environmental impact Archives

AppWizard

March 10, 2025

March Madness 2! Robocop, Sonic, Minecraft, Persona 3 & More!

Several leading companies are committing to sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing their carbon footprints, with tech giants and manufacturing leaders pledging to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. These commitments involve substantial investments in renewable energy sources, innovative technologies like carbon capture and storage, and sustainable practices in operations. Companies are collaborating with non-profit organizations, governments, and other stakeholders to enhance their sustainability efforts. Additionally, as consumer awareness of environmental issues grows, businesses are aligning their practices with customer values, promoting transparency, engaging customers in sustainability initiatives, and educating them about the importance of sustainability.

Winsage

December 5, 2024

Microsoft kills hope old PCs will run Windows 11 as death of world’s most popular OS nears

Microsoft has announced stringent hardware requirements for Windows 11, mandating TPM 2.0, which has barred many older systems from upgrading. This decision creates a divide between modern and outdated hardware and raises concerns for Windows 10 users, as support for that operating system will end in October 2025. Windows 11 has a slower adoption rate, with Windows 10 holding a 61.8% market share compared to Windows 11's 34.9%. The transition may result in approximately 240 million PCs being discarded, raising sustainability concerns. Microsoft is expected to increase promotions for Windows 11 within the Windows 10 interface to encourage upgrades.

Winsage

December 2, 2024

Save your computer from Microsoft’s Windows 10 end-of-life planned obsolescence

Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, ceasing free updates, technical support, and security fixes. Canalys estimates that this decision could lead to 240 million PCs becoming obsolete, which is one-fifth of all computers globally. The environmental impact of disposing of these computers in landfills includes the release of heavy metals and a potential carbon footprint of 158 million metric tons of CO2e emissions if all 240 million PCs are replaced. Linux distributions can provide alternatives for older machines, allowing them to continue functioning.

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 8, 2024

Microsoft rolls out AI-enabled Notepad to Windows Insiders

Microsoft is introducing significant AI upgrades to Notepad and Paint for Windows Insiders. Notepad will feature a new function called "Rewrite," allowing users to rephrase selected text with options for tone, format, and length. This function operates through Microsoft's cloud infrastructure and requires a Microsoft account, utilizing AI credits for usage. Paint will receive enhancements such as the Generative Erase feature for removing elements and Generative Fill for modifying artwork based on text descriptions. Generative Erase will be available on all Windows 11 PCs, while Generative Fill will initially be exclusive to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ devices. Microsoft claims that Notepad's launch time will improve by over 35%, with some users experiencing up to 55% enhancements. The Rewrite feature will be in preview mode for users in the US, France, the UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany, while users in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will need a Microsoft 365 Family or Personal account, or a Copilot Pro subscription to access it.

Winsage

November 4, 2024

Windows 11 continues to creep up behind Windows 10

Microsoft will cease free updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. As of October, Windows 11 holds a 35.55 percent share of the desktop Windows market, while Windows 10 has a 60.97 percent share, down from 69.9 percent in April. Microsoft has introduced a pricing structure for continued security updates for Windows 10 users, which has faced criticism from advocacy groups like the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). Users upgrading to Windows 11 have encountered challenges, and older hardware is excluded from the upgrade path. In January 2019, Windows 10 had a market share of 53.18 percent, ahead of Windows 7's 35.05 percent before its support ended.

BetaBeacon

October 30, 2024

Ahead of the Game: Train management title Iron Roads now in open beta

Iron Roads is a train-network simulation strategy game where players lay out train tracks and routes to maintain and optimize a growing railroad network. The game features a twist where players transport animals instead of human passengers, with the world reacting to the choices made in the game. Iron Roads offers three different modes: Scenarios, Endless, and Challenges, and is currently in active development with a demo available on the developer's website for players to try out.

Winsage

October 15, 2024

A tech enthusiast nostalgically brings Microsoft’s retro GUI look and finish from the 90s to its “AI OS” — an early Windows 11 Halloween costume?

A tech enthusiast named Awirstam has successfully infused a nostalgic 90s aesthetic into Windows 11, reminiscent of Microsoft's classic graphical user interface (GUI), using third-party tools such as WindowBlinds, Retrobar, and Winaero Tweaker. Windows 10 is set to reach its end-of-support on October 14, 2025, while it currently holds a market share of 62.79%, compared to Windows 11's recent rise to 33.37%. Despite Microsoft's AI initiatives for Windows 11, many users are hesitant to upgrade due to system requirements and design concerns. Awirstam's project ensures a cohesive aesthetic across applications like Steam, Discord, and Telegram, but users are advised to approach such modifications cautiously. Recent insights from IDC suggest that consumer demand for upgrades to Windows 11 is driving a surge in AI PC shipments. A public interest group has petitioned Microsoft to reconsider the discontinuation of Windows 10 due to potential environmental impacts.

Winsage

October 14, 2024

End of Windows 10 countdown begins today leaving you with tough choices to make

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Currently, Windows 10 holds a 64.99 percent share of the global operating system market. Users have several options: they can invest in a new device with Windows 11, opt for the Extended Security Update (ESU) program for £48 per year, or continue using Windows 10 without support, which poses security risks. The absence of updates post-October 2025 will leave users vulnerable to cyber threats and software issues. Microsoft encourages users to assess their device's compatibility with Windows 11 using its PC health tool, and the upgrade process typically takes about an hour. There is a concern about increased electronic waste as users with incompatible hardware may discard their old computers.

Winsage

October 12, 2024

How to evaluate AI for Windows Server environments | TechTarget

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) presents challenges for IT managers in Windows Server environments, requiring evaluation of operational and business factors to determine the best deployment strategy—on-premises or cloud. Windows Server 2025 is set to enhance AI features, encouraging organizations to utilize existing infrastructure for AI initiatives. AI can improve analytics and IT operations by processing large datasets and automating tasks, but it has limitations in areas requiring creativity and nuanced decision-making. A cost-benefit analysis is essential for AI projects, focusing on ROI through time savings and efficiency improvements. Microsoft provides resources to help calculate ROI, including Total Economic Impact studies and AI Business School frameworks. Key factors influencing AI deployment costs include the choice between cloud and on-premises models, custom versus prebuilt AI models, and the complexity of the business case. Operational considerations for successful AI deployment include skill development, security protocols, environmental impact, and supply chain dependencies. Windows Server 2025 will introduce features like GPU partitioning and live migration for optimizing AI workloads. The decision between on-premises and cloud deployment involves assessing control, costs, scalability, and risk management strategies.