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AppWizard
July 29, 2025
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced recalls for several products due to safety concerns. 1. Winston is recalling approximately 3.6 million HydroTech Expandable Burst-Proof hoses due to reports of bursting, which have caused 29 injuries. These hoses were sold from January 2021 to April 2025 at various retailers. Customers can return the hoses for a refund. 2. Innovative Designs is recalling around 75,900 Minecraft Light-up Slap Ruler Bracelets because the button cell battery is accessible, posing a risk of injury to children. These bracelets were sold at Walmart from March to May 2025. Customers should stop using them and can obtain a refund by contacting the company. 3. Curtis International is recalling about 634,000 Frigidaire-brand Minifridges due to a potential short-circuiting issue that poses a fire risk. There have been 26 reports of these minifridges sparking or catching fire, resulting in smoke inhalation injuries. They were sold from January 2020 to December 2023 at Walmart and Amazon. Owners should stop using them and follow instructions for obtaining a refund.
AppWizard
July 28, 2025
The European Union is enhancing its age verification system for social media by incorporating an Android app integrity check to ensure users are 18 or older before accessing adult content. This involves a white-label application to authenticate the legitimacy of the age verification app, which must be licensed by Google and downloaded from the Google Play Store. Users of custom ROMs may face restrictions, as the integrity check will not allow sideloaded or self-compiled applications. The age verification framework is still in planning, but the EU assures that user data will remain private and not monitored after verification.
AppWizard
July 28, 2025
A comprehensive investigation by Which? and Hexiosec analyzed 20 popular Android applications, revealing that all request permissions that could compromise user privacy. The Xiaomi Home app had the highest number of permission requests at 91, followed by Samsung SmartThings with 82, Facebook with 69, and WhatsApp with 66. While some permissions are necessary for functionality, the excessive requests raise concerns about digital surveillance. TikTok faced scrutiny for its audio recording and device file access requests, while Temu was criticized for excessive promotional emails linked to its location access. Amazon defended its camera access requests as enhancing user experience, and Meta stated that its apps do not use the microphone without user involvement. The investigation highlights the trade-off between free services and the collection of personal data.
AppWizard
July 28, 2025
The European Union's new app verification framework requires that apps be downloaded from the Google Play Store, licensed by Google, and installed on devices meeting specific security criteria to pass verification. Apps that are sideloaded, compiled from source, or installed from alternative app stores will not qualify for the EU's age verification system. If adopted without modifications, this framework will bar any non-compliant Android apps from operating within the EU, potentially excluding many third-party or custom-built applications. The system aims to enhance protections for minors while prioritizing user privacy by not collecting further usage data after a one-time age verification. Similar age verification initiatives are also emerging in the United States. The EU's approach may limit user autonomy and the openness of the Android platform, and Android users in Europe should prepare for potential restrictions.
AppWizard
July 27, 2025
Humble has released the Sniper Elite Classics Collection, which includes Sniper Elite 3 (with season pass), Sniper Elite V2 Remastered, and the original Sniper Elite for a set price. A higher tier offers Sniper Elite 4: Deluxe Edition, and for an additional cost, Sniper Elite 5 can be added. This bundle is available for a limited time. The Epic Games Store is giving away Legion TD 2, a tower defense game, until July 31. The GOG store is hosting DRM-free weekend deals with various game highlights. Availability and pricing may vary by region.
AppWizard
July 27, 2025
The N. Sane Trilogy, released in 2017, received positive feedback but raised concerns about the jumping mechanics compared to the original PlayStation games. Players noted that Crash's jumping abilities seemed more challenging, leading to theories about changes in hitbox and the "hold X to jump higher" mechanic. Gavin highlighted that Naughty Dog had previously used a system that measured button press duration to create nuanced jumps, which Vicarious Visions may have disregarded. This oversight resulted in a binary jumping system where all jumps were set to maximum height, making them feel exaggerated and floaty. Despite the remake's advanced hardware, it failed to replicate the original's gameplay mechanics. Toys for Bob later refined platforming mechanics in 2020's Crash Bandicoot 4, suggesting potential evolution in the franchise's gameplay design.
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