Swift Archives

AppWizard

August 17, 2025

5 reasons I swapped Google Keep for this open-source app

The author has extensively explored various note-taking applications, including Google Keep, OneNote, and SimpleNote, ultimately transitioning to Outline, an open-source application that combines note-taking with personal knowledge management. Google Keep is appreciated for its simplicity but lacks depth, while OneNote's interface is seen as cluttered. Outline offers a clean, intuitive interface, supports markdown for rich formatting, and allows for interconnected note systems similar to a wiki. It integrates well with external tools and provides self-hosting options for data ownership. The author now uses Outline primarily for research, long-form writing, and journaling, finding it superior for serious note-taking compared to Google Keep and OneNote.

Winsage

August 15, 2025

For August, a ‘complex’ Patch Tuesday with 111 updates

Microsoft Exchange Server received five critical patches classified as important, necessitating immediate attention from IT professionals due to the active exploitation of CVE-2025-53786, which threatens hybrid Exchange environments, especially in government settings. Microsoft also released two updates for vulnerabilities CVE-2025-53772 and CVE-2025-53773 affecting Visual Studio and Microsoft’s Web Deploy tools. There were no new releases from Microsoft for Adobe products, and the only third-party updates noted were for Chromium.

AppWizard

August 15, 2025

Facebook Messenger Hacked? Here’s How to Secure Your Account

Facebook Messenger has raised concerns about unauthorized access to user chats. Signs of unauthorized access include: receiving messages from unknown contacts, login times when the user was not online, changes to account settings such as password changes or alterations to privacy settings, chats marked as read without the user opening them, and warnings from Facebook about suspicious activities. Users are advised to regularly check their account for unfamiliar devices, monitor connected applications for unusual activity, and take proactive security measures like installing security software, logging out of all devices, changing passwords, and enabling two-factor authentication.

AppWizard

August 15, 2025

Building Blocks: Ocean Ruins

Ocean ruins are submerged relics that often contain valuable loot such as enchanted books, emeralds, buried treasure maps, and enchanted fishing rods. They are typically covered by sand or gravel, presenting opportunities for archaeological exploration. These ruins are guarded by underwater zombies known as drowned, which may attack with their hands or tridents. A strategy for accessing these treasures involves finding ruins near magma blocks, which create bubble columns for a quick descent, although ascending back to the surface can be more challenging.

Winsage

August 15, 2025

Windows 11’s new “Quick machine recovery” replaces Startup Repair, and it’s a game-changer

Over a year after the CrowdStrike incident, which exposed vulnerabilities in recovery processes, Microsoft announced the Windows Resiliency initiative in 2024, introducing Quick Machine Recovery in Windows 11. Quick Machine Recovery allows the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to connect to the internet to download fixes from Microsoft’s servers when boot issues occur, potentially reducing recovery times significantly. This feature is enabled by default on Windows 11 Home editions and can be customized by Pro users. Quick Machine Recovery aims to facilitate faster resolutions during major outages, thereby minimizing downtime for critical services.

Winsage

August 14, 2025

Microsoft confirms CertificateServicesClient error in Windows 11 24H2, but you can ignore it

Users of Windows 11 24H2 may encounter an error message related to the CertificateServicesClient following the installation of the July 2025 non-security preview update and subsequent updates, including the August 2025 security patch. Microsoft has acknowledged that users might see an entry in the Event Viewer logs with Error ID 57, stating: “The ‘Microsoft Pluton Cryptographic Provider’ provider was not loaded because initialization failed.” This error does not affect active applications and is considered a false positive. Microsoft recognized this bug on August 11, but it could not be addressed before the mandatory Patch Tuesday update on August 12, leading to a broader impact on devices. Additionally, users have reported a separate issue causing a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in VR gaming after repeated update reinstalls. Another issue involved the SgrmBroker service, which failed to start and generated unnecessary logs, but does not disrupt other system functions. The August 2025 Update has also introduced installation errors.

Winsage

August 13, 2025

Windows Users Get Exclusive Taskbar Apps That Integrate with Microsoft 365

Microsoft is introducing three lightweight companion applications—People, File Search, and Calendar—designed to enhance the user experience for Microsoft 365 customers by transforming the Windows taskbar into a command center. These apps will be automatically launched upon startup and provide immediate access to Microsoft 365 functionalities. The People app allows users to initiate Teams calls and manage contacts, the File Search app simplifies file location across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, and the Calendar app offers visibility into upcoming commitments and integrates with other tools. The rollout is scheduled for this month through standard update channels. This initiative reflects Microsoft's strategy to deepen integration of its services within the Windows experience, aiming to enhance user productivity and strengthen its competitive position. However, it has faced scrutiny from regulators, particularly the European Commission, regarding its bundling strategies, leading to commitments to unbundle Teams from its offerings and enhance interoperability with competing platforms.

AppWizard

August 12, 2025

Lloyds customers will soon be able to benefit from new app feature

Customers of Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland will be able to deposit cash using a new feature launching on August 26. This feature utilizes a barcode system, allowing deposits of up to £300 per day and a monthly cap of £600. Over 30,000 PayPoint locations across the UK will facilitate these deposits. Customers can generate a barcode through their mobile banking app, present it at a PayPoint location, and have funds credited to their accounts within minutes. Traditional banking services will still be available at Lloyds branches and over 11,500 post offices.

Winsage

August 11, 2025

California man sues Microsoft over Windows 11 upgrades

Lawrence Klein, a California resident, has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft regarding the company's plans to retire Windows 10. Klein, whose laptops are incompatible with Windows 11 due to the lack of a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM), is seeking continued free updates for Windows 10 until its user base significantly decreases. He argues that Microsoft has violated California's business and consumer protection laws by forcing unnecessary upgrades and neglecting security updates for Windows 10 users. Support for Windows 10 is set to end on October 14, and Klein's legal team claims that many users are not prepared to transition to new devices or pay for extended support. Microsoft offers a paid extended support plan for Windows 10, but Klein is advocating for free support until Windows 10's market share falls below 10%. The lawsuit also criticizes the rapid phaseout of Windows 10, noting that historically, Microsoft has provided longer support periods for previous operating systems. At the time of the phaseout announcement, Windows 10 still held over 50% of the market share, with nearly 43% of users remaining on the older OS. Klein's argument suggests that the transition to Windows 11 has been expedited to benefit Microsoft and its hardware partners financially.

Winsage

August 10, 2025

How to take a screenshot in Windows 11

To take a screenshot on a Windows PC, users can utilize several methods: 1. Snipping Tool: Activate by pressing Windows logo key + Shift + S. It offers options for full-screen, window, rectangular, or free-form snipping. Users can also delay the screenshot by 3, 5, or 10 seconds. 2. Windows + PrtScn: Pressing these buttons simultaneously captures the entire screen and saves the image to the Pictures folder in the Screenshots directory. 3. Alt + PrtScn: This combination captures only the active window and saves the image to the clipboard for pasting into applications. 4. Game Bar: Gamers can press Windows logo key + G to access the Game Bar for taking screenshots or recording gameplay. To stop recording, select Stop recording, and for full-screen games, use Windows logo key + Alt + G for quick recording control.