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AppWizard

April 18, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’: A ‘bad’ movie that I loved every second of

Many parents accompanying their children to see A Minecraft Movie, directed by Jared Hess, experienced an electric atmosphere in theaters, with enthusiastic teens cheering and clapping. Since its launch in 2011, Minecraft has become the best-selling video game globally, known for its sandbox style that fosters creativity and collaboration. The game holds cherished memories for many teens and young adults, who often revisit it in what is referred to as a “two-week phase.” The excitement for A Minecraft Movie is evident, with teens engaging by reciting lines from trailers and wearing Minecraft gear. The film incorporates themes of friendship, adventure, and creativity, appealing to both longtime players and newcomers.

AppWizard

April 5, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Cast And Character Guide: From Jack Black’s Steve To Jennifer Coolidge’s Marlene

A Minecraft Movie is set to release in 2025, featuring a narrative where a group of heroes, including Steve (voiced by Jack Black), Garrett Garrison (Jason Momoa), Natalie (Emma Myers), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks), must save the Overworld from the threat of Piglins from the Nether. The film has a star-studded cast with notable performances from each actor. The opening weekend projection for the film exceeds 0 million in the U.S.

AppWizard

March 31, 2025

A Minecraft Movie and Stranger Things star’s new album: What’s coming up this week

The highly anticipated Minecraft Movie will debut on Friday, featuring a cast that includes Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Jennifer Coolidge. The film follows four misfits transported into the Overworld, the iconic realm of the Minecraft game. Joe Keery, known for his role in Stranger Things, has released his latest album, The Crux, under the musical alias Djo, with the single End of Beginning gaining viral success. SIX The Musical, featuring the original West End cast, will be released in cinemas on Sunday as a filmed stage production. Anticipation is building for the announcement of the Switch 2, the successor to the Nintendo Switch, expected to reveal its price and launch date on Wednesday. Other highlights include Eid Live and Celebrity Eid on BBC One on Monday, the creator of Minecraft appearing on a podcast on Monday, the London Games Festival 2025 starting on Wednesday, South of Midnight's early access on Thursday, and new album releases from Elton John and Brandi Carlile, and Black Country, New Road on Friday.

AppWizard

March 13, 2025

I tried Android Auto’s latest global radio streaming app, but it’s not quite ready for drive time

Non Stop Radio is an app that launched in November 2024, providing access to international radio stations, including those from the US. It features a straightforward interface on Android and Android Auto, with two main screens for current stations and favorited stations. Users can manage favorite stations easily and explore content by genre or country, although sorting can be inconsistent. The app has a colorful interface but suffers from navigation challenges, a lack of a master search function, and UI issues like light gray text on a white background. Some stations may not work, which can be disappointing for users. Non Stop Radio is ad-free and is actively being developed, with plans for future updates to improve functionality and add more stations.

AppWizard

March 10, 2025

Android Auto users are running into a pesky scrolling bug in certain apps

A bug affecting Android Auto users disrupts scrolling through music apps like Amazon Music, BBC Sounds, and SoundCloud when music is playing. This issue, first reported in February, limits scrolling to a few rows and can unexpectedly return users to the top of their playlists. The problem has gained attention on Google’s support forums, with developers also experiencing it. The Android Team is aware of the bug and is working on a fix, while inquiries have been made to Google about a timeline for resolution. Additionally, there are indications that Google may be considering adding climate control features to Android Auto, though details are unclear.

AppWizard

March 3, 2025

WhatsApp says technical issue reported by thousands now resolved

On Friday afternoon, WhatsApp experienced a disruption affecting users' ability to send messages, with Downdetector reporting over 50,000 incidents shortly after 15:30 GMT. A WhatsApp spokesperson confirmed the issue was resolved. While some users reported problems with Facebook and Facebook Messenger, the complaints were significantly lower than those for WhatsApp. WhatsApp, which has nearly three billion users, was previously affected by a mass global outage in December. CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed optimism about the company's growth during a recent investor call. The recent issues were not as severe as the 2021 outage that lasted nearly six hours.

BetaBeacon

December 4, 2024

PlayStation CEO says AI won’t replace humans in game development

PlayStation boss believes there will be a demand for AI-driven innovative experiences in game development, alongside handcrafted, thoughtful content.

Winsage

December 2, 2024

Tech Times Weekly Wrap: Microsoft AI Recall Testing, DOJ vs. Google, Evolv FTC Settlement

Microsoft has reintroduced its AI Recall technology for Copilot Plus-powered computers, currently in testing and available to select users via the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2415 (KB5046723) in the Dev Channel. The technology is limited to devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, with plans for broader compatibility with AMD and Intel systems. Microsoft has implemented a stricter privacy framework requiring user permissions for data access and ensuring that snapshots are stored locally. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Google presented closing arguments in an antitrust case concerning the advertising market in a Virginia court. DOJ attorney Aaron Teitelbaum accused Google of manipulating ad auctions and monopolistic control, while Google's attorney Karen Dunn argued the DOJ had not proven its claims. The case could lead to significant changes in Google's business structure. Evolv Technology reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over misleading claims about its AI scanners' effectiveness in detecting weapons. Evolv is now prohibited from making unsupported claims about its products following investigations that questioned the technology's real-world performance.

AppWizard

November 16, 2024

Minecraft: Oxfordshire school pupils among first to play F1 version

A group of schoolchildren from Middle Barton Primary School in Oxfordshire previewed a new motorsport-themed minigame within Minecraft at the headquarters of the Formula 1 team BWT Alpine. The minigame allows players to explore the F1 team's base in a Minecraft landscape, learning about the processes involved in creating and racing a Formula 1 car. It is part of Alpine's Race into STEM campaign aimed at increasing female participation in motorsport. Developed with Microsoft, the game features pixelated avatars of real-life team members, including team principal Oliver Oakes. The minigame is available for free on the Minecraft Education platform. BWT Alpine is currently sixth in the F1 constructors championship and recently achieved podium finishes in Brazil with drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly.

AppWizard

November 14, 2024

NatWest blocks bevy of messenger apps on staff devices

NatWest Group has formally banned a range of messaging applications, including WhatsApp, Meta's Messenger, Skype, Telegram, Signal, Viber, Snapchat, Discord, WeChat, and Line, to enhance regulatory compliance and communication oversight. This ban, effective from November 6, applies only to company-issued devices and is aimed at protecting the bank and its stakeholders from regulatory complications. The prohibited apps are seen as lacking proper record recovery options, which could hinder compliance documentation. Employees are discouraged from using personal devices for business communication on these platforms. The decision comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny of banks' recordkeeping practices, highlighted by significant fines imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority is also looking into financial institutions' usage of encrypted messaging apps. Approved communication channels at NatWest include Microsoft Teams, Viva Engage, Zoom, Outlook, Symphony Chat, and SMS, all of which allow for record retrieval.