enhanced capabilities Archives

Winsage

February 20, 2025

Windows 11 Pro vs Windows 11 Home: which version is right for you?

Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home are two primary versions of Windows 11, each catering to different user needs. Windows 11 Pro allows for up to 2TB of RAM and 128 CPU cores, while Windows 11 Home is limited to 128GB of RAM and 64 CPU cores. Pro includes additional features for networking, security, and management, which may not significantly impact everyday performance for typical users but can enhance performance for those using virtual machines. Support for both versions is available through online resources, phone support, and in-app help, but Pro users may receive quicker responses and more specialized assistance due to dedicated support options. In terms of pricing, Windows 11 Home is more budget-friendly, while Windows 11 Pro is priced higher due to its advanced features aimed at professionals and businesses. Upgrading from Home to Pro is possible for a fee, and there are differences between OEM and retail versions. Windows 11 Home is suited for average users and families, while Windows 11 Pro is tailored for advanced users and professionals, offering enhanced security, device management, and connectivity features.

Winsage

February 17, 2025

7 alternatives to built-in Windows tools that will blow you away

- Process Lasso is a powerful alternative to Task Manager, offering features like dynamic CPU adjustments and SmartTrim memory management. - Notepad++ is a text editor that supports multiple programming languages, syntax highlighting, and includes macros and plugins. - 7-Zip is a file compression tool that handles various formats and allows users to split, merge, and encrypt files. - Everything is a search tool that quickly finds files and folders, scanning both names and document contents. - Audacity is a multitrack digital audio workstation for recording audio, supporting various formats and real-time effects. - Flow Launcher allows users to launch files, folders, applications, and websites without using the Start menu. - VLC Media Player plays a wide range of audio and video file formats and offers features like file conversion and live stream recording.

AppWizard

December 23, 2024

Another N64 classic has been quietly ported to PC by fans

An unofficial PC port of the Nintendo 64 game Star Fox 64, called 'Starship,' has been released by the Harbour Masters team, who previously created PC ports for Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. The port features enhanced capabilities such as higher frame rates and ultra-widescreen resolutions, and players must use their own legally sourced ROMs to access it. The development involved reverse-engineering the original game while ensuring compliance with copyright laws. Original Star Fox programmer Dylan Cuthbert expressed hope for the franchise's future, noting the absence of a new game for eight years since Star Fox Zero on the Wii U. He discussed the game's inspirations and the importance of character development in the franchise.

AppWizard

December 17, 2024

Gemini App on Android Will Now Let You Switch Between AI Models

Google has begun rolling out its Gemini 2.0 Flash AI model to the Android version of its chatbot, following the initial release on December 12. The new model includes a model switcher feature for users to select their preferred AI model. The Gemini 2.0 family offers enhanced capabilities, including image generation support, and the Flash variant is the smallest and fastest model available in an experimental preview. In the Google app for Android version 15.50 beta, the model information has become interactive, allowing free users to switch between the 1.5 Flash and 2.0 Flash models, while subscribers can access the 1.5 Pro model. The Gemini 2.0 Flash model is currently in early preview and may have functionality issues. Internal testing has shown that it outperforms the 1.5 Pro model in various benchmarks.

Tech Optimizer

December 13, 2024

Understand the benefits of physical replication in Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL Blue/Green Deployments

Amazon RDS introduced Blue/Green Deployments for PostgreSQL in October 2023 to facilitate major version upgrades with minimal downtime. This feature uses community logical replication for data replication between different PostgreSQL versions, but has limitations such as inability to replicate schema changes. Physical replication is now an option for RDS Blue/Green Deployments, addressing constraints of logical replication and benefiting minor version upgrades, schema changes, and storage adjustments. Physical replication is the default method for blue/green deployments unless a major version upgrade is specified, in which case logical replication is used. Key benefits of physical replication include broad engine version support, no dependency on static parameter configurations, scalability for multi-tenant databases, simplified storage adjustments, no constraints on DDL operations, faster switchover without sequence sync delays, and efficient handling of large objects. To implement physical replication, users should ensure their deployment does not require a major version upgrade and follow specific steps for creating a blue/green deployment. For PostgreSQL versions 15.3 and lower, blue/green deployments default to physical replication, as major version upgrades are not supported. Users can perform a major version upgrade by first creating a deployment with a minor version upgrade, enabling logical replication, and then executing the switchover.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

How to change Gemini’s voice on Android

Google's Gemini assistant is becoming a key feature of Android 15, potentially replacing the traditional Google Assistant. It allows for conversational exchanges through Gemini Live and can analyze documents. Users can customize Gemini's voice within the Gemini app, which affects the voice used in Gemini Live and any applications that integrate with it, including Google Assistant. The Google Pixel 9 series is highlighted as the best device for utilizing Gemini, offering superior support for features like Gemini Nano and AI-enhanced capabilities.

AppWizard

December 5, 2024

MOONSHINE Kit Exploiting Android Messaging Apps Flaw To Inject Backdoor

A sophisticated exploit kit named MOONSHINE targets Android messaging applications to implant backdoors into users' devices. The entity behind these attacks, Earth Minotaur, focuses on the Tibetan and Uyghur communities by distributing crafted messages through instant messaging platforms, encouraging victims to click on malicious links, redirecting them to servers hosting the MOONSHINE exploit kit, and installing a cross-platform backdoor called DarkNimbus. The upgraded MOONSHINE kit uses pre-configured attack links, browser version verification, multiple Chromium exploits, and phishing for downgrade techniques. It can target various Android applications, including WeChat, Facebook, Line, and QQ. The DarkNimbus backdoor has both Android and Windows versions, with features for gathering device information, extracting personal data, and facilitating surveillance. MOONSHINE has been linked to other Chinese operations, including POISON CARP and UNC5221, indicating a shared ecosystem among Chinese threat actors. Users are advised to be cautious with suspicious links and keep applications updated to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Winsage

December 3, 2024

Windows Copilot+ PCs aren’t there yet: 8 must-change upgrades for 2025

Intel's Lunar Lake and AMD's Ryzen AI 300 CPUs are expanding the market for AI-infused Copilot+ PCs beyond Arm-powered laptops, featuring neural processing units (NPU) capable of 40 trillion operations per second. The new baseline specifications include at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. However, the initial features of Copilot+ PCs have been underwhelming, lacking transformative AI integration, and privacy concerns have arisen with the Windows Recall feature, leading to its retraction. The Copilot AI assistant requires an internet connection, limiting functionality, and generative image capabilities are also constrained by this requirement. Current local image generation models do not match the quality of cloud-based solutions, and the focus on NPUs has overlooked the potential of GPUs in gaming laptops. The Copilot+ designation is currently limited to thin-and-light laptops, excluding desktop PCs and gaming laptops. Applications must utilize the Windows Copilot Runtime for full potential, but few currently do. Lastly, the high prices of Copilot+ PCs hinder widespread adoption.

Winsage

November 21, 2024

Microsoft is again nagging Windows 10 users to buy a new machine – a Copilot+ PC to be precise, for the ‘ultimate Windows 11 experience’

Windows 10 users are receiving advertisements encouraging them to upgrade to Windows 11 and consider purchasing a new device called a Copilot+ PC. This marketing strategy includes full-screen ads and reminders that support for Windows 10 will end in 2025. Microsoft is promoting Copilot+ PCs for their exclusive AI features, positioning them as the best option for utilizing Windows 11. The frequency of upgrade notifications is expected to increase as the support deadline approaches. Many users may need to replace their older PCs due to hardware incompatibilities with Windows 11, raising concerns about environmental waste. Microsoft has offered an option for extended support for Windows 10 for one additional year, pushing the end date to October 2026.

Winsage

November 21, 2024

Microsoft tries to convince Windows 10 users to buy a new PC with full-screen prompts

Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 ahead of the end of support for Windows 10, which is set for October 2025. The company has implemented fullscreen prompts for Windows 10 users, promoting the benefits of new Windows 11 PCs. These prompts highlight messages like “do more with a new Windows 11 PC” and link to a promotional site for new devices. Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 at a cost, with commercial clients able to purchase up to three years of extended support. Windows 11 is only compatible with CPUs released from 2018 onward, limiting the ability of many existing devices to upgrade. Despite efforts to promote Windows 11, its adoption rates have not surpassed those of Windows 10, although it briefly became the most popular operating system for PC gaming on Steam. Microsoft has also continued to release new features for Windows 10 and reopened its beta program for Windows 10 users in June.