smartphones Archives

AppWizard

July 19, 2025

15 incredible DOS classics you can play in your browser

Between the late '80s and early '90s, DOS became the foundation of PC gaming, fostering innovation with advancements in 2.5D and 3D environments, first-person shooters, city-building simulations, and point-and-click adventures. DOS games are lightweight, allowing them to run on modern devices easily. Dangerous Dave (1988) is a nostalgic platformer that remains enjoyable today. Sid Meier's Civilization (1991) is considered one of the greatest DOS games, allowing players to build empires through various strategies. Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty (1992) is credited with shaping the real-time strategy genre, introducing base-building and resource management. Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons (1990) set the standard for PC platformers with its vibrant gameplay. Carmageddon (1997) is an iconic car combat game known for its humor and chaos. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992) is a hallmark of the point-and-click genre with engaging puzzles. The Oregon Trail (1990) started as an educational tool and became a classic game blending survival strategy with humor. Command and Conquer (1995) revolutionized the RTS genre with engaging gameplay. X-COM: UFO Defense (1994) is known for its strategic gameplay where every decision matters. Wolfenstein 3D (1992) is a pioneer of the FPS genre, influencing many subsequent titles.

AppWizard

July 17, 2025

Google Phone app’s simpler layout is now hitting more devices

Google has updated its Phone app, removing the Favorites tab and integrating favorite contacts into a row at the top of the Recents tab. The new version, 182.0.779772896-publicbeta, condenses the layout to display call history and favorites together. The "Frequents" list has also been eliminated, limiting access to frequently called contacts. The interface now features a single, scrollable list, with the user's profile picture, name, and email address visible while scrolling. This redesign is being rolled out on devices like the OnePlus 13, Google Pixel, and Samsung smartphones running Android 16 and 16 QPR1, with Google Play services updated to version 25.25.33.

AppWizard

July 17, 2025

You Can Now Stream Your Own Xbox Games Directly to Your PC

XBOX has enhanced its Play Anywhere program, allowing users to stream Game Pass titles and select personally owned games across various devices, including smartphones and the Meta Quest, through cloud streaming. This functionality now extends to browsers and consoles, but not to the Xbox app on PC. PC gamers can stream games previously unavailable on PC, provided they have a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and own the specific game. The "Stream Your Own Game" feature is in beta testing and is being rolled out for around 250 games, with plans for expansion. To access this feature, users must become Xbox Insiders by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub app and completing the setup process.

AppWizard

July 16, 2025

8 Android Apps That Will Supercharge Your Productivity

- Foxy Notes is a note-taking app that offers rich text formatting and integration with Google Drive, available in both free and premium versions. - MobileTrans allows quick and secure data transfer between devices, including specialized features for WhatsApp. - OnionShare enables private and secure file sharing using the Tor network, ensuring anonymity for users. - Rev Voice Recorder captures and transcribes audio accurately, supporting background recording and integration with Dropbox. - Memory Guardian protects clipboard privacy by automatically clearing sensitive data at customizable intervals. - Regain helps users manage screen time and promotes mindful digital habits with insights and features to reduce distractions. - WTMP monitors unauthorized access to phones by logging failed unlock attempts and requires device administrator permissions. - Safe Space is a secure storage app that encrypts sensitive files and requires biometric or PIN authentication for access. - Smart Launcher 6 customizes Android device interaction with automatic app sorting, adaptive themes, and privacy tools.

AppWizard

July 16, 2025

Xbox ‘Stream Your Own Game’ Now Available on PC For Select Titles Only

Microsoft's Xbox division has launched the "Stream your own game" feature for PC users, allowing access to a library of over 250 games without extensive downloads or installations. This feature is available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers who are part of the Xbox Insiders Program in 28 countries where Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta) is supported. The program includes popular titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy and enables users to play console-exclusive games on PCs.

AppWizard

July 16, 2025

Xbox tests letting you stream your own games on PC

Xbox is expanding its “stream your own game” feature to PC for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, allowing them to stream owned titles from the Xbox PC app. Previously, this feature was available for consoles like Xbox Series X | S and Xbox One. The extension to PCs enables streaming on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and Meta Quest headsets. This is beneficial for gamers facing large file sizes, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which requires 128GB of free SSD space. Xbox currently offers streaming for over 250 games and plans to add more console-exclusive and Play Anywhere titles.

AppWizard

July 15, 2025

Xbox Game Pass Users Will Be Able to Stream Console Exclusive Games to Play on PC

Xbox is enhancing gaming accessibility by allowing Xbox Insiders in the PC Gaming Preview to stream console games directly on their PCs. This feature is part of their initiative to bridge the gap between console, PC, and mobile platforms. Over 250 console games, including recent hits and classic titles, are available for streaming on PC. The feature is accessible via the Xbox PC app in 28 countries, but only for users who own digital copies of the games.

AppWizard

July 15, 2025

How does your phone know so many private details? How thousands of apps are exploiting mysterious indoor location tracking

In 2023, a family at an amusement park experienced technology's impact on privacy when the park's app used geolocation to notify a waiting parent about fast-track entry. Spanish researchers investigated how apps exploit Bluetooth and Wi-Fi permissions to track users indoors, even without GPS. Their findings, to be presented at the Pets privacy conference, reveal that 86% of 9,976 analyzed Android apps collect sensitive data, including location coordinates. The study highlights ethical concerns regarding data sharing and potential misuse, as information can track individuals' movements and identify sensitive activities. Many apps use software development kits (SDKs) that include hidden location tracking features, with 52 SDKs identified in nearly 10,000 apps installed on around 55 billion devices. The Android Advertising ID allows companies to track users and create detailed profiles based on location data, raising ethical dilemmas about privacy and the commodification of personal information.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Survey reveals this is everyone’s favorite weather app, by far

In a recent survey, Pixel Weather was identified as the most favored weather app, receiving 47% of the votes. It is exclusively available to Google Pixel users. The next closest competitors were Wunderground with 12.51%, Today Weather with 10.42%, Weather and Radar with 10.13%, and Ventusky with 4.02%. Users also suggested alternative weather applications such as Weawow, Samsung Weather, AccuWeather, Windy, MyRadar, and ForecastAdvisor. For non-Pixel users, Weather Master can replicate some features of Pixel Weather, and tech-savvy users can sideload the Pixel Weather APK onto other devices.

AppWizard

July 13, 2025

Secure Messaging: The Guardian Leverages Millions of Readers to Provide Strong Plausible Deniability

The Guardian has introduced a tool called Secure Messaging to protect journalistic sources, utilizing an open-source technology named CoverDrop. This system allows whistleblowers to communicate securely and anonymously with journalists by concealing the fact that messaging is occurring. CoverDrop integrates a module within The Guardian's mobile app, an untrusted cloud-based API, on-premises services known as CoverNode, and a desktop application for journalists. The CoverNode functions as a mix node to ensure the anonymity of sources. The app exchanges encrypted messages that appear indistinguishable from regular app data, providing cover for users. The technology has been rolled out to millions of users this year, and a white paper detailing its design has been published. Currently, the platform does not allow sharing of photographs or documents, but future plans include linking uploaded files with conversations. The source code for CoverDrop is available on GitHub under the Apache License 2.0.