book Archives

AppWizard

July 12, 2026

2026’s best RPG might look like Disco Elysium, but it was heavily inspired by Deus Ex, and its creator wants ‘to do a first-person game at some point’

Christoffer Bodegård began his journey into PC gaming with a DOS machine from his father and first played Disney's The Jungle Book. His passion for role-playing games was ignited by Dragon Age: Origins, which led him to explore many titles, including Planescape: Torment. After eight years of development, his game Esoteric Ebb launched in March to critical acclaim. Currently, he is playing Victoria 3, having logged around 400 hours, and previously played Abiotic Factor. The oldest games on his PC are Heroes of Might and Magic 3, King of Dragon Pass, Deus Ex, and Diablo 2, with Heroes 3 being a favorite. He has logged around 1,000 hours in Esoteric Ebb and is particularly fond of Europa Universalis IV, especially the Anbennar mod. Bodegård has never uninstalled Deus Ex, which greatly influences his design philosophy. He relies on Notepad++ for scripting and has improved his desktop organization from a cluttered state to a cleaner setup.

AppWizard

July 11, 2026

Minecraft: The Official Crochet Book Has Been Announced

Minecraft: The Official Crochet Book will be released on July 14, 2026. It features 20 crochet projects inspired by Minecraft characters and elements, designed by Lee Sartori and Nadia Oxford. The book includes step-by-step instructions, detailed charts, and yarn suggestions, making it suitable for all skill levels. Projects range from amigurumi figures to wearable art, including hats, scarves, blankets, and decor. The book also contains full-color photography.

BetaBeacon

July 11, 2026

Tiny Bookshop Simulator Released on iOS and Android

Neoludic Studio has released their bookstore management simulator, Tiny Bookshop, on iOS and Android platforms after receiving positive reviews on Steam. Players can experience the first three in-game days for free before unlocking the full version for 590 rubles.

AppWizard

July 8, 2026

‘Video Remix’ in Google Photos reimagines reality into your ideal scenario

Google Photos has introduced a new feature called "Video Remix," which allows users to enhance their videos by adjusting lighting, applying different themes, and exploring various styles. This feature builds on the Remix option that was first introduced in 2025 for transforming photos. The rollout of Video Remix was announced on July 8 and utilizes Google's Gemini Omni model to facilitate user editing prompts. It also includes quick sharing functionality for spontaneous creativity. Previously, the Remix feature was limited to images, enabling users to transform photos into themed scenes. Additionally, the feature has been integrated into Google TV, allowing users to create dynamic slideshows from their stored photos.

AppWizard

July 7, 2026

Minecraft Preview 26.40.30

Players can find abandoned camps in the Pale Garden and Flower Forest biomes, which include a one-time use Straw Bed crafted from three hay bales. Cushions, available in 16 colors and crafted from three wool slabs, allow players to sit comfortably but are not currently spawning in abandoned camps. Various gameplay and graphical improvements have been made, including fixes for crafting recipes, ambient sounds, and rendering issues. Additionally, there are updates to the user interface, technical features, and stability enhancements, such as improved server self-repair capabilities and bug fixes related to commands and entity behavior.

AppWizard

July 6, 2026

What is Paralives? The creative life simulator game that could rival The Sims

Paralives, created by indie designer Alex Massé, launched on Steam in May 2026 as an early access title and sold 250,000 copies within eight hours, achieving a peak concurrent player count of 78,603. The game allows players to create and customize characters called Parafolk, featuring extensive representation and body inclusivity. It offers user-friendly building and decorating tools, enabling flexible item placement and personalization. The art style is a comic-book aesthetic reminiscent of "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Paralives was developed independently with community feedback, contrasting with EA's acquisition of The Sims, which raised concerns among players regarding corporate influence and representation. The game is priced at £33.50, with plans for free downloadable content updates.

AppWizard

July 4, 2026

I tried Android Auto’s new Adobe Acrobat PDF app

Android Auto has introduced the Adobe Acrobat app, which allows users to access PDFs in an audio-only format using a "Read Aloud" feature. This enables drivers to listen to documents being read aloud while driving, with controls for play, pause, and skip available via the car’s touchscreen or steering wheel buttons. The app is particularly useful for multitasking, allowing users to absorb information from meeting notes, important documents, or industry reports during commutes. While the audio quality may not match that of professional audiobooks, it serves as a practical tool for accessing written content on the road.

BetaBeacon

July 3, 2026

Bookstore Simulator with 95% Positive Reviews, Tiny Bookshop, Coming to iOS and Android on July 9

Neoludic studio is launching Tiny Bookshop on iOS and Android on July 9, offering a "try before you buy" model. The game is set in the fictional town of Bookstonbury-on-Sea, where players run a second-hand bookstore in an old trailer.

BetaBeacon

July 1, 2026

Tiny Bookshop Coming to iOS and Android on July 9th

- Manage a tiny bookshop by the sea in a cozy narrative management game - Decorate your shop with items collected and interact with customers - Recommend books to customers and befriend quirky characters in the town - Stock books of different genres to attract customers - Explore the town of Bookstonbury-by-the-Sea and discover its history and secrets

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Huge 4th of July Windows Copilot+ PC deals now live at Best Buy up to $830 off: New Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops, 2-in-1s, more

Best Buy has launched a 4th of July event featuring significant discounts on various tech products, including Apple devices, Android smartphones, televisions, and Windows laptops and desktops. The sale includes new laptop deals starting at .99, with notable models like the HP OmniBook X 16-inch 2K OLED touchscreen Copilot+ PC priced at ,099.99 (regularly ,450). Key features of the HP OmniBook X include a Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, a 16-inch 2K OLED touchscreen, 24GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 11 Home. Other highlighted products include Dell and Acer laptops with various specifications and price reductions.