performance Archives

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Stellar Blade Devs Address PC Release Controversies

Stellar Blade has become highly popular on the PlayStation 5, topping the PlayStation Store charts and selling out merchandise. The game is set to release on PC on June 11th, following its transition from a former exclusive. The developer, Shift Up, has addressed community concerns regarding region locks, content parity between PC and PlayStation versions, and the necessity of a PlayStation Network account for the PC version. All content, including the Nier: Automata crossover, will be available on PC. The introduction of Denuvo DRM has sparked debate due to potential impacts on frame rates and offline playability, but the development team claims it is optimized to maintain performance. Stellar Blade is available for pre-order on Steam, with the base version priced at .99 and a Complete Edition at .99, which includes additional content.

Tech Optimizer

May 17, 2025

Databricks to Acquire Database Startup Neon for $1 Billion

Databricks plans to acquire Neon, a serverless Postgres provider, for billion. Neon's platform supports AI agents, with over 80% of databases provisioned automatically by them. The architecture allows rapid database spin-up in under 500 milliseconds and is compatible with the open-source Postgres ecosystem. Neon was founded in 2021 by Nikita Shamgunov, Heikki Linnakangas, and Stas Kelvich, and features a design that separates storage and compute for instant provisioning and auto-scaling. Databricks aims to integrate Neon’s technology into its Data Intelligence Platform to enhance AI workloads. Following the acquisition, Neon’s team will join Databricks while continuing to support the existing community. This acquisition is expected to impact the 0 billion database market. Databricks has also acquired Fennel and Tabular to enhance its capabilities in the tech landscape.

Tech Optimizer

May 17, 2025

Supercharging your data experience: PostgreSQL 17 is now available on IBM Cloud

PostgreSQL Version 17 has launched on IBM Cloud, featuring optimized memory management, faster query execution, and accelerated bulk operations. These enhancements improve performance, scalability, security, and developer productivity. IBM Cloud's ecosystem of extensions and plugins supports PostgreSQL 17, enabling efficient management of complex applications.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Google’s ML Kit GenAI APIs with Gemini Nano: On-Device AI for Privacy-Preserving Android Apps

Google announced on May 14, 2025, the expansion of its ML Kit offerings with new GenAI APIs powered by the Gemini Nano model, aimed at providing Android developers with access to advanced AI features while ensuring user privacy through on-device processing. The ML Kit GenAI APIs include four key capabilities: summarization, proofreading, rewriting, and image description. These APIs process data locally, keeping user data on the device, ensuring consistent functionality without internet connectivity, and avoiding recurring server costs. This development enhances the accessibility of sophisticated AI capabilities for Android developers and aligns with consumer privacy concerns. The architecture allows for future expansion of capabilities as Gemini models evolve.

Tech Optimizer

May 17, 2025

Do You Really Need Antivirus on Windows 11? Probably Not—Here’s Why

Windows 11 has robust built-in security features that may reduce the need for third-party antivirus software. Windows Security now offers comprehensive protection, including real-time malware detection, firewall protection, SmartScreen alerts, hardware-level security, account monitoring, and system health reports. According to AV-TEST results from January and February 2025, Microsoft Defender Antivirus scored 6.0/6.0 in protection, performance, and usability, effectively stopping advanced malware and phishing attempts with minimal system resource usage. Users of Microsoft Edge benefit from SmartScreen filtering, while those using other browsers receive system notifications for network protection. Basic digital hygiene practices, such as avoiding suspicious downloads and keeping software updated, are crucial for security. Third-party antivirus solutions may offer additional features but can lead to performance issues and privacy concerns. For casual users who maintain their systems and practice safe browsing, Windows Security is generally sufficient, while those handling sensitive information or needing advanced features may consider premium antivirus options.

BetaBeacon

May 17, 2025

The 5 Best New Apps for Android and iPhone this Week

- EA SPORTS FC Tactical is a mobile game that offers a turn-based system for making strategic decisions during key moments of a football match. - The game combines realistic player models with stylized animations and a rock-paper-scissors-style attribute system to determine the outcome of encounters. - The game features a unique approach to traditional football elements and offers a cinematic experience with dynamic music and visual effects.

Winsage

May 17, 2025

Microsoft is bringing back Windows 10’s second hand display after backlash

Microsoft removed the clock display from the flyout menu of Windows 10’s taskbar calendar to eliminate the seconds display, which was consuming additional processing resources. In response to user backlash, Microsoft plans to reintroduce the seconds display with the upcoming cumulative update for Windows 10, designated as Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.5912 (update KB5058481), which is currently available to Windows Insiders and expected to roll out to all users later this month.

Winsage

May 17, 2025

Windows 11 Home vs Pro for Gaming: Which One Should You Choose?

Upgrading from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro does not yield significant benefits in gaming performance, compatibility, or features for most gamers. Both editions provide identical gaming performance, supporting the same core gaming technologies such as DirectStorage, Auto HDR, and Game Mode. Windows 11 Home supports up to 128 GB of RAM and one CPU socket with 64 cores, while Windows 11 Pro supports up to 2 TB of RAM and two CPU sockets with 128 cores. Pro includes additional features like BitLocker encryption, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V virtualization, and Group Policy management, which are not typically utilized by gamers. The price of Windows 11 Home is lower than that of Pro, making it a more cost-effective choice for gaming. Both editions meet the hardware requirements for modern gaming, and compatibility with major games and platforms is consistent across both versions.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

The RTX 5060 is cheap, but can it game? We played 5 titles to find out

Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5060 is set to release on May 19 with a starting price of 9. It features 8GB of video memory, which may be insufficient for demanding games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle that require at least 12GB of VRAM. Preliminary testing at 1080p showed the RTX 5060 Ti performing well in five titles, often meeting or exceeding Nvidia's performance claims, particularly within optimized conditions for Nvidia GPUs. The card benefits from DLSS 4, enabling impressive frame rates even at 1440p, with frame rates exceeding 200 FPS in demanding scenarios. Texture pool sizes during tests were around 1.5GB, indicating effective use of neural rendering techniques. However, Cyberpunk 2077's benchmarking tool did not accurately reflect performance due to pre-release drivers. Users may face challenges with DLSS override settings in the Nvidia app, requiring manual adjustments for optimal performance. Despite these hurdles, the RTX 5060 shows promise for a smooth gaming experience, though concerns about the adequacy of its 8GB VRAM remain.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Best VPN for Android 2025: NordVPN Voted Best of VPNs for Android

NordVPN has been recognized as the Best VPN for Android in 2025, continuing its commitment to trusted VPN services since launching its Android app in 2016. The user interface has been redesigned for a streamlined experience, featuring a clean, map-based home screen and easy server access. It has received praise for exceptional speed on Android devices, attributed to its NordLynx protocol, and boasts over 7,000 servers in more than 100 countries for reliable internet access. NordVPN maintains a strict no-logs policy to protect user privacy and includes advanced security features like Threat Protection Lite. The app is optimized for battery efficiency and offers robust customer support, including 24/7 live chat. NordVPN's competitive pricing plans and various payment methods enhance its accessibility.