conversations Archives

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

A moviegoer brought a live chicken to a Minecraft screening for viral ‘chicken jockey’ freak-out

Screenings of A Minecraft Movie have become lively events, particularly among younger audiences, due to a standout scene featuring Jason Momoa battling a baby zombie riding a chicken, humorously called the "chicken jockey." This moment has led to social media buzz and enthusiastic reactions in theaters, with audiences cheering and celebrating. However, some instances of disruptive behavior have resulted in ejections from theaters. One screening even featured a live chicken, raising questions about audience engagement and decorum in public spaces. In response, theaters are implementing stricter guidelines for audience conduct during showings.

AppWizard

April 8, 2025

Blizzard vet Bill Petras has died

Bill Petras, a long-time staff member at Blizzard Entertainment, has passed away, leaving a significant impact on those who knew him. He worked at Blizzard for nearly two decades and contributed to iconic titles such as StarCraft, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch, where he served as art director. His friendship with fellow veteran Harley D. Huggins II lasted 28 years, marked by deep conversations about various topics including game development and art.

Winsage

April 8, 2025

EncryptHub plays dual role as cybercriminal and Windows researcher

EncryptHub, a threat actor linked to intrusions at 618 organizations, reported two Windows zero-day vulnerabilities, CVE-2025-24061 and CVE-2025-24071, to Microsoft, which were resolved in March 2025. The vulnerabilities were reported by an individual named SkorikARI, who has been connected to EncryptHub after the threat actor exposed its login credentials. Researchers at Outpost24 identified this link through multiple pieces of evidence, including exfiltrated password files and a GitHub login associated with SkorikARI. EncryptHub has a history of selling zero-days on hacking forums and has been involved in both freelance development and cybercriminal activities. Despite his expertise, the hacker fell victim to poor security practices, leading to the exposure of personal information and interactions with ChatGPT regarding malware development and self-assessment as a hacker.

Winsage

April 7, 2025

EncryptHub’s dual life: Cybercriminal vs Windows bug-bounty researcher

EncryptHub has been linked to breaches affecting 618 organizations and is associated with the disclosure of two Windows zero-day vulnerabilities, CVE-2025-24061 and CVE-2025-24071, to Microsoft. The vulnerabilities were addressed during the March 2025 Patch Tuesday updates, and the reporter was acknowledged as 'SkorikARI with SkorikARI.' Investigations revealed a connection between EncryptHub and SkorikARI, following an incident where EncryptHub exposed their credentials. SkorikARI's accounts were used to report the vulnerabilities, contributing to Windows security. Evidence linking SkorikARI to EncryptHub includes password files exfiltrated from EncryptHub's system and a GitHub account associated with SkorikARI. EncryptHub has previously attempted to market zero-day vulnerabilities on underground forums and is believed to have affiliations with ransomware groups. The threat actor has executed social engineering campaigns, phishing attacks, and developed a custom infostealer known as Fickle Stealer. They created fictitious social media profiles and websites, such as a fake project management application called GartoriSpace, which installed malicious files on unsuspecting users. EncryptHub has also been implicated in exploiting a Microsoft Management Console vulnerability, CVE-2025-26633.

AppWizard

April 7, 2025

Streamer Valkyrae Cut From A Minecraft Movie: ‘I Would Much Rather Not Have That 30 Seconds Than Be Sued’

Streamer Valkyrae, also known as Rachell Marie Hofstetter, confirmed that her cameo in A Minecraft Movie was cut from the final release. She stated during a Twitch livestream that she would "much rather not have that 30 seconds than be sued," indicating complexities behind her omission. Valkyrae previously shared a negative experience with Jason Momoa, one of the film's stars, describing a disappointing atmosphere during filming. Although her cameo was cut, some fans believe they saw her in the background of a scene. Valkyrae confirmed her intended appearance would have lasted approximately 30 seconds and reassured her audience that the decision had nothing to do with Minecraft or its creators. She expressed gratitude for spending ten days in New Zealand and maintained a positive view of the film, stating, “No, the movie did not suck.” IGN rated A Minecraft Movie a 6/10, highlighting its comedic elements and kid-friendly adventure.

AppWizard

April 5, 2025

Nintendo should have cribbed from Valve on how to make a good handheld tech demo

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct introduced a feature called Welcome Tour, which is priced at 990 yen (approximately £5), though there are speculations it may cost more. The feature has been described as a "glorified tech demo" or a "digital manual." In contrast, Valve's Aperture Desk Job is a free tech demo for the Steam Deck that effectively showcases its functionalities while incorporating humor and narrative elements from the Portal universe. It takes about half an hour to complete and has received positive reviews for its engaging gameplay and clever references. Many players find it both entertaining and educational. In comparison, the Welcome Tour has been criticized for its generic presentation and lack of creativity, highlighting a disparity between Nintendo's past successes and its current offerings.

Winsage

March 31, 2025

Windows 11’s new headline security feature is now in testing — here’s how it can help your PC

Microsoft is rolling out a new feature called quick machine recovery (QMR) to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel, designed to automatically detect and resolve boot issues directly from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). When enabled, QMR identifies and applies fixes for common boot problems, and in case of a critical boot failure, it transitions the device into WinRE, connects to the network, and sends diagnostic data to Microsoft for targeted remediation via Windows Update. This feature will be enabled by default for home users and is available for testing by Windows Insiders. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing a speech recap feature in Narrator, allowing users to track what has been spoken, access live transcriptions, and copy the last spoken phrase using keyboard shortcuts. The speech recap window can display the last 500 strings spoken by Narrator and refreshes each time Narrator starts. Windows 11 Build 26120.3653 includes a streamlined user interface for unexpected restarts, a new way to launch Copilot using Win + C, and the Click to Do feature accessible from the Start menu, which supports multiple languages. Improvements to Windows Share include a visual preview of content and quick image editing options.

AppWizard

March 31, 2025

Jennifer Coolidge Chooses Velvet Dress and Strappy Sandal at ‘A Minecraft Movie’ London Premiere

Jennifer Coolidge attended the London premiere of 'A Minecraft Movie' wearing a luxurious velvet dress and black open-toe high-heel glossy sandals. The event took place at Cineworld Leicester Square and attracted significant attention, with Coolidge's fashion choices sparking conversations among attendees.

Winsage

March 30, 2025

5 nostalgic Windows programs I wish were still around

Windows Live Movie Maker was a free video editor that allowed users to create and edit videos without ads or upsells, contrasting with today's monetized tools. Rockmelt was a Chromium-based web browser from the early 2010s that integrated Facebook into the browsing experience with real-time notifications and built-in Messenger functionality. Windows Media Center was a media management interface in Windows Vista and 7 that had potential for growth with the rise of Home Theater PCs and streaming services. Iconic games from Windows XP, such as 3D Pinball: Space Cadet and Minesweeper, created lasting memories for users. Windows Live Messenger was a messaging service known for its user-friendly interface and features like tabbed conversations and customizable emoticons, which many users miss compared to newer platforms like Skype and Teams.

Winsage

March 29, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 (KB5054687) has been released to the Dev Channel. The Dev Channel has transitioned to the 26200 series builds, closing the opportunity to switch to the Beta Channel. The 26200 series is based on Windows 11, version 24H2. Enhancements to Windows Search for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs include semantic indexing for more intuitive searches, allowing users to find documents, photos, and settings using natural language. Users can manage indexed locations in Settings and the feature supports multiple languages and document formats. The improved Windows Search can also locate cloud-stored photos, with users needing to sign into OneDrive for access. A new feature called speech recap has been introduced in Narrator, allowing users to track what has been spoken and providing quick access to the last 500 strings spoken. A streamlined UI for unexpected restarts is being previewed. The Copilot can now be launched with Win + C, and users can personalize their experience through Settings. Click to Do is available from the Start menu and supports intelligent text actions in multiple languages. The Windows share window now includes a visual preview for shared links and image editing capabilities. Several fixes have been made to improve performance and address issues in Taskbar, File Explorer, Login and Lock, Windowing, and Settings. Known issues include problems with Recall and File Explorer crashes for some users. Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2, and feature rollouts are monitored for feedback.