media Archives

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Kinzoo Messenger offers users a Dog Man experience

Kinzoo Messenger is a free social media application for children and families, launched in 2020, with over a million downloads in countries including the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The platform focuses on providing a safe environment for kids to connect through talk, text, and games. Its monetization strategy includes in-app currency for purchasing stickers, brand partnerships, and a paid subscription tier for exclusive content. Kinzoo has engaged children through collaborations with popular intellectual properties, achieving significant engagement metrics, such as 423,000 opt-ins for Rovio's Angry Birds and 321,000 for the Dog Man campaign within 20 days. The platform allows children to choose which brands to engage with, providing a secure alternative amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of traditional media.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

“Failed opportunity for a square shoe”: Internet jokes as Crocs drop a ‘Minecraft’ shoe collection

Crocs has announced a collaboration with Minecraft, resulting in a shoe collection that appeals to fans of all ages. The collection has generated excitement on social media, with users humorously suggesting the shoes should have a square design to match Minecraft's blocky aesthetic. Many fans expressed their eagerness to purchase the clogs, with some noting that the primary market will likely be children. The collection will also include clogs with heels. Crocs has previously collaborated with The Beatles and Monsters Inc., and has a Dragon Ball Z collection set to debut next week. The Minecraft collection is scheduled to launch on March 4, 2025.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Messenger rolls out new safety, useful, and fun features

Meta has updated Messenger with new features focusing on privacy, usability, and enjoyment. Privacy and safety updates include the View Once Media option for single-view media messages, screenshot and screen recording blocks, in-app scam alerts via Spam Protection, and streamlined reporting and blocking of suspicious contacts. Usability improvements consist of HD photo sharing, enhanced HD video calls, noise-suppressed audio for clearer calls, and Siri integration for easier navigation. Expressive features allow users to personalize chats with themes, add music to notes, and use new sticker packs, including the Butterbear stickers. Social features encourage community building through Messenger Communities, enabling topic-based chats via QR codes, and engaging with public figures through Broadcast Channels.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Check out a Trailer for ‘Minecraft: The Manga’

Minecraft: The Manga, Vol. 1, published by VIZ Media, features a young adventurer named Nico who faces challenges in a world filled with zombies, including a unique speaking zombie. A free preview of the manga is available for fans.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

Buckle up: Android Automotive has 70 new apps to keep you entertained (in the parking lot)

Google will soon introduce nearly 70 new applications for Android Automotive, increasing the total number of available apps to nearly 300. The new apps include popular streaming and gaming titles like Farm Heroes Saga, Paramount Plus, Plex, F1 TV, Red Bull TV, and NBC News. These apps will only function when the vehicle is parked to ensure safety. Android Automotive is an embedded operating system in vehicles, distinct from Android Auto, which connects a phone to a vehicle. Currently, around 100 vehicle models feature Android Automotive, including the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, 2023 Honda Accord, 2025 Ford Explorer, and 2024 Nissan Rogue. The rollout of the new apps will initially target select Volvo and Polestar models, with broader availability expected soon. Google is working with various vehicle manufacturers to enhance the app ecosystem for automotive screens.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

Ubisoft apologizes for ‘oversight’ in Rainbow Six Siege’s upcoming new operator after people notice the New Zealand-born character’s birthday is the same date as the 2019 Christchurch mosque killings

Ubisoft has changed the birthdate of the new operator Rauora in Rainbow Six Siege from March 15 to May 11 due to backlash from players. The original date coincided with the Christchurch mosque shootings, a tragic event that resulted in 51 deaths and is now recognized as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Rauora, whose real name is Hāpai Iwini, is from Christchurch and has a background in military service, rugby, and firefighting. The New Zealand Herald reported on the community's concerns about the character's association with this sensitive historical event. Ubisoft acknowledged the oversight and stated that the new birthdate would be updated on the game's website and in an upcoming game update.

Tech Optimizer

February 20, 2025

EDB Postgres® AI Significantly Outperforms Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, and MySQL in New Benchmark Study

EnterpriseDB (EDB) has released findings from a benchmark study by McKnight Consulting Group, showing that EDB Postgres AI outperforms Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, and MySQL in various workloads, including transactional, analytical, and AI tasks. Key performance metrics include being 150 times faster than MongoDB in processing JSON data, 4 times faster than MySQL in handling insert operations, and outperforming Oracle by 17% and SQL Server by 30% in processing New Orders Per Minute (NOPM). EDB Postgres AI also offers 7 times better price performance than Oracle and 6 times better than SQL Server. The study highlights the challenges enterprises face with legacy systems consuming 55% of IT budgets, which hampers modernization efforts. EDB Postgres AI aims to address these challenges by streamlining data infrastructure, reducing total cost of ownership, and facilitating AI capabilities in a secure environment.

Winsage

February 19, 2025

7 ancient apps you can still use in Windows 11

Disk Cleanup, introduced in Windows 98, helps users reclaim disk space by removing system restore points, temporary files, and remnants from outdated Windows Updates. Windows Media Player, which debuted with Windows 3.0, remains available in Windows 11 and is used for playing DVDs and organizing music collections. The Control Panel has been part of Windows since 1985 and provides access to legacy tools, although Microsoft encourages users to use the modern Settings app. Character Map, introduced in Windows 3.1 in 1992, allows users to access every glyph in installed fonts and is useful for inserting specialized characters. Notepad, a staple since 1983, has received updates including spell check and rich formatting options in Windows 11. The Snipping Tool, first introduced in Windows Vista in 2007, has evolved to include features like screen recording and OCR-powered text extraction. WinZip, a third-party compression tool that debuted in 1991, remains popular for managing ZIP files and continues to function on Windows 11.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

“A mini Hulk with no nose”: Fans crack up at first look of Chicken Jockey in ‘A Minecraft Movie’

The upcoming Minecraft Movie, set to premiere on April 4, features a character called Chicken Jockey, depicted as a large, green-skinned creature riding a chicken, which has drawn comparisons to the Marvel superhero, the Hulk. Fans have reacted on social media with a mix of humor and disdain, sharing memes and GIFs expressing their opinions. The Chicken Jockey is a familiar mob in the Minecraft universe, appearing as a newborn zombie riding a chicken. The filmmakers aimed to enhance the chaotic essence of Minecraft's mobs, presenting them humorously and formidably. While some viewers find the design amusing, others worry it may overshadow the film's world-building efforts. Critics are optimistic about the film's originality but caution against an overreliance on meme culture.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

‘Just couldn’t dodge that big boot I guess, no matter how big the success of the gig’: Marvel Rivals developers in the US say NetEase just laid off their whole team

NetEase has confirmed layoffs affecting the development team behind Marvel Rivals, specifically reducing the design team based in Seattle for organizational reasons. The company emphasized its commitment to treating impacted employees with confidentiality and respect. Despite the layoffs, NetEase stated that the core development team in China remains dedicated to enhancing the game, which has over 200,000 active players on Steam and reportedly generated an estimated million in its first month. Currently, there are no Seattle-based developers working on Marvel Rivals. The layoffs have raised questions given the game's financial success, and industry observers speculate this may be part of a broader strategy to streamline the development team. NetEase has also been scaling back its U.S. operations recently.