preparation Archives

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

Dream teases fan-centric idea for new Minecraft tech as he doesn’t plan to sell

Dream, a popular YouTuber, showcased innovative technology at Orlando's MegaCon that allows players to insert their own images into Minecraft using 360 cameras and virtual reality techniques. He aims to foster community engagement rather than seeking financial gain, envisioning virtual conventions or meet-and-greets within the game. Despite technical difficulties during the demonstration, he remained positive and emphasized the importance of preparation. Dream plans to expand the technology's capabilities, potentially incorporating an omnidirectional treadmill, and noted that the setup operates on a consumer-friendly 4090 PC with accessible alternatives for cameras. He also highlighted the significance of accessible learning, sharing his self-taught journey in coding and camera calibration.

Winsage

March 8, 2025

This hidden Windows 11 Beta feature makes sharing images a breeze

Windows 11 23H2 Beta introduces an image sharing tool integrated into the Windows Share sheet, allowing users to edit images and compress them before sharing. This feature is still in development and may have inconsistencies or bugs.

AppWizard

March 4, 2025

GTA 5 Enhanced Edition release time – when you can play the supercharged game

GTA 5 is set to receive an Enhanced Edition, launching on March 4, with features including improved performance, ray tracing, and new vehicles. Players can preload the game via Steam or the Rockstar Games Launcher, where the original version will be renamed GTA 5 Legacy. To transfer Story Mode progress, players must upload their save game through the pause menu. The estimated release time is between 1 AM PST and 2:30 AM PST.

Winsage

March 4, 2025

Available today: DeepSeek R1 7B & 14B distilled models for Copilot+ PCs via Azure AI Foundry – further expanding AI on the edge

Microsoft is launching the DeepSeek R1 7B and 14B distilled models via Azure AI Foundry, following the introduction of NPU-optimized versions of the DeepSeek-R1 1.5B model for Copilot+ PCs. These models will be available on Copilot+ PCs powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Core Ultra 200V, and AMD Ryzen processors. The NPUs in these PCs can execute over 40 trillion operations per second and are designed for efficient local AI model execution, minimizing battery and resource consumption. The DeepSeek models utilize 4-bit block-wise quantization and int4 per-channel quantization for enhanced performance. Developers can access all distilled variants of the DeepSeek models through the AI Toolkit VS Code extension, allowing for local deployment and experimentation. Copilot+ PCs combine local computing capabilities with Azure's resources, facilitating a new paradigm of continuous computing for AI applications.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds live launch coverage: Server status, hunting tips, and all the latest release day news

Monster Hunter Wilds has maintained its position among the top 100 bestselling titles on Steam for 12 weeks and is currently the most wishlisted game on the platform. The game is set to unlock on Steam shortly, with players preparing for its release. There are already 26 mods available for Monster Hunter Wilds on Nexus, indicating early interest from modders. Daisy Ridley has narrated an overview of the Monster Hunter series. A performance analysis suggests that while the game is less taxing on CPUs than its predecessor, upscaling is recommended for mid-range hardware. The first major update for Monster Hunter Wilds is scheduled for early April, introducing harder monsters. Nvidia has released a new Game Ready driver for optimal performance. Initial reviews praise the game's combat mechanics while noting a streamlined gameplay experience.

Tech Optimizer

February 27, 2025

Upgrade strategies for Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL 12

Standard support for Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL version 12 will end on February 28, 2025. The final update for PostgreSQL 12, version 12.22, was released on November 21, 2024. PostgreSQL follows an annual major version release cycle, supporting each version for five years post-release. Upgrading to newer major versions requires careful planning and testing to ensure application compatibility. New features in higher PostgreSQL versions include performance improvements, enhanced security, and new functionalities. Aurora PostgreSQL now supports AWS Graviton4 instances, which provide up to 40% performance improvement over Graviton3 instances. Recommended upgrades include moving to PostgreSQL 16 or newer, with options for in-place upgrades, blue/green deployments, and out-of-place upgrades. Amazon RDS Extended Support allows continued operation on a major version beyond the standard support end date, available at an additional cost. Extended Support for Aurora PostgreSQL 12.x and Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL 12.x will incur charges starting March 1, 2025, and will cease upon upgrading.

AppWizard

February 25, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds release times and preloading

Monster Hunter Wilds is set to release on February 28 at 9 PM PT. Players should prepare by gathering cooking ingredients, crafting potions, and honing weapons. There is no advance access for PC gamers, but checking the preload schedule is recommended. Participants in beta tests or those with save data from Monster Hunter World and Iceborne will receive bonuses, including a Felyne hanger and an item pack, as well as themed armor sets and weapons from previous titles.