environment Archives

Winsage

July 1, 2026

🚨 Windows users, don’t let a $9.97 Pro upgrade pass you by

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is available for .97, down from 9, as part of the Extended Deal Days event, valid until 11:59 p.m. PT today. Key features include BitLocker, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and Azure AD Support. User experience enhancements include Snap Layouts, Copilot, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and Biometric Sign-In. The purchase is a one-time fee, and users should verify compatibility with Microsoft's PC Health Check app.

AppWizard

July 1, 2026

KFTC accuses Google of abusing Android app dominance, may face $9.1bn fine

South Korea's competition regulator, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), has accused Google of using its dominant position in the Android apps market to suppress competition, potentially leading to significant financial penalties. The KFTC estimates that Google's practices have revenue implications of 14.16 trillion won (approximately .1 billion). The investigation centers on the Games/Google Velocity Program, also known as "Project Hug," which allegedly provided financial incentives to game developers for launching titles exclusively on the Google Play store. This program reportedly discouraged developers from distributing their games through competing platforms, particularly OneStore. If the KFTC finds that Google abused its market position, the company could face fines of up to 6% of the affected revenue, around 0 million. Google will have eight weeks to respond to the evidence against it, and the KFTC plans to expedite a final decision while respecting Google's due process rights.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

ESA Claims Private Minecraft Servers Are ‘Illegal’ and ‘Piracy’ in Stop Killing Games Hearing

The California State Senate hearing on the Protect Our Games Act raised questions about the legality of private Minecraft servers. Assemblyman Chris Ward noted that games like Minecraft and Call of Duty have successfully used community servers, while Jennifer Gibbons from the ESA argued that these servers are illegal and unapproved by Microsoft, labeling them as piracy. Gibbons stated that the ESA has two lawsuits against private servers for infringing on intellectual property rights. In contrast, Minecraft's official stance encourages the creation of third-party servers, which are vetted for compliance with community standards. The ESA maintains that private servers infringe on publishers' rights. The USTR's Notorious Market Report referenced by Gibbons does not specifically target community servers for connecting friends but focuses on those bypassing subscription services. The Protect Our Games Act did not advance but will be reconsidered. An ESA representative later clarified that private servers hosting copyrighted content without authorization infringe on publishers' rights and highlighted concerns about safety standards on these platforms.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

Private Minecraft servers violate the law and resemble a “black market” – according to the Entertainment Software Association

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has declared private Minecraft servers illegal, equating them to a "black market" for video games and considering them a form of piracy. The ESA is pursuing legal action against the owners of these private servers. However, Microsoft and Mojang Studios, the creators of Minecraft, do not fully share the ESA's perspective, as many fan-driven projects have thrived in a more lenient environment. Microsoft has not officially commented on the ESA's statements regarding private servers.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

Minecraft Marketplace Summer Sale cuts prices on 300 in-game items

The Minecraft Marketplace Summer Sale offers discounts of up to 33% on over 300 select items, including add-ons, skins, texture packs, and adventures for Minecraft Bedrock Edition. The sale features items like the Biomes O’ Plenty add-on, which adds over 50 unique biomes, and the RealismCraft add-on, which enhances visuals with new mobs and weather effects. The Naturalist 26.1 add-on introduces realistic animals, while the Eternal End add-on reimagines the End Dimension with new biomes and items. The sale is live in the UK from June 30, 2023, at 6 PM BST until July 28, 2026, at 6 PM BST.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

Pick up Arc Raiders for less than $25 on Fanatical ahead of its next big update

Arc Raiders is an extraction shooter game developed by Embark, designed to be more accessible for newcomers compared to other titles like Escape From Tarkov. It is currently available at a 30% discount on Fanatical, with the standard edition priced at .49 and the deluxe edition at .39. The deluxe edition includes exclusive content such as the Wanderer Set, which features the Valente Outfit, Pathfinder Backpack, Blanket Roll Backpack Attachment, Finger Gun Rapid Fire Emote, Cowboy Scrappy Body Type and Skin, and 2,400 Raider Tokens. Updates for the game will now be released biannually, with significant changes expected in October, including a new map and new weapons.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Windows 11 has three new optional updates worth installing

Microsoft has released three optional updates for Windows 11: KB5095186, KB5095615, and KB5102558. - KB5095186 is for Windows 11 26H1 on Snapdragon X2 systems and upgrades the Windows recovery environment (WinRE) to version 10.0.28000.2335. - KB5095615 also improves the WinRE, updating it to version 10.0.26100.8737. - KB5102558 refines Windows setup binaries and related files for feature updates. These updates can be accessed through Windows Update in the Settings app, and no restart is required after installation.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

Minecraft Dappled Forest Guide: How to Find, Structures, and More

The Dappled Forest biome in Minecraft is a new cold biome characterized by colorful Poplar trees, red shrubs, and shelf mushrooms, designed to evoke the essence of autumn with warm hues. It features Poplar trees in red, orange, or yellow, fallen Poplar trees, shelf mushrooms, red shrubs, leaf litter, brown mushrooms, and abandoned camps. Players can find this biome near colder areas like snowy tundras and taigas, and it includes various animal mobs such as sheep, cold chickens, cold cows, cold pigs, rabbits, and foxes.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Microsoft 365 apps downloaded via MS Store is losing support on Windows 11, verify if you’re affected

Microsoft has announced the end of support for the Microsoft Store version of Microsoft 365 Apps. Support for this installation type will cease, with new feature updates ending in October 2025 and security updates concluding in December 2026. Users with the Store installation must upgrade to the Click-to-Run installation type. The Store installation uses Appx packaging and aligns updates with Windows Update, resulting in slower feature rollouts, while Click-to-Run allows for faster updates and better enterprise management. The transition to Click-to-Run is necessary due to limitations in the Store installation, including a lack of support for XML configuration and essential enterprise management tools. Users can check their installation type through the Account section of any Microsoft 365 app. Transitioning to Click-to-Run involves downloading the Office Deployment Tool, which will automatically remove the Store version and reinstall Office using Click-to-Run. IT administrators can also use the Office Deployment Tool for automatic transitions across multiple devices.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

New VR Games July 2026: Quest, PlayStation VR2, PC VR & More

As of July, several new VR games and downloadable content are set to be released across platforms like Meta Quest, Steam, and PlayStation VR2. Key upcoming releases include: - Enigmo - July 7 (PC VR) - Geronimo - July 10 (PC VR) - Fixer Undercover - July 16 (PC VR) - Roboquest VR - July 23 (Quest 3) - Puzzles of the World - July 23 (Quest 3) - Cybercore Protocol - July 26 (Quest) - Hyperstacks - July 30 (Steam) - Streets of Miami VR - July 30 (Steam) Additionally, the UploadVR Summer Showcase Humble Bundle is active until July 8, with discounts on various titles. The Steam Summer Sale and Meta Quest Summer Sale are also ongoing, with PlayStation VR2 expected to participate later in July.