information Archives

Winsage

August 6, 2025

OpenAI’s New Open Models Accelerated Locally on NVIDIA GeForce RTX and RTX PRO GPUs

NVIDIA has partnered with OpenAI to enhance the gpt-oss models for NVIDIA GPUs, enabling rapid inference and supporting millions of users on NVIDIA RTX AI PCs. The gpt-oss-20b and gpt-oss-120b models, trained on NVIDIA H100 GPUs, feature open-weight reasoning and can handle context lengths of up to 131,072 tokens. Users can utilize these models through frameworks like Ollama, which provides a user-friendly interface for experimentation. The models are optimized for RTX GPUs and support applications such as web search and coding assistance. Developers can also access the models via Microsoft AI Foundry Local and other frameworks, with NVIDIA contributing to open-source projects to enhance performance.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

OpenAI open weight models now available on AWS

AWS has introduced two new OpenAI models with open weights, the gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, available through Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker JumpStart. These models are designed for text generation and reasoning tasks, excelling in coding, scientific analysis, and mathematical reasoning, with performance comparable to leading alternatives. They support a context window of 128K and adjustable reasoning levels (low, medium, high). Users can access these models via an OpenAI-compatible endpoint in Bedrock, utilizing the OpenAI SDK or Bedrock APIs for integration. To access the models in Amazon Bedrock, users must request access through the console and can evaluate them using the Chat/Test playground. The process for using the OpenAI SDK involves configuring the API endpoint and authentication with an Amazon Bedrock API key. Users can build AI agents using frameworks that support the Amazon Bedrock API or OpenAI API, with deployment facilitated by Amazon Bedrock AgentCore. The OpenAI models are available in the US West (Oregon) region through Amazon Bedrock and in the US East (Ohio, N. Virginia) and Asia Pacific (Mumbai, Tokyo) regions via SageMaker JumpStart. Each model provides full chain-of-thought output capabilities for enhanced interpretability. They can be modified and customized to meet specific needs, and security measures are in place to ensure robust evaluation processes. Compatibility with the standard GPT-4 tokenizer is also included. For cost details, users can refer to the Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker AI pricing pages.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

Available today: gpt-oss-20B Model on Windows with GPU Acceleration – further pushing the boundaries on the edge

OpenAI has launched its gpt-oss models for Windows devices, featuring GPU-optimized gpt-oss-20B model variants. These models enable local inference for developers, enhancing application development efficiency. The models can be accessed through platforms like Foundry Local and the AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code (AITK).

Winsage

August 6, 2025

Confused about why you can’t upgrade to Windows 11? Microsoft has some new advice that might help… including a trick I wasn’t aware of

Microsoft has released support documents to assist users upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11, particularly after hardware upgrades. A key point is that users may experience delays in receiving the Windows 11 upgrade notification after upgrading components like the CPU or adding a TPM 2.0 module, with it taking up to 24 hours for the system to refresh eligibility information. To expedite this process, users can manually refresh their eligibility through Task Scheduler or use the PC Health Check app, which quickly recognizes upgraded hardware. Another document addresses the 'What needs your attention' notification that may appear during the upgrade, indicating potential issues such as incompatible privacy settings or software problems. In some cases, users may see a message stating 'no action is needed,' suggesting the issue could be resolved in a future update. The PC Health Check app is highlighted as a crucial tool for confirming compatibility and facilitating the upgrade.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

How to set up Windows 11 with a local account

Redmond prefers users to log into Windows 11 using a Microsoft account, particularly during installation. This can be problematic for those valuing privacy. A local account, which is stored solely on the device, offers benefits such as keeping preferences off the cloud and avoiding OneDrive. There are methods to set up Windows 11 with a local account: 1. Method 1: During installation, boot from a USB drive with the Windows 11 installer. After reaching the country selection screen, press Shift + F10 to open a command prompt and type PLACEHOLDER5199f62cf80342e3. After rebooting, disconnect from the internet using PLACEHOLDERf8cfa33cc93b6e53 in the command prompt. You can then create a local username and password. 2. Method 2: Use Rufus to prepare a USB installation drive. Select the option to "Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account" during setup. After booting from the USB, repeat the process of disconnecting from the internet and creating a local account. To add a local account to an existing Windows 11 setup, go to Settings > Accounts > Other Users, then select "Add account" and choose "Add a user without a Microsoft account." Enter the required information to create the local account.

AppWizard

August 6, 2025

Google Contacts’ new Material 3 Expressive look is rolling out, here’s what’s different

Google has begun rolling out version 4.61.27 of its Contacts app, featuring a Material 3 Expressive redesign with a vibrant, card-like user interface. The redesign includes a new layout in the Highlights and Organize tabs, as well as on the Search and Contact Details pages, while the Settings and New Contact pages will be updated in the future. This update is being delivered through the stable branch of the app without requiring beta sign-ups. Users are encouraged to check for the update and provide feedback.

AppWizard

August 5, 2025

Gemini Android app beta adds audio file support

The Gemini Android application beta has introduced a feature allowing users to attach audio files, such as MP3s, to chat conversations. This feature, noted in version 16.30.59.sa.arm64 of the Google app beta, includes a “Talk live about this” prompt when a file is attached. However, the audio processing capabilities are still in early development, with inconsistent processing of audio input and occasional irrelevance in responses. The Gemini API supports audio input for tasks like generating descriptions, summarizing spoken information, and transcribing speech, with support for MP3, WAV, and FLAC formats. The integration of audio file attachment is part of a broader development initiative by Google, although no official launch date has been announced.

Winsage

August 5, 2025

Windows 11’s top File Explorer alternative just scored a huge win for power users

The Files app on Windows 11 has been updated to version 3.9.14, introducing a new Signatures page in the properties window for viewing digital signatures associated with files. This feature was previously only available in File Explorer. The update also includes enhanced customization options, such as a Dual Pane setting and improved terminology for the "Add pane" action, now called "Split pane." Users can resize columns in the Column View layout and a header displaying the current search query will now appear during searches. Version 3.9.14 is currently in preview mode, and users on the stable version need to download the Files Preview app to access these new features.

AppWizard

August 5, 2025

New Android Malware Poses as SBI Card and Axis Bank Apps to Steal Financial Data

McAfee’s Mobile Research Team has identified a malware campaign targeting Android users in India, specifically Hindi speakers. The malware disguises itself as legitimate financial applications from banks like SBI Card, Axis Bank, and IndusInd Bank. It is distributed through phishing websites that mimic official banking portals and uses authentic assets to appear credible. The malware has dual functionality: it exfiltrates personal and financial data and mines Monero cryptocurrency using the XMRig tool, activated remotely via Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). It masquerades as a Google Play update, prompting users to install it, which leads to data theft. Upon installation, the malware presents a fake Google Play interface and requests sensitive information, which is sent to a command-and-control server. After data submission, users see a misleading confirmation page. The malware employs a multi-stage dropper to evade detection, with remote activation capabilities that keep it dormant until triggered. Phishing sites promote the malicious APK through SMS, WhatsApp, or social media. McAfee has reported these threats to Google, resulting in the blocking of the associated FCM account. All variants are classified as high-risk, with infections primarily in India but some in other regions. Users are advised to download apps only from Google Play and to be cautious with unsolicited links. Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) include specific APKs for various credit cards and phishing site URLs related to the campaign.

AppWizard

August 5, 2025

Battlefield 6 will NOT run unless Secure Boot is enabled in your BIOS

The Open Beta for Battlefield 6 has begun, requiring players to enable Secure Boot in their BIOS to launch the game. This is the first game to mandate Secure Boot for operation, which may surprise some players. Despite using UEFI, Secure Boot was initially disabled on one user's system, leading to confusion. After troubleshooting, including disabling CSM in the BIOS, the user successfully enabled Secure Boot and launched the game. Battlefield 6 will support AMD FSR 3, Intel XeSS 2.0, and NVIDIA DLSS 4, although the availability of FSR 3.1 and toggles for FSR 4.0 remains uncertain. Users with an RTX-50 series graphics card can utilize DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation.