preparation Archives

AppWizard

April 16, 2026

How to make gunpowder in Windrose

To create gunpowder in Windrose, you need 10 units of sulfur and 20 units of ash, which must be combined at a Millstone. You cannot craft gunpowder until you complete the main quest "Revenge is Best Served Cold." Sulfur can only be mined with an Iron Pickaxe, which requires significant game progression. Before crafting gunpowder, you must complete the quests "Rescuing the Crew" and "I Need a Bigger Boat," defeat Thomas Richards, travel to the Foothills to mine Foothills Iron Ore for ingots, discover corn in the Foothills to unlock the Millstone recipe, and craft an Iron Pickaxe. Sulfur can be found in the Coastal Jungle and Foothills biomes, while ash can be obtained from burning wood at the Charcoal Kiln or grinding charcoal at the Millstone.

AppWizard

April 15, 2026

‘Minecraft’ First Night Survival: 5-Minute Beginner Base That Stops Creepers Cold

New players in "Minecraft" survival mode face dangers from skeletons, zombies, and creepers on their first night. Essential tips for crafting a beginner base include gathering resources quickly, such as collecting 10-15 logs from trees to create a crafting table and wooden tools. Players should mine 10 cobblestone for stone tools and look for sheep or cows for food and wool. Choosing the right location for the base is crucial; ideal spots are flat plains near rivers with nearby trees. Players should avoid deserts and mountains due to structural weaknesses and navigation difficulties. A simple underground starter base can be created by digging a 4x4 hole three blocks deep, covering it with dirt or cobblestone, and illuminating it with torches to prevent mob spawns. Key items for survival include crafting a bed from wool and planks to set a spawn point and skip nights, as well as cooking food to restore hunger. Common pitfalls to avoid include leaving roofs open, not lighting areas, and forgetting to cook food. As dawn breaks, players should reinforce their base, plant crops, and explore for resources. Regularly gathering wood and torches prepares players for future challenges.

AppWizard

April 7, 2026

Perplexity is changing its wake word from ‘Hey Plex,’ and here’s the proof

Users of the Samsung Galaxy S26 reported issues with the integration of Perplexity AI, specifically that the app was missing from the voice wake-up list and the wake word "Hey Plex" was not functioning. Samsung described the situation as part of an "ongoing product refinement process" but did not clarify the cause. Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas hinted at a transition to a new wake word, "Hey Perplexity," which is supported by an update to the Perplexity Android app (version 2.81.2) that prepares for this change. The app is being updated with screens related to the new command, indicating that the transition is in progress. Speculation suggests that the change may be to differentiate from the Plex media service and address potential pronunciation challenges. An APK teardown can provide insights into future features, but there is no guarantee they will be included in a public release.

AppWizard

April 7, 2026

Samsung to End Messaging App, Switch Users to Google

Samsung will discontinue its Samsung Messages app in July 2026, urging users to switch to Google Messages. Users should download Google Messages and set it as their default messaging app before the shutdown. Users with older Android devices (Android 11 or earlier) will not be affected. Newer Samsung Galaxy models will not be able to download Samsung Messages from the Galaxy Store.

AppWizard

April 4, 2026

Android’s controversial sideloading changes pushed me to build my own app installer

Using ADB via the command line can be cumbersome, prompting the desire to create a tailored application focused on the APK installation workflow, including wireless debugging pairing, file browsing, and bundle unpacking. A recent poll indicated that 48% of respondents use ADB fairly often, while 35% have used it once or twice. The author, a moderately skilled programmer, explored AI-assisted "vibe coding" to develop an app in Go, chosen for its simplicity and cross-platform capabilities. The project began with outlining its structure and creating a basic ADB wrapper in Go, which evolved into a functional terminal application within three days of part-time effort. The app, a compact 7MB executable, manages ADB sessions, allows pairing with Android devices over USB or Wi-Fi, includes a file explorer, and supports installing and unpacking various app bundles. Despite its usefulness, the author noted a limited understanding of Go due to reliance on AI for problem-solving. The app's source code is available on the Tiny APK Installer GitHub repository.

AppWizard

April 3, 2026

Enchanting Books in Minecraft: What Actually Works

Enchanting books in Minecraft serve as essential tools for managing upgrades, allowing players to collect valuable enchantments without the unpredictability of the enchanting table. They can be acquired through various methods: creating them (which is random), looting chests, trading with villagers (especially librarians), and fishing. To use enchanting books, players need an anvil to combine the book with an item, but they should be cautious of escalating experience point costs and incompatible enchantments. Enchanting books provide players with greater control over their gear enhancements, enabling them to avoid undesirable outcomes. Common mistakes include applying strong enchantments to low-quality gear, failing to combine books before use, and overlooking villagers as a source for enchanted books.

AppWizard

April 2, 2026

Shinji Mikami’s next game was just stealth-announced in a YouTube video and it sure looks like the creator of survival horror is back doing what he does best

In 2023, Shinji Mikami founded a new studio called Unbound, marking his third studio creation after PlatinumGames and Tango Gameworks. Unbound recently launched its website, attracting the attention of Shift Up, a Korean publisher, which announced the complete acquisition of Unbound. Mikami emphasized the importance of nurturing young talent and expressed confidence in creating a "masterpiece of a game." Unbound currently has around 50 staff members and is expanding its workforce for an upcoming project. Mikami conveyed his enthusiasm for the creative process and addressed gamers, asking them to wait a little longer for the game's release.

AppWizard

March 29, 2026

Turns out running a zoo is easy unless you spend all your money on chickens

Many professionals are exploring alternative career development avenues due to uncertainty in the workforce, with job simulators like Zoo Life Simulator gaining popularity. In this game, players manage a zoo with limited resources, specifically a budget of ,200, and must make strategic decisions about animal acquisition and visitor engagement. This experience helps players develop skills in critical thinking, financial planning, and problem-solving, which are valuable in various professional settings. Virtual job simulations may become essential for career preparation as the job market evolves with AI and automation.

AppWizard

March 27, 2026

Pro World of Warcraft player disconnects mid-fight because he forgot to renew his subscription before Midnight’s world first race: ‘I actually bought a WoW token, I forgot to use it’

During a live-streamed raid in the World of Warcraft community, a player named Imfiredup was logged out mid-boss fight due to an expired subscription. This incident occurred during the world first race for the Midnight expansion and was witnessed by viewers on Twitch. The raid leader, Maximum, humorously acknowledged the situation, prompting laughter from the team. Imfiredup later admitted he had purchased a WoW token but forgot to use it. The incident reflects a common issue in high-level gameplay where players manage multiple accounts, leading to potential oversights regarding subscription statuses. Other players in the raid also expressed concerns about their own account statuses.

Winsage

March 25, 2026

Microsoft Removes Registry Hack for Faster NVMe SSDs in Windows 11

Microsoft has removed a registry hack that allowed users to unlock faster speeds for NVMe SSDs, following the introduction of native NVMe SSD support in Windows Server 2025. This change aims to enhance SSD performance by eliminating the need for the previous method that translated NVMe commands into SCSI commands, which caused latency and reduced speeds. Currently, Windows 11 does not support native NVMe SSD processing and continues to use the older command conversion method. Although the registry hack is now obsolete, third-party tools like ViVeTool can still enable this feature through specific commands, but using such tools carries risks.