family Archives

AppWizard

May 25, 2026

9 cool things about Paralives you won’t find in The Sims

Paralives has entered early access and offers several innovative features that distinguish it from The Sims 4. Key features include: - The ability to resize objects, allowing for customization in design. - A snap-free decorating system that enables free placement of items. - A color wheel for customizing clothing, hair, and furniture colors, with the option to save swatches. - Height sliders for creating characters of varying heights, enhancing realism and diversity. - A vegetarian toggle that does not consume a trait slot, simplifying character traits. - A needs-dependent skill progression system that requires characters' needs to be met for leveling up. - Special mood meters that provide unique emotional states based on characters' actions. - Townie requests inspired by farming simulators, offering daily tasks for rewards. - A museum feature for donating found items, encouraging exploration and collection.

AppWizard

May 25, 2026

8 New Free Games Now Available On Steam For You To Play

Steam has released a selection of new free games available for download, including: - Another Zombie Shooter: A real-time accuracy tracker rewards precision in this shooter game. - Mulligan Keep: A cooperative deck-building dungeon crawler for up to four players. - The Pinkman Files: A fast-paced, turn-based combat game with detective elements. - Crown Chaos: A multiplayer party game focused on gaining points by controlling zones. - Knockout Carnival: An online multiplayer party game with chaotic physics-based challenges. - Laser Harp VR: A game where players organize a live show using a laser harp instrument. - Divine Diner: A narrative game about a demigod seeking to find their godly father. - ICR - Multiplayer Car Racing: An online multiplayer racing game with high-speed competition.

Tech Optimizer

May 24, 2026

Malwarebytes review: One of the most user-friendly and comprehensive antivirus software suites

Malwarebytes is an antivirus software that offers various plans for consumers and businesses. The consumer plans include: - Standard Plan: Priced at /£29 for essential protection on a single device. - Plus Plan: Available for /£49 annually, includes high-speed VPN and anonymous browsing. - Ultimate/Total Plan: Priced at in the U.S. and £129 in the U.K., includes advanced features like social media monitoring and identity insurance up to million. - Family Plans: Starting from 9/£109 per year for multiple users. For businesses, plans start at for Sole Proprietors covering three devices, with the Small Office plan for 20 devices costing 2. Malwarebytes lacks cloud backup and parental controls, which some competitors offer. Independent testing rated Malwarebytes as "Certified" with high usability scores, but its malware detection was less impressive compared to Bitdefender and Norton 360. The software can be resource-intensive, impacting system performance, particularly during gaming. It offers three scanning modes: Threat Scan, Deep Scan, and Custom Scan, with the Threat Scan completing in 22 seconds and the Deep Scan taking over 14 minutes. Advanced features include a Digital Footprint tool, Scam Guard, a File Shredder, and a VPN. The interface is user-friendly, and 24/7 support is available via email and chat. Malwarebytes has a 60-day money-back guarantee.

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

Swatting hoax sees cops raid elderly Minecraft player’s home

Sue Jacquot, also known as GrammaCrackers, experienced a swatting incident on May 18 while she was asleep at home. Armed police officers responded to a false report, with around 20 police cars and five SWAT vans arriving at her residence. Jacquot's grandson noted the spectacle outside, and the responding officers treated her with respect, even requesting her autograph. One officer suspected the call was a hoax after seeing her livestreaming setup. Despite the incident, Jacquot resumed her Minecraft livestream the next morning, harvesting around 60 Nether warts for potions.

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

I hated multitasking on my Pixel — until I tried Android 17’s app bubbles

Software experience significantly influences smartphone appeal, with Google's Pixel series noted for its seamless interface. The recent Android 17 introduces features like app memory limits, enhanced controls, and improved location transparency, leading to the installation of its beta version on the Google Pixel 10a. A poll on multitasking preferences revealed that 17% prefer split screen, 57% switch between apps, and 27% barely multitask. The introduction of the bubbles feature in Android 17 enhances multitasking by allowing users to pin up to five apps simultaneously, facilitating quick access and seamless transitions between tasks. The user's setup includes Instagram, WhatsApp, Chrome, Slack, and YouTube Music, promoting a balanced work-life integration. The Pixel 10a is characterized by a flush camera design, good performance and battery life, strong cameras, and a promise of excellent software support. It features the Tensor G4 chip, a vibrant 120Hz display, and is priced at .99, with a commitment to seven years of software updates.

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

This Android gaming app might kill handheld PCs

GameNative allows users to play PC games on Android devices without an internet connection, supporting Steam titles, Epic Games Store, Good Old Games (GOG), and standalone game files. It features a known configs capability that optimizes game settings for better performance. The app's creator, Utkarsh Dalal, aims for GameNative to replace handheld PCs within two years, despite challenges related to compatibility with ARM-based chips. The Snapdragon 8 Elite and 8 Elite Gen 5 processors promise significant enhancements, and the release of Turnip drivers in early 2026 has improved gaming experiences on these devices. GameNative is free and open-source, with a monetization strategy focused on partnerships with game stores. It has recently added support for the Pixel 10 family, which uses an Imagination PowerVR GPU. The app collects user feedback to refine game configurations and plans to improve compatibility and support for third-party launchers.

AppWizard

May 23, 2026

NYC Mayor Mamdani Goes Live on Twitch, Blanks on Minecraft

New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani debuted on Twitch on May 21 with a show called "Talk with the People," where he interacted with New Yorkers and answered questions in real-time. During the stream, he was asked about playing Minecraft and admitted he had not played it, confusing it with a movie adaptation released earlier this year. Despite this moment, he addressed significant topics such as his 4.7 billion executive budget, changes to SNAP eligibility, and free childcare initiatives. The Twitch chat was chaotic, with viewers requesting him to play various games, including Minecraft, Fortnite, and Undertale. Mamdani's unfamiliarity with Minecraft was notable, given its popularity and cultural significance. His Twitch channel is available at nyc_mayor for future episodes.

Winsage

May 23, 2026

Announcing new builds for 22 May 2026

The Windows Insider Program is rolling out changes across various channels, with new builds of Windows 11 Insider Preview available. The transition for devices in the Canary 29500 Series Channel to the new experience has not yet begun. New features include: 1. Screen Tint: An accessibility feature that applies a color overlay to reduce screen intensity. 2. Narrator: Enhanced support for HID-compatible braille displays, allowing for plug-and-play functionality via USB or Bluetooth. 3. Voice Isolation in Voice Access: A feature that improves voice recognition by filtering out background noise, processing occurs privately on the device.

AppWizard

May 22, 2026

‘Minecraft’ Streamer GrammaCrackers Targeted in Swatting Incident During Charity Livestream

An 81-year-old "Minecraft" content creator known as GrammaCrackers experienced a swatting attack during a livestream, leading to a significant police response at her home. The false emergency report resulted in police vehicles, SWAT teams, and aerial surveillance units arriving at her residence. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and GrammaCrackers humorously reflected on the incident afterward. The online community has since rallied to support her fundraising efforts for her grandson's cancer treatment.

AppWizard

May 22, 2026

Minecraft-playing grandma swatted when livestreaming to raise funds for grandson’s cancer treatment

An 81-year-old Arizona grandmother, Sue Jacquot, known as “GrammaCrackers,” was involved in a swatting incident during a Minecraft fundraiser for her grandson's cancer treatment. Jacquot streamed her gameplay for 15 days to raise funds for her grandson, Jack Self, who has sarcoma cancer, garnering significant community support. On a recent Monday, police responded to a false report claiming Jacquot had been shot, leading to a tactical response from law enforcement. The malicious call falsely alleged that Jack had harmed his grandmother and threatened to take his own life. Despite the incident, Jacquot remains committed to her gaming and fundraising efforts. Police are investigating the swatting call.