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AppWizard

June 8, 2025

Xbox Games Showcase 2025 live: All the announcements in real-time

Obsidian Entertainment has announced that The Outer Worlds 2 will feature six companions with their own questlines linked to distinct factions, allowing players to influence their character arcs through gameplay choices. The game is set on Arcadia, a new colony governed by The Protectorate, and will include an enhanced perk system similar to Fallout: New Vegas, allowing for specialized character builds. Players will take on the role of a customizable Sky Marshall, with an emphasis on traits that affect gameplay dynamics. The sequel aims for deeper RPG mechanics and a more complex narrative due to increased development time and resources. The game is scheduled for release on October 29, 2025.

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

5 Android apps I run on my Raspberry Pi to improve my home

Running Android on a Raspberry Pi allows users to enhance their smart home experience by utilizing Waydroid to execute Android applications. The Shelly Smart Control app provides a user-friendly interface for managing Shelly devices, offering local control and cloud syncing. The Home Connect app enables control of smart appliances from brands like Bosch and Siemens, allowing centralized monitoring and automation. Fully Kiosk Browser turns the Raspberry Pi into a wall-mounted dashboard for displaying smart home information. The Aqara Home app facilitates local control of Aqara sensors and hubs, integrating with Home Assistant for device management. The Home Assistant Companion app provides seamless access to Home Assistant functionalities, including notifications and custom dashboards.

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: Showcase specials, Timeloop freebies, Resident Evils, and more

The Epic Games Store is offering the games Deathloop and Ogu and the Secret Forest for free until June 12. Deathloop is a first-person shooter where players must eliminate eight targets within a time loop, while Ogu and the Secret Forest is a 2D adventure featuring hand-drawn characters and puzzles. The Steam store is giving away Borderlands 2 for free until June 8 at 10 AM PT. The Humble Choice bundle has introduced eight new games, including Warhammer 40K: Boltgun and Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered, available until July 1. The Humble Store is also offering an IGN Live bundle with various games for a limited two-week period. Additionally, significant discounts are available from franchises like 2K, Capcom, and Techland, and the GOG store is featuring DRM-free specials, including classic Atari titles.

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

Gamers, let’s not pretend PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass multiplayer subscriptions are okay – they’re exactly why PC gaming is arguably cheaper in the long term

Transitioning from console gaming to PC gaming involves challenges such as file management and technical adjustments, but it offers benefits like no multiplayer subscription fees. Console gamers often need to subscribe to services like Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus for online play, with exceptions for free-to-play games. While gaming PC hardware is more expensive initially, the long-term costs of playing games are lower due to access to affordable titles and frequent discounts on platforms like the Epic Games Store and Steam. In contrast, PlayStation games often retain their retail prices longer, limiting discount availability. The basic PS Plus plan costs .99 annually, similar to the price of a new game, while the 'Premium' plan costs 9.99 and lacks day-one title access. Xbox Game Pass offers better value with new games available on release day. Overall, while the initial investment in a gaming PC is high, the savings on games and lack of subscription fees make it a worthwhile choice.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

Criminally underappreciated survival game Abiotic Factor is leaving early access with an update that adds buildable office cubicles and a spooky library

Deep Field Games has announced that the Cold Fusion update for Abiotic Factor will launch alongside the game's 1.0 version. This update features the Residence Sector, inspired by Half-Life's 'Office Complex,' and includes a sub-area called The Praetorium with "Clericum" figures. Players can build office cubicles using grid-snapping technology and will have access to the Taco Mine. The update also introduces a craftable R.A.I.N. shower for decontamination and new storage options: the compact crate and the void chest. The 1.0 release is targeted for summer, with a 1.1 update planned for late 2025.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

Putin’s WeChat wager Moscow is betting on a super-app strategy to sideline foreign platforms and control digital communications

In late May, a significant amendment was introduced to a draft bill aimed at establishing a government-backed instant messaging platform, endorsed by President Vladimir Putin, which would have unique privileges compared to competitors. The proposed legislation includes features like document certification using electronic signatures and replacing physical identification with the platform's identification, which private enterprises would be required to accept. The platform is intended to function as an alternative to Russia's existing digital government services but will not replace them. The government will select an organization to manage the platform, which may be a private Russian company with over 500,000 users. VK, the company behind Russia's leading social network, is the frontrunner to develop the super-app called "Max," which offers various features and aims to integrate with external services. The Russian government may consider blocking competitors to Max, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, with the latter having a user base of 68 million daily users. President Putin has instructed his cabinet to promote the Russian messaging platform by migrating services from government agencies and financial institutions.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

Here’s how to watch the Future Games Show Summer Showcase

The Future Games Show Summer Showcase will feature over 50 upcoming games and will be live on June 7 at 1 pm PT/4 pm ET/8 pm GMT. It will be hosted by Matthew Mercer and Laura Bailey. The event will include world premieres, exclusive game demos, developer interviews, and trailers for various titles. Featured games include Directive 8020, Herdling, Crisol: Theater of Idols, and The Finals. The showcase will be available on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, X, Facebook, TikTok, GamesRadar, Steam, PC Gamer, IGN, Gamespot, BiliBili, Ginx TV, and ESR. Localized subtitles will be provided in multiple languages, and viewers on YouTube can access ASL and BSL. An exclusive Twitch Drop for The Finals will be available for those who watch on the Future Games Show Twitch channel for over 15 minutes.

Tech Optimizer

June 7, 2025

Amazon Aurora DSQL Goes GA: Distributed, PostgreSQL-Compatible Serverless Database

Amazon has launched Amazon Aurora DSQL, a PostgreSQL-compatible and serverless database solution designed for active-active high availability and multi-region strong consistency. It features a disaggregated architecture with independent components that scale based on workloads. Aurora DSQL offers 99.99% availability within a single region and 99.999% in multi-region deployments, with automatic recovery from failures. It supports microservices, event-driven architectures, and multi-tenant SaaS applications. All read and write operations maintain consistency across regional endpoints. The service includes a new billing unit called the Distributed Processing Unit (DPU) and supports essential relational features, although some PostgreSQL features are not supported. Aurora DSQL has expanded its availability to more regions and introduced new features, including PostgreSQL views and AWS Backup. A free tier is available, covering 100,000 DPUs and 1 GB-month of storage monthly.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

June 2025: The Best Android Apps Right Now

1. Multi-Device Battery Monitor synchronizes battery statistics for smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches, optimizing energy consumption and sending alerts for low battery levels. 2. Camera Remote Shutter allows users to capture photos remotely via Bluetooth, featuring timer settings, burst mode, and repeat captures. 3. Luminar provides advanced photo editing tools, including skin retouching and RAW file adjustments, with intuitive gesture controls. 4. Volume Styles enables users to customize their volume slider with themes and layouts and create shortcuts for brightness and media playback. 5. Noid automatically categorizes documents, photos, and videos, offering advanced search tools and secure backup options for efficient file management. 6. By Air offers real-time flight tracking, updates on flight statuses, gate changes, and delays, along with airport guides and online check-in options. 7. Widget Share allows users to share widgets like photos, notes, or reminders with friends and family for collaboration and personalization. 8. Evapail generates temporary email addresses to protect users' inboxes from spam and unwanted emails, maintaining privacy and reducing digital clutter. 9. Pixelshot organizes screenshots using AI, automatically categorizing and tagging them for easy retrieval while ensuring sensitive information is secure. 10. Crossplatform Disc Test measures the speed and health of internal and external storage devices to monitor storage performance effectively.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Best Windows apps this week

Microsoft has made significant updates for users in the European Union and European Economic Area, including the ability to uninstall the Microsoft Store while still receiving app updates, a reduction in notifications related to Edge, and increased control over web searches in Windows. This week features discounts on various applications, with some offers extending beyond a single week. Notable new or improved Windows apps include: - Fences 6.0: An updated desktop management tool that allows users to organize programs and links into customizable groups with new tab support. - Start Everywhere: An application launcher that complements the Windows Start Menu, enabling users to launch applications from any screen corner using mouse clicks, hotkeys, or active corners. - VeraCrypt 1.26: An open-source encryption software that allows users to encrypt their entire system, individual hard drives, or specific partitions, with new protective measures against screen recordings and captures.