energy consumption Archives

AppWizard

May 14, 2026

Social Media Apps Tech Pros Warn Are Draining Your Storage & Slowing Down Your Phone

Social media applications, particularly messaging apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, can accumulate significant data over time due to retaining all sent and received messages without user notification. This issue is magnified in group chats, where files shared by participants are stored regardless of whether they have been viewed. Additionally, Snapchat has evolved into a complex platform with features that increase its storage needs and battery drain. It is known for consuming battery life due to its use of location services, camera functionality, and background processes, often going unnoticed by users until they uninstall the app and experience improved battery performance.

Winsage

April 7, 2026

Google offers free ChromeOS Flex upgrade for Windows 10 users

Over 500 million Windows 10 PC owners are unable to upgrade to Windows 11 and may face security vulnerabilities. Google is offering a complimentary upgrade to ChromeOS Flex for these users, along with a reusable USB Kit priced at approximately €3 to facilitate the transition. Support for Windows 10 ended in October 2022, prompting users to either invest in new devices or continue using an outdated system. Microsoft is providing a free extended support update for Windows 10 users until October 2023, but many remain on the unsupported operating system due to slow adoption of Windows 11. Transitioning to ChromeOS Flex can reduce energy consumption by an average of 19% compared to other operating systems, promoting device longevity and reducing electronic waste.

AppWizard

March 30, 2026

Get in: Android Auto EVs see AI battery predictions in Google Maps for stress-free plans

Google Maps is introducing a new feature for Android Auto that enhances the driving experience for electric vehicle (EV) users by providing battery predictions. This allows drivers to enter their vehicle's starting battery percentage and receive a list of charging stations along their route, along with energy consumption estimates. The feature will be available for over 350 EV models in the United States and integrates real-time traffic data and specific vehicle information for more accurate usage estimates. This initiative leverages artificial intelligence and aims to improve EV functionality within Google Maps, building on previous updates focused on locating charging stations.

Tech Optimizer

March 29, 2026

Announcing Lakebase Public Preview

At the Data and AI Summit, Databricks announced the Public Preview of Databricks Lakebase, a fully-managed Postgres database designed for data applications and artificial intelligence. Lakebase addresses challenges in operational databases by merging operational and analytical data, offering a scalable architecture that separates compute from storage. It supports popular Postgres extensions and features low latency and high concurrency transactions. Lakebase includes multi-zone high availability, encrypted storage with point-in-time recovery, and copy-on-write branching for isolated testing. It integrates seamlessly with the Databricks lakehouse, enabling efficient data synchronization and unified governance. Lakebase is accessible across multiple cloud providers and is currently in Public Preview, with hundreds of customers already using it for various applications.

AppWizard

March 11, 2026

Google’s warning over battery-draining Android apps

The Google Play Store has introduced a warning system for Android applications that exhibit excessive background activity, which can lead to battery drain. This feature alerts users to apps that may consume a high amount of battery power due to background operations and was officially launched at the beginning of this month. Google, in collaboration with Samsung, has developed a beta metric called "excessive partial wake locks" to measure how often apps wake a device from sleep mode for background tasks. Not all apps will receive warnings; those with high energy consumption for essential functions, like music playback or location services, are exempt. The rollout of this system will occur gradually over the coming weeks.

Winsage

January 22, 2026

Microsoft needed a win with Windows’ latest update, but even its fix needed fixing

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the company's commitment to an AI-driven future, urging against dismissing AI-generated content. Users have expressed frustration with Windows' increasing focus on AI, particularly with the Copilot feature, leading to attempts to disable AI functionalities, with reports of 114 such attempts. Recent Microsoft updates have introduced complications, including black screen errors for Nvidia GPUs, a bug in Outlook Classic affecting POP account users, and unexpected restarts in Windows 11 Enterprise builds. Microsoft released additional patches, including update KB5077797, to address the restart issue, but the Outlook bug remains unresolved. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, acknowledged challenges but stated the gaming platform is strong. Last year's updates also caused significant disruptions, affecting essential OS functions and creative software. Some users found relief in the removal of Copilot through update KB5053602, while others are considering alternatives like MacBooks and Linux for a more streamlined experience.

AppWizard

January 7, 2026

It’s not weird to want a generative AI disclosure on games

The rising costs of RAM have delayed a PC upgrade for the author, who reflects on the implications of technology in gaming. Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, criticized Steam's generative AI disclosure requirement, comparing it to revealing haircare routines. The author supports Valve's perspective, viewing the disclosure as a safeguard against issues related to generative AI, which has been accused of automating plagiarism and using copyrighted material. The energy demands of AI data centers are also a concern, drawing parallels to collective environmental damage. Transparency in AI usage in gaming is deemed essential, with Activision's vague statement about generative AI in Call of Duty raising questions. The author believes that if AI enhances games, developers should explain their creative processes. As AI-generated content becomes more common, there may be a trend for developers to announce their lack of AI involvement, though the prospect of creativity driven by algorithms is seen as disheartening.

AppWizard

December 30, 2025

Millennium Whisper and the case for ethical, on-device AI in games

A recent survey by Google Cloud found that 90% of game developers are exploring generative AI. Millennium Whisper, a dating sim by Parable Studios, is the first game on Steam to run a large language model entirely on-device, avoiding cloud-based inference. This approach allows for unique in-game conversations and addresses ethical data usage, as actors retain ownership of their data and receive royalties. The game uses actor-led role-play sessions for character behavior, ensuring high-quality data. Running AI locally enhances energy efficiency and sustainability, contrasting with traditional server-based models that incur ongoing costs. Millennium Whisper received grant funding from Innovate UK and is currently in Early Access. Ambrose Robinson, the founder of Parable Studios, emphasizes the importance of energy savings and the sustainability of their AI approach.

AppWizard

November 25, 2025

Own an Android phone? 12 settings I changed to greatly extend its battery life

Many users seek to extend battery life on Android devices, especially budget models. Here are twelve settings that can enhance battery performance: 1. Turn off the always-on display to improve battery life. 2. Enable Adaptive Battery to optimize resource management based on usage patterns. 3. Activate Battery Saver mode to limit background activity and visual effects. 4. Switch to dark mode to reduce energy consumption on OLED displays. 5. Adjust display brightness and sleep time to enhance battery longevity. 6. Remove unused accounts to prevent background syncing that drains battery. 7. Turn off keyboard sounds and haptics to conserve energy. 8. Reduce notifications to limit background activity that drains battery. 9. Turn off "Hey Google" detection to prevent unnecessary battery drain. 10. Reduce the screen's refresh rate to improve battery performance. 11. Turn off unused wireless features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and location services. 12. Use low-power mode to limit background activity and reduce screen brightness in critical situations.

AppWizard

November 16, 2025

Wuxia MMO Where Winds Meet is full of AI chatbot NPCs, and people are doing all the standard obscene stuff to them: ‘I made him think that my character was pregnant with his child’

Where Winds Meet, a multiplayer ARPG, has achieved 190,000 concurrent players on Steam, partly due to its use of large language model chatbots for non-playable characters (NPCs). Players can interact with these NPCs through text or voice, leading to creative and humorous exchanges. For example, one player humorously claimed their character was pregnant with an NPC's child, while another asked about recipes involving ketchup and potatoes, prompting the NPC to reference the historical context of the Song dynasty. Reactions to the AI NPCs are mixed; some players enjoy the interactions, while others express dissatisfaction, with one user stating they reconsidered downloading the game because of the AI integration.