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AppWizard

May 20, 2025

A week after launch, my new favorite gungy, Condemned-style horror-brawler has its first patch and the promise of yokai-punching spiked knuckles on the way

Labyrinth of the Demon King is a strong contender for game of the year, alongside Avowed and Oblivion Remastered. The game is a survival horror dungeon crawler developed by a small team, which plans to release enhancements shortly after launch. The first update will include framerate cap options, a fix for the torch equipping issue, a quick equip button for the lantern, corrections for language display errors, a spelling fix in the Kings Court Puzzle, and resolution of status effect display issues. Upcoming features include a new spiked knuckle weapon and a cursed blood katana. PCG Australia editor Shaun Prescott rated the game 81% and described it as "the most potent weird horror we're likely to see in 2025." The game is currently available at a launch discount on Steam until May 27.

AppWizard

March 21, 2025

Chromebooks will soon have Google’s powerful NotebookLM installed by default

Google will preinstall NotebookLM, its AI-driven note-taking application, on Chromebooks following a code update that adds it to the list of preinstalled applications in Chrome OS. NotebookLM, powered by Google's Gemini AI model, can summarize, analyze, and respond to various content types, making it useful for students and researchers. Users can access NotebookLM via notebooklm.google.com and will have it available in the app drawer on Chromebooks. There are questions about whether this will apply to existing Chromebook models or only new ones. Users can also install the NotebookLM web app on PCs through Google Chrome by visiting the website and following installation prompts. Android users can add it to their home screens from the Chrome context menu.

Tech Optimizer

March 17, 2025

F-Secure Internet Security for Mac

F-Secure Internet Security for Mac provides essential malware protection, including quarantine capabilities and safeguards against future attacks, but lacks features compared to competitors like Norton 360 Deluxe and Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. Its pricing structure includes .99 for one license, .99 for three, and .99 for five licenses, with options for up to 25 devices at 4.99 annually. F-Secure requires macOS 12 or later and has been rated excellent by AV-Test Institute, achieving a perfect score of 18 in recent macOS tests. The software offers a quick virus scan and custom scan options but does not include scheduled scanning. It successfully quarantines 82% of Windows malware samples and scores 94% in phishing detection. F-Secure includes parental controls for managing children's online activities and features scam protection similar to its Windows version.

Winsage

November 25, 2024

Windows 11: Microsoft is finally adding an option to turn off one of the most annoying things

Users of Windows 11 have expressed frustration with the "start backup" option in File Explorer, which prompts backing up files to OneDrive. For those not using OneDrive, this reminder can be annoying. Uninstalling OneDrive removes the prompt, but many users are linked to it through their Microsoft accounts. A recent beta build has introduced a feature allowing users to disable backup reminders in File Explorer. Users can choose to temporarily hide the prompt for one month or permanently turn it off. Once disabled, the prompt is replaced with a generic PC icon, although a small popup still informs users that the backup reminder is off and provides instructions for re-enabling it through OneDrive settings. This feature is disabled by default, and users can enable it by downloading ViVeTool, running a command in the command prompt, and restarting their PC.

AppWizard

November 24, 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 offers hotfix, advice to improve game stability

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has been launched, generating excitement among aviation enthusiasts and gamers. Asobo Studio has released a patch to address stability concerns, particularly for PC users. They recommend relocating outdated community packages to improve performance. The hotfix resolves crashes related to the Electronic Flight Bag and Camera menu, as well as various other crashes. It also fixes issues with the Xbox Live sign-in popup, input profile creation, aircraft selection, and menu navigation. The game's popularity led to unexpected server strain, with player activity exceeding initial estimates of 200,000 concurrent players. The hotfix has improved stability and reduced long queues at launch.

Tech Optimizer

November 22, 2024

Visualizing PostgreSQL Data With Angular To Analyze What Passengers Find Rude to Do During a Flight

The Angular framework has recently been updated, prompting the author to refresh their skills by developing a data visualization dashboard. The project utilized a dataset from the article "41 Percent of Fliers Say It’s Rude To Recline Your Airplane Seat." The development stack included Angular for the front-end framework, PostgreSQL for database management, and Flexmonster for data visualization. The project setup involved creating an Angular application using Angular CLI, establishing a PostgreSQL database on ElephantSQL, and integrating Flexmonster's API for visualizations. The PostgreSQL database was populated with data from a CSV file, and DBeaver was used for database management. Flexmonster was installed and configured in the Angular project, and a connection was established between Flexmonster and the PostgreSQL database using the Flexmonster Data Server. The project was launched using npm start, resulting in a functional pivot table for data analysis. The completed project is available on GitHub.

AppWizard

November 21, 2024

Google Phone app could soon let you rat out that scam call (APK teardown)

The Google Phone app has introduced a feature that allows users to report calls as spam or scam, which effectively blocks unwanted communications. Users can long-press on a call log entry to access options for blocking or reporting, sending information directly to Google. An upcoming update will enhance this reporting process by allowing users to provide additional details when reporting a scam, including specific questions about the nature of the scam and what the scammer pretended to be. The Google Contacts app will also receive an upgrade with a new Lookup button for numbers not saved in the user's contact list, previously exclusive to the Phone app.

Winsage

November 7, 2024

Windows 11’s market share hits all-time high — Microsoft’s $30 extended support charge beyond Windows 10’s imminent death won’t cut it

Windows 11 has captured a market share of 35.55% as of October 2024, while Windows 10 holds 60.97%. Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. The International Data Corporation (IDC) reported a 3% growth in global PC shipments in Q2 2024, with approximately 64.9 million units sold. Microsoft has introduced an Extended Security Update (ESU) program for Windows 10 users, allowing them to extend support for an additional year at a cost. A public interest petition has been initiated urging Microsoft to reconsider the end of support for Windows 10.

Tech Optimizer

October 26, 2024

Avira Internet Security

Offering antivirus or security suite protection for free can enhance brand awareness and goodwill among consumers, but financial sustainability is at risk without a significant number of users upgrading to paid versions. Avira Internet Security's annual fee for a single installation is .99, with a three-license subscription costing .99, and a five-license option priced at .99, making it the highest rate for an entry-level security suite. The interface of Avira Internet Security is similar to Avira Free Security, and both versions provide basic features, including real-time protection and a file shredder. Avira achieved an aggregate score of 9.7 in antivirus testing but detected 97% of malware samples. Its Browser Safety extension blocked 98% of harmful URLs, while Web protection achieved 97% effectiveness. Avira's ransomware protection likely functions well, but its efficacy could not be definitively proven. The Software Updater Pro feature allows users to manage application updates, but it requires manual intervention. Avira Password Manager offers unlimited password syncing across devices in its free version, while the Pro edition provides a security status report. The simple firewall included in Avira Internet Security offers basic network protection and is easy to configure. Overall, most valuable features are available in the free edition, and Bitdefender Internet Security is recommended as a superior alternative.

AppWizard

October 25, 2024

Android app permissions explained and how to use them

Since Android 6.0 Marshmallow, users have control over app permissions, allowing them to manage what information and features apps can access. Android app permissions determine an application's access to device functionalities, such as reading SMS messages, using the camera, or accessing location data. Users must approve permission requests through on-screen prompts when launching an app for the first time. Permissions can be modified later through the Apps menu, where users can see which permissions have been granted or denied. Permissions include access to body sensors, calendar events, call logs, camera, contacts, files and media, location, microphone, nearby devices, notifications, phone information, physical activity logs, and SMS. Users can also check permissions by type in the Privacy tab of the Settings menu, allowing them to see how many apps have requested each permission. It is advisable to deny unnecessary permissions, especially for apps that request access that does not align with their functionality. Android 12 introduced features for enhanced transparency, allowing users to disable camera and microphone permissions for all apps and receive notifications when these features are accessed. The Privacy Dashboard provides insights into app permissions used over the past 24 hours. Android 13 added a photo picker feature for sharing specific media without granting full file system access.