offers Archives

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

The Steam Machine is the most ambitious game console I’ve ever played

The Steam Machine retails starting at ,049 without a gamepad and ,128 bundled with one. Its performance does not significantly exceed that of the 5.5-year-old PS5, which offers sharper visuals in certain games. The Steam Machine operates more like a console than previous iterations, featuring a compact design and compatibility with modern gamepads. Valve claims to sell its components at cost, having negotiated with suppliers during a memory supply crisis. Users have reported technical issues, such as problems with the Steam Controller, sound output, and game downloads. The device requires manual adjustments for settings, lacks user-friendly configurations, and has questionable reliability with its sleep function. Valve plans to support AMD’s FSR 4 upscaling and is working on graphics driver updates. The Steam Machine is positioned as a versatile gaming and computing solution, but its limitations highlight the need for further refinement.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

Steam finally found a way to recommend new games that doesn’t feel like I’m getting KO’d by a fire hose

Steam has introduced a "personal calendar" feature that highlights upcoming game releases for the next five days based on individual wishlists and preferred game tags. The calendar shows games released in the past month and previews up to six games per day for the next two months. Users can filter by specific game tags and hide games already on their wishlist. Notable upcoming releases include "Beast of Reincarnation" on August 3, "Big Walk" on August 4, and "Fields of Mistria" on August 5. The feature aims to enhance game discovery without overwhelming users, allowing them to find smaller indie games like "Cat Isle." Feedback indicates that the calendar effectively showcases a variety of titles tailored to user preferences.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

The arcade meets the hex grid in R-Type Tactics—an unlikely fusion that shines like a star on PC

The R-Type series is transitioning from its traditional shmup format to a strategy format, introducing complexity with statistics and material costs. Originally released on the PSP with two Tactics games in the late 2010s, the series now offers over 100 missions across three unlockable campaigns on PC, including the new English debut of Operation Bitter Chocolate and additional content in the "Cosmos" missions. This shift aims to provide a unique experience for players amidst a competitive landscape of strategy games.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

The Steam Machine is the start of an even more expensive future for game consoles

Valve's Steam Machine is priced at ,049 for the 512GB model and ,128 with a Steam Controller. The 2TB version costs ,349 or ,428 with the controller. In comparison, the 2TB Xbox Series X retails for 9.99, the PS5 Pro for 9.99, and the upcoming Switch 2 is expected to launch at 9.99. The Steam Machine offers access to Steam's extensive library of games and is positioned as a premium option in a market with rising hardware prices. Recent data shows a 46% decline in PS5 sales year-over-year, coinciding with a price increase to 9.99. Xbox is developing "Project Helix," a device between a console and a PC, but pricing concerns have led to a reevaluation of its vision.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

Google Photos may have a new trick to make your pictures look dramatically different

Google Photos is set to introduce a new feature called Moods in version 7.81 of the app, which utilizes artificial intelligence for photo editing. Moods offers eight distinct templates: Airy Minimalist, Crisp 35mm, 2000’s Cinema, Rich Textures, Pink Digicam, Retro Contrast, Night Lights, and 2000’s Night, each designed to evoke specific visual styles. The feature aims to provide a more personalized editing experience by analyzing images individually rather than applying uniform filters. Although Moods is not yet operational, it represents a shift towards a more AI-driven editing experience in Google Photos. An APK teardown indicates potential features, but there is no guarantee they will be publicly released.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

Monday’s best Android app deals and freebies: Rare 30% price drop on Blasphemous, Hitman Sniper, more

Consumers can find discounts on various Android apps during the early Prime Day festivities, including notable titles such as Blasphemous, Dungeon Clawler, Hitman Sniper, Bridge Constructor Portal, Mythic Trials 2, Lara Croft GO, Dungeon Village, and Earn to Die. Best Buy is offering savings of up to 0 on the latest 2026 Copilot+ PCs, while Walmart has significant discounts on the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite and Galaxy Tab A11+, with prices starting at .

Winsage

June 22, 2026

MSYS2 And The No-Fuss Way To Get More GNU Into Your Windows

The Windows desktop experience has a streamlined interface, but its command line interface (CLI) offerings, particularly the cmd.exe shell, have been criticized for lacking the features found in UNIX/BSD/Linux environments. Microsoft’s transition to PowerShell has disappointed users who prefer a more traditional CLI experience. Despite Windows NT operating systems being POSIX compliant, they have historically lacked a suitable shell. MSYS2 provides a solution by offering a Linux-like experience with a Bash shell and the pacman package manager, allowing users to run shell scripts and access various tools. However, binaries compiled in MSYS2 may depend on shared libraries not included in the Windows system path. Upon installation, users can choose from different terminal options, with the UCRT terminal recommended for its usability. MSYS2 facilitates a streamlined development workflow, enabling the use of familiar tools across multiple platforms, but it does not achieve perfect integration within Windows and has some limitations, such as issues with stdout output in Bash.

Tech Optimizer

June 22, 2026

Your Mac isn’t immune to viruses & surveillance tools, Intego One is here to help

Intego One is an antivirus solution for Macs that integrates four security tools into one package and is currently offered at a 50% discount. It includes an antivirus feature providing real-time protection, a firewall to prevent unwanted intrusions, and SmartClean for decluttering storage. The Complete Tier adds a VPN for secure browsing. Intego One is compatible with macOS 12 Monterey and later, requiring at least 8GB of RAM and 2GB of storage. It is available in three subscription tiers: Essential, Advanced, and Complete, with varying features and pricing based on the number of devices and plan duration.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

This week in PC games: synthpunk platforming, haunted house hoovering, and a game about growing a black hole

Temperatures in southern Britain are predicted to reach 38 degrees Celsius. The British population is generally unaccustomed to such extreme heat. The author, a games journalist, is focused on curating a list of new PC games instead of dealing with the heat. Notable game releases include: - Desolation Seed (early access): An immersive open-air combat prison experience. - Dark Scrolls: A roguelite platformer with whimsical characters. - Idle Chapel: An idle game involving converting cultists. - Relief: A game combining Chinese mythology with anime aesthetics. - Dimhaven: A photography puzzler set in a misty resort. - Deer & Boy: An emotive platforming experience in a frozen landscape. - Heavydelic (early access): A visually striking Slavic Synthpunk game. - Rift Wizard 3 (early access): A sandbox game focused on spell-crafting. - Empulse: A 6v6 shooter reminiscent of Titanfall 3. - S.A.N.D.Y. - Beach Cleaner: A post-apocalyptic beach game. - 7 Nights with Vroombi: A robot vacuum cleaning a haunted house. - nophenia: An exploration game featuring a wolfgirl. - Omen Exitio: Hunger: A Lovecraftian mystery set in 1927 New York. - Eyes of the ElderWood (early access): A horror and folklore adventure game. The editorial team is focused on finding ways to stay cool during the heatwave while remaining committed to uncovering new PC gaming titles.

AppWizard

June 21, 2026

Minecraft Dungeons II dev details new features meant to serve as “callbacks to vanilla Minecraft”

Minecraft Dungeons II will be released on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on September 29, 2026. The game features an interconnected world with diverse landscapes, a structured loot system with four rarity tiers (Common, Rare, Special, and Unique), and an expanded character customization system with four armor slots. Armor will have unique variants that can provide double effects and special enchantments. The narrative involves a new threat that players must confront in an action RPG adventure.