longevity Archives

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

From an Aztez god to Minecraft star. Why does Mexico love the axolotl so much?

The axolotl, scientifically known as Ambystoma mexicanum, is a critically endangered amphibian that serves as a symbol of identity and resilience for the native people of Mexico. It is particularly significant in the context of the chinampas, ancient floating gardens in Xochimilco. The axolotl has gained international fame through popular culture, including its inclusion in the video game Minecraft and its depiction on the 50-peso bill by the Central Bank. In Mesoamerican mythology, the axolotl is linked to the god Xólotl and the myth of the Fifth Sun. Biologically, the axolotl can regenerate parts of its heart, spinal cord, and brain, and has dual breathing capabilities through gills and skin. It can live up to 15-20 years in captivity, compared to a few years in the wild due to habitat degradation. The health of the axolotl is closely tied to the condition of its habitat, which faces pollution and urbanization threats. Conservation efforts are essential for both the axolotl and the chinampas, highlighting the importance of community involvement in preserving these cultural and ecological treasures.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

RTX 50-series cards have issues with older PhysX games

Nvidia's RTX 50-series graphics cards are facing challenges with older games that use the PhysX system, particularly titles released between 2005 and 2013 designed for 32-bit CUDA hardware. Games like Mirror’s Edge, Unreal Tournament 3, and Batman: Arkham Asylum may not perform well on the new hardware. Discussions indicate that while these games can run without PhysX, using it for enhanced effects can lead to performance drops, with an RTX 5090 showing lower frame rates in Borderlands 2 compared to the RTX 4090. Although PhysX effects were not critical to gameplay, older games often have compatibility issues with modern hardware, raising concerns about the preservation of video games as technology evolves.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

Best Crossbow Enchantments in Minecraft | Esports News – The Times of India

The crossbow in Minecraft is a long-range weapon that can be enhanced with various enchantments to improve its effectiveness. - Quick Charge: Reduces reload time; Quick Charge I decreases it by 0.25 seconds, Quick Charge II by 0.5 seconds, and Quick Charge III by 0.75 seconds. - Multishot: Allows firing three arrows or fireworks simultaneously while consuming only one arrow per shot, but causes an additional durability loss of three points per shot. - Piercing: Enables arrows to penetrate through multiple targets, hitting up to five mobs at Piercing IV, and allows for arrow recovery, but cannot be used with Multishot. - Unbreaking: Increases durability by reducing the likelihood of durability loss; Unbreaking I cuts loss by 50%, Unbreaking II by 66%, and Unbreaking III by 75%, allowing approximately 1,856 shots with Unbreaking III. - Mending: Automatically repairs the crossbow using experience points, effectively eliminating durability concerns when combined with Unbreaking. - Curse of Vanishing: Causes the crossbow to disappear upon the player's death, preventing looting by enemies, but results in permanent loss for the player.

Winsage

February 12, 2025

4 reasons Rainmeter is the best way to customize your Windows PC

Rainmeter is a free tool for Windows 11 that allows users to deeply customize their desktop experience. It fosters community collaboration by enabling developers to create and share skins, which can fundamentally change the aesthetics and functionality of a PC. Users can mix and match a wide variety of skins, each with adjustable .ini files, to create a personalized desktop environment. The platform offers an extensive library of skins and encourages exploration and experimentation, ensuring users remain engaged and can continually enhance their desktop experience.

AppWizard

February 12, 2025

This app will bring Galaxy SmartTag to all Android phones, assuming Samsung doesn’t shut it down

Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag is effective for item tracking, often outperforming Google’s Find My Device network, but is limited to Samsung Galaxy devices. A new app called “uTag” allows Galaxy SmartTags to be used with other Android smartphones by bypassing the device verification process. The app provides features such as item tracking on a map, location history, and ringing control, and can utilize Ultra Wideband technology for precise tracking. Users can enable integration with Samsung's network, receive alerts for unknown trackers, and access homescreen widgets. The app requires a Samsung account, which could pose concerns if Samsung intervenes. While Galaxy SmartTags are affordable, investing in them solely for use with “uTag” may be risky due to the app's uncertain longevity.

AppWizard

February 11, 2025

Civilization 7’s new patch temporarily disables crossplay between PC and console so Firaxis can ‘expedite updates to the PC’

A recent update for Civilization 7 has been released, addressing player feedback from the advanced access phase. The full launch is set for February 11, with Founders Edition players having access since February 6. User ratings on Steam have fluctuated from "mostly negative" to "mixed," largely due to user interface concerns. The update fixes several interface issues and bugs, and temporarily disables crossplay between PC and console multiplayer to expedite PC updates. Crossplay between Xbox and PlayStation remains unaffected. Initial reactions to the patch have been positive, although ongoing issues persist. Firaxis plans to support Civilization 7 for years, continuing the franchise's legacy. Gameplay fixes include adjustments to Ages in Epic and Marathon games, changes to City States, improvements in naval combat, and modifications to town growth and loyalty crises. AI behavior has been adjusted regarding peace deals and war declarations based on ideology. Camera issues related to native resolutions have been fixed. UI improvements include font changes, bug fixes in menus, and better alignment of leader names and portraits.

AppWizard

February 10, 2025

A Game About Digging A Hole

A Game About Digging A Hole is developed by Cyberwave and centers on players digging in a garden of a newly purchased house rumored to contain buried treasure. The game features a shovel that can be upgraded, with essential upgrades including a battery pack. Players can discover ores to sell for funding upgrades, and they can also acquire dynamite and lights for their digging efforts. The graphics are simplistic and cheerful, while the audio consists of basic sound effects. The game has a completion time of just over two hours, after which players unlock Achievement mode for replayability. A code was received to write the review.

AppWizard

February 8, 2025

New study shows 30% of Minecraft players still have their first save

Minecraft is the second-best-selling game of all time. A study by Liquid Web in December 2024 surveyed 1,000 players and found that approximately 30% of Minecraft players still cherish their first save file. Four out of five Gen Z players believe Minecraft will remain popular for at least another decade. A quarter of respondents are willing to pay for new features. Nearly half of those surveyed attribute their ongoing enjoyment to player creativity and user-generated content, while two out of five consider mods and custom servers essential to their experience. The data suggests a vibrant and engaged community, making a Minecraft 2 unlikely in the near future.

Winsage

December 23, 2024

Microsoft Windows IoT for Client Systems: A Historical Journey and Today’s Latest Innovations

Microsoft's Windows Embedded and Windows IoT products began in 1999 with Windows NT Embedded, codenamed Impala. Windows XP Embedded, known as Mantis, expanded toolkit capabilities with tools like Target Designer and Component Designer. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 catered to the point-of-sale sector, maintaining a consistent kernel across consumer and embedded versions. Windows CE supported mobile devices with various architectures and reached its end of support in 2023. Windows Embedded 7 Standard and Windows 7 for Embedded Systems required special licensing agreements. Windows Embedded Standard 8 did not succeed in the industrial market, while Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, launched in 2015, introduced LTSB/LTSC options with a decade of security updates. A tiered licensing structure was introduced for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, accommodating different CPU performances. The Base license allowed Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on industrial Arm devices, specifically the NXP i.MX8 family. Windows 11 21H2 established the General Availability Channel for IoT, with Windows 11 IoT Enterprise 2024 LTSC set to debut in May 2024. Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC supports Arm Qualcomm CPUs and introduces features like USB 4.0 and Wi-Fi 6/7 support, along with a commitment to 10 years of security updates. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2021 LTSC will remain supported until 2031.

Winsage

December 20, 2024

Windows 10 Support Ends In 2025, Should You Spend Big On A Windows AI Laptop?

Microsoft will end official support for Windows 10 in October 2025, prompting users to consider upgrading their systems, especially if their current PCs cannot transition to Windows 11. Only systems with TPM 2.0 security technology will qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 11, which has received criticism for complicating the upgrade process. Windows 11 features a new user interface and incorporates AI tools for enhanced functionality. The tech industry is shifting towards AI technology, with new processors like Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and Intel's Lunar Lake promising improved battery efficiency. However, AI PCs often exceed Rs 1 lakh, posing challenges in markets like India, where average laptop prices are around Rs 60,000. Qualcomm is working on making AI features more accessible at around Rs 80,000. While investing in a Windows AI laptop may be tempting, it might be wise to wait until 2025 for a broader range of options at various price points.