region Archives

Tech Optimizer

April 8, 2025

Pools across the sea: how Hyperdrive speeds up access to databases and why we’re making it free

Cloudflare has made Hyperdrive available on the free plan of Cloudflare Workers, allowing developers to create high-performance global applications that connect to SQL databases. Hyperdrive simplifies database connectivity by using existing drivers and connection strings, reducing the need for extensive refactoring. It has been adopted by Cloudflare's engineering teams for various functions, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing common challenges in application development. Hyperdrive significantly improves performance, with a benchmark showing latency reduction from 1200 ms to 500 ms when using Hyperdrive instead of a direct connection, and further to 320 ms with caching enabled. It employs transaction-mode connection pooling to efficiently manage database connections, minimizing overhead and ensuring optimal performance for serverless applications. Hyperdrive's architecture includes a split connection approach that reduces latency by conducting necessary round trips over shorter distances. It also features a regional pool strategy for selecting data centers based on the inferred location of the Worker, optimizing connection latency. The system includes a dual-layer caching strategy to enhance query performance and reduce load on the origin database. Developers can easily start using Hyperdrive by executing a simple command or using a dashboard to set up a sample Worker application with their existing Postgres database.

Winsage

April 8, 2025

Microsoft fires engineers who protested during company’s 50th anniversary celebration

Two Microsoft software engineers, Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal, were terminated after protesting the company's involvement with the Israeli military's use of its AI products during the company's 50th anniversary celebration. Aboussad was dismissed for "just cause, willful misconduct, disobedience or willful neglect of duty" after interrupting a speech by CEO Mustafa Suleyman, accusing Microsoft of complicity in violence and highlighting the human cost of its actions. Agrawal, who had intended to resign, also faced termination for expressing similar concerns during CEO Satya Nadella's speech. Microsoft responded by emphasizing its commitment to high business standards and the importance of addressing concerns through appropriate channels.

AppWizard

April 5, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: New choices, fresh indie bundles, cat freebie, and more

Humble has released its April Choice bundle featuring eight games: Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, Dredge, Aliens Dark Descent, 1000XResist, Nova Lands, Diplomacy is Not an Option, Distant Worlds 2, and Nomad Survival, available until May 6. The Epic Games Store is offering Cat Quest II for free until April 10, after which River City Girls will be available. Humble also has standard bundles from indie publishers, including the Fellow Traveler collection and the Armor Games bundle. This weekend features sales on the Devil May Cry franchise and Red Dead Redemption titles, along with various offers on UK-developed games. The GOG store has resumed regular discounts following spring sales.

Winsage

April 5, 2025

Microsoft, Redmond celebrates 50 years of change: From small startup to AI trailblazer

Lisa Dupar owns a restaurant and catering business in Redmond, which she started four decades ago. Initially hesitant about opening in what seemed a remote area, her business thrived after she began delivering food to Microsoft, which was then a startup. Microsoft recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with an event attended by around 1,000 employees, including its three CEOs: Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella. The company has invested a billion dollars to enhance its AI infrastructure and develop new products like “Copilot.” Microsoft is also facing challenges with new tax proposals in Washington state. Redmond Mayor Angela Birney highlighted Microsoft's positive impact on the community, including infrastructure investments. Gates and Paul Allen moved the company from Albuquerque to Redmond in 1979 to attract talent. Dupar employs 250 people and has catered events for high-profile executives, crediting Microsoft for her business's longevity.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Breaks Ground Overseas With Strong $18M+ Through Thursday

Warner Bros/Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie has earned .4M across 55 international markets as of Thursday, excluding its opening in China, which grossed .6M, marking the largest opening for a Hollywood film this year. The film is projected to exceed M in international earnings, with strong performances anticipated in Europe and the Middle East, where it has already earned .4M. In Latin America, the film has achieved a 90% share of the Top 5 titles, with notable performances in Mexico (.9M), Germany (.7M), France (.5M), and Australia (.1M). In China, it achieved a No. 1 start, capturing 30% of the market and ranking as the second biggest import of the year after one day.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

South of Midnight review

A Southern Gothic action-adventure game titled "South of Midnight" is set to be released on April 8, 2025, with a price of £35. It is developed by Compulsion Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is not multiplayer and was reviewed on Windows 11 Pro with an RTX 4080, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and 64GB RAM. The protagonist, Hazel Flood, navigates a world filled with supernatural elements and emotional depth, reflecting the complexities of life in the Deep South. The gameplay features combat that unfolds at a leisurely pace, intertwined with themes of healing and resilience. Hazel's journey emphasizes understanding and acknowledging pain, with encounters with spirits that represent trauma. The narrative challenges players to confront historical wounds and fosters a sense of connection and compassion.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

South of Midnight

South of Midnight is a video game developed by Compulsion Games for PC and Xbox Series X/S, set to release in early 2025 at a price of .99. It features a coming-of-age story centered around Hazel Flood, a teenage track star who embarks on a quest to rescue her mother after a hurricane separates them. The game incorporates elements of Southern Gothic folklore, including characters like a talking catfish and the child thief Huggin' Molly. Hazel, an African-American teenager, navigates themes of generational poverty and historical struggles faced by Black individuals in the South. The gameplay includes platforming, puzzles, and combat, reminiscent of action-adventure titles from the PlayStation 2 era, with a total playtime of around 10 hours. The game showcases a rich visual style with detailed environments and a stylized aesthetic, supported by a soundtrack composed by Olivier Deriviere. South of Midnight has received the Editors' Choice accolade and is noted for its narrative depth and cultural significance.

Winsage

March 31, 2025

Expanding Copilot+ PC experiences across AMD, Intel and Snapdragon powered devices

Last year, Copilot+ PCs were introduced as the fastest, most intelligent, and secure Windows PCs. They have since integrated new silicon, devices, and AI experiences to enhance user interaction and productivity. New accessibility features include Live Captions, which provide real-time translations in English for audio and video content during virtual meetings and media playback, now available on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for Simplified Chinese and translations from over 40 languages. Voice Access has also been updated to improve navigation through voice commands. AI-enabled creativity features are now available on AMD and Intel devices, including Cocreator in Paint, which allows users to create designs using text prompts and freehand drawing, and new tools in Photos for transforming images and creating visuals based on prompts. Some features will be available through the March 2025 Windows non-security preview update, requiring the November 2024 update. Features may vary by device and region, with updates continuing through 2025. Users can check for updates in Windows Settings.

AppWizard

March 30, 2025

Obsidian snuck goodies and secrets around every corner to make exploring Avowed feel worthwhile: ‘If you have a lot of dead ends that lead nowhere, you learn the lesson as a player: This game doesn’t have much to offer me’

The game Avowed rewards players for exploration by embedding hidden treasures throughout its environments, including vendor items and upgrade materials. It features a parkour system that encourages players to explore vertically-oriented levels without restrictions, leading to unexpected discoveries. Notable secrets include a concealed sewer beneath the starting docks with challenging enemies and a unique item, as well as a chest in Shatterscarp that has a creative loot interaction. The game is designed to ensure that exploration leads to meaningful discoveries, countering the negative impact of dead ends. The team aims to provide worthwhile rewards for side paths and explorations, fostering curiosity among players. Avowed is considered a strong contender for game of the year, and there are hints of potential DLC and a future release of The Outer Worlds 2 in 2025.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: City builder fests, RPG bundles, cat freebies, and more

Humble has launched five new bundles, including the Dice and Destiny bundle featuring Disco Elysium, Pillars of Eternity - Definitive Edition, and Roadwarden at the starting tier price. For a higher tier price, players can access Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Obsidian Edition and Citizen Sleeper, while the final tier includes Broken Roads. The fourth edition of the Boomer Shooters bundle offers seven titles for a single tier price, including Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem and Turbo Overkill. The Epic Games Store is running a Spring Sale mystery giveaway with free games Cat Quest and Neko Ghost, Jump available until April 3. The Steam City Building and Colony Sim Festival features significant discounts, along with various deals from major publishers and indie developers. The GOG store is also holding a spring sale with various highlights. Availability and pricing may vary by region.