benefits

AppWizard
January 18, 2026
Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan has been a key figure in Slipknot for three decades and recently launched his first fully playable game, Vernearth, inspired by Minecraft. The game allows players to build structures, engage in battles, and embark on quests, and it officially launched on December 1. Clown's passion for gaming began in his youth, and he faced challenges in game development due to financial barriers. He developed Vernearth over four years with his daughter and a drum tech, creating a unique version of Minecraft with new gameplay elements and a darker atmosphere. The game serves as a personal outlet for Clown, helping him cope with grief related to family losses. He is also exploring online therapy integration within the game and has launched The Auction House for players to trade items. Additionally, he is working on an original soundtrack for Vernearth while taking a break from new material with Slipknot.
AppWizard
January 16, 2026
Riot Games has launched its first PC café promotion of 2026, coinciding with the Season 1 update for League of Legends. The promotion, running until January 21, offers in-game rewards, trial cosmetics, and sweepstakes for players at participating PC cafés. Players can earn tiered rewards based on playtime, with those logging 20 hours receiving up to 15 Hextech Chest and Key sets. Participants are also entered into prize drawings for tickets to major esports events. A separate reward track is available for ranked victories, offering randomized rewards. Additionally, players will have temporary access to 15 champion skins from the Demacia region until January 30.
Winsage
January 13, 2026
The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle is available for .97, reduced from 8.99, resulting in savings of 9.02. The bundle includes a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021, which features eight tools such as Word, Excel, Teams, OneNote, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. It also includes Windows 11 Pro, which offers an intuitive interface, snap layouts, enhanced search capabilities, and cybersecurity features like biometric logins and antivirus protection.
Winsage
January 12, 2026
Professionals are increasingly moving away from Windows 11 to various Linux distributions due to dissatisfaction with performance issues and intrusive features in Windows. A 2025 analysis showed Linux distributions outperforming Windows by an average of 19.5% in everyday tasks. Performance tests indicated that SteamOS, a Linux-based platform, often matched or exceeded Windows 11 in gaming performance. Linux's lightweight nature and superior system administration tools appeal to those managing servers and virtual environments. Security concerns regarding Windows 11, including privacy issues and forced updates, have led users to prefer Linux's open-source model, which allows for greater transparency and customization. Economic factors also play a role, as Linux is free and open-source, eliminating licensing fees associated with Windows 11. User-friendly distributions like Linux Mint facilitate the transition for new users, and community support helps address common challenges. Large organizations are increasingly adopting Linux for its stability and responsiveness, while the Linux community fosters rapid improvements and adaptability. User feedback highlights privacy, performance, and customizability as key benefits of switching to Linux.
Winsage
January 12, 2026
File Explorer in Windows 11 has been reported to have performance issues, particularly delays when navigating folders with many media files or documents. This problem is linked to the auto-discovery feature, which optimizes folder display settings based on content but incurs a significant computational burden. Disabling this feature through registry modifications can lead to improved performance, with users experiencing faster navigation and reduced folder load times. Microsoft has acknowledged these issues and plans to preload File Explorer for quicker launches, but the underlying problems remain largely unaddressed. Users have shared their experiences and solutions, including registry tweaks that set folder types to "NotSpecified" to eliminate scanning overhead. Despite some incremental updates from Microsoft, many users still face core lags, prompting ongoing community-driven fixes and discussions about the need for deeper audits of legacy code.
Winsage
January 12, 2026
Microsoft is introducing the "Copilot+ PC," a new category of Windows PCs that run on Windows 11 but have specific hardware requirements, including up to 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 40+ TOPs. The NPU is crucial for AI and machine learning tasks, allowing for on-device AI processing. Not all Windows 11 devices qualify as Copilot+ PCs, particularly older models with lower NPU capabilities. Microsoft claims that Copilot+ PCs enhance productivity and creativity with features like a dedicated Copilot key, Recall for screen activity, Live Captions in over 40 languages, image generation in Paint, and tools in Microsoft Photos for editing. Despite the focus on AI, some manufacturers are shifting their attention to other features such as build quality and gaming performance.
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