narratives Archives

Winsage

April 12, 2025

Brian Eno’s Windows 95 start-up sound just got preserved forever in the US Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden described the National Recording Registry as a reflection of America's diverse history and culture, with this year's entries showcasing significant audio works across various genres. Microsoft, during its dominance in the computer market, invested heavily in the launch of Windows 95, notably using The Rolling Stones' “Start Me Up” for its advertising campaign at a cost of one million dollars. Additionally, composer Brian Eno was commissioned to create a distinctive sound for Windows 95, facing the challenge of producing a piece under three and a quarter seconds long. Eno ultimately created a six-second composition, which Microsoft accepted despite exceeding the time limit, highlighting the innovative nature of his work.

AppWizard

April 12, 2025

The 20 best games on PC

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is a strategy game that revitalized the original XCOM 2, which faced criticism for technical issues and gameplay frustrations. The game involves defending against extraterrestrial invaders in a turn-based tactical format, where players command a squad of soldiers and face the possibility of permadeath. The War of the Chosen expansion introduces new enemy types, allied factions, unique soldier classes, formidable bosses, and a variety of mission types, enhancing the gameplay experience. The game emphasizes player-driven storytelling, where decisions impact the narrative, and offers high replayability due to its tactical depth and evolving challenges.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

As ‘Minecraft’ Eyes Over $65 Million 2nd Weekend, Revenge, War and Jesus Offer Box Office Alternatives

Warner Bros./Legendary’s “A Minecraft Movie” is set to release this weekend, competing against films like Disney/20th Century’s “The Amateur” and Angel Studios’ “The King of Kings.” “Minecraft” has already achieved a domestic opening of 3 million, surpassing “Barbie,” despite a 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Exhibitors expect a second weekend drop of less than 60%, projecting total earnings of at least million, with speculation it could exceed million. “The King of Kings” is projected to earn between and million, having generated around million in presales. Disney/20th Century’s “The Amateur” is expected to open with around million from 3,300 theaters, with a budget of million. A24’s “Warfare” is projected to earn around million from 2,650 theaters, while Universal/Blumhouse’s “Drop” is anticipated to open with -7 million from 3,000 theaters.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

AI models trying to fix bugs do better in Apple’s mobile platform than in Google’s

Business Insider delivers engaging narratives that highlight groundbreaking ideas and transformative practices in the business world. It serves as a vital resource for professionals navigating the complexities of commerce, emphasizing creativity in storytelling to foster a community of forward-thinking individuals. The publication is dedicated to showcasing innovative stories and keeping readers informed about the latest trends and developments in the evolving business landscape.

AppWizard

April 9, 2025

Apple TV Plus Android app just got these great features

The Apple TV Plus Android app received its first major update, version 1.1, on April 7. This update includes a more intuitive interface for browsing content, automatic subtitle controls with options for "Show when Muted" and "Show on Skip Back," and an Auto-Play feature called "Play a Recommendation." Additionally, Apple TV Plus is offering a promotional deal for new and returning subscribers, allowing access to shows and movies at 70% off, with subscriptions available for .99 per month for the first three months.

Winsage

April 7, 2025

What Bill Gates says he got ‘wrong’ and was ‘pretty naive’ about in Microsoft’s early days

Business Insider curates and shares innovative stories in business journalism, focusing on the narratives behind numbers and trends. Their articles provide insights into the creative and transformative aspects of business, encouraging critical thinking about industry developments. They cover various sectors, including technology and finance, and aim to highlight both the challenges and the ingenuity driving progress in the modern marketplace.

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ is on-track for a $135M opening weekend

The big screen adaptation of Minecraft has made a significant debut, earning millions on its opening Friday and is projected to reach 5 million by the end of the weekend, potentially setting a new benchmark for 2023. If these projections hold, it would surpass “Captain America: Brave New World,” which earned .8 million in February, and provide a boost to the domestic box office, which is down 7% year-over-year. The film, directed by Jared Hess and featuring stars like Jason Momoa and Jack Black, creatively introduces human characters into the Minecraft world, despite the game's lack of a defined storyline. The film's performance mirrors that of “The Super Mario Brothers Movie,” which also faced mixed reviews but achieved box office success. This opening weekend is encouraging for Warner Bros., which has faced recent setbacks, and a sequel seems likely.

Winsage

April 5, 2025

Check out Microsoft’s original source code from 50 years ago that Bill Gates calls ‘the coolest code’ he’s ever written

Business Insider focuses on storytelling related to innovation in business, featuring engaging narratives about entrepreneurial journeys, in-depth analyses of market trends and consumer behavior, and the impact of technology on business landscapes. The publication aims to inform and inspire its audience while adapting to the evolving business environment.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered review

The Last of Us Part 2 features a narrative that explores themes of vengeance and the moral dilemmas of violence, focusing on characters Abby and Ellie who are caught in a cycle of revenge amidst conflicts involving the military junta FEDRA, the Washington Liberation Front, and the Seraphites. The game introduces several enhancements in its recent PC release, including ultrawide support, HDR, enhanced graphics options, improved accessibility settings, and a new “speech to vibrations” feature. It also includes new gameplay modes such as a guitar-playing feature for Ellie and a roguelite mode called No Return, which emphasizes strategic resource management in randomized combat encounters. Despite its rich audiovisual presentation and engaging combat, the game has faced performance issues on PC, particularly with an RTX 3060 Ti, and its narrative has been criticized for being clichéd and for its handling of violence and power dynamics. A day-one patch is expected to address some of these performance concerns.

AppWizard

April 3, 2025

Buried By Critics: Minecraft Rotten Tomatoes Score Is In

Warner Bros.' A Minecraft Movie has received a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on the first 45 reviews. The film stars Jack Black as Steve, alongside Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge. Critics praised the chemistry between Jack Black and Jason Momoa, the film's faithfulness to Minecraft's spirit, its appeal to kids and families, and director Jared Hess' unique style. However, many reviews criticized the film for its lack of depth and coherence, poor humor and CGI, a corporate feel, and failure to engage older fans. An extended preview of James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film will be shown with screenings of A Minecraft Movie.