Unfortunately Archives

AppWizard

September 20, 2026

This simple Duolingo trick brings back hearts and gets rid of the annoying ads

The Duolingo app has undergone significant changes, particularly affecting free users who now experience increased ads for Super Duolingo and third-party games, as well as a new energy bar system that limits practice sessions based on energy rather than mistakes. A workaround exists that allows users to create a web app version of Duolingo, which restores the previous heart system, eliminates ads, and reduces distractions, providing a more streamlined learning experience. This web app resembles earlier versions of Duolingo, allowing users to focus on learning without the interruptions of gamification elements. However, it lacks some features like answer explanations and may feel less visually appealing and slightly clunkier.

Winsage

September 20, 2026

The hidden Windows feature quietly filling up your SSD—and how to rein it in

Microsoft introduced a feature called point-in-time restore in Windows 11, which creates snapshots of the system every 24 hours to enhance recovery options. This feature began rolling out in late June 2026 and is typically enabled by default for boot drives of 200GB or larger. It uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service to generate restore points that are available for 72 hours before being purged. The feature can consume significant storage space, initially occupying 3.9GB and potentially increasing to over 18GB within two months, reaching a maximum of 2% of the total disk space. Users can adjust the storage usage settings or disable the feature entirely to reclaim space. The default maximum usage can be modified to as low as 0.2%. There are concerns that this feature should have been opt-in rather than opt-out due to its storage implications.

BetaBeacon

September 20, 2026

This cheap handheld can emulate games, but also plays your physical GBA cartridges

The GAMEMT MTX is a new handheld gaming device that allows you to play physical Game Boy Advance cartridges via emulation, as well as emulate other consoles using ROM files. It also supports software emulation of platforms such as SNES, Genesis, PS1, and PSP. The device features a 4-inch IPS LCD screen, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable storage, and a 3,000mAh battery. It does not have analog sticks but includes four face buttons and four shoulder keys. The handheld can be purchased for a promotional price of .99.

BetaBeacon

September 19, 2026

Dave the Diver mobile port makes a splash on Android and iOS

Dave the Diver, an indie hit originally launched in 2023, is now available on Android and iOS for .99 on the Google Play Store. The game offers a vast amount of content to explore and includes the Dredge DLC crossover for free. The mobile version features adjustable touchscreen layouts, gyro tilt controls, and a fast-travel feature for quicker progression.

Winsage

September 18, 2026

How to measure and shrink the Windows search index

The initial storage cost of the search index on a fresh installation of Windows 11 is minimal, only a few megabytes. When a sizable work folder is added, the index expands, but it does not revert to its original size after the folder is removed. The search index is stored in Windows.db for Windows 11 and Windows.edb for Windows 10. Windows 11 has two indexing modes: Classic (default) and Enhanced, with Classic indexing Documents, Pictures, Music folders, and the Desktop, while Enhanced scans the entire PC. The index includes file names and content, allowing keyword searches. Users can measure their index items through Settings without special permissions, while file size requires administrative access via PowerShell. An index under 30,000 items is acceptable for average users, while performance issues may arise beyond 400,000 items, with a technical ceiling of one million items. In an experiment, the index grew from 462 items and 6.71 MB to 3,466 items and 18.66 MB after adding 3,000 text files, but remained at 16.81 MB after deleting those files. To reclaim disk space, users can exclude specific folders from indexing and rebuild the index, which can significantly reduce its size while retaining the same number of items.

Winsage

September 17, 2026

Windows Search’s default indexing mode could be writing gigabytes to your SSD every day for a feature almost nobody uses

The search index on Windows 11 can contribute to storage bloat, with reported sizes varying significantly among users. The search index database, named Windows.db, is crucial for delivering quick search results and can grow dramatically, with some users experiencing sizes exceeding 200GB. A PowerShell script can be used to check the size of the Windows.db file. If the file size is unusually large, users can rebuild the search index through the Indexing Options in the Control Panel. Windows 11 has two indexing modes: Classic and Enhanced, which affect the size and number of indexed items. Classic mode indexes specific folders, while Enhanced mode indexes the entire PC. Excluding certain directories can help manage index size. Performance issues may arise on PCs with over 400,000 indexed items.

BetaBeacon

September 17, 2026

Dave the Diver mobile port makes a splash on Android and iOS

Dave the Diver, originally launched in 2023 on PC and consoles, is now available on Android and iOS for .99 on the Google Play Store. The game offers a discounted price in the Philippines until Oct. 1 and includes the Dredge DLC crossover for free. The mobile version does not include certain DLCs from the PC and console versions. The game features adjustable touchscreen layouts, gyro tilt controls, and a fast-travel feature for quicker progression. It can run at 60 frames per second for better visuals.

Winsage

September 15, 2026

Microsoft rolls out emergency update for Windows 11’s latest patch — recent update causes crashes on AMD graphics, Explorer hang-ups, and broken third-party integrations

Microsoft has released an out-of-band update to address issues from its recent Windows 11 patch, which introduced new features and fixed nearly 1,000 security vulnerabilities. The September 2026 update includes a movable taskbar, a transformed Start menu with configurable layouts, improved Windows Search, and updates to File Explorer showing file sizes in various units. However, users with AMD Radeon GPUs are experiencing crashes due to driver instability, and reinstalling the driver has not resolved the issue. Microsoft did not address AMD GPUs in its communication. Additionally, there are ongoing problems with audio output and microphone input, with some audio devices starting up with incorrect configurations. A temporary workaround for audio issues has been provided. Lenovo users are reporting black screens or sudden shutdowns linked to power management issues.

Winsage

September 15, 2026

Microsoft just patched over 1,000 flaws in Windows, but you might want to wait to update your PC

Microsoft released a September Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 that addressed nearly 1,000 vulnerabilities but introduced bugs affecting some users' PCs. The update, 25H2, reintroduced features like a movable taskbar and a customizable Start menu. Users with AMD Radeon GPUs reported system crashes due to driver instability, and emergency patches from Microsoft did not resolve these GPU issues. Users are advised to consider rolling back their systems to a state prior to the August Patch Tuesday. HP and Lenovo PC users are cautioned, as the update may cause BIOS corruption on HP machines and random shutdowns or black screens on Lenovo devices. HP is working on a BIOS revision, but the cause of the issues remains unclear.

Winsage

September 14, 2026

Microsoft patches Windows and Excel – breaks audio, remote access, and paste

Microsoft's recent security updates have caused disruptions in several areas: 1. Remote Desktop Services (RDS): Users on Windows 11 26H1 and Windows Server 2012 are experiencing connectivity issues, including failed connections, freezing servers, and unresponsive tools like Microsoft Management Console (MMC). A temporary solution involves restarting the virtual machine, and Microsoft is working on a fix. 2. USB Audio Devices: Problems have been reported with USB Audio Class 1.0 devices on Windows 11 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2, leading to audio issues. A workaround includes switching to two-channel mode, and Microsoft is addressing the situation. 3. Excel Functionality: A fix for vulnerabilities in Excel has disrupted the paste operation across versions 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024, leaving users unable to paste content correctly. Some users have resolved the issue by uninstalling and reinstalling Office or using commands to remove the security update, though this also removes the associated security fixes.