guide Archives

Winsage

June 5, 2025

Don’t toss your Windows 10 PC! Try switching to Plasma instead

Microsoft will cease support for Windows 10 at midnight on October 14th, ending new features, security updates, and app compatibility. In response, Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11 or recycle their devices. Many users are hesitant to upgrade due to financial constraints or preference for their current system. KDE has launched the KDE for Windows 10 Exiles campaign, promoting Linux as an alternative for those unable to upgrade. The campaign highlights KDE Plasma, a user-friendly interface compatible with various Linux distributions like OpenSUSE, Fedora, Manjaro, and Kubuntu. Users can install OpenSUSE with Plasma to revitalize their machines, and resources are available to help extend the life of Windows 10 PCs after support ends.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Google Translate might shake up its design to make room for big upgrades

Google Translate is set to undergo significant updates on Android devices, including a revised results page that prominently displays the initial word and its translation, along with a "More Translations" section. New features such as "Ask a question" and "Regional variants" will enhance user interaction. The app will also include a "list of possible translations" for better context and an "Insights" button to help users understand word nuances. These updates are part of Google's broader efforts to improve its applications, including a redesign for Google Photos and Gmail. Additionally, the integration of Gemini 2.5 into AI Mode aims to streamline user queries for more efficient language translation. The timeline for these updates is currently uncertain.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

How to build a creeper farm in Minecraft | Esports News

In Minecraft, players can build a Creeper farm to obtain a reliable source of gunpowder, which is essential for crafting TNT, fireworks, and splash potions. To construct an efficient Creeper farm, players need to gather materials such as building blocks, wooden trapdoors, carpet, cat mobs, slabs, campfires or magma blocks, chests, and hoppers. The construction steps include: 1. Choosing a location elevated above sea level or over the ocean to reduce other mob spawns. 2. Creating a flat spawning platform with solid blocks, attaching trapdoors to restrict spawns to creepers, and placing carpets to prevent spider spawns. 3. Positioning domesticated cats at the center of each platform to scare creepers into the trap zone. 4. Installing campfires or magma blocks at the base to eliminate creepers and using hoppers to collect loot. 5. Adding multiple layers of platforms to increase spawn rates and using trapdoors to guide creepers off the platforms. 6. Illuminating or slabbing nearby caves to prevent unwanted mob spawns. With careful planning and execution, players can establish a self-sustaining farm for a steady supply of gunpowder.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Jack Black’s Tenacious D nearly soundtracked a film based on cult adventure game MediEvil, and one producer says it came “very close” to happening

Producer Ben Mekler revealed that there was a near-miss project to adapt the video game MediEvil into an animated film, which would have featured original songs by the rock duo Tenacious D. Mekler expressed his enthusiasm for the project on Twitter, highlighting MediEvil as one of his favorite games and the potential for storytelling and musical innovation.

Tech Optimizer

June 4, 2025

I put McAfee and Norton head-to-head in an antivirus showdown, and the results were quite surprising

McAfee and Norton are two leading antivirus providers known for their robust online safety solutions. Both offer essential security features such as real-time threat detection, firewall protection, identity theft protection, VPN services, password management, and parental controls, but they differ in implementation. McAfee uses advanced machine learning for real-time threat detection but has a higher rate of false positives and shows room for improvement against ransomware and phishing. Norton excels in malware detection and has a strong performance against ransomware, blocking 95% of phishing links in tests. McAfee's firewall monitors incoming threats and protects connected devices, while Norton’s firewall prevents untrusted applications from accessing the internet with extensive configuration options. In identity theft protection, McAfee offers comprehensive features with live agent support, whereas Norton partners with LifeLock for enhanced services, including credit monitoring and up to one million dollars in compensation for identity theft losses. McAfee provides unlimited VPN access with basic functionality, while Norton’s VPN includes advanced features like split tunneling and a kill switch. Both include password managers, but McAfee's lacks some functionalities, whereas Norton’s is user-friendly and supports data import from other managers. For parental controls, McAfee allows website blocking and app restrictions, while Norton offers detailed content filtering and monitoring of online activities. In system performance, both have received high marks, with McAfee showing a superior impact score in tests. User experience varies, with McAfee being more accessible for non-technical users and Norton catering to more experienced individuals. Recent testing indicates both effectively blocked nearly all threats, but McAfee had more false positives. Both brands received high ratings from SE Labs for protection and accuracy. The choice between them depends on individual needs, with McAfee being user-friendly and Norton offering advanced features and enhanced identity protection.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

I created a Samsung Routine to fix the Google Play Store’s biggest failure

Trust in the Google Play Store's ability to update Android apps has decreased among users due to inconsistent update frequencies. Samsung phone users can utilize the Modes and Routines feature to automate app updates. To set this up, users need to download the Good Lock app and its Routines+ module, then create a routine that records actions in the Play Store to update apps automatically. Users can specify a trigger time for the routine to run daily. While effective, users should monitor the routine's performance and adjust as needed, as it may not always function perfectly.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

Minecraft Movie Streaming Soon on Max With Sources Pointing To June Date

The Minecraft Movie is set to stream on Max, with a potential release date of June 20, 2025, although this has not been officially confirmed by Warner Bros. Discovery. The film, directed by Jared Hess and featuring Jason Momoa, premiered in theaters on May 30, 2025. It will be available for digital purchase or rental on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Physical editions (4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD) are scheduled for release on June 24, 2025. In 2025, Minecraft modpacks are evolving, with a focus on technical modpacks and new gameplay experiences. Notable modpacks include "Biohazard: Project Genesis" and "Multiversal Archeology," which emphasize automation and resource gathering. Popular modpacks are introducing intricate quest systems, performance optimizations, and visual enhancements, including high-definition textures and dynamic lighting. Tools like CurseForge and packwiz are streamlining modpack creation and sharing. The Bedrock Edition has seen new modpacks like "Elemental Horizons" and "Survival Evolution." "Technological Frontiers 4" is currently the top-rated modpack on CurseForge. The 1.21 update has influenced modpack developments, leading to new dungeon exploration themes.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

This Real-Life Minecraft Compass Points the Way to the Nearest Lodestone

Minecraft has evolved over 15 years from a basic game to a complex platform that allows players to craft advanced tools, including a compass that can guide them to specific locations. Chaosgoo has created a DIY compass that replicates the in-game compass in real life, allowing users to set destinations via a companion app. The compass uses a custom printed circuit board (PCB) featuring an ESP32-C3-MINI microcontroller with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a USB connector, a lithium battery charger, and a digital compass. It includes 42 individually addressable RGB LEDs and a light diffuser that creates a voxel-like appearance for the compass needle. The device is designed for 3D printing and is portable. Documentation for building the compass is primarily in Chinese, but resources are available on MakerWorld, OSHW Hub, and GitHub.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

GTA-style action meets Minecraft-style creation: Everything we know about Everywhere

Leslie Benzies, the former lead developer of the Grand Theft Auto series, is set to release his first game, MindsEye, on June 10, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. MindsEye is an action-adventure game set in the world of Everywhere, an upcoming open-world, massively multiplayer online game developed by Benzies' studio, Build a Rocket Boy. Everywhere features a futuristic city called Utropia and allows players to create their own experiences using a system called Arcadia. MindsEye follows the story of Jacob Diaz, a former soldier in a desert metropolis, and incorporates elements reminiscent of GTA gameplay, including driving, shooting, and exploration. The release of Everywhere is dependent on the success of MindsEye, which is currently in its testing phase.

Tech Optimizer

June 2, 2025

Streamline code conversion and testing from Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle to PostgreSQL with Amazon Bedrock

Organizations are transitioning from legacy database systems like Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle to open-source alternatives such as PostgreSQL to reduce costs and enhance scalability. This migration process involves several steps, including schema conversion, business logic transformation, data migration, application changes, and performance tuning. Amazon Bedrock aids this process by automating schema and code conversion, data transformation, identifying code compatibility issues, and generating test cases for validation. The migration challenges include adapting database objects to PostgreSQL's syntax, converting stored procedures and functions, executing ETL processes for data accuracy, modifying application code, and optimizing performance. Amazon Bedrock utilizes generative AI to simplify these tasks, significantly reducing manual effort and errors. An example of code conversion from Microsoft SQL Server to PostgreSQL is provided, illustrating how to convert a stored procedure into a PostgreSQL function while generating corresponding test cases. The process involves using the Amazon Bedrock chat interface to submit prompts for conversion and validation. To support the migration, table creation scripts for the Employees and SalaryUpdateLog tables are included, along with test data that covers various employee scenarios. This data allows for comprehensive testing of the converted function, ensuring it correctly applies salary updates based on specified criteria.