improvements Archives

BetaBeacon

June 4, 2025

Dolphin emulator hits a milestone as the full Wii catalog is now playable

Dolphin emulator release 2506 includes improvements to address audio stuttering on lower-end machines, fixes for frame pacing issues, new anisotropic filtering options for graphics, ability to emulate games beyond 60fps, full compatibility with GameCube and Wii catalogs, and new features for Android users.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Epic cops to the Epic Games Store sucking for the 2nd time in a month as it proudly announces its money-hose has spaffed over $2 billion

Steve Allison, general manager of the Epic Games Store (EGS), acknowledged ongoing challenges in improving the platform, stating that there is still significant work to be done. Upcoming features aimed at enhancing the EGS include preloading, gifting options, and game-independent voice and text chat. Despite these improvements, the EGS struggles to match basic functionalities offered by Steam, which may not be enough to attract users already invested in Valve's ecosystem. Epic has disbursed over a billion dollars to developers and publishers and offers a revenue-sharing model with a 12% cut, compared to Valve's 30%, along with a 0% fee for games until they reach a million in revenue. However, convincing players to switch to the EGS remains challenging due to the large libraries they have already built on Steam.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Google Unveils Gemini Nano for On-Device AI in Android Apps

Google has updated the Gemini Nano APIs through the ML Kit, introducing new GenAI APIs that allow developers to perform on-device inference for generative AI capabilities in Android applications. These APIs enhance user privacy by executing all operations locally, eliminating cloud processing costs. Features include summarization of articles up to 3,000 words, proofreading for grammatical accuracy, rewriting text in various tones, and generating image descriptions. The GenAI APIs are optimized for Android devices using MediaTek Dimensity, Qualcomm Snapdragon, and Google Tensor platforms, including the Pixel 9 series and Samsung Galaxy S25. They operate without internet connectivity, ensuring rapid response times and improved performance for tasks like summarization and proofreading. The local processing also enhances privacy and security, protecting sensitive user information with safety protocols.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

Minecraft Movie Streaming Soon on Max With Sources Pointing To June Date

The Minecraft Movie is set to stream on Max, with a potential release date of June 20, 2025, although this has not been officially confirmed by Warner Bros. Discovery. The film, directed by Jared Hess and featuring Jason Momoa, premiered in theaters on May 30, 2025. It will be available for digital purchase or rental on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Physical editions (4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD) are scheduled for release on June 24, 2025. In 2025, Minecraft modpacks are evolving, with a focus on technical modpacks and new gameplay experiences. Notable modpacks include "Biohazard: Project Genesis" and "Multiversal Archeology," which emphasize automation and resource gathering. Popular modpacks are introducing intricate quest systems, performance optimizations, and visual enhancements, including high-definition textures and dynamic lighting. Tools like CurseForge and packwiz are streamlining modpack creation and sharing. The Bedrock Edition has seen new modpacks like "Elemental Horizons" and "Survival Evolution." "Technological Frontiers 4" is currently the top-rated modpack on CurseForge. The 1.21 update has influenced modpack developments, leading to new dungeon exploration themes.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

The worst part of Elden Ring Nightreign, like all multiplayer games, is that you need to rely on the kindness and intelligence of strangers

A player in Elden Ring reflected on their gaming experience while lying in the sand, feeling defeated after their teammates focused on attacking Gnoster, leaving them behind. They expressed a desire for a voice chat feature to communicate with their last standing teammate and noted the challenges of multiplayer dynamics. The player acknowledged both the frustrations and joys of teamwork, emphasizing the benefits of strategizing with friends during boss encounters. They mentioned FromSoftware's efforts to address single-player mode difficulties and remained hopeful for improved communication options in the game. The player continues their quest, seeking friends to share the gaming experience.

Winsage

June 3, 2025

Windows 11 news and updates: Sora video AI comes to Bing while USB-C changes will make all of our lives easier

Microsoft has made adjustments to Windows 11 and Windows 10 to comply with the Digital Markets Act for users in the European Economic Area, including stopping prompts to set Edge as the default browser and automatically pinning users' preferred browsers to the Taskbar. The optional update KB5058499 (OS Build 26100.4202) for Windows 11, released on May 28, 2025, improves gaming stability and includes upgrades to AI tools. OpenAI's Sora AI model is now available globally in the Bing Video Creator within the Bing mobile app. Notepad has added support for Markdown syntax. Microsoft has committed that all USB-C ports on Windows 11 will support data, charging, and display functionalities, with USB4 ports being compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 peripherals. The release date for Windows 11 version 25H2 is anticipated between September and October 2025.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

Singleplayer Elden Ring Nightreign is no longer hell to play, but it’s still a compromised game of 30-minute boss runbacks

The author, known as Mr. Antisocial Souls, typically prefers solo gaming, especially with FromSoftware titles, but found Elden Ring Nightreign's multiplayer aspect engaging. Initially expecting to play solo, they discovered that the single-player experience highlighted the game's flaws. Recent patches have improved solo gameplay, making it more enjoyable, although challenges remain, such as navigating the interface and dealing with punishing RNG. The game’s boss encounters are designed for teams, making solo play feel more difficult and disheartening. Improvements include balanced self-revivals and enemy health adjustments, enhancing solo playability. However, the author suggests limiting solo play to 15% of total gaming time for optimal enjoyment, as the experience is better with a team.

Winsage

June 2, 2025

Make USB-C great again: Microsoft requires full functionality of all PC ports for Windows 11 certificate

Microsoft has announced an update to its Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) for Windows 11, introducing a new standard for USB-C ports. All certified devices must support data transfer, charging, and video output through their USB-C ports. Laptops with 40 Gbps USB ports will be required to support USB4 and Thunderbolt 3. The updates are effective for devices shipping with the Windows 11 24H2 update and will mandate the use of certified chips from USB-IF, along with Microsoft's own USB controller driver. These changes aim to eliminate inconsistencies in USB-C functionality across devices, providing users with reliable port performance by 2025.

Tech Optimizer

June 2, 2025

Postgres Pro OpenTelemetry сollector

Alexey has developed the pgpro-otel-collector, an OpenTelemetry collector by PostgresPro, designed to gather metrics and logs from PostgreSQL databases. It collects PostgreSQL metrics using an internal metrics library, OS-level metrics such as CPU and memory usage, and PostgreSQL logs in CSV and JSON formats. The collector includes internal processors for batch processing and supports exporting to OTLP-compatible backends like Elasticsearch and Prometheus. Installation is straightforward, requiring configuration of the Postgres connection and data destination. The collector can gather a range of PostgreSQL statistics and supports advanced features like CFS and pg_wait_sampling. Future enhancements include support for additional system views, integration with Shardman and BiHA, collection of custom query-based metrics, and a Grafana dashboard. Alexey's background includes experience with various monitoring tools and a focus on PostgreSQL, leading to the creation of this collector.

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

Elden Ring’s first major patch sees FromSoft belatedly admit singleplayer is all sorts of unfair, adds an auto-resurrect and buffs the levelling curve

Elden Ring Nightreign presents significant challenges, particularly in single-player mode, which players have found to be especially difficult. A new patch has been released to improve the solo experience and enhance performance for the Steam version. All players must install this patch to play online. Despite the adjustments, many still find survival in the game daunting, and some players have successfully completed it solo before the patch. There is a sentiment among players for the introduction of an easy mode in the game.