screening Archives

AppWizard

June 5, 2026

Gemini Wants To Take Over Your Android Phone

Google introduced Gemini Intelligence, an enhancement to its Android operating system, designed to autonomously manage tasks on devices. Gemini will enable seamless interactions with apps, utilize contextual data from photos and emails, and facilitate automated payments. The rollout coincides with Android 17, expected on devices like the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Google Pixel 10 in summer 2026, though not all devices may feature Gemini. Key capabilities include scanning textbooks for shopping cart integration, booking concert tickets, and managing food deliveries. Gemini can analyze photos, reference emails, and enhance functionality in Google Chrome. Notable features include an upgraded Autofill and Rambler, an AI-driven speech-to-text tool. Opting out of Gemini may be complex due to its operating system integration, but Google plans for most features to be opt-in, requiring user consent. Similar features are found in Samsung's Galaxy AI in the S26 series, which may allow users to disable functionalities like Call Screening.

AppWizard

May 31, 2026

Minecraft film sequel titled A Minecraft Movie Squared, release set for 2027

Director Jared Hess is returning to direct the sequel, collaborating with co-writer Chris Galletta. Kirsten Dunst joins the cast as an Oscar nominee. Warner Bros and Legendary have launched a creator-focused contest related to the sequel, inviting participants to design a concept for the movie or its end credits. The contest winner will receive a private screening of A Minecraft Movie with friends. The film's production team includes Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Roy Lee, Eric McLeod, Kayleen Walters, Torfi Frans Olafsson, Jason Momoa, and the late Jill Messick, with executive producers Jay Ashenfelter, Jen Conroy, Brian Mendoza, Jon Berg, and Jonathan Spaihts.

AppWizard

May 12, 2026

Samsung’s solution for apps with ‘excessive’ ads is rolling out now

Samsung's Device Care has introduced a new feature to block apps that generate excessive advertisements as part of the One UI 8.5 update. This feature includes two blocking options: a "basic" setting and an "intelligent" blocking feature that uses analytics to identify and manage ads. The rollout of One UI 8.5 began in the U.S. on May 11. The update version 13.8.80.7 includes the ad-blocking feature, which has been in development since December and may utilize AI to monitor ads across all installed applications. The update also brings AI call screening, enhanced editing tools, and minor user interface adjustments.

AppWizard

May 12, 2026

City Life Org – Thousands Gather at NYC Video Game Festival to Crown 2026 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs and NYC Collegiate Esports Champions

The 2nd Annual NYC Video Game Festival took place on May 9, attracting 2,000 attendees. The festival included esports competitions, indie game demonstrations, drone soccer, and arcade classics. The Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs Esports Finals honored student achievements, with team Hyper Pigmentation from PS 889 winning in the Elementary division, NEST+ from Manhattan winning in the Middle School division, and Tottenville from Staten Island winning in the High School division. The NYC Collegiate Esports Circuit Finals crowned The City College of NY as the League of Legends champion and Pace University as the Valorant champion, with a shared prize pool of ,000. The BOTB competition has engaged over 15,000 NYC Public School students since its inception, with a record 3,395 participants in 2026, including a 44% increase in high school submissions. The festival also featured a screening of a documentary about the Battle of the Boroughs.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

Polygon’s Minecraft Documentary Battle of the Boroughs Teaser

Polygon has released a documentary titled "Battle of the Boroughs: The Kids Who Build New York City in Minecraft," directed by Simone de Rochefort. The film focuses on the 2025 Battle of the Boroughs competition, organized by NYC Public Schools, which encourages students to use Minecraft Education to address societal issues like housing inequality and climate resilience. The competition involves a structured process leading to the Mayor's Cup finals, where students engage in block-building to explore urban dynamics. The documentary captures the students' experiences and projects throughout this initiative. The full 40-minute film premiered on May 6 and is available for viewing. A live screening will take place at the NYC Video Game Festival on May 9, alongside competitive gaming events.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

The artist who created 40 in-game paintings for Minecraft did one of Jack Black as Steve for Minecraft Movie 2, and it’s pretty fantastic

A Minecraft Movie, released in Spring 2025, grossed nearly a billion despite mixed reviews, leading to the production of a sequel, A Minecraft Movie 2, which has begun filming in New Zealand. Jack Black returns as Steve, alongside Jason Momoa and director Jared Hess, with Kirsten Dunst joining the cast as Alex. The sequel is set to be released on July 23, 2027. The first film featured a viral moment with a chicken jockey and included the song 'Steve's Lava Chicken', which became the shortest song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 at 34 seconds.

AppWizard

May 6, 2026

Jack Black marks the start of A Minecraft Movie 2 in the most Steve-tastic way

Filming for A Minecraft Movie 2 has officially begun, with star Jack Black sharing artwork of himself as the character Steve on Instagram. The painting was created by Swedish artist Kristoffer Zetterstrand, who has previously made 40 paintings for the Minecraft franchise. Filming is taking place in Huntly and various locations in Auckland. Kristen Dunst will portray Alex, the game's female playable character. The original A Minecraft Movie, released in April 2025, had a global opening of 3.7 million and grossed just shy of a billion by the end of its theatrical run. A Minecraft Movie 2 is set to be released on July 23, 2027.

AppWizard

May 4, 2026

Love Albany sets ‘Minecraft,’ ‘Hoppers’ for free summer movie series

Love Albany has announced the schedule for its annual summer series, “Movies Under the Stars,” which includes four film screenings in different parks in Albany. The event is a collaboration with the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Albany Community Land Trust Gun Violence Prevention, Lincoln Park Alliance, the RED Bookshelf, and the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association. Pre-show festivities will include lawn games, nonprofit information booths, complimentary popcorn, and a bounce house. The event is supported by the city’s Department of Recreation, Albany Public Library, and Honest Weight Co-op.

AppWizard

May 1, 2026

Love Albany announces ‘Minecraft,’ ‘Hoppers’ for free summer movie series

Love Albany has announced the lineup for its "Movies Under the Stars" summer series, featuring free movie screenings in various parks in Albany. The event is organized in collaboration with the city's Office of Cultural Affairs, Albany Community Land Trust Gun Violence Prevention, Lincoln Park Alliance, the RED Bookshelf, and the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association. The film schedule includes: - "Zootopia 2," May 15 at Washington Park - "GOAT," June 19 at Swinburne Park - "A Minecraft Movie," July 17 at Lincoln Park - "Hoppers," August 21 at Ridgefield Park Pre-show festivities start at 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. for "Hoppers") and include lawn games, nonprofit information booths, complimentary popcorn, and a bounce house. The films will begin at sunset. Additional sponsorship support comes from the city’s Department of Recreation, Albany Public Library, and Honest Weight Co-op.

AppWizard

March 19, 2026

Android will hide app sideloading behind a new one-time security process

Google has updated its policy for sideloading apps on Android devices, allowing exceptions for power users and hobbyist developers. The new sideloading process requires average users to enable developer mode, confirm they are not disabling security features, restart their device, and wait a day to verify their identity with biometric authentication or a PIN. Users can install apps from unverified developers for a period of seven days or indefinitely, but will receive a warning about the app's source. Google will also introduce free "limited distribution accounts" for hobbyist developers, allowing them to share apps with up to 20 devices without needing a government-issued ID or registration fee. The new workflow for enabling sideloading and limited app distributions is set to launch in August 2026.