users yet to transition to Windows 11. Throughout 2024, there has been a modest migration to Windows 11, but Windows 10 has recently regained some users. The transition to Windows 11 is free for licensed Windows 10 users whose hardware meets the necessary requirements, but if a PC fails the technical assessment, the free upgrade is not available. Initially, there was a belief that the free upgrade would be time-limited, but this guidance has been revised, and the deadline has been removed. Microsoft has not officially confirmed whether the free upgrade will remain available after the October end-of-life date for Windows 10. Currently, Microsoft states that the free upgrade offer does not have a specific end date but reserves the right to end support for it. Users are encouraged to upgrade before the October 14th deadline, as security updates will cease after that date. Estimates indicate that 300 to 400 million users are still eligible for the upgrade but have not yet acted, with many potentially needing new hardware. Upgrading an incompatible PC may lead to loss of support, leaving users with the options to pay for a support extension or buy a new PC.

Tech Optimizer

February 27, 2025

Upgrade strategies for Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL 12

Standard support for Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL version 12 will end on February 28, 2025. The final update for PostgreSQL 12, version 12.22, was released on November 21, 2024. PostgreSQL follows an annual major version release cycle, supporting each version for five years post-release. Upgrading to newer major versions requires careful planning and testing to ensure application compatibility. New features in higher PostgreSQL versions include performance improvements, enhanced security, and new functionalities. Aurora PostgreSQL now supports AWS Graviton4 instances, which provide up to 40% performance improvement over Graviton3 instances. Recommended upgrades include moving to PostgreSQL 16 or newer, with options for in-place upgrades, blue/green deployments, and out-of-place upgrades. Amazon RDS Extended Support allows continued operation on a major version beyond the standard support end date, available at an additional cost. Extended Support for Aurora PostgreSQL 12.x and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL 12.x will incur charges starting March 1, 2025, and will cease upon upgrading.

AppWizard

February 23, 2025

Nested Lands is a ‘brutal’ survival city-builder about guiding villagers through a plague-infested world, and you can play its open alpha right now

Nested Lands is a city-building game developed by the Brazilian studio 1M Bits Horde, set in a medieval landscape plagued by bandits and disease. Players must establish a settlement by assigning villagers roles to construct buildings, craft tools, and gather resources while recruiting survivors. The game features a third-person perspective and a cooperative mode for up to four players. An open alpha version is available on Steam, offering approximately three to four hours of gameplay with no specified end date, aimed at testing players' settlement expansion abilities.