ownership Archives

AppWizard

July 25, 2026

Amazon walks back comments about taking 007 off of IO, but does say ‘anything’s possible’ when it comes to buying the studio outright

Jeff Gattis, general manager of Amazon Gaming, hinted at the future of the 007 franchise, suggesting that sequels might be developed by MGM and potentially by Amazon Game Studios. He clarified that no decisions have been made regarding the publisher or developer for the next Bond sequel and acknowledged the success of IO Interactive's current game, indicating that it would be prudent for IO Interactive to continue as the developer. Gattis mentioned that while anything is possible regarding Amazon acquiring IO Interactive, there are currently no discussions about that.

TrendTechie

July 24, 2026

BitTorrent исполнилось 25 лет. Как программа одного человека изменила интернет и поставила Голливуд в тупик

On July 2, 2001, Bram Cohen announced the operational status of his program, BitTorrent, on a mailing list for peer-to-peer network developers. BitTorrent revolutionized file sharing by segmenting files into smaller pieces, allowing users to download from multiple sources simultaneously and share already downloaded data, which improved download speeds as file popularity increased. Unlike earlier peer-to-peer networks, BitTorrent did not have a built-in catalog, relying on external websites for users to locate torrents. The first major torrent catalog, Suprnova, emerged in 2002, followed by The Pirate Bay in 2003, making the protocol widely accessible. By 2004, BitTorrent accounted for nearly a third of all internet traffic. In 2004, Cohen founded BitTorrent Inc., which acquired the client µTorrent in 2006. The company launched the BitTorrent Entertainment Network in 2007, but it closed in 2008 due to competition from free pirated content. BitTorrent Inc. later explored various technologies but struggled to establish a sustainable business model. The protocol evolved with decentralization features like the distributed hash table (DHT) and magnet links. In 2018, BitTorrent was acquired by the blockchain project TRON for an estimated 0 million. BitTorrent Inc. claims around 54 million active users per month, with additional users on independent clients. Despite a decline in torrent traffic from its peak, the network has been experiencing growth, attributed to rising streaming costs and fragmented content availability.

AppWizard

July 22, 2026

Original Xbox Games Are Coming to PC Starting With Four Fan Favorites

Microsoft has launched its Xbox Backward Compatibility preview, enabling four original Xbox games—Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and Fuzion Frenzy—to be played on PC and handheld devices. These games feature enhancements such as 4x resolution upscaling, VSync support, multiple display modes, anisotropic filtering, and improved anti-aliasing. They are available for purchase on the Xbox Store and can be accessed on PC or handhelds through Xbox Play Anywhere or Xbox Cloud Gaming. All four titles are also included in Xbox Game Pass. Minimum system requirements for playing these games include: - GPU: Nvidia GTX 950 or AMD Radeon RX 550 or Intel UHD 770 or Intel Arc A310 - CPU: Minimum 4 Cores Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor - RAM: 8GB - OS: Windows 11 - Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026 Recommended specifications include: - GPU: Radeon RX 68005 or Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti or Intel Arc A770 - CPU: 6 cores and 12 threads Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme - DirectX Version: DirectX12 API, Hardware Feature Level 11 - GPU VRAM: 8GB - OS: Windows 11 - Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026

Winsage

July 22, 2026

Xbox brings back compat to Windows: Microsoft pledges 4 games on PC for the first time, soon with achievements

Xbox Vice President Jason Ronald announced plans to expand the Xbox backward compatibility program to include PC, allowing Xbox games to run on Windows for the first time. This initiative involves new emulation technology and aims to enhance game preservation and accessibility. Currently, the program supports four games, with potential for future expansion. Xbox is also investing in dual-platform license entitlements through Xbox Play Anywhere to facilitate a seamless experience between console and PC users.

Winsage

July 21, 2026

Persistent Telemetry: Permanent Microsoft Windows Identifier

Discussions about consumer privacy in the Windows ecosystem have focused on optional diagnostic settings and telemetry controls. Recently, the Global Device Identifier (GDID), a permanent device-level token embedded in the Windows operating system, was revealed in a U.S. Department of Justice complaint related to a cybercriminal investigation. The GDID uniquely identifies a Windows installation and is used by Microsoft services. It is generated when a device is linked to a Microsoft account and resides in the Windows registry, being included in data sent to remote servers. There is no option to disable or delete the GDID, and attempts to do so can disrupt essential features. This has led privacy-conscious users to consider alternatives like Linux, which offers more control over data and does not require persistent identifiers. For Windows users, strategies to minimize data linked to the GDID include using local accounts, disabling optional diagnostics, and reviewing cloud app sync settings. Privacy advocates are calling for better user controls and opt-out mechanisms for hardware tracking tokens.

Tech Optimizer

July 21, 2026

Advanced Threat Protection: How AI Transforms Enterprise Security

An attacker is testing stolen passwords against a company with inadequate firewall protection, highlighting the flaws in traditional security measures. Modern attacks, including ransomware and phishing, have evolved, necessitating advanced threat protection (ATP) that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) for improved threat detection and response. AI-driven ATP identifies attacks that conventional tools miss, such as fileless malware and targeted phishing, by learning normal operating patterns and flagging deviations. Traditional security relies on known malware signatures, which are ineffective against zero-day attacks and polymorphic malware that changes its identity. Cloud misconfigurations and hybrid security gaps further complicate security. AI enhances detection by focusing on malicious behaviors rather than just file signatures, allowing for rapid identification of threats. Automated incident response can isolate affected endpoints and terminate malicious processes quickly. Behavioral analytics and threat intelligence integration improve ATP effectiveness by understanding user behavior and recognizing attack patterns. AI-powered ATP significantly reduces breach containment time and false positives, shifting the focus from reactive cleanup to proactive prevention. Best practices for maximizing ATP include integrating it into existing security operations, keeping machine learning models updated, and regularly testing defenses against real-world threats.

AppWizard

July 18, 2026

As Google sits back and watches, terrible ads are ruining Android’s free app ecosystem

The mobile advertising landscape has shifted from simple banner ads to aggressive monetization tactics that often manipulate users. Common intrusive ad experiences include unclosable interstitial ads, interactive playable ads that mislead users, and unsolicited notifications promoting unrelated games. This shift has negatively impacted independent developers, who struggle to compete against large ad networks and feel pressured to adopt disruptive ad practices. Google, which controls the Play Store and ad services, benefits financially from these intrusive ads but has not effectively addressed the issue, allowing low-quality ads to proliferate. The current state of advertising is eroding user trust in free applications, threatening the integrity of the Android ecosystem.

AppWizard

July 18, 2026

Does anyone know how to drive this thing?

Sony Interactive Entertainment plans to cease physical disc production by 2028, transitioning to a model reliant solely on digital distribution for new PlayStation games. The company has canceled eight out of twelve planned live-service projects by 2025, while CEO Hideaki Nishino remains committed to pursuing live-service opportunities. Microsoft has experienced significant financial losses and layoffs under CEO Phil Spencer, leading to a restructuring under new CEO Asha Sharma. Layoffs have affected studios like Bethesda and ZeniMax, raising concerns about ongoing project viability. The gaming industry is facing a trend of layoffs and employment uncertainty, impacting production times and budgets. Companies like Capcom and Larian, which prioritize employee retention, are experiencing success, while major publishers focus on short-term gains over long-term studio health. Successful game launches indicate a demand for quality standalone games, but there is reluctance to invest in new ideas due to a fixation on perpetual revenue streams.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

As a PC Gamer Who Hasn’t Bought a Disc in a Decade, I Think PlayStation All-Digital Future Was a Long Time Coming – but There Are Still Reasons To Be Wary

Rockstar has decided not to release a physical version of its upcoming game, GTA 6, while Sony plans to stop producing discs for PlayStation consoles by January 2028. The gaming community has reacted strongly, but it is unlikely that either company will change its decision. The transition to a discless future is seen as inevitable. In the PC gaming sector, physical discs have largely become obsolete, with platforms like Steam dominating the market. The initial skepticism towards Steam has shifted as it became a reliable digital marketplace, leading to a decline in physical media. The absence of physical discs raises concerns about consumer autonomy, pricing, and game preservation, as digital ownership is often limited to licenses rather than full ownership. The shift away from physical media has been ongoing, with modern gaming increasingly reliant on digital downloads and updates.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

As PlayStation prepares to go all-digital, one PC gamer is turning Steam physical with SSD cartridges

PlayStation plans to phase out physical discs for new releases by 2028. A Reddit user, Jibril-sama, has created a Game Cartridge system using affordable 2.5" SSDs that contain games and a script to navigate to the game's page on Steam. The system operates on Linux and requires a systemd template to function. Jibril-sama acquired 128GB SSDs for €7 each. While gamers can use an external USB drive for their Steam library, this method lacks the charm of individual cartridges. Jibril-sama notes that players do not truly "own" their games on Steam due to reliance on Valve's online authentication.