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'Obviously we love the PC,' Gabe Newell told us 15 years ago, but his focus was on 'a responsibility to gamers and game developers'
AppWizard
April 28, 2026

‘Obviously we love the PC,’ Gabe Newell told us 15 years ago, but his focus was on ‘a responsibility to gamers and game developers’

Steam is the dominant platform in PC gaming, with Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve, emphasizing a customer-centric approach focused on gamers and developers rather than a duty to represent the entire PC gaming ecosystem. He remains optimistic about PC gaming's vitality, citing 350 million PCs sold in the previous year. Valve has maintained its foundational principles despite the rise of cloud streaming, introducing features like Steam Greenlight and allowing any developer to publish games on the platform, though this has led to controversy over content moderation. Challenges to the value proposition of PC gaming include rising RAM demand and economic factors, while the Steam Machine initiative aims to bring PC gaming into living rooms despite concerns over pricing. Overall, high console prices reinforce the appeal of PC gaming in the current market.
XChat Goes Live: X Drops Encrypted Messaging App to Rival WhatsApp, Telegram Fast
AppWizard
April 28, 2026

XChat Goes Live: X Drops Encrypted Messaging App to Rival WhatsApp, Telegram Fast

X has introduced XChat, a dedicated messaging platform emphasizing privacy and security, currently available for pre-order in the App Store. XChat is a standalone app that offers a focused communication experience, isolating messaging from social media functionalities. It employs end-to-end encryption, ensuring only the sender and recipient can access messages, and features no advertisements or tracking. Key features include encrypted one-on-one and group chats, disappearing messages, screenshot blocking, video calling, and file sharing. XChat is part of X's broader strategy to evolve into an "everything app," which may include content sharing, payments, and financial services.
Valve’s new Steam Controller has a major problem for PC games not on Steam
AppWizard
April 28, 2026

Valve’s new Steam Controller has a major problem for PC games not on Steam

The new Steam Controller lacks native Windows drivers, making it dependent on the Steam application for functionality. This means it cannot be used effectively with games from other platforms like the Epic Games Store or Xbox Game Pass, as it cannot interface with locked files on Windows 11. Gamers wanting to play titles like Forza Horizon 6 via Game Pass must purchase them directly from Steam to use the controller. While Valve could release standard Windows drivers to address this issue, there is skepticism about their willingness to do so. The gaming community previously developed a tool called GlosSI to enable the original Steam Controller to work with non-Steam applications, and a similar solution may emerge for the new model.
Nintendo GameCube Gets Surprise Minecraft Alternative In 2026
AppWizard
April 28, 2026

Nintendo GameCube Gets Surprise Minecraft Alternative In 2026

The Nintendo GameCube is experiencing a resurgence, particularly with the availability of GameCube classics for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, including Pokémon XD: Gales of Darkness. A creative individual has introduced a legally distinct game from Minecraft for the GameCube, referred to as "Cube game on GameCube," which requires a modded GameCube and the Swiss homebrew tool to play. This game offers a block-based sandbox experience similar to Minecraft, which predates the original Minecraft release by a decade. Players can modify the game to resemble Minecraft, but must provide their own assets. Additionally, the port is compatible with the Dolphin emulator on PC, which has seen enhancements, and can also run on the Nintendo Switch. The gaming community has recently seen an increase in the availability of GameCube titles on PC and Switch, including a port of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Surfshark Has Dropped to $1.78/mo: Unlimited Devices, One Subscription (Ends Soon)
Tech Optimizer
April 28, 2026

Surfshark Has Dropped to $1.78/mo: Unlimited Devices, One Subscription (Ends Soon)

Surfshark is offering a VPN service at a discounted price of .49 per month, down from the regular price, with an upfront cost for a two-year commitment being approximately .76, which includes three additional months free. The service supports unlimited devices, provides security for online activities, access to popular streaming services, and offers unlimited data and speeds with over 4,500 servers in 100 countries. It allows unlimited simultaneous connections and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Additionally, Surfshark has introduced an antivirus option for .08 per month, which includes features like dark web monitoring and anonymous browsing. The antivirus plan costs .96 for the initial two-year period, also at an 88% discount. Surfshark maintains a no-logs policy and has been audited by third parties, making it a secure choice for users.
How to Record Windows 11 Internal Audio with Audacity for Free
Winsage
April 28, 2026

How to Record Windows 11 Internal Audio with Audacity for Free

Windows 11 does not have a built-in option to record internal audio directly from PC speakers. The Stereo Mix feature, which allowed easy recording of audio output, has been phased out on many modern devices. Microsoft's Voice Recorder app only captures microphone audio. Audacity, a free and open-source audio editor, can be used to record internal audio by configuring it to use the Windows WASAPI audio API with a loopback function. This method captures the digital audio stream without quality loss. To record internal audio with Audacity, users need to download and install the software, set the audio host to Windows WASAPI, select the appropriate loopback device, set recording channels to stereo, and then hit record while playing the desired audio. The recorded audio can be exported in various formats such as WAV, MP3, or FLAC. If the WASAPI loopback does not work, users can try enabling Stereo Mix if available or using a virtual audio cable like VB-CABLE. Tips for cleaner recordings include setting the project rate to 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz, disabling audio enhancements, and closing distracting applications. Common issues include no audio recorded, loopback devices not showing up, distorted sound, low volume, and microphone access denial, which can usually be resolved through settings adjustments or driver updates.
Here's how the Minecraft subreddit banded together to help a father find his distraught daughter's lost animal sanctuary
AppWizard
April 28, 2026

Here’s how the Minecraft subreddit banded together to help a father find his distraught daughter’s lost animal sanctuary

A father sought help from the Minecraft subreddit to locate his daughter's lost zoo creation after it vanished following her adventure in The Nether. Despite attempts to find it using various strategies, they were unsuccessful. User Hamzeol_Murf requested the save game data, which led to a group of players using the data to locate the zoo within an hour. The coordinates were shared, allowing the father and daughter to reunite with the zoo. One player, Loganfincain, explained the method used to find the zoo, which involved converting the world from Bedrock to Java and using a program called MCA Selector. The thread received 700 upvotes and 70 comments, highlighting the community's collaborative spirit.
Wispr Flow launches in India; offers Hinglish and Android app support
AppWizard
April 27, 2026

Wispr Flow launches in India; offers Hinglish and Android app support

Wispr Flow launched in India, focusing on AI-driven voice-to-text technology with support for Hinglish and an Android app featuring a floating button for dictation. India is the company's second-largest market, with the user base tripling in three months through organic growth. Founded in 2021 by Tanay Kothari and Sahaj Garg, Wispr Flow initially focused on brain-computer interface hardware before pivoting to voice-first software. The startup has raised approximately million and was valued at 0 million in late 2025. An offline marketing campaign in Bengaluru involved deploying 100 branded auto-rickshaws to capitalize on high traffic for visibility.
Google's new developer rules are pushing a top privacy period tracker off certified Android devices
AppWizard
April 27, 2026

Google’s new developer rules are pushing a top privacy period tracker off certified Android devices

The privacy-centric period tracking app, Periodical, will not comply with Google's new developer verification policy requiring app developers to submit government-issued identification. As a result, the developers have decided to withdraw from the official Android ecosystem, raising concerns about user privacy and access to reproductive health tools. Periodical is praised for storing data locally without third-party trackers, which is crucial given the risk of law enforcement accessing digital health data. Users are uncertain about the app's future and are being directed to its GitHub repository for updates, as the new policy will complicate the installation of unverified apps. Users will need to enable Developer Options and navigate complex settings to sideload the app, which may deter many from tracking their menstrual cycles.
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