decision-making Archives

Winsage

June 20, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881 (Canary Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27881 has been released to the Canary Channel, with downloadable ISOs available. This build introduces a new profanity filter setting for voice typing, allowing users to manage the transcription of profane words. A new feature called speech recap has been added to Narrator, enabling users to track spoken content and access live transcriptions. General improvements include security certificate updates, a redesigned needy state pill on the taskbar, enhanced accessibility features, and new image editing capabilities in the Windows share window. A new FAQs section has been added to the Settings > System > About page, and various fixes have been implemented across different components. Known issues include problems with the taskbar display and the "Reset this PC" option not functioning after the upgrade. Users joining the Canary Channel on new Copilot+ PCs may experience loss of Windows Hello PIN and biometrics.

AppWizard

June 19, 2025

PC Gamer magazine’s new issue is on sale now: Painkiller

PC Gamer has provided an exclusive look at Anshar Studios' reimagining of the FPS game Painkiller, featuring insights from creative director Damian Wyspiański. The game is set in Katowice, Poland, and boasts a weapon arsenal that aims to attract both new and veteran players. Painkiller is noted for its significant impact on the Polish gaming landscape, comparable to The Witcher. Additionally, the magazine discusses the role of choice in Cyberpunk 2077, consulting various developers and academics on its importance in RPGs. The issue includes previews of upcoming titles like Anno 117: Pax Romana, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream, and others, along with features such as a group test of CPU air coolers, a revisit to Redneck Rampage, and a deep dive into a mod for Streets of Rage. The issue is available in print and digital formats, with subscription options offering exclusive covers.

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

Minecraft brand boss Harry Elonen on building box-office bedlam into brand devotion

The first trailer for A Minecraft Movie received backlash, prompting the film's team to engage with fans and make significant changes. The film ultimately became the highest-grossing gaming movie, achieving 2.8 million in domestic ticket sales and surpassing the 2023 Super Mario Bros film. It generated nearly a billion dollars in global revenue for Warner Bros. Harry Elonen from Mojang Studios acknowledged the initial marketing missteps and emphasized the importance of emotional connections with fans. The team adapted their strategy based on fan feedback, leading to a successful second weekend box office hold of .6 million. The film's success was attributed to its authentic lore and emotional resonance, with Minecraft being the best-selling video game of all time, and players having spent over 68 million years in-game. The movie grossed over 0 million worldwide by early June, exceeding projections by over 30%. The marketing strategy included embedding Easter eggs and monitoring fan sentiment, resulting in a 6.3 times return on its 0 million production budget and a surge in merchandising.

Tech Optimizer

June 16, 2025

Databricks rolls out Lakebase Postgres and Agent Bricks for AI-era apps

Databricks has introduced the Lakebase Postgres database layer to enhance its lakehouse architecture, facilitating AI applications and analytics on operational data. The company also launched Agent Bricks to simplify the development of automated AI agents. During the Data + AI Summit, CEO Ali Ghodsi emphasized the importance of transitioning from outdated systems to modern solutions for AI. Lakebase, powered by Neon technology, is a fully managed, Postgres-compatible database that supports data loading from over 300 sources. Databricks aims to unify operational and analytical systems for real-time decision-making. The summit outlined a three-chapter framework: establishing the lakehouse, integrating AI, and introducing Lakebase. Agent Bricks enables business users to create AI agents without extensive technical knowledge, while Managed Iceberg Tables support external engines and promise performance optimizations. Databricks announced partnerships with Microsoft and Google Cloud for deeper integration and AI model usage. The company is investing 0 million in AI education and plans to release Lakeflow Designer for no-code ETL capabilities. Databricks anticipates reaching .7 billion in annualized revenue by July, with a growth rate of 50 percent and plans to hire 3,000 employees in 2025. Lakebase is currently in Public Preview.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

The Outer Worlds 2 director offers the most sympathetic answer I’ve yet heard for the $80 game question: ‘We don’t set the prices for our games,’ and ‘You’d have to honestly talk to the Xbox folks’

Brandon Adler, the director of The Outer Worlds 2, stated that game developers do not set the prices for their games, emphasizing that pricing decisions are made by corporate executives. He expressed a desire for broader accessibility to games but indicated that pricing inquiries should be directed to Xbox executives. The economic landscape has shifted, making home ownership difficult while consumer electronics have become more affordable. Gamers now have various options, including subscription services and budget-friendly hardware. The perceived normal price for games has shifted to the range of to , with being a stretch, particularly for highly anticipated titles. Pricing challenges reflect deeper issues in the gaming industry, including recent layoffs and rising development costs. Obsidian Entertainment has adopted a strategy of working on multiple smaller projects, resulting in more affordable pricing for some titles, while the upcoming Avowed is set at a full retail price. Concerns exist that The Outer Worlds 2’s price might hinder its success, especially given the unclear metrics Microsoft uses to evaluate sales performance.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

The 10 Best Steam Next Fest Games You Need to Wishlist

The Steam summer sale is approaching, and Valve is hosting the Summer 2025 Next Fest, showcasing various indie games. Notable titles include: - Dead as Disco: A beat 'em up game where players control Charlie Disco in a rhythmic combat system. Release date is not announced. Platforms: PC. - Voidbreaker: A first-person shooter focused on environmental destruction, set to launch on August 20. Platforms: PC. - Morsels: A twin-stick shooter roguelike featuring magical cards and strategic combat, set to release in 2025. Platforms: PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch. - Dragon March: An arcade adventure with a mecha-dragon protagonist, release date unconfirmed. Platforms: PC. - House of Necrosis: A survival horror game with a turn-based system, release date not revealed. Platforms: PC, Linux. - DuneCrawl: A cooperative hack-and-slash game for up to four players, set for release in 2025. Platforms: PC. - Hell Clock: An action RPG based on Brazil's War of Canudos, launching on July 22. Platforms: PC. - 1000 Deaths: A platforming game exploring pivotal life moments, set to release on August 7. Platforms: PC. - Passant: A chess roguelike with unique mechanics, available on August 11. Platforms: PC. - Under The Island: A 2D RPG hack-and-slash game inspired by Zelda, release date unannounced. Platforms: PC.

Tech Optimizer

June 13, 2025

Databricks opens up agentic AI pipelines, fills in Postgres-powered Lakebase

Databricks has introduced advancements at its user conference, focusing on agentic AI pipelines and a Postgres-powered Lakebase. The Lakebase streamlines data management and analytics by combining PostgreSQL with Databricks' data lake architecture. The agentic AI pipelines automate data workflows, allowing organizations to gain AI-driven insights with minimal manual intervention. Key features include automated workflows that reduce processing time, enhanced data management through a familiar relational database experience, and the ability to extract actionable insights using advanced AI capabilities.

Tech Optimizer

June 12, 2025

Striim Announces Neon Serverless Postgres Support to Broaden Agentic AI Use Cases with Databricks

The demand for real-time data in artificial intelligence is increasing, but integrating data from legacy systems poses challenges due to traditional ETL pipelines that can introduce latency. Open-source Postgres is favored for operational needs, and Neon offers a new approach to database creation using AI agents. Databricks has launched Lakebase, a managed Postgres database for AI applications, after acquiring Neon. Striim has expanded its Postgres offerings to enable high-throughput data ingestion from Neon into Databricks for real-time analytics and supports rapid data delivery from legacy systems into Neon. Striim's platform allows real-time replication of operational data from various traditional systems to Neon, real-time ingestion into Databricks, and enhances generative AI applications with inline data enrichment. Alok Pareek from Striim highlighted the importance of this expansion for Postgres-native teams to build real-time AI architectures. Striim also supports Databricks Delta Lake and SQL2Fabric-X for real-time SQL Server data access. Striim's platform processes over 100 billion daily events with sub-second latency, aiding proactive decision-making.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

The Alters review

Players navigate a treacherous alien planet in "The Alters," a game by 11 bit studios that combines survival mechanics with a sci-fi narrative. The protagonist, Jan, is the sole survivor of a failed intergalactic mining operation and must repair his base, manage resources, and make strategic decisions to survive. The game introduces a unique element called rapidium, allowing players to create altered versions of Jan with different skills and personalities. Interactions with these Alters and other characters can lead to cooperation or conflict, impacting morale and mission success. Exploration involves gathering resources and managing environmental hazards, with a fast travel system facilitating navigation. The game emphasizes the importance of player choices, creating a deeply personal and immersive experience.

Tech Optimizer

June 12, 2025

Databricks launches Lakebase Postgres database for AI era

Databricks has launched Lakebase, a fully managed Postgres database designed for AI applications, currently in Public Preview. It integrates an operational database layer into Databricks' Data Intelligence Platform, facilitating the development of data applications and AI agents in a multi-cloud environment. Lakebase uses Neon technology within a lakehouse architecture, allowing for efficient real-time data processing and scalable operations. Key features include independent scaling of compute and storage, low latency under 10 milliseconds, high concurrency over 10,000 queries per second, rapid launch times under a second, and a consumption-based payment model. It also offers data synchronization with lakehouse tables, an online feature store for machine learning, and is managed entirely by Databricks with built-in security features. During its Private Preview, Lakebase attracted participation from hundreds of enterprises across various sectors. It is supported by a partner network including Accenture, Deloitte, and others, and will receive further enhancements in the coming months.