fine Archives

AppWizard

February 10, 2026

Google Translate’s latest upgrade surprised everyone by turning into a chatbot

Google Translate’s new AI-powered Advanced mode can engage in conversation rather than just translating text due to "prompt injection," which causes the model to struggle with distinguishing between translation requests and instructions. Users have found that this mode, based on a Gemini-based large language model, can respond to inquiries rather than providing straightforward translations. The older Classic mode remains a reliable option for consistent translations without unexpected interactions.

AppWizard

February 1, 2026

4 Free Android Launchers That Users Swear By

Square Home offers grid-based menus for mobile customization, allowing users to organize essential apps and widgets conveniently. It enables quick transitions between apps like WhatsApp and social networks without scrolling through screens. Total Launcher provides extensive customization options, allowing users to reposition icons and widgets, modify fonts, and create unique interfaces, though it has a steeper learning curve. It includes a backup tool for saving and sharing custom setups. Kvaesitso focuses on search functionality, enabling users to access apps via a global search feature, streamlining interactions, and is available as an open-source project on GitHub. Niagara Launcher features a minimalist interface designed for one-handed operation, with an alphabetical scroll bar for easy app access and organization.

AppWizard

February 1, 2026

5 Video Game Graphics Settings You Can Turn Off Without Hurting Visuals

Many gamers are facing rising costs for hardware upgrades and may benefit from optimizing their existing setups. Five graphics settings that can be safely disabled to enhance gaming performance without compromising visual quality include: 1. VSync: Disable VSync if using a G-Sync or FreeSync monitor to avoid increased latency and conflicts with variable refresh rate technologies. Instead, cap frames at the GPU settings for a smoother experience. 2. Motion Blur: Disabling motion blur can improve clarity and help players spot enemies and items more easily, especially in games running below 60 FPS. 3. Film Grain: Turning off film grain can enhance visual clarity by removing a fuzzy texture that detracts from the game's graphics. 4. Chromatic Aberration: Disabling this effect can lead to a cleaner visual experience, enhancing clarity without affecting performance. 5. Depth of Field: This setting can be turned off for better performance, particularly on older hardware, but some players may prefer to keep it for its realistic effect. Experimentation is advised to find the best option.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

It’s not a myth – Capcom has fixed Monster Hunter Wilds, and I even tested it to find out

Capcom has released a significant patch for Monster Hunter Wilds aimed at improving performance, particularly on PC. The update addresses performance issues, resulting in smoother gameplay with reduced stutters and more stable frame rates across various system configurations. A new CPU options menu allows players to fine-tune settings, reducing the burden on processors. The patch reduces VRAM usage, benefiting players with 8GB GPUs, including those using devices like the Legion Go S handheld. While frame rate boosts may vary, the patch improves the 1% lows, leading to a more consistent experience. Players with high-performance rigs report maintaining around 60 fps during intense battles at a resolution of 3440x1440, achieving frame rates between 62 and 75 fps without frame generation technology. The patch also enables effective use of frame generation, doubling frame rates without sacrificing smoothness. Capcom plans to release additional performance patches in the future.

Tech Optimizer

January 28, 2026

Strategies for upgrading Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL from version 13

Standard support for PostgreSQL version 13 will end on February 28, 2026. Upgrading to newer PostgreSQL versions can enhance database performance and introduce new features. Notable enhancements in recent versions include: - Vacuum emergency mode (v14+) to manage old row versions. - Improved I/O performance (v17) with better write throughput. - Enhanced query optimization (v17+) for IN clauses and parallel BRIN index builds. - Memory efficiency improvements (v17) reducing vacuum memory usage. - Advanced monitoring features like pg_stat_io (v16+) and pg_wait_events (v17+). - Logical replication improvements such as failover support and slot migration (v17+). - Developer experience enhancements including JSONB subscripting (v14+) and SQL/JSON JSON_TABLE (v17+). - Security enhancements with new roles for access control (v14+) and maintenance tasks (v17+). For Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible, upgrading to versions v14.9+, v15.4+, v16.1+, and higher can yield performance optimizations, including faster query latency and cost savings. Changes in system catalog views and configuration parameters have occurred in PostgreSQL versions 14 to 17, impacting application compatibility. Upgrade strategies include in-place upgrades, blue/green deployments, logical replication, and using AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS). If an immediate upgrade is not possible, Amazon RDS Extended Support offers up to three years of continued security patches and bug fixes beyond the standard support end date.

AppWizard

January 17, 2026

How to complete Modern Prometheus and find four zombie body parts in Quarantine Zone

Players in the Quarantine Zone can undertake the quest "Modern Prometheus," which involves a survivor named Stuart who arrives with a zombified head and requests additional zombie body parts for an experiment. To complete the quest, players must reach day 20, allow Stuart entry into the survivor block, ensure his safety, confiscate body parts from survivor baggage, and engage in conversation with him after collecting four parts. After admitting Stuart, players must protect him from threats while sourcing the necessary zombie body parts, which cannot be obtained from liquidation or the laboratory. Once all four parts are collected, players discuss the experiment with Stuart, who ultimately meets his demise, leading to a small outbreak of zombies in the survivor base. Players must then eliminate the zombies and can collect a reward of 0 and a severed head collectible from Stuart's belongings.

Winsage

January 16, 2026

Microsoft: Windows 11 update causes Outlook freezes for POP users

Microsoft is addressing an issue with the classic Outlook desktop client freezing and hanging, particularly for users with POP email accounts, following the January security update KB5074109 for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. The problem causes Outlook to fail to exit properly and not restart after being closed. Microsoft is investigating the issue but has not provided a timeline for a resolution. Users can temporarily resolve the issue by uninstalling the KB5074109 update through the Settings app, although this may expose their devices to security vulnerabilities.

Winsage

January 16, 2026

Paint: Your guide to drawing software

Windows 11 includes Microsoft Paint, which is easily accessible and offers a user-friendly environment for creativity. The updated interface features a sleek layout, making tools readily available for experimentation. Paint has refined brushes and inking tools that provide a smooth, responsive drawing experience, especially with stylus use, incorporating pressure sensitivity for more authentic strokes. It also offers advanced color tools, including support for RGB, hex, and HSV color options, allowing users to maintain consistency in their projects. Users can create a mini color palette on the canvas and utilize the eyedropper tool to extract colors from references or generated images.

AppWizard

January 15, 2026

Monster Hunter Wilds sleuth has seemingly uncovered bizarre reason for performance drops: “I refused to believe what I was seeing”

Monster Hunter Wilds, a popular co-op game, is facing ongoing performance issues, particularly on PC, despite Capcom's efforts to address them. A player on Reddit, de_Tylmarande, theorized that the game's performance may be linked to the amount of downloadable content (DLC) owned by players. They observed that their friend's Steam account, which has a complete collection of DLC, performed significantly better than their own account with less DLC. This player created a mod that allowed the game to bypass checks for DLC, resulting in improved frame rates on an account mimicking full DLC ownership. They have contacted Capcom for further investigation and have gained interest from Digital Foundry. If unresolved, they may release their mod as open source. Potential adjustments in upcoming patch notes could address these performance issues related to DLC.

AppWizard

January 12, 2026

I never expected an AI app to replace my keyboard, but I was wrong

A new tool called Wispr Flow allows writers to use voice dictation instead of typing, enhancing speed and efficiency in the writing process. Current writing methods show that 71% of writers type on a keyboard, 9% use voice dictation, 18% use a mix of both, and 3% utilize AI-assisted editing. Wispr Flow captures spoken words accurately, including mid-sentence corrections, which helps users avoid the frustrations of traditional voice typing tools. However, there are occasional issues with dropped words or incorrect punctuation. Many users report a 90-95% accuracy rate with the tool, leading to subscriptions and a shift towards voice dictation for initial drafts, while keyboards are still used for editing. This hybrid approach reflects a balance between traditional writing methods and modern technology.