product development Archives

Winsage

October 30, 2024

Arm and Qualcomm are fighting–what does that mean for Windows on Arm?

Qualcomm is currently engaged in a legal battle with Arm, which has issued a 60-day ultimatum threatening to revoke Qualcomm's license to its technology before a court date in December. This conflict stems from Arm's lawsuit initiated in 2022 over Qualcomm's acquisition of Nuvia and involves financial disagreements over licensing fees. Qualcomm generates approximately billion annually from using Arm's technology, and its potential loss of access could disrupt various manufacturers reliant on its chips, including major players like Microsoft and Android manufacturers. Arm accounted for about 10% of its total revenue from Qualcomm last fiscal year, indicating a mutual dependence between the two companies. The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for the broader technology sector.

Winsage

October 22, 2024

Windows on Arm is rapidly maturing

A new wave of Windows applications is utilizing the Snapdragon X Elite, indicating progress in Arm-based computing. The gap between Arm and x86 architectures on Windows 11 has narrowed, with many applications, including the Microsoft suite, now operating natively on Snapdragon devices without the need for a translation layer. Applications like Blender, Capture One, and Affinity Photo 2 are fully supported on Snapdragon devices, leveraging the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for enhanced performance. The NPU allows for advanced features in Affinity Photo 2 and Capture One, improving tasks such as Object Selection and color grading. While Arm-based laptops can meet basic user needs, the demand for native support across more applications is essential. Qualcomm faces challenges in competing with Intel and AMD but is making strides with affordable laptops featuring the Snapdragon X Plus, enhancing its market appeal.

Winsage

October 16, 2024

Microsoft Projects Wave of Passkey Signups as Password Attacks Double | PYMNTS.com

Sangeeta Ranjit from Microsoft reported a significant increase in password attacks, with incidents rising to over 7,000 per second and a 58% rise in phishing attempts. She projected that by 2027, the global cost of cybercrime could reach one trillion dollars. Ranjit proposed the adoption of passkeys as a biometric alternative to passwords and indicated that Microsoft plans to phase out password creation for new accounts. Research shows users are frustrated with passwords, and major companies like Mastercard and Visa are adopting passkeys. Visa's Mark Nelsen noted that passkeys could enhance transaction security through immediate facial scans. Adam Lowe from CompoSecure/Arculus highlighted the security advantages of hardware-bound passkeys over cloud-stored ones, especially in banking applications.

AppWizard

August 5, 2024

Giving parents more choice with School time

Parents are increasingly focused on managing their children's screen time and offline activities. In response to concerns about minimizing distractions during school hours while allowing emergency communication, a School time feature was introduced on Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatches. This feature will be expanded to select Android phones, tablets, and Samsung Galaxy Watches. It allows parents to customize their child's device experience by setting a limited functionality home screen during school hours and using the Family Link parental controls app to schedule School time and select permissible applications. Parents can also permit calls or texts from designated contacts.

AppWizard

July 30, 2024

Launching Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps program – applications open!

The Google for Startups Accelerator: Apps program has launched, targeting Android app startups to enhance their products through a three-month mentorship journey. It supports 20 selected app companies with customized guidance on product experience, technological strategies, security measures, and user acquisition. The program emphasizes AI knowledge, providing access to Google's latest AI models and technologies, aligning with Google's goal to train 10,000 Indian startups in AI. Key features include mentorship from experienced professionals, design reviews, collaboration with Android and Google Play teams, Google Cloud credits, and AI resources. Eligibility criteria require startups to be Android app-based, based in India, and preferably at the Seed to Series A stages. Applications are open until August 15, 2024, with weekly virtual open forums for interested startups.

Winsage

July 29, 2024

The port of the Windows 95 Start Menu was not all it seemed

Retired Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer shared his experience of attempting to port the Start Menu from Windows 95 to Windows NT by using sideways text instead of localized bitmaps. Ultimately, the production builds used bitmaps instead of his programmatic version, as it was easier for the art team. Discussions with the shell's main developer revealed that the programmatic version was written in 1994 but was not utilized by the setup/design team after the code was completed. Plummer's code was discarded, but he retains memories of the launch experience.