complex interplay Archives

AppWizard

December 31, 2025

2025 box-office winners and losers: ‘Minecraft’ levels up, ‘Sinners’ strikes gold — and ‘Snow White’ bites the apple

In 2025, traditional box office expectations were challenged as pixelated films outperformed superhero movies and a Chinese animated epic surpassed Hollywood productions. Asian cinema, exemplified by films like Ne Zha 2, achieved global success, while Disney's nostalgia-driven strategies failed to guarantee success, indicating a shift in audience preferences towards fresh narratives. Anime gained mainstream traction, horror films remained popular with inventive plots, and visionary directors took creative risks that occasionally paid off. The year's events highlighted the evolving tastes of moviegoers and the importance of innovation in storytelling.

AppWizard

October 10, 2025

A hidden quest in FF14 patch 7.35 reveals major new Shadowbringers lore that might hint at 8.0 and beyond

A hidden quest was added to Final Fantasy 14 in patch 7.35, allowing players to revisit the character Cyella from the Shadowbringers saga. This quest, titled 'The Pilgrim's Answer,' becomes available after completing the Pilgrim's Traverse deep dungeon and involves speaking with Cyella in the Crystarium. Players must complete all four sets of role quests to unlock missions that reveal Cyella's past as Cylva, the Shadowkeeper. The quest explores her regrets and insights regarding a voidsent creature, hinting at future narrative developments involving the transfer of Light and Darkness across reflections. Many players may miss this quest due to the requirement of completing the role quests, suggesting that Cyella and Unukalhai may not play a central role in the next main scenario quest.

Winsage

September 26, 2025

Windows 7 market share suddenly doubles as Windows 10 support ends

Windows 11 surpassed Windows 10 in global market share for the first time in July 2025, reaching 50.74% by September, while Windows 10's share was 43.09%. Meanwhile, Windows 7's market share increased from 2.02% in July to 5.2% in September 2025, marking a growth of over 100% in a few months. This rise occurs despite Windows 7 being officially unsupported since January 2020. The increase in Windows 7 usage may be influenced by StatCounter's tracking methodology rather than a true rise in its user base.

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

One of 2024’s best games and a new horror classic has been delisted on Itch.io amid the payment processor crackdown on NSFW games

Itch.io confirmed that the game Mouthwashing has been de-indexed since October 2024, a decision not related to payment processor crackdowns. The game is currently not indexed due to not meeting specific criteria for discoverability on the platform, as it directs users to its Steam page instead of offering purchasable content directly on Itch.io. Despite this, Mouthwashing remains accessible on Itch.io via a direct link and is available for purchase on Steam.

Winsage

June 20, 2025

This Microsoft app thinks Google Chrome is NSFW (Not Safe For Windows)

Microsoft's Edge browser promotion efforts have led to issues for some Chrome users, who reported being unable to access Chrome after a crash. This problem, first noted on June 3 by a Reddit user, may be linked to Windows 11's Family Safety feature, which is intended to protect younger users. Chrome support manager Ellen T confirmed that for some users, Chrome cannot run when Microsoft Family Safety is enabled. Microsoft has suggested that parents and IT administrators can disable the "Filter inappropriate websites" option to restore access to Chrome, although this may expose users to inappropriate content. Reports of the issue have decreased, but some users remain affected, particularly those who activated Web Safety under the Edge tab between November 2024 and June 3. The cause of the issue—whether it is a flaw in Chromium or Windows 11's Family Safety feature—remains unclear.

AppWizard

February 8, 2025

TikTok enables U.S. Android users to download app via website

On February 7, TikTok announced that U.S. Android users can download and access the platform directly from its website. This decision is in response to legislation effective January 19, requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest ownership or face a potential ban due to national security concerns. Since the law's enactment, Apple and Google have not reinstated TikTok in their app stores. Former President Donald Trump is seeking a 75-day delay in enforcement, indicating possible negotiations for a sale of TikTok. TikTok has approximately 170 million users in the U.S. Trump signed an executive order for a sovereign wealth fund, which could facilitate TikTok's acquisition. U.S. officials are concerned about data misuse under ByteDance, while advocates for free speech oppose the ban. TikTok claims that U.S. officials have misrepresented its ties to China, stating that user data is stored on Oracle-operated servers in the U.S. and that content moderation is conducted domestically.

AppWizard

November 4, 2024

Valorant is winning the war against PC gaming cheaters

In 2020, multiplayer games experienced a surge in cheating during COVID-19 lockdowns, with titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, and Destiny 2 struggling against aimbots and wallhacks. Riot Games launched Valorant with its anti-cheat system, Vanguard, which has effectively deterred cheat developers. Vanguard employs a kernel-level driver that detects unauthorized access attempts and has led to a decrease in traditional software cheats, although some cheaters have shifted to hardware solutions like direct memory access (DMA) techniques. Vanguard has also been successful in detecting and blocking suspicious hardware-level DMA attempts. Currently, triggerbots account for about 80 percent of cheats in Valorant. Vanguard was introduced to League of Legends, resulting in over 175,000 account bans. A study from the University of Birmingham indicated that Valorant has the top anti-cheat system, while other games like Call of Duty: Warzone continue to struggle. Riot is exploring collaborations with Microsoft to enhance security and may adjust Vanguard's activation based on Windows 11 features. There are no plans for Linux support due to risks of kernel manipulation. The potential rise of AI-powered cheats presents a new challenge, as AI could replicate human gameplay, complicating anti-cheat efforts.

Winsage

October 19, 2024

OpenAI just launched ChatGPT for Windows—and it’s coming for your office software

OpenAI has launched a Windows desktop application for ChatGPT, following a macOS version, aimed at integrating AI into daily life. The application is currently in preview for ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu subscribers, allowing users to access the AI assistant with a keyboard shortcut (Alt + Space) from anywhere on their PC. This initiative is part of OpenAI's strategy to position ChatGPT as an essential tool in personal and professional settings, enhancing user engagement and data collection. OpenAI is also exploring partnerships beyond Microsoft, including discussions with Oracle and outreach to the U.S. military. The release could transform enterprise software by positioning ChatGPT as a core productivity tool, potentially disrupting traditional software providers. However, OpenAI faces challenges regarding biases in AI models and the implications of its rapid growth and commercialization.

AppWizard

October 9, 2024

Russia and Turkey ban Discord messaging app

Russia and Turkey have imposed restrictions on the messaging platform Discord due to its failure to comply with local regulations. In Russia, the internet regulatory body Roskomnadzor cited violations related to terrorism, extremist recruitment, and drug trafficking, while data from NetBlocks confirmed Discord's restriction across multiple internet service providers. A Moscow court recently fined Discord for not removing forbidden content. In Turkey, the telecommunications regulator ICTA linked Discord to serious offenses, including child abuse and online harassment, following a court ruling. Both countries have a history of limiting access to social media under security pretexts.

AppWizard

August 27, 2024

What is Telegram and why was its CEO arrested in Paris?

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on allegations that his platform has been used for drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse materials. Durov holds citizenship in France, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the UAE, and has spent significant time in Italy. Telegram, launched in 2013, allows group chats of up to 200,000 participants and has over 950 million active users. Following his arrest, Telegram stated it complies with EU laws and that Durov “has nothing to hide.” Reports indicate that Durov's detention is linked to an arrest warrant related to money laundering and drug trafficking. Under French law, he can be held for questioning for up to four days. Reactions to his arrest include mixed sentiments from Russian officials, with some viewing it as politically motivated, and support from Elon Musk, who shared the hashtag “#freePavel.” Despite its popularity, Telegram has faced criticism for its content moderation practices, which are seen as inadequate in preventing illegal activities.