feature Archives

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

PC RTS Game Game of Thrones: War for Westeros Slips to 2027 as PlaySide chases a Higher Quality Bar

PlaySide Studios has announced a delay in the release of Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, moving it from 2026 to early 2027 to maintain quality standards. Players will choose from four factions: House Stark, House Lannister, House Targaryen, or the Night King's Army. Each faction will feature iconic heroes with unique abilities that influence combat. The game will focus on enhanced physical feedback and unit behavior, allowing players to command squads that react dynamically to orders. Skirmishes will take place across various locations in Westeros, including a new map called Ashemark, designed for competitive 1v1 battles. Players can add the game to their wishlist on Steam.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

The best Mario Kart game gets free PC port, includes 200 tracks

Mario Kart Wiicompiled, an unofficial port of the original Mario Kart Wii, is set to be released next month by YouTuber Patchzy. This adaptation is designed for PC and features both controller and keyboard controls, moving away from the original's motion controls. Players will have access to all 32 classic tracks from Mario Kart Wii and over 200 additional tracks through the Retro Rewind feature. The port aims to maintain the original's graphics while allowing for potential enhancements, supporting uncapped framerate and 4K resolution. Mario Kart Wii was originally released in 2008, received a Metacritic score of 82/100, and sold over 37.38 million copies, making it one of the most successful titles on the Wii.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

Govt looking to tighten cybersecurity policy, frame common rules for messenger apps: MeitY Secretary

MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan emphasized the government's commitment to enhancing India's cybersecurity framework, highlighting the risks associated with rapid digitization. He noted the emergence of vulnerabilities exposed by platforms like Mythos and the importance of addressing these gaps. Ongoing discussions with U.S. counterparts focus on regular cybersecurity exercises and monitoring. Regarding the Tata Electronics cyber breach, the government is investigating, with preliminary findings suggesting no significant loss. Additionally, Krishnan mentioned that MeitY is reviewing feedback on username features for messaging platforms, specifically that WhatsApp has delayed its rollout until further discussions. MeitY is also examining Meta's response to the Child Sexual Abuse Material issue and is considering standardized regulations for all messaging applications.

Winsage

July 17, 2026

Microsoft is finally fixing the worst thing about Windows Search, but you can’t try it just yet

Microsoft is rolling out significant improvements to Windows Search for Insiders in the Experimental channel. The search home screen has been redesigned to eliminate clutter, replacing trending topics and promotional offers with a streamlined list of recent searches. Search results now clearly indicate their source, and promotional content has been removed from web results. Users can customize their experience by disabling web and Microsoft Store suggestions. Improvements in typo tolerance allow common misspellings to yield correct results, and local files and settings are prioritized more effectively. Support for two-character file searches has been introduced, and reliability fixes have been implemented to address crashes and loading issues. These updates are expected to be rolled out to the broader user base in the coming months.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

Google’s ‘Your info’ is finally starting to roll out to the Contacts app

Google is rolling out a new feature called “Your info” in version 4.83.13.940538822 of its Contacts app, allowing users to easily input and share essential details like phone numbers and email addresses. This feature is located at the top of the screen for quick access. Additionally, Google is developing an AirDrop-like feature called Tap to Share, which is not yet available but aims to simplify information sharing.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

Google Search’s AI Mode can now handle tasks beyond the search bar

Google Search has introduced AI Mode, allowing users in the United States to connect with third-party applications like Canva, YouTube Music, and Instacart. This feature enables users to streamline tasks such as designing invitations, compiling music playlists, and populating shopping carts by simply providing prompts. AI Mode processes requests and delivers results quickly, enhancing user convenience. Currently, the integration is limited to a few applications, but Google plans to expand partnerships to increase functionality.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

Minecraft 26.3 Snapshot 4 brings SDL3, and prefers Wayland on Linux

Minecraft 26.3 Snapshot 4 introduces significant technical advancements, including a transition from the GLFW library to the SDL3 library for improved window management, input handling, and platform integration. The update features Borderless Fullscreen as the default setting, allowing players to switch between Borderless and Exclusive Fullscreen without restarting the game. For Linux users, the game will now natively prefer Wayland when available, modernizing the experience on Linux platforms.

BetaBeacon

July 16, 2026

Google is better at playing the EU regulations game

The European Union has ordered Google to give its AI rivals greater access to Android, the open-source operating system.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

Instacart, YouTube Music join a Connected Apps expansion in Google’s AI Mode

Google has expanded its Connected Apps feature in AI Mode for U.S. users, integrating services like Instacart, YouTube Music, and Canva. Users can streamline grocery shopping with Instacart by selecting their preferred store, while YouTube Music integration allows for AI-assisted playlist creation. The feature enables users to incorporate Gemini into applications such as Gmail and Google Drive, enhancing functionality through direct app connections via Search. The introduction of Personal Intelligence in January allowed users to connect personal data across multiple applications, improving tasks like finding important dates or products. This expansion broadens the range of services available and enhances user engagement and satisfaction.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

DIY Steam Cartridges Bring Physical Game Media Back To PC With SSDs

A Reddit user developed a game cartridge system for Steam using individual SATA 2.5-inch 128GB SSD drives, allowing for tangible management of game libraries. This system, created by u/Jibril-sama, directs Steam to the corresponding game page upon SSD insertion and operates on a Linux base, with Windows compatibility lacking auto-navigation. Another user, u/halcyonforeveragain, showcased repurposed SD cards for use with the Steam Deck, enhancing game transfer capabilities. However, modern titles may require SSD performance for optimal gameplay, as traditional hard drives and standard SD cards may not meet the necessary speed. The cost for a 128GB SD card and USB4 card reader is about USD, while a 128GB SATA SSD with a docking station costs approximately USD. Customizing cartridges with art or labels is also suggested for a personalized gaming library.