flight Archives

AppWizard

August 23, 2026

Weekend PC Game Deals: Flight Simulator, Stalker 2, Persona 5, and more

The Epic Games Store is giving away the game Cardpocalypse, developed by Gambrinous, until August 27. The Humble Store has launched several new bundles, including the Ready Player One and Two bundle, which features games like Mimesis and Killing Floor 3, and offers a second copy of each game for sharing. The Yes Chef Cooking Bundle includes titles such as Brewmaster and Food Truck Simulator, while the Summer Island Getaway collection features Islanders and its sequel. Green Man Gaming is offering a WB Games collection with titles like Middle Earth: Shadow of War for a discounted price. The GOG store has various discounts on DRM-free games available this weekend.

AppWizard

August 22, 2026

The latest cooperative craze is a physics-based fishing simulator where you can launch your catch into the air and no-scope it with a sniper rifle

How to Fish is a physics-based fishing simulator available on Steam for 1 to 4 players, allowing them to engage in absurd aquatic adventures. Players can launch fish into the air and shoot them with firearms, barbecue seagulls, and gamble their catches. The game features NPCs that provide quests and a variety of islands to explore, including larger marine life like sharks and king crabs. Feedback from the Steam community has been mostly positive, though some concerns about security issues have been raised. The game is currently offered at a discounted price of £4, down from £6.40, with the promotion ending on August 27.

AppWizard

August 21, 2026

These apps send texts at the rate of a pigeon

Roost Social and Carrier Pidge are mobile applications launched in April 2025 that allow users to send messages via carrier pigeons in a digital format. Roost features various birds and a turtle with different speeds, while Carrier Pidge focuses solely on pigeons. Roost was created by Logan Mendelsohn, who initially proposed the idea over a decade ago but revisited it in 2025, launching the app on April 30 after development. Noah Iarrobino spontaneously created Carrier Pidge within days, aided by AI tools. Both apps are free to download but include in-app purchases to cover operational costs. As of mid-August 2025, Roost has over 700,000 users, and Carrier Pidge has 76,000 users, reflecting a trend among younger demographics for simpler communication methods. Roost is available on both Apple and Google Play Stores, while Carrier Pidge is available only on the Apple App Store.

Tech Optimizer

August 18, 2026

Migrate Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL across major versions with active Debezium CDC connectors using native logical replication

Organizations using Debezium Change Data Capture (CDC) connectors on Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition face challenges during major database version upgrades. In-place upgrades require downtime, while blue/green deployments disrupt CDC event pipelines. A method using PostgreSQL's native logical replication allows migration between a source cluster (current version) and a target cluster (new major version) without a full connector re-snapshot. This approach minimizes risks of data loss and allows existing Debezium connectors to operate on the source during synchronization. The cutover process involves disabling the replication subscription, synchronizing sequences, creating a new Debezium replication slot on the target, and redirecting the connector, resulting in a brief pause for Kafka consumers. Prerequisites for this method include enabling logical replication on the source cluster, ensuring the target cluster is provisioned in the same VPC, and confirming that tables participating in CDC have primary keys. The process involves configuring parameter groups, creating publications, and establishing subscriptions for logical replication. During cutover, application writes are halted, and replication lag must be monitored to ensure it reaches zero before proceeding. After the cutover, ongoing monitoring of replication health and Kafka consumer offsets is necessary. Common failure scenarios include Aurora writer failover, Debezium connector stalls, large messages exceeding Kafka limits, DDL changes during synchronization, and long-running transactions blocking lag drain. Each scenario has specific symptoms, detection methods, and resolutions. Post-migration, organizations should establish monitoring for replication lag growth and Kafka consumer offset divergence. Automation can streamline the migration process for organizations managing multiple clusters, utilizing AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) constructs for cluster provisioning, schema replication, and cutover orchestration. After verifying stable operation on the target cluster, the old Debezium connector and source cluster can be decommissioned. Limitations include the absence of failover slots on Aurora PostgreSQL 17 and the need to handle TOAST columns appropriately.

Winsage

August 18, 2026

Announcing new builds for 17 August 2026

New Windows 11 Insider Preview builds have been released for the Beta and Experimental Channels. All new builds include renewed Windows Insider flight certificates, replacing those that expired on August 11, 2026, to ensure compatibility with software and future updates. There is an ongoing issue with the Feature Flags settings page appearing empty for Insiders in the Experimental channel, which is expected to be resolved in the next build. Notable new features include a redesigned Context Menu in File Explorer, aimed at improving speed and customization, and support for Emoji 17.0, which introduces new emojis and design adjustments for existing ones.

AppWizard

August 13, 2026

The Best Places to Buy and Rent PC Games Online in 2026

The digital landscape for purchasing PC games has evolved, offering various online stores for Linux, macOS, and Windows games, with some also featuring e-books, movies, and software. Notable platforms include Steam, Epic Games Store, Humble Bundle, and Xbox, each with diverse game libraries. Some publishers, like Blizzard and EA, initially required exclusive downloads but are now allowing games across multiple storefronts. Steam offers extensive titles and a Verified program for Steam Deck users, while GOG.com focuses on classic games and itch.io on indie titles. Consumers can purchase games from different platforms and use tools like CheapShark to compare prices and find deals.

AppWizard

August 13, 2026

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam (PC) Review

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam has officially launched after a series of open betas and a brief delay. Expression Games has adapted the 50 vs 50 first-person combat experience from World War II to the Vietnam War, featuring dynamic firefights, strategic planning, expansive maps, and historically accurate weaponry. The game combines elements of an arcade shooter and a military simulator, with gameplay that is faster and more fluid than its predecessor. Players can swim, climb ladders, and utilize helicopters, gunboats, logistics trucks, and tanks, although vehicle controls can be clunky. The game has visual and technical challenges, including texture popping and difficulty in differentiating maps due to similar appearances. Recent improvements have been made in hit detection and overall stability. The game has received positive feedback despite its challenges, offering a unique take on the franchise.

Winsage

August 10, 2026

Fixing Windows 11 now does not excuse letting it become a mess for decades

Windows 11 is undergoing enhancements, with many features currently exclusive to Windows Insiders and still in the mockup phase. Microsoft is overhauling the Windows 11 interface, integrating WinUI into components like the Start menu and File Explorer. Windows Insider participants must update their systems to a new build by August 11, 2026, to avoid expiration of builds and ensure automatic updates. Lenovo's latest BIOS update for the Legion Go gaming handheld has made some devices inoperable, prompting users to avoid the update. The modernization of Windows has been criticized for not being prioritized earlier, despite significant user feedback. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is currently in short supply, and the Dell XPS 14 has a price reduction of 0.

AppWizard

August 8, 2026

5 Hit PC Games No One Remembers Today

Black & White is a pioneering title from Electronic Arts where players act as a deity influencing civilizations through kindness or tyranny, featuring innovative design and strategic systems. Planescape: Torment, developed by Black Isle and published by Interplay, immerses players in the city of Sigil as The Nameless One, focusing on dialogue for conflict resolution rather than combat, offering rich narratives and characters. Myth: The Fallen Lords, developed by Bungie, is a real-time tactics game where players command a squad against dark forces, emphasizing real-time combat without resource management and featuring an innovative physics engine. Nox, released in 2000, is an action role-playing game where players control Jack in a fantasy realm, offering three distinct classes and a deep magic system, encouraging replayability and featuring multiplayer mode. FreeSpace 2, released by Volition and Interplay, is a space combat game known for its epic battles, a variety of ships and weapons, and exhilarating dogfighting mechanics, remaining a notable title in the space flight genre nearly three decades later.

AppWizard

August 6, 2026

Google Maps just added a feature that lets you order food without leaving the app

Google Maps is launching the Ask Maps initiative, which includes a food ordering feature allowing users to order meals directly from the app while navigating. This feature will initially be available in the U.S. and partners include Square, Toast, and Uber Eats, with DoorDash also involved. Users can ask for specific dishes, and the app will find nearby restaurants along their route. Additionally, Google Maps will introduce a Personal Intelligence feature that connects with Gmail and Calendar for personalized recommendations based on users' plans. The live Transit widget will provide real-time updates on transportation delays, and users can contribute information to Maps through a conversational interface. The food ordering feature and hotel/event discovery will debut in the U.S. and expand to other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, and Mexico, while being available in English across over 150 countries and territories.