animation Archives

Tech Optimizer

March 27, 2026

Bogus Avast website fakes virus scan, installs Venom Stealer instead

A deceptive website impersonating Avast antivirus tricks users into downloading Venom Stealer malware, which steals passwords, session cookies, and cryptocurrency wallet information. The site conducts a fake virus scan, falsely reporting threats to encourage users to download a malicious file named Avastsystemcleaner.exe. This file mimics legitimate software and operates stealthily, targeting web browsers to harvest credentials and session cookies. It also captures screenshots and sends stolen data to the command-and-control domain app-metrics-cdn[.]com via unencrypted HTTP. The malware employs evasion techniques to avoid detection and is part of a long-standing cybercrime tactic that exploits user trust in security software. Indicators of compromise include the file hash SHA-256: ecbeaa13921dbad8028d29534c3878503f45a82a09cf27857fa4335bd1c9286d, the domain app-metrics-cdn[.]com, and the network indicator 104.21.14.89.

Winsage

March 27, 2026

Announcing Babylon.js 9.0

Babylon.js 9.0 has been released, marking the most extensive update to date, featuring new tools and enhancements for web developers. Key features include: - Clustered Lighting: Accelerates per-pixel lighting calculations by grouping lights into screen-space tiles and depth slices, improving performance in scenes with many lights. - Textured Area Lights: Area lights now support emission textures, allowing images to be used as light sources for realistic lighting effects. - Node Particle Editor: A visual tool for creating complex particle systems using a non-destructive node graph interface. - Particle Flow Maps and Attractors: Introduces flow maps for controlling particle movement and gravity attractors for dynamic effects. - Volumetric Lighting: A system for realistic light scattering through fog and haze, with configurable parameters for artistic control. - Frame Graph: A Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) system for managing the rendering pipeline, optimizing GPU memory usage by over 40%. - Animation Retargeting: Allows animations from one character to be applied to another with different skeleton structures, enabling animation sharing across diverse characters. - Advanced Gaussian Splat Support: Enhancements for Gaussian Splatting, including support for multiple file formats, shadow casting, and the ability to create and modify splat data programmatically. These features enhance the capabilities of Babylon.js for creating immersive web experiences.

AppWizard

March 24, 2026

Minecraft Tiny Takeover Update Bedrock 26.10 Released via Update 3.34/1.044

The Minecraft update named Tiny Takeover (version 3.34/1.044) was released on March 24, introducing new features including unique sound sets for baby mobs, the Golden Dandelion flower that prevents baby mobs from aging, and craftable Name Tags. The update also includes various bug fixes and gameplay adjustments, such as improvements to accessibility features, character creator functionality, and graphical enhancements. Specific changes include the ability to craft Cobbled variants of Stone and Deepslate, adjustments to mob behaviors, and fixes for issues related to inventory and multiplayer experiences.

AppWizard

March 23, 2026

Consider my 4-step Android refresh routine before switching to a new phone

Consumers can enhance the performance of their aging Android devices by following these steps: 1. Delete unused apps to free up storage and optimize performance by navigating to Settings > Storage > Apps or long-pressing the app icon to uninstall. 2. Clear storage by removing unwanted files and photos, particularly from the Downloads folder, and by transferring photos to external drives or cloud storage. Clear app cache via Settings > Storage > App > Clear Cache. 3. Check for updates to ensure the device runs the latest operating system by going to Settings > General > System Update and updating apps in the Google Play Store. 4. Adjust animation speed for improved responsiveness by enabling Developer options through Settings > About phone > Software information > Build number (tap seven times) and modifying the Window animation scale to 0.5x. These adjustments can improve the device's speed and responsiveness.

AppWizard

March 15, 2026

Google Activates Desktop Windowing On Android Tablets

Google has introduced a desktop windowing mode as the default on tablets running the latest Android builds, starting with the Pixel Tablet. This feature includes freeform windows, a persistent taskbar, and the ability to create and switch between multiple desktops. Users can manipulate apps by floating, resizing, snapping to edges, and minimizing or maximizing them, similar to traditional PC or Mac interfaces. The taskbar displays all running apps across desktops, allowing for quick app switching. Users can snap two apps side by side and resize them simultaneously. Desktop windowing allows for rapid app transitions, enhancing efficiency when managing multiple applications. However, it consumes vertical space on the display, making full-screen and split-screen views more efficient for tasks requiring fewer apps. The feature builds on Android 12L's enhancements for large screens and aims to improve productivity on tablets. Despite its advantages, there are some limitations, such as unclear app movement between desktops and limited keyboard shortcuts. Users can mix modes, using desktops for multi-app workflows while reverting to full-screen or split-screen views when needed. This update signifies a shift in how users interact with tablets, making them more functional for productivity tasks.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

Minecraft 26.1 Pre-Release 2

The pre-release for version 26.1 has been shipped, featuring technical adjustments and fixes related to the Tiny Takeover game. Key changes include: - Adjusted dismount speed thresholds for Spears. - Fixed animation issues for the Baby Axolotl's hind leg. - Scaled the Baby Cat to match the Baby Ocelot's size. - Corrected the scaling of the Baby Horse model. New UI enhancements include an "Exclusive Fullscreen" display option, which requires a game restart to take effect and may limit certain input methods. Trade adjustments now ensure the Master Librarian offers three trades, including an enchanted book trade during the Rebalance experiment. Technical changes include the discarding of text components nested more than 16 times in server status messages. Fixed bugs in this pre-release include issues with despawning trader llamas, skeletons, cats, hoglins, zoglins, dolphins, squids, and various other gameplay and UI bugs. Players can access the pre-release through the Minecraft Launcher by enabling snapshots, but should back up their data as testing versions may corrupt worlds.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

A deep dive into Wētā FX’s visual effects for ‘A Minecraft Movie’

Wētā FX is contributing to the upcoming A Minecraft Movie, with visual effects supervisor Sheldon Stopsack and animation supervisor Kevin Estey discussing the character Malgosha, known for her comedic stabbing scenes. Stopsack shares that a 'terrible' drawing made by a piglin in the film was created by his daughter. Estey highlights the importance of subtle background elements, like the Priesty-boys, which enhance the film's visual storytelling. The podcast features captivating images of Wētā FX’s work and is edited by Justin Pamenter.

AppWizard

March 11, 2026

Even among the crowd of gorgeous illustrated games, At Fate’s End is stunning enough to stand out

At Fate's End is a game showcased at the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco, featuring captivating artwork that stands out among competitors like Supergiant's Hades. The game features a protagonist named Shan, a young outcast from a family of demigods, and emphasizes realistic character movements and dynamic camera work. It combines 2D action with family drama, focusing on Shan's journey to reconcile with her siblings after becoming the Chosen One. The game includes a conversation system that allows players to explore family trauma. At Fate's End is expected to launch later this year, although a specific release date has not been announced.

Winsage

March 11, 2026

5 Windows 11 Features That Are Slowing Down Your Computer

OneDrive automatically backs up essential folders and personalized settings for Windows users, allowing seamless data synchronization upon signing into a Microsoft account. However, uploading data can strain computer resources, particularly RAM and CPU, and consume significant bandwidth. Users can pause syncing by clicking the OneDrive icon, selecting the gear icon, choosing "Pause syncing," and selecting a duration of 2, 8, or 24 hours. Windows 11 features modern transparency effects and smooth animations that enhance user experience but can impact system performance, especially on older hardware with less than 8 GB of RAM. Users can disable these effects by navigating to Settings > Accessibility > Visual Effects and toggling off Transparency effects and Animation effects. The startup apps feature allows essential applications to load automatically at boot, but too many startup apps can prolong boot time and strain resources. Users can manage startup apps by right-clicking the Start button, selecting Task Manager, navigating to the Startup app tab, and disabling unnecessary apps. Windows allows certain applications to run in the background for tasks like notifications and updates, but excessive background apps can hinder performance. Users can prevent specific apps from running in the background by going to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, clicking the three-dot icon next to the app, selecting Advanced options, and setting Background app permissions to "Never." Windows Update can cause temporary slowdowns, and while blocking updates is not advisable, users can pause updates for one to five weeks by going to Settings > Windows Update and selecting the desired pause duration.

AppWizard

March 3, 2026

Blender temporarily abandons Apple iPad app development in favor of Android

Blender has integrated with GitHub to enhance its collaborative capabilities, allowing users to share projects and collaborate in real-time. This integration enables users to track changes, merge different project branches, and engage with the community for feedback and suggestions.