Heart Archives

Winsage

June 29, 2025

Microsoft Confirms 2 Free Offers—Windows Users Must Now Choose

Microsoft has abandoned its October deadline for Windows 10, affecting approximately 700 million users who can choose to remain on Windows 10 or upgrade to Windows 11. About 400 million users are eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11, while around 240 million cannot upgrade due to hardware requirements. Users can extend support for Windows 10 until October 2026 through cloud backup, redeeming rewards points, or paying a nominal fee. Windows 10 will receive security updates for the next 12 months, but Windows 11 offers enhanced security features. Microsoft emphasizes the importance of upgrading to Windows 11 for better security. Concerns exist about user inertia and the potential slowdown in upgrade momentum. The extended support tool will soon be available to all users, and those unable to upgrade are advised to utilize it.

AppWizard

June 28, 2025

Dying Light continues celebrating its 10th anniversary with a big graphical facelift, but don’t you dare call it a remaster

Dying Light is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a year-long series of festivities, including the release of the first downloadable content (DLC) in four years and a significant update called the "Retouched" edition. This update features higher resolution textures, improved clouds and skyboxes, enhanced shadow quality, and a fully remastered soundtrack. The developer, Techland, clarified that the Retouched edition is not a remaster but an enhancement of the existing game. Additionally, Dying Light: The Beast, featuring the protagonist Kyle Crane with new superpowers, is set to launch in a couple of months.

Winsage

June 28, 2025

Mercedes-AMG Might Be Having a Windows Vista Moment With These Four-Cylinder Hybrids

Microsoft's Windows Vista, released in 2007, faced significant user dissatisfaction due to performance issues, compatibility problems, and crashes, despite its advanced features. Similarly, Mercedes-AMG's introduction of four-cylinder plug-in hybrid vehicles has led to discontent among enthusiasts, who miss the auditory excitement typical of high-performance cars. Reports indicate that Mercedes is shifting back to inline-sixes and V8 engines due to this disconnect with traditional customers. The four-cylinder AMG models, launched in 2022, may have a short legacy, with fewer than 100,000 units sold. AMG's boss, Michael Schiebe, acknowledged the need for better communication about the technology to customers and salespeople. The criticisms of the new models highlight a lack of the expected sound experience that performance car enthusiasts value.

AppWizard

June 27, 2025

Today’s Android app deals and freebies: Conquistadorio, Super Onion Boy 2, Kero Blaster, more

Today, there are various game and app deals for Android users, including a 0 discount on the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, a complimentary credit towards the Galaxy Z Flip and Fold 7, and a 0 Amazon gift card with the purchase of a new Samsung OLED Smart Monitor. The Google Pixel Tablet is also available at a reduced price of 0 off. Notable app discounts include Conquistadorio, Super Onion Boy 2, Kero Blaster, and To the Moon. Customers can reserve free credit for upcoming Samsung products like the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Fold 7, and Galaxy Watch 8. Conquistodoro is described as a point-and-click adventure game that involves unraveling mysteries and solving puzzles.

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

4K Blu-ray Review: A Minecraft Movie

A Minecraft Movie is the highest-grossing Hollywood film of 2025, with ticket sales reaching 0 million and poised to cross the billion threshold. The film features Jack Black as the voice of Steve, who embarks on a journey in the Overworld after discovering the Orb of Dominance. Despite its humorous tone and strong visual and audio presentation, the film lacks character development and fails to explore deeper themes related to creativity and adulthood. It includes supporting characters like Garrett, Henry, and Natalie, but their potential is not fully realized. The 4K Blu-ray release includes special features such as behind-the-scenes content and actor experiences with the game.

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

Newzoo: Top 20 PC/Console Games of May 2025 by Revenue and MAU

In May, three new titles entered the revenue rankings: Elden Ring Nightreign (4th place), DOOM: The Dark Ages (9th), and FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time (20th). Elden Ring Nightreign sold over 3.5 million copies across six markets. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 returned to the top 10, while Destiny 2 jumped 30 positions to 11th place due to pre-orders for its expansion. On PlayStation, F1 25 debuted at 15th place, and on Xbox, RoadCraft entered at 18th. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was not listed on Xbox due to Game Pass availability. On PC, Helldivers II returned to the top 20 at 19th place after an update. For Nintendo Switch, FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time was the only newcomer, with ten Nintendo titles remaining in the top 20. In MAU rankings, DOOM: The Dark Ages reached 16th place, and Elden Ring Nightreign appeared in the top 20 on PC. Star Wars: Battlefront II re-entered the top 20 due to promotional discounts, and Helldivers II climbed to 14th place in MAU rankings.

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

A Minecraft Movie (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

A Minecraft Movie, directed by Jared Hess, is set to release on June 24, 2025, featuring a cast that includes Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, and Danielle Brooks. The story follows four characters—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers), and Dawn (Brooks)—who are transported to the Overworld, where they must team up with Steve (Black) to fend off threats while trying to return home. The film showcases vibrant visuals in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, accompanied by a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release includes special features such as behind-the-scenes featurettes and interviews. A Minecraft Movie is available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital from Legendary Pictures & Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

Stalker 2’s 1.5 mega-patch just dropped and GSC says A-Life is back, baby

GSC Game World has released a substantial update for Stalker 2, called the "Guns and Looting update" (version 1.5). This update revives the A-Life system, allowing NPCs to lead their own lives, pursue individual goals, and engage in conflicts. NPCs will no longer respawn directly in front of players, enhancing realism. The update also introduces new features, including a new rifle and pistol, a "Water electric tornado" anomaly, and the ability to loot parts from mutants.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

Mario Kart 64 races onto PC with unofficial port, no emulation necessary

UltraHLE enabled players to run commercial Nintendo 64 games at playable frame rates on Windows 9x. The Harbour Masters collective has developed SpaghettiKart, an unofficial PC port of Mario Kart 64, by decompiling and recompiling the original game code for contemporary platforms, including Windows, Linux (Ubuntu 22), and Nintendo Switch. Players must provide their own Mario Kart 64 ROM and use "Spaghettify.exe" to load the game. SpaghettiKart currently supports only the US version and offers three rendering APIs: DirectX 11 for Windows, Metal for macOS, and OpenGL for other platforms. The port allows for custom assets and mods, although it is still in development and may have occasional crashes. Mario Kart 64 is the second-best-selling title for the Nintendo 64, with nearly 9.87 million copies sold globally. SpaghettiKart utilizes Libultraship, a library that reimplements Nintendo 64 SDK functions on modern machines.

Winsage

June 22, 2025

With 114 days left until Windows 10 support is ditched, Windows 11 enjoys a last-minute surge in upgrades

Microsoft plans to discontinue support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, despite a strong preference for it among users. As of June 2025, Windows 10's market share dropped from 66% to 49%, while Windows 11's share increased from 29% to over 47%. The gap between the two operating systems has narrowed to 1%. Microsoft has implemented full-screen reminders to encourage users to upgrade to Windows 11, branding 2025 as the "year of the Windows 11 PC refresh." Windows 11 adoption has increased, but many PCs are unable to upgrade due to stringent minimum system requirements, which include a 64-bit processor, at least 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot, and TPM version 2.0. Microsoft introduced a new category of Windows 11 PCs called Copilot+ PCs, which feature advanced capabilities and security measures. Starting October 14, 2025, users on Windows 10 will not receive free updates, leaving them vulnerable to security risks. Users whose PCs do not meet the requirements for Windows 11 can either buy new machines or subscribe to the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for continued support. Enterprise users will pay £48 for the first year of ESU, increasing to £192 for the third year, while consumers can access it for £24 for an additional year. Some users are exploring alternatives like Linux or ChromeOS Flex for older hardware.