references Archives

Winsage

January 16, 2026

Paint: Your guide to drawing software

Windows 11 includes Microsoft Paint, which is easily accessible and offers a user-friendly environment for creativity. The updated interface features a sleek layout, making tools readily available for experimentation. Paint has refined brushes and inking tools that provide a smooth, responsive drawing experience, especially with stylus use, incorporating pressure sensitivity for more authentic strokes. It also offers advanced color tools, including support for RGB, hex, and HSV color options, allowing users to maintain consistency in their projects. Users can create a mini color palette on the canvas and utilize the eyedropper tool to extract colors from references or generated images.

AppWizard

January 15, 2026

Marvel Rivals’ Deadpool is a triple-role menace, and the Merc with a Mouth’s cringe-worthy interactions don’t disappoint

Deadpool is the first triple-role hero in Marvel Rivals, presenting a challenge for game balance with three distinct versions. His character design includes upgradeable abilities and witty dialogue, featuring humorous interactions and cultural references. He will join the Marvel Rivals roster when Season 6 launches on January 16. Season 6 will also introduce a new convoy map, the Museum of Contemplation, enhance the Hero Proficiency system, and include a photo mode in Times Square and a new area called the Clobberin' Club for 1v1 duels.

Winsage

January 9, 2026

A Free Script Disables Built-In AI Features Across Windows 11

Windows 11 has integrated AI features, including Copilot, which is pinned to the taskbar and embedded in applications like Notepad and Paint. Users cannot universally disable these features, although individual toggles exist. A community script called RemoveWindowsAI has been created to disable Windows AI features at the system level and modify Windows Update settings to prevent reinstallation. The script targets Copilot, Recall, and their integrations, allowing users to disable all features or select specific components. It operates by making registry changes and aims to eliminate visible AI entry points while maintaining their disabled status across updates. When executed, RemoveWindowsAI removes Copilot from the taskbar, uninstalls the app, and disables AI functionalities in applications. Users run the script through Windows PowerShell 5.1, and it can be rerun to re-enable features. The tool provides a consistent experience but has limitations, as it may not address new AI features or changes from major Windows updates.

Winsage

January 9, 2026

Microsoft may integrate Copilot Chat directly into the File Explorer on Windows 11 next

A non-functional button has been discovered in the File Explorer app of the latest Windows 11 preview builds, which appears when users hover over a vacant area in the navigation bar. This button is speculated to be related to a feature called "Chat with Copilot," suggesting an interactive element for user experience. Users may soon be able to detach the Copilot interface from the File Explorer window, potentially as a sidebar or pop-up, allowing direct engagement with Copilot regarding selected documents and files.

Winsage

January 8, 2026

Microsoft 365’s best-kept secret is leaving the Windows desktop

The Windows app for Sway will be retired on June 1, 2026. Users can continue to access all features of Sway through the web. Sway is a free app that offers enhanced functionality with a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Winsage

January 7, 2026

This Free Script Disables Every AI Feature in Windows 11

The integration of artificial intelligence into Windows 11 has led to mixed reactions among users, with some feeling overwhelmed by features like Copilot. RemoveWindowsAI is a free script that allows users to disable various AI features, including Copilot, Recall, and AI integrations in applications like Edge, Paint, and Notepad. The script modifies registry keys and prevents Windows Update from reinstalling these features. To use RemoveWindowsAI, users must launch Microsoft PowerShell 5.1, copy a command from the official GitHub page, and follow the prompts to select which AI features to disable. Testing the script showed that removing AI features significantly altered the user experience, with the Copilot icon and application disappearing from Notepad and Settings.

BetaBeacon

January 7, 2026

Google Updates Play Store Policies for Paid Game Trials on Android

The Play Store version 49.6.19-29 hints at a new feature that could revolutionize the way users interact with paid Android games. This feature would allow users to test premium games for free for a limited time, essentially turning them into timed demos without the need for additional apps or features.

Winsage

January 5, 2026

Windows Task Manager Creator Dave Plummer Calls for Halt to New Windows 11 AI Features for Better Stability

Dave Plummer, the creator of the Windows Task Manager and Pinball game, has expressed concerns about Windows 11, criticizing Microsoft's focus on integrating new artificial intelligence features at the expense of system stability. He argues that stable releases should prioritize fixing critical bugs over adding new functionalities. Plummer references the period around Windows XP Service Pack 2, when Microsoft halted new feature introductions to enhance security and stability in response to major security threats. He advocates for a similar approach for Windows 11, urging Microsoft to pause feature additions until the system is stabilized and existing issues are resolved. Plummer emphasizes the need for Microsoft to focus on improving user experience by prioritizing fixes over new features, particularly for power users.

AppWizard

January 5, 2026

This week in PC games: Pathologic 3, a fresh Pokémon rival, a mind-bending FPS and some crablike base building

A hiatus in coverage occurred last December due to seasonal content preparation and personal challenges. New game releases include: - Dunecrawl: A cooperative game allowing up to four players to traverse a desert landscape on weaponized crabs. - Feed The Reactor: An incremental clicker game where players feed fuels into a cosmic vortex, unlocking narratives in a bizarre galaxy. - StarRupture: An early access title where players construct outposts on alien planets while fending off crab-like monsters. - Death Machine: A pixel-art metroidvania featuring 19 bosses, including at least one eight-legged invertebrate. - Oddcore: A first-person shooter set in a theme park with bizarre spaces and corporate satire, lacking crab references. - EvoCreo: A creature-collecting game with over 170 creatures, reminiscent of classic Game Boy Advance titles. - Ancient Farm: A farming game set in ancient Egypt, featuring historical landscapes and the Acanthothelphusa niloticus. - Pathologic 3: A narrative-driven game where players have 12 days to save a town from disease, involving quarantines. The CES hardware tradeshow is currently taking place in Las Vegas, focusing on GPU and RAM prices, new screen technologies, and novelty gadgets.

AppWizard

December 31, 2025

Best Star Wars games 2026: play in a galaxy far, far away

Star Wars has a rich history of licensed games, with a curated list of the finest titles available on PC in 2025 including: 1. Star Wars Outlaws - Players assume the role of Kay Vess in a narrative set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, focusing on heists and adventures. 2. Star Wars Bounty Hunter Remaster - A remaster of the original game following Jango Fett, featuring updated controls and graphics, rated 'Very Positive' on Steam. 3. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Covers all nine mainline films in a Lego format, offering cooperative gameplay. 4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords - A sequel with a complex narrative exploring the light and dark sides of the Force. 5. Star Wars: Republic Commando - A tactical shooter from the perspective of a special ops clone trooper during the Clone Wars. 6. Star Wars: Empire at War - A real-time strategy game focusing on the conflict between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. 7. Star Wars: The Old Republic - An MMO with single-player storytelling and various class narratives. 8. Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer - A racing game based on the pod race sequence from the film. 9. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster - A remaster of the classic game featuring Kyle Katarn's first adventure. 10. Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast - Continues Kyle Katarn's journey with a mix of shooting and lightsaber combat. 11. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron - Players pilot starfighters in space battles. 12. Star Wars: TIE Fighter - Players experience the conflict from the perspective of an Imperial pilot. 13. Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) - A multiplayer experience with stunning visuals and epic battles. 14. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - A sequel featuring a more mature Cal Kestis with refined combat mechanics. 15. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Allows players to wield the dark side of the Force as Starkiller. 16. Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith - A game capturing the essence of the prequel trilogy with dynamic saber combat. Upcoming titles include a remake of Knights of the Old Republic and a new project titled Fate of the Old Republic, led by KOTOR director Casey Hudson.