survey Archives

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Amazon Prime Members Get These 9 Free Games In June

Amazon has announced the lineup of PC games for Prime Gaming in June, which includes: - Available Now: - Mordheim: City of the Damned (GOG code) - The Abandoned Planet (Amazon Games app) - June 12: - Station to Station (Amazon Games app) - Death Squared (GOG code) - June 19: - Dark Envoy (GOG code) - Fate: Undiscovered Realms (GOG code) - June 26: - Thief: Deadly Shadows (GOG code) - Jupiter Hell (GOG code) - Gallery of Things: Reveries (Legacy games code) Additionally, Prime subscribers will have access to games via the Prime Gaming Luna channel, including titles such as Batman: Arkham Knight, Lego DC Super-Villains, and Fallout New Vegas: Ultimate Edition. Games claimed through Prime Gaming remain permanently in the user's library, even if the subscription ends.

AppWizard

June 5, 2025

Emerging online scams are making users more vigilant, says Google

Over 60% of U.S. consumers have encountered scams, indicating a growing awareness of digital threats. More than 60% of Gen X and Baby Boomers still use traditional passwords, while younger generations prefer passkeys. Google has enhanced scam detection capabilities on Android devices, introducing features to identify potential scams in calls and texts. Over 60% of consumers perceive an increase in scams over the past year, with one-third reporting personal data breaches. Google promotes passwordless sign-in options like passkeys and "Sign in with Google" to improve security. Recent updates include enhanced scam detection in Google Messages and Chrome, and the Safety Check feature in Chrome now monitors for malicious notifications. Google has also released findings on prevalent scams, such as customer support fraud and package tracking schemes.

Tech Optimizer

June 4, 2025

Snowflake Acquisition Expands Postgres Capabilities Of Its AI Data Cloud

Snowflake is acquiring Crunchy Data, a provider of open-source PostgreSQL technology, to enhance its PostgreSQL database services and bolster its AI Data Cloud platform with the introduction of Snowflake Postgres. This acquisition will provide developers with full PostgreSQL capabilities integrated with governance, security, and operational standards for AI applications. Crunchy Data, founded in 2012, offers products like Crunchy Bridge and has a focus on security and compliance, making it a trusted choice for enterprises. Snowflake plans to integrate Crunchy Data's technology into its offerings, streamlining the lifecycle of enterprise PostgreSQL workloads. The acquisition is estimated to be around 0 million and is pending regulatory approvals. Snowflake aims to support Crunchy Data's existing customers and strengthen ties with the Postgres community.

Winsage

June 3, 2025

Windows 11 lost users again in May, but not among gamers

In March, users of Windows 10 began transitioning to Windows 11, a trend that continued into April. By the end of April, Windows 11 had a market share of 43.72 percent, which declined to 43.22 percent by the end of May. Meanwhile, Windows 10's market share increased by 0.25 points to 53.19 percent. In the gaming sector, Windows 11 held a market share of 58.30 percent, an increase of 0.46 points, while Windows 10's share decreased to 37 percent, a decline of 1.09 points.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

Microsoft finally open-sources (most of) Windows Subsystem for Linux

Microsoft has open-sourced its Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) code, announced during the Build 2025 developer conference. WSL allows users to run Linux distributions natively on Windows, facilitating integration between Linux tools and the Windows environment. Since its introduction in 2016, WSL has become essential for developers needing Linux utilities without leaving Windows. As of the 2024 StackOverflow developer survey, 16.8% of programmers use WSL, surpassing traditional Linux distributions. The initial version, WSL 1, had performance limitations, but WSL 2 introduced a full Linux kernel in a lightweight virtual machine, improving compatibility and performance. The majority of WSL's codebase is now available on GitHub under the MIT License, including key command-line tools and Linux-side daemons. Some components remain closed source, but the move reflects a significant shift in Microsoft's open-source collaboration approach. Users can access various Linux distributions on WSL, including Fedora, Debian, openSUSE, and Ubuntu.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

Here’s an early look at the Material 3 Expressive changes headed to Google Photos (APK teardown)

Google Photos is undergoing a visual transformation to align with the Material 3 Expressive design language. The latest update (version 7.30) allows users to manually enable the new interface, which features a streamlined homepage with the app's logo in the top left corner and a refreshed loading animation. The update also introduces revamped Memories cards. However, the floating bottom bar and rounded image previews hinted at in an earlier survey are not yet present, but may be introduced before the full rollout of the updated homepage, possibly alongside Android 16 QPR1 later this year.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

Gothic 1 Remake demo gets huge update after swathes of player feedback

Alkimia Interactive has updated the demo of Gothic 1 Remake based on player feedback, with over 15,000 players participating in a survey since the demo's release in February. The remake, overseen by THQ Nordic, will launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The updated demo includes enhancements like faster animations for smoother gameplay. Players can expect a faithful remake of the original 2001 RPG, featuring a hand-crafted open world that reacts to player actions.

AppWizard

May 11, 2025

Scrutinizing the security of messaging apps continues.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the White House are facing scrutiny over security vulnerabilities in their messaging application. Hacktivists breached GlobalX, the airline handling U.S. deportation flights, exposing sensitive flight manifests. The FBI warned about threats exploiting outdated routers. Pearson confirmed a cyberattack compromising customer data. Research shows cybercriminals are using Windows Remote Management (WinRM) for lateral movements in Active Directory environments. A new email attack campaign is delivering a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) via malicious PDF invoices. A zero-day vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver allows remote code execution, affecting multiple sectors. An Indiana health system reported a data breach affecting nearly 263,000 individuals.

Winsage

May 6, 2025

Expanding the Surface for Business Copilot+ PC portfolio

AI has evolved into a transformative force for organizations, increasing the demand for secure and high-performance AI-ready Windows 11 PCs. Microsoft has introduced Copilot+ PCs, including the new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop, both powered by the Snapdragon X Plus processor with an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 45 trillion operations per second. The 13-inch Surface Laptop offers up to 23 hours of video playback and 16 hours of web browsing, with performance enhancements of up to 50% faster speeds and double the battery life compared to its predecessor. It features an AI-enhanced 1080p front camera for video conferencing and a durable design. The 12-inch Surface Pro is the thinnest and lightest Copilot+ PC, providing 50% faster performance and up to 16 hours of local video playback. Both devices are designed as Secured-core PCs with advanced security features, including Windows Hello for Business and biometric authentication options. They support enhanced productivity through AI features in Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling faster file searches and improved team efficiency. Microsoft emphasizes sustainability with the use of recycled materials and energy-efficient designs. The new devices will be available starting July 22 in select markets.

Winsage

April 30, 2025

Arch is the latest official WSL distro

Arch Linux now has an official WSL image, announced by developer Robin Candau, making it available for installation on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2. This new support allows users to install Arch Linux with a single command, eliminating the need for custom containers or images. The official listing includes Arch Linux among other distributions, and it has a market share of 9.68% on Steam, with a combined share of 14.74% when considering its downstream distributions. Arch Linux is popular among users who prefer a customizable experience and has gained attention in the tech community, including endorsements from notable figures like PewDiePie.