collection Archives

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Today’s Android app deals and freebies: Slayaway Camp, The Quest, SOULVARS, more

A new wave of Android game and app deals has emerged, including significant savings on Samsung Galaxy Book5 Copilot+ PCs, Sony’s XM6 ANC headphones with a complimentary Amazon gift card, and discounts on Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Google Pixel 9. Notable app deals include Slayaway Camp, The Quest, SOULVARS, and LIMBO. SOULVARS features strategic gameplay with vertically held smartphone controls, allowing for battles, dungeon exploration, and collection of enchanted items, where protagonists use a device called the Soul Driver to convert souls into data and eliminate deformities threatening people.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Another Day, Another Google Feature Bites the Dust

Google will discontinue Instant Apps in December 2025. Instant Apps, introduced in 2017, allowed users to access parts of an app without full installation but struggled to gain popularity due to limitations on developers, such as a 15 MB size cap for streamlined versions. The announcement of the discontinuation was made indirectly through a notice in Android Studio, rather than a formal blog post.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

5 apps I install on every new phone

Unboxing a new smartphone is an exciting experience that includes setting up essential apps. Spotify provides access to millions of tracks and integrates with Android Auto for music and podcasts. Avast Antivirus offers robust protection and features like threat scanning and a network scanner, ensuring digital security without excessive ads or subscriptions. FitOn is a fitness app that sets realistic goals, tracks activity levels, and offers tailored workouts, including features like celebrity trainers and meal plans. Brave is a browser app that blocks ads and trackers, providing a distraction-free browsing experience with customizable settings. Microsoft 365 allows access to Word and Excel files on the go, with OneDrive for document storage and backup, although some features remain underutilized. These five applications enhance daily smartphone use by serving unique purposes.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

With WH40K Boltgun and Dungeons of Hinterberg, this month’s Humble Choice lineup is stacked for less than $12

The June 2025 Humble Choice bundle includes eight games available for subscribers at a price of .99. The featured titles are: 1. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun - A first-person shooter with a retail price of .99. 2. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered - A remastered classic with a retail price of .99. 3. Nobody Wants to Die - A narrative-driven adventure with a retail price of .99. 4. Dungeons of Hinterberg - An adventure game with a retail price of .99. 5. Tchia - An open-world exploration game with a retail price of .99. 6. Sker Ritual - A zombie survival FPS with a retail price of .99. 7. Biped - A co-op adventure game with a retail price of .99. 8. Havendock - A colony simulation game with a retail price of .99. Additionally, the bundle includes a month of IGN Plus valued at .99 and a one-month subscription to Boot.dev worth .00. For June, 5% of every Humble Choice membership will be donated to The Trevor Project, which supports programs aimed at preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

Experts warn of risks linked to period tracker apps

Academics from the University of Cambridge have raised concerns about the collection and commercialization of personal information through menstrual tracking applications, which have over 250 million downloads globally. These apps collect extensive data, including exercise, diet, medication, sexual preferences, hormone levels, and contraception use, making menstrual data valuable for consumer profiling. The report highlights that information on pregnancy status is particularly sought after in digital advertising, leading to risks of exploitation for targeted ads. If this data is misused, it could result in health insurance discrimination, employment risks, or domestic abuse. The researchers advocate for enhanced governance in the femtech industry, emphasizing the need for improved data security and meaningful user consent. They suggest that public health organizations develop alternatives to commercial tracking apps to prioritize user privacy and safety.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

5 Minecraft Farms to Build Early

Players in Minecraft face challenges such as food shortages and resource scarcity during the early stages of survival. Early-game farms are essential for providing resources and improving gameplay. 1. A basic crop farm can be established by planting wheat, carrots, or potatoes on well-tilled soil with a water source and sunlight. Fencing can protect crops from mobs, and villagers can help automate the process. 2. An animal breeding pen can be created by attracting cows, sheep, and chickens using wheat or seeds. Each animal provides unique resources, and a breeding cycle of about five minutes allows for a steady food supply. 3. A sugar cane farm is important for crafting paper and trading with villagers. It can be set up along a riverbank or with irrigation ditches, and can be automated with observers and pistons. 4. An XP and mob drop farm can be built around a dungeon with a skeleton or zombie spawner. A funnel system using water flows and trap doors can direct mobs for XP farming and valuable drops. 5. An iron farm can be established near a village using three villagers, beds, workstations, and a zombie to spawn Iron Golems. A kill chamber can provide a consistent source of iron ingots.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

Adidas’ Minecraft Collab Added Five New Sneakers to Their Popular Collection — Where to Buy Before They Sell Out

Adidas has expanded its collaboration with Minecraft for Summer 2025, introducing five new shoe designs inspired by characters like Creepers, Endermen, Skeletons, and Spiders. The collection includes reimagined versions of popular Adidas styles such as the Sambas XLG, Campus 00s, and Superstar II. The Campus 00s feature elastic laces and Creeper colors, while the Handball Spezial has a retro design and rubber outsole. The Samba XLG is themed around spiders with pixelated details, and the Superstar II includes pixelated graphics and a Skeleton lace charm. The collection is available for purchase on the Adidas website and at Journeys, with some styles already selling out quickly.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

How Russian Spies Are Analyzing Data From China’s WeChat App

Moscow's skepticism towards foreign messaging applications has intensified, particularly regarding the Chinese app WeChat, which has weak encryption protocols. Russian counterintelligence is analyzing WeChat data to identify individuals in contact with Chinese operatives. A recent intelligence document reveals concerns about China's influence in Russia, particularly as Russia's isolation from the West grows due to geopolitical tensions. The F.S.B. is using an analytical tool called "Skopishche" to enhance surveillance, aggregating data from sources like WeChat, including account logins, contact lists, and message archives. This data is often collected from mobile devices seized from significant individuals. The shared focus on surveillance by Russian and Chinese authorities highlights their concerns about external influences and internal dissent.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Humble’s IGN Live 2025 bundle includes eight PC games for £16.32

Humble has launched a new bundle for IGN Live 2025, featuring eight PC games available on Steam for £16.32. The bundle includes titles such as The Medium, Wartales, Slay the Spire, and art of rally. There are three purchasing options: a three-game bundle for £7.41, a six-game bundle for £11.86, and the full bundle for £16.32. The total retail price of the games is £176.48. Proceeds from the bundle support Child's Play Charity, which provides games to children in hospitals, and it has raised over £13.5k so far. Notable games in the bundle include art of rally, described as visually striking, and The Medium, a horror game with psychic elements. Slay the Spire is highlighted as the highest-rated game in the collection with a 97% "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

How to Turn Off Meta AI Features on Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp

Meta AI, integrated across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, does not provide a straightforward way to disable it entirely. Users can minimize its influence by following specific steps: - On Facebook, users can disable AI-generated comment summaries in the “audience and visibility” section of the “settings” tab. - In Messenger, users can mute Meta AI through the “information” tab by clicking the “i” button and selecting the mute option. - On Instagram, users can mute Meta AI by clicking the Meta AI logo, accessing its information page, and toggling the mute option. - In WhatsApp, users can mute notifications from Meta AI by selecting the AI icon and adjusting notification settings. European users have a form available on Facebook’s help page to object to their data being used for training purposes. In 2024, the European privacy group NOYB filed complaints against Meta AI in 11 countries regarding data usage. Although Meta paused its training plans for nearly a year, it resumed in April 2025, notifying EU users and providing an opt-out form. Meta AI utilizes user-generated content from its platforms for training, raising privacy concerns, especially for users outside the EU who cannot opt out of data collection.