Judge John Hodgman ruled that it is acceptable to play the game Slay the Spire 2 in bed, as long as both partners communicate and respect each other's boundaries.
The top five antivirus software packages for 2026 are:
1. Norton 360:
- Best overall antivirus software.
- First-year pricing: .99 for Standard, .99 for Deluxe, .99 for Select Plus.
- Features: Fastest scanner, uncapped VPN, robust firewall, 50 GB cloud backup, dark web monitoring, and a refund guarantee.
- Detection rate: 99.8% with three false alarms.
- Scan times: Quick scan in 58 seconds, full scan in 13 minutes and 22 seconds.
- Renewal prices: .99 for Standard, .99 for Deluxe, .99 for Select Plus.
2. Bitdefender:
- Best value and lightest on system resources.
- First-year pricing: .99 for Antivirus Plus, .99 for Total Security, .99 for Family.
- Features: Advanced Threat Defense, multi-layer ransomware remediation, Safepay banking browser.
- Detection rate: 99.8% with five false alarms.
- Scan times: Quick scan in 1 minute and 4 seconds, full scan in 14 minutes and 3 seconds.
- Renewal prices: .99 for Antivirus Plus, .99 for Total Security, .99 for Family.
3. Avast One:
- Best free antivirus and ideal for gamers.
- Free tier available; paid options start at .99 for the first year.
- Features: Modular features allowing users to activate only what they need.
4. NordVPN Threat Protection Pro:
- Best antivirus and VPN in one.
- Pricing starts at .49 per month on the Complete plan.
5. McAfee+:
- Best for unlimited devices and mobile.
- First-year pricing: .99 for unlimited devices.
- Features: Top-notch mobile applications.
Overall rankings are based on independent lab results, system impact, bundled features, two-year cost, and customer support. Norton 360 is rated 4.8/5, and Bitdefender is rated 4.7/5.
Windows has faced user dissatisfaction due to inconsistent user interface designs since Windows 8, which worsened with Windows 10. Windows 11, launched in 2021, introduced a consistent design language through the WinUI framework, modernizing various UI components and replacing older elements. Enhancements included a more consistent dark mode and updates to features like volume controls and context menus. Microsoft is revamping the File Properties dialog and the Start menu for improved speed and responsiveness while optimizing resource consumption. Context menus are also being redesigned for better customization and quicker access. Ongoing efforts aim to modernize legacy components of the OS, with a focus on performance and reduced memory usage.
Good Old Games (GOG) has launched the "Shooter Promo" sales event, running until August 15, featuring over 400 PC games focused on classic and contemporary shooters. Iconic titles such as Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Metro 2033, and Red Faction are available at significantly reduced prices. Highlights of the sale include:
- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault War Chest
- Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
- FEAR: Platinum
- FEAR 2
- BioShock Remastered
- BioShock 2
- RoboCop: Rogue City
- Far Cry
- Far Cry 2
- Stranglehold
- Metro 2033 Redux
- Metro Last Light
- Metro Exodus
- Clive Barker’s Undying
- Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
- Turok
- Turok 2
- Sin Gold
- Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
- Powerslave Exhumed
- Painkiller Black Edition
- Warhammer 40k: Fire Warrior
- Red Faction
- Warhammer 40k: Space Marine
GOG promotes a DRM-free model, allowing players to enjoy these titles offline.
The western blockbuster game development industry is facing significant challenges, including layoffs, studio closures, and a component shortage affecting hardware prices. Upcoming titles include Assassin's Creed Shadows, Doom: The Dark Ages, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in 2025, and this year's Forza Horizon 6, a new Wolverine game, and 007 First Light. Immersion in games is often linked to graphical fidelity, overshadowing alternative artistic styles. Culturally impactful games like Palworld, Peak, Phasmophobia, and Valheim feature distinctive visual styles. The evolution of graphics has improved but not significantly transformed the gaming experience. The anticipated release of GTA 6 may signal a shift away from the focus on graphical superiority, with skepticism about its impact due to hardware limitations. GTA 6 is expected to dominate discussions and sales, but may lead to a more grounded approach among studios. The traditional blockbuster model is becoming unsustainable, prompting studios to adapt to a changing market where high-end hardware is less accessible. This shift could foster growth and innovation, allowing for more complex gameplay experiences.
Advertising companies provide software development kits (SDKs) for mobile app monetization, which often automatically transmit users' location data to ad systems and location data brokers, raising privacy concerns. Many developers and users may be unaware of this data sharing. When developers allow SDKs to collect location data, it poses risks beyond targeted ads, including potential misuse by agencies like ICE and global surveillance.
Location data brokers harvest precise movements of individuals, often without their consent, through mobile applications. Some apps directly collaborate with data brokers, while others leak data through advertising SDKs during real-time bidding (RTB) auctions. An incident in 2025 revealed that many apps unknowingly contributed to a location data broker's database. Developers must understand their SDKs' location-sharing practices to mitigate risks.
Advertising SDKs can collect location data automatically once users grant permission, without specific permissions for the SDKs themselves. Precise location data can be collected when apps have location permissions, leading to potential privacy violations. Several SDKs have been identified as collecting location data by default, increasing the risk of unintentional data leaks.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) found that four advertising SDKs collect users' location data by default when location permissions are granted. InMobi encourages location sharing for higher revenue, while BidMachine updated its documentation after EFF's inquiry, confirming precise location data collection. Verve's SDK also collects location data by default but presents a cautious narrative in its Play Store guidance. Huawei's SDK recommends obtaining location permissions to enhance revenue, with default location sharing occurring if permissions are granted.
Location data can be shared without users' knowledge or meaningful consent, complicating informed consent issues. The focus on four SDKs does not imply that others adequately protect location data, as many have faced criticism for similar practices. Studies indicate that SDKs often encourage increased data collection through design and documentation, leading to minimal control for developers over data transmission.
The EFF's analysis highlights that advertising SDKs incentivize location data sharing through default settings and unclear documentation. Developers should assess third-party SDKs and disable unnecessary data collection. Regulators must hold developers accountable for unlawful data sharing, while legislators should enact laws to protect location privacy and address online behavioral advertising, which drives data tracking.
Microsoft has revised its guidance on RAM specifications for new PC builds, now recommending devices with 8 GB of RAM as sufficient for running Windows 11 efficiently. The company has removed references to the previous recommendation of 32 GB of RAM from its Windows Learning Center, which had been suggested for optimal performance and gaming experiences. This change follows backlash from gamers regarding the high costs of additional memory during a DRAM shortage. Microsoft is also enhancing the memory efficiency of Windows 11, focusing on optimizing the operating system for devices with 8 GB of RAM and above.
Mark Russinovich, the Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Azure, has created a project called DoomPaint, which allows the classic game DOOM to be displayed within Microsoft Paint. The game operates through the ViZDoom engine, rendering frames headlessly and transferring them to Paint via the Windows clipboard. DoomPaint features full keyboard controls, sound effects, and a MIDI soundtrack, maintaining a frame rate of around 35 FPS.
To run DoomPaint, users need to download the project from GitHub, ensure Python is installed, extract the folder, and run a batch file, which sets up a virtual environment and opens Microsoft Paint for gameplay. The default controls include movement with W/S or arrow keys, turning with A/D or arrow keys, strafing with Q/E, firing with Ctrl/F, and other functions assigned to different keys. The project uses the shareware DOOM1.WAD for the initial episode and additional maps from Freedoom due to licensing restrictions.
DoomPaint differs from previous attempts to integrate DOOM into Paint by using Paint’s canvas as the sole display for the game. The clipboard race condition was addressed by allowing the application to own the clipboard as a reference-counted OLE data object. Sound effects come from ViZDoom through OpenAL, and music is played using a separate module that loops through the Windows MIDI sequencer. Russinovich utilized Claude Fable 5 for this project, demonstrating how AI tools can enhance software development.
Midnight Club, an arcade street racing series from Rockstar, last released a title in 2008 with Midnight Club: Los Angeles. The series faced challenges that contributed to its decline, including missed development deadlines, conflicts between Rockstar's New York and San Diego studios, and the overshadowing focus on Grand Theft Auto. Former Rockstar designer Kris Roberts highlighted these issues in a recent interview, noting that the company's emphasis on blockbuster hits impacted the franchise's future.
