limitations Archives

AppWizard

June 26, 2025

These Three Messaging Apps Are Encrypted, but One Stands Above the Rest

Telegram is a cloud-based messaging service that collects and retains metadata, including IP addresses. In 2024, Telegram updated its privacy policy to allow sharing of user data with law enforcement upon valid requests, leading to 900 information requests from U.S. authorities affecting 2,253 individuals. The platform has experienced data breaches, including a 2020 leak of data from approximately 42 million Iranian users and a 2019 incident involving the exposure of Hong Kong protestors' identities. Telegram supports public channels that lack end-to-end encryption, allowing anyone on the platform to view content. It offers secret chats with end-to-end encryption, but these can only be accessed on the user's device. The platform features an automatic message deletion option with a minimum interval of one day and a self-destruct feature for accounts, messages, and contacts after specified inactivity periods. Telegram's client applications are open-source, but the server-side code is closed-source. The company's cloud servers are encrypted, and encryption keys are stored across various jurisdictions. Telegram operates on a freemium model, providing additional features through a paid subscription while displaying ads in public channels with over 1,000 subscribers. The app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store at no cost.

Winsage

June 26, 2025

4 beloved features from Windows history that Windows 11 got rid of

Users have expressed dissatisfaction with Windows 11 due to the removal of familiar features. Key grievances include the elimination of local accounts, which required users to create Microsoft accounts for access; a static Start menu that lacks customization options; a Taskbar with reduced customization capabilities; and a revamped right-click menu that is more minimalist and less intuitive. Many users feel that these changes have made the operating system less user-friendly and hope for the reinstatement of beloved features.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

How to create custom AI stickers on a Google Pixel phone

Google has introduced the Pixel Studio app for the Pixel 9 series, allowing users to access custom AI-generated images and stickers. The custom AI stickers feature was launched with the June 2025 Pixel Feature Drop and is exclusive to the Google Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9a, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This functionality is available for devices set to English, Japanese, or German. Users must update to Android 16 and may need to update Gboard and Pixel Studio via the Google Play Store to access the feature. To create custom AI stickers, users can open the keyboard in any app, tap the emoji symbol, press the AI sticker button, and follow the prompts to generate and save their stickers. Custom AI stickers cannot depict anything resembling a person. The base-model Google Pixel 9 supports the latest AI innovations, including custom AI stickers.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

Minecraft Clone Manages With Nothing But HTML + CSS

Benjamin Aster has created a 3D Minecraft clone using only CSS and HTML, without any JavaScript. The project consists of approximately 40,000 lines of HTML and fewer than 500 lines of CSS. Each block in the 9x9x9 world is represented by a combination of HTML elements, with CSS managing the display based on user interactions. Users can click on blocks to change their types, which alters the visible labels. The 3D effect is achieved through CSS animations that can be controlled by the user. The complete code is available on GitHub.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

Forget about Steam in the Xbox PC app — I want Game Pass in the app I actually use

Microsoft plans to integrate the Xbox PC app with leading PC gaming stores to streamline access to games, allowing users to manage their libraries from a single location. This update is currently available to Xbox Insiders for testing and may roll out more broadly with the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X later this year. Users will be able to launch games from Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net, and other significant PC storefronts, but Steam is not included in this initial list. The Xbox app has faced criticism for its usability compared to Steam, with issues like bugs and slow download speeds. The primary barrier to bringing PC Game Pass to Steam is likely financial, as Valve takes a percentage of transactions on its platform. As of February 2024, Game Pass has 34 million subscribers across Xbox and PC. The new game aggregation feature in the Xbox PC App is being rolled out, allowing users to select which third-party storefronts to display.

Winsage

June 25, 2025

Here’s the secret behind Microsoft’s AI agents — meet Mu, the compact AI model transforming Settings on your PC

Microsoft has introduced a small language model named "Mu" to enhance AI agents in the Windows 11 Settings app. This model operates on Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and is designed to automate tasks on users' PCs with granted permissions. Mu was developed with attention to NPU memory constraints, ensuring efficient operation through NPU-optimized processes. The model aims for ultra-low latency, achieving response times under 500 milliseconds, and is integrated into the search box of the Settings app. Currently, AI agents powered by Mu are being tested among Windows Insiders, who can also explore an update to the Recall app.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

King of Meat’s dungeon maker mode won’t offer the Minecraft-esque freedom, says Glowmade co-founders: ‘Sometimes the best creativity comes from having limitations’

Glowmade's co-founders discussed the creative framework of their upcoming game, King of Meat, particularly its Create mode, which features intentional design limitations to enhance players' creative learning experiences. The game does not provide a completely freeform environment but instead offers a structured approach that simplifies the creative process. Players can tweak various behaviors within the game to encourage experimentation while focusing on creating enjoyable content. The development team aims to communicate the nuances of fun gameplay through visual language and tools. King of Meat is in development for multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch, but does not have an official release date yet.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

I stored a file inside Pokémon Emerald’s in-game PC so you don’t have to

Pokémon Emerald allows for data storage through a tool called mon-fs, which encodes files as Pokémon. Each Pokémon carries 68 bits of data, including attributes like species and gender. The mon-fs tool has two modes: Lite, which stores files up to 3.2 KB, and Full, which supports files up to 10.8 KB but requires a save editor. Players can effectively use four Pokémon—Poochyena, Whismur, Taillow, and Nincada—for data storage, each having a 20% or higher appearance rate on Route 116. A web utility assists users in capturing and naming Pokémon to represent their data, but the process is time-consuming and not efficient for file transfer.

Winsage

June 24, 2025

I refuse to upgrade to Windows 11, here’s what I’m doing instead

An old PC with a decade-old motherboard continues to perform basic tasks but struggles with gaming and faces the end of support for Windows 10 in October. The user is not upgrading to Windows 11 due to dissatisfaction with its features and customization limitations. They are considering alternatives, including sticking with Windows 10, which feels temporary, or trying Linux Mint. After a trial run with Linux Mint, the user found the transition seamless and appreciated its customizability and community support. As the end of Windows 10 approaches, the user sees Linux Mint as a stable and personalized computing option.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

Mario Kart 64 Has Been Unofficially Ported To PC With Ultrawide Support

Nintendo remains focused on its consoles, while the fan community has ported Mario Kart 64 to PC under the name SpaghettiKart. The Harbour Masters development team reverse-engineered the original game's code, enhancing it with modern graphics options like ultrawide screen support, 4K resolution, and higher frame rates. SpaghettiKart also allows players to create custom race courses and increase CPU difficulty. Harbour Masters has previously developed PC ports for Star Fox 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, using "clean codes" that do not include original Nintendo 64 code. Players need legally sourced ROMs to use these ports. Earlier this year, the community ported Minecraft to Super Mario 64, compatible with PC emulators and original Nintendo 64 consoles. The latest official Mario Kart entry, Mario Kart World, launched for the Nintendo Switch 2.