restaurant Archives

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.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

Microsoft Copilot Updates Make the AI Companion Much More Personal

AI development is rapidly advancing, leading Microsoft to enhance its Copilot AI assistant. The updates aim to transform Copilot into a more engaging and personalized companion. Copilot, powered by OpenAI's GPT technology, is integrated across the Microsoft ecosystem, including Microsoft 365, Windows, the Edge browser, and Bing search. Key features of the updated Copilot include: - Memory Functionality: Users can allow Copilot to remember personal details, with a focus on security and privacy. - Custom Appearances: Users can customize Copilot's visual representation, including whimsical forms. - Copilot Actions: Copilot can manage tasks like making reservations or sending gifts, collaborating with services like 1-800-Flowers.com and Expedia. - Pages Feature: Users can organize content and generate AI-driven podcasts on preferred topics. - Enhanced Copilot Search: Improvements to the Copilot Search feature in Bing aim to address accuracy issues with search-result summaries. The initial rollout of these features begins on Friday, with full availability expected in the coming months.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

New Minecraft Movie Clip Focuses On A Date Night For Unlikely Couple

Warner Bros. has released a new clip for A Minecraft Movie, focusing on a romantic encounter between Jennifer Coolidge's character and a CGI Villager, rather than traditional building elements. The trailer, titled Be Mine, features a humorous dinner scene where Coolidge's character reflects on her divorce and interacts with the Villager. The film's antagonist is a Piglin named Malgosha, and the cast includes Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen, and Jack Black, who was not originally set to voice Steve. A Minecraft Movie is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 4.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Is McDonald’s holding out on ‘Minecraft’ Happy Meals? See the items the US may not get

A McDonald's location in Brooklyn now requires patrons under 20 to present ID or be accompanied by a parent. McDonald's is launching a new Happy Meal in collaboration with "A Minecraft Movie" on April 1, ahead of the film's release on April 4. This collaboration will introduce new desserts in Canada, the UK, and Singapore, including an apple cake McFlurry in the UK, an apple shake in Canada, and a cotton candy McFlurry, sundae, and ice cream cone in Singapore. The 'Minecraft' meal will feature a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with medium fries and a drink, served with a new Nether Flame Sauce. The themed meal includes twelve Block World toys or six exclusive collectibles that unlock unique skins in the Minecraft Marketplace. Customers can purchase Happy Meal toys separately, and Happy Meals typically include a choice of hamburger, cheeseburger, or McNuggets, fries, apple slices, and a drink. The price of a Happy Meal varies by location. Ohio has 613 McDonald's restaurants, ranking fifth in the nation.

AppWizard

March 13, 2025

Google prepares huge Gemini app updates for ‘personalization’ with more to try out

Google has announced updates to its Gemini app, including the introduction of the 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental model, which enhances its ability to handle complex queries. The app now features a "personalization" experimental option that tailors responses based on user history across Google services. Users can upload files directly into the app, and Gemini can break down prompts into manageable steps for more accurate responses. The app integrates with services like Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and Photos, allowing users to perform multi-step queries seamlessly. Additionally, the Deep Research feature has been improved to help users explore complex subjects more effectively, with real-time insights into Gemini's processes. Access to the Deep Research feature will be limited to a few trials each month for general users, while Gemini Advanced users will have expanded access.

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

Planet Coaster 2’s spring roadmap splashes down, with ’round-bottomed flumes’ coming in March and buildable restaurants arriving in April

Frontier Developments is enhancing Planet Coaster 2 with several updates since its launch in October. January introduced improved flume simulation for waterslides, and February added customizable video billboards. The next update, scheduled for March 20, will enhance flume construction with increased flexibility, introduce a wider variety of guest and raft movements, enhance visual effects, and incorporate "inflatable deformation" for rafts. Additionally, "round-bottomed flumes" will be added, and Update 3 will feature the Vector, an inverting suspended rollercoaster. April's Update 4 will introduce in-park restaurants and another new ride. Ongoing improvements will focus on performance, stability, and economy management. Further updates are planned for May and beyond.

AppWizard

February 3, 2025

Perplexity’s AI assistant goes mobile on Android

Perplexity AI has launched a new Android app called the Perplexity Assistant, available on the Google Play Store. The app is designed to assist with various tasks through voice, text, and camera interactions, and it can converse in 15 languages. It utilizes Perplexity’s proprietary search engine to provide real-time web information and maintain context across multiple tasks. Users can perform activities such as booking rides, identifying objects, and making restaurant reservations through voice commands. The app is free and aims to integrate Perplexity’s AI into users' daily workflows. Perplexity has also introduced an API called Sonar for businesses and acquired the professional social media platform Read.cv.

AppWizard

December 5, 2024

Tantalus and Keywords Australia boss steps down

Tom Crago, CEO of Tantalus and Keywords Australia, has announced his departure from the company to pursue new opportunities. Under his leadership, Tantalus grew significantly after its acquisition by Keywords in 2021, expanding its workforce from 38 to 330 employees. Crago's decision to leave was difficult, reflecting strong bonds with his team.

AppWizard

November 22, 2024

Android 16 could give Gemini the power over apps Assistant never got

Google is enhancing its Gemini chatbot and large language model, making it the default assistant on many Android devices. Currently, Gemini can interact with external services through Extensions, but its control over Android applications is limited. The upcoming Android 16 will introduce a new API that allows services like Gemini to perform actions within applications. Android 16 DP1 has revealed new APIs for "app functions," which represent specific capabilities of applications that can be integrated into system features. Applications will define these functions, and they will be accessible through Android's App Search framework. To execute these functions, applications need specific permissions, which are restricted to system applications. The new app functions feature could enable Gemini to control applications more effectively than Google Assistant has in the past, potentially allowing for multitasking and complex actions. The success of Gemini as an AI agent will depend on app developers adopting this functionality.

BetaBeacon

November 21, 2024

One year later, mixed reality games are booming

Wall Town Wonders is a VR game where players manage a tiny village that resides on the walls of their room. The game allows for interactive gameplay, such as controlling characters flying planes, riding giant lizards, and gathering resources through mini-games. The game also features a tropical pond on the floor, diving contests, and fishing tournaments. The placement of objects is realistic, and players can adjust the lighting to match their room.