New Zealand Archives

AppWizard

April 23, 2026

World of Warcraft is getting a sub price increase in several countries, and it couldn’t come at a worse time

World of Warcraft is facing issues following patch 12.0.5, which has caused significant bugs and led to the temporary disabling of housing features in The Americas and Oceania. Effective June 22, 2026, subscription prices will increase in the UK, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Turkey, with UK players seeing a 10% increase and Kazakhstani players facing up to a 40% hike. Turkish players will be required to pay in Euros instead of the Turkish Lira. The game has maintained a steady subscription rate in the US since 2004, but adjustments have been made in other regions based on market conditions. Players have reported various bugs, including a critical bug affecting player housing, which Blizzard is prioritizing.

Winsage

April 22, 2026

Windows 365 Link: One year of the simple, secure, purpose-built Cloud PC device

Windows 365 Link, a service launched a year ago, enhances the Windows 365 experience by providing a cloud-based Windows environment that is easy to manage, secure, and cost-effective. It allows organizations to scale Cloud PCs without local data or applications. Over the past year, it has expanded into new regions and industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and professional services. Organizations using Windows 365 Link have reported benefits like reduced management burdens and seamless access for workers. The partner network has grown to over 200 resellers in 20 countries, facilitating quick deployment. Upcoming updates include support for Bluetooth device pairing, tenant branding, USB redirection, and visibility into pending updates on sign-in screens.

AppWizard

April 12, 2026

DayZ creator Dean ‘Rocket’ Hall has over 2,000 hours in Kerbal Space Program and played the original XCOM at Mount Everest base camp: ‘I think when I die, I will still be playing that game’

Dean Hall, the founder of RocketWerkz, began his gaming journey with a Commodore 64 and developed a passion for computers after a challenging five-hour gaming session. He is currently developing Icarus, a space survival game that has recently become profitable after a difficult launch. Hall has logged 1,400 hours in RimWorld, where he has released two popular mods. He enjoys playing Ostranauts, accumulating at least 150 hours per playthrough, and is looking forward to its upcoming update. Hall has also played the original XCOM for around 600 hours over the past year. He has nearly 5,000 hours in Stationeers, a game developed by his studio, and over 2,000 hours in Kerbal Space Program. His favorite game is Space Station 13, where he plays a character named Colton Murphy. For non-gaming software, he relies on Rider for programming development. Hall maintains a very clean desktop, regularly organizing it for security and efficiency in his game development process.

AppWizard

April 9, 2026

Minecraft Movie 2: What do we know so far about the sequel

A sequel to A Minecraft Movie is in development, with a release date set for July 23, 2027. Mojang is collaborating with Warner Bros Pictures, and filming is scheduled to begin in April 2026 in New Zealand. The original cast, including Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, and Danielle Brooks, will return, and Kirsten Dunst will join as Alex, the first female default character skin from Minecraft. The plot is speculated to involve enchantments or a journey to The End, with hints from a teaser poster featuring glowing purple pickaxes.

AppWizard

March 21, 2026

Kirsten Dunst joins the cast of “Minecraft: The Movie 2” as Alex

Kirsten Dunst will join the cast of the sequel to "Minecraft: The Movie," playing the role of Alex. Jack Black will reprise his role as Steve, and Jason Momoa will return as Garrett "the Scavenger." Filming for "Minecraft: The Movie 2" is scheduled to begin in April 2026 in New Zealand, with the film set to be released on July 23, 2027. Jared Hess will direct, and Chris Galletta will write the script. The sequel will feature the Dragon of the End from the game.

AppWizard

March 11, 2026

Meta rolls out new scam detection across WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook

Meta has introduced new anti-scam tools across WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook, following the removal of 159 million scam ads and 10.9 million accounts linked to criminal networks last year. A feature is being tested on Facebook to flag suspicious friend or follow requests based on mutual connections, country of origin, and account age. WhatsApp is enhancing security against device linking fraud by issuing warnings for suspicious linking requests. Messenger is expanding its scam detection to more countries, flagging messages from unknown contacts that exhibit scam patterns, with an option for users to submit flagged messages for secondary review. Meta aims for 90% of its ad revenue to come from verified advertisers by 2026 and has disabled over 150,000 scam-related accounts during a joint operation with the Royal Thai Police, leading to 21 arrests. Additionally, Meta has partnered with the US Department of State for a campaign addressing trafficked workers coerced into scam operations in Southeast Asia. These measures address increasing scrutiny over scam advertising, as a Reuters investigation highlighted that Meta generated significant revenue from scam-related ads.

AppWizard

March 6, 2026

Minecraft 2 Reportedly Starts Filming May 1 in New Zealand

A sequel to A Minecraft Movie is set to begin filming on May 1 in New Zealand. The original film is currently ranked #5 on the global box office charts, having earned nearly a billion in revenue worldwide. Jason Momoa and Jack Black are confirmed to reprise their roles, with Jared Hess returning as director. The sequel, titled Minecraft 2, is scheduled for theatrical release on July 23, 2027.

AppWizard

December 11, 2025

Minecraft update today (9th December): What changes in the Mounts of Mayhem patch notes?

The Minecraft "Mounts of Mayhem" update is set to be released on Tuesday, December 9th, at approximately 4 PM GMT. The update will introduce new features including camel husks, skeletons riding camels, a new weapon called the spear with jabbing and charging attacks, the Spear Lunge enchantment, a new neutral mob called Nautilus that can be ridden underwater, zombie nautilus with drowned enemies, zombie horses ridden by zombies, significant improvements to horse mechanics allowing them to swim, and the ability to craft Netherite horse armor. Expected launch times in various time zones include 8 AM PST, 9 AM MST, 10 AM CST, 11 AM EST, 1 PM BRT, 5 PM CET, 6 PM SAST, 8 PM GST, 12 AM SGT (December 10th), 1 AM JST (December 10th), 3 AM AEDT (December 10th), and 5 AM NZDT (December 10th).

AppWizard

December 8, 2025

Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem Update Release Date and Time (Countdown Timer)

The Minecraft Mounts of Mayhem update will be released on December 9, 2025. The estimated release times for various time zones are as follows: 7:30 AM PST (United States), 9:00 PM IST (India), 12:30 AM JST (Japan, December 10), 11:30 PM CST (China), 10:30 AM EST (Canada), 4:30 PM CET (Italy), 2:30 AM NZST (New Zealand, December 10). The update will introduce new features including underwater mounts, undead mobs, and a new weapon called the Spear. Players can tame the Nautilus mob by feeding it Pufferfish and can equip mounts with Nautilus armor. The update will also feature Camel Husks, the Parched mob, and the Zombie Horse in survival mode. The Spear will not replace swords and axes but will offer additional combat options.

AppWizard

November 21, 2025

This Free App Unlocks AirPods Features on Android Devices

Apple's annual shopping event will take place from November 28 to December 1, featuring deals and exclusive offers in multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and several European nations. Customers can receive an Apple gift card with their purchases, which can be used for future transactions. The event will include a variety of products, such as iPhones, MacBooks, accessories, and services, and will offer a seamless online shopping experience.