storage Archives

BetaBeacon

August 11, 2026

Aptoide Games Joins Google Play: First Rival Android Store in Over Decade

The Play Catalog Access Program was implemented on July 22, 2026, as a result of a court order after Google lost a lawsuit filed by Epic Games for illegally monopolizing Android app distribution and in-app billing. The program allows enrolled stores, such as Aptoide Games, to access Google Play's app catalog and offer users the ability to install apps through Google Play's infrastructure, maintaining security and service fees.

AppWizard

August 11, 2026

Xodus Cracks Xbox Authentication and Game Package Decryption to Bring PC Game Pass to Linux

Developers of the Heroic Games Launcher have announced Xodus, an open-source project aimed at enabling access to PC Game Pass on Linux and macOS. Launched on August 10, 2026, Xodus has successfully addressed Xbox identity authentication and the decryption of MSIXVC packages, allowing local play of Game Pass titles for Linux and macOS users. Currently, the only way to access Game Pass on non-Windows devices is through Xbox Cloud Gaming, which requires a Game Pass Ultimate subscription and introduces latency. Xodus employs a layered architecture, including an Xbox Authentication Library (xal-rs) for managing Microsoft account sign-ins and license verification, and a reimplementation of the xgameruntime.dll for license checks and Xbox service access. The project can retrieve MSIXVC game packages using a valid Game Pass subscription and decrypt executables for local storage. However, it does not yet support UWP-based titles and lacks a user-friendly interface for general users. The project is under pressure due to Microsoft's upcoming transition to the MSIXVC2 package format, which Xodus does not currently support. Xodus is in early development with only a command-line interface available, and the team is working on emulating the GDK Gaming Services layer necessary for game initialization. The project is legal as it reimplements Xbox runtime behavior without enabling piracy, but it faces risks if Microsoft alters its authentication infrastructure.

Tech Optimizer

August 10, 2026

Microsoft’s PostgreSQL alternative, HorizonDB: Worth the wait?

AWS's Aurora PostgreSQL service became generally available in 2017 and has evolved into an AI-ready offering with features like vector search and integrations with Amazon Bedrock. Google Cloud launched AlloyDB in 2022, which includes AlloyDB AI with vector search and model interaction. Databricks introduced Lakebase, available on AWS and Azure in 2023, while Snowflake released Snowflake Postgres in February 2026. Microsoft announced HorizonDB at Ignite in November 2025, featuring disaggregated compute and storage, a database-as-log design, native vector search, and integration with Foundry and Fabric.

AppWizard

August 10, 2026

Project Xodus Brings Native Xbox PC and Game Pass Games to Linux

Project Xodus is an open-source initiative focused on reverse-engineering Xbox PC and Game Pass titles to enable their use on Linux and Mac systems. The project has made significant progress in Microsoft authentication and package decryption, allowing Linux users to download and process Xbox subscription games locally. The team has successfully reverse-engineered Microsoft’s identity services and license verification systems, unlocking encrypted MSIXVC game files and enabling the verification of game licenses and decryption of installation packages on non-Windows operating systems. Xodus serves as a translation bridge for Microsoft’s proprietary ecosystem services, providing custom proxy libraries for games to function as if they are running in a native Windows environment. It specifically targets modern games built on Microsoft’s GDK framework, excluding older titles using the Universal Windows Platform and those dependent on kernel-level anti-cheat mechanisms. The project aims to improve access to Xbox Game Pass on devices like the Steam Deck by facilitating direct local hardware execution, reducing reliance on cloud streaming and enhancing portable gaming experiences. Community feedback has been positive, with developers actively sharing updates and engaging with inquiries.

AppWizard

August 10, 2026

Marvel Rivals hits the Ozempic, comes back 40 GB lighter

Marvel Rivals has reduced its file size by approximately 40 GB for PC users as part of an "Optimized texture resource compression strategy across all platforms." Creative director Guangyun Chen stated that a massive texture compression overhaul is being implemented in season 9.5 without sacrificing visual quality. Helldivers 2 also reduced its file size from around 154 GB to approximately 23 GB by eliminating redundant data. The trend towards efficient data management in gaming is evident, especially as SSD prices rise.

AppWizard

August 10, 2026

Lenovo Quietly Drops the Legion Go S Handheld Gaming PC to an All-Time Low, Powered by AMD Ryzen Z2 Go and Radeon Graphics – Kotaku

The Lenovo Legion Go S handheld console is currently available at a discounted price of 9, down from its original price of 9, reflecting a 22% savings. It features an 8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The console includes three complimentary months of PC Game Pass and EA Play, and it integrates seamlessly with Steam, making it advantageous for both new and existing PC gamers.

BetaBeacon

August 10, 2026

How to Fix Roblox Crashing on Mobile (iPhone & Android)

- Roblox crashes right when a game finishes loading - Your phone has been warning you it’s “low on storage” lately - Other apps are also acting sluggish or failing to update

Winsage

August 10, 2026

Fixing Windows 11 now does not excuse letting it become a mess for decades

Windows 11 is undergoing enhancements, with many features currently exclusive to Windows Insiders and still in the mockup phase. Microsoft is overhauling the Windows 11 interface, integrating WinUI into components like the Start menu and File Explorer. Windows Insider participants must update their systems to a new build by August 11, 2026, to avoid expiration of builds and ensure automatic updates. Lenovo's latest BIOS update for the Legion Go gaming handheld has made some devices inoperable, prompting users to avoid the update. The modernization of Windows has been criticized for not being prioritized earlier, despite significant user feedback. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is currently in short supply, and the Dell XPS 14 has a price reduction of 0.

Winsage

August 9, 2026

Microsoft confirms it accidentally installed new OneDrive app on Windows 11 PCs, and there’s no easy way to remove it yet

Microsoft has unintentionally rolled out its AI-powered OneDrive Photos app on Windows 11, affecting enterprise PCs where it is non-functional. The app was initially limited to select consumer PCs but became widely available starting August 1, 2026. Microsoft confirmed that this rollout was not intended and is working on a solution to allow users to remove OneDrive Photos independently from the OneDrive sync client. Currently, the app cannot be uninstalled without removing OneDrive entirely. OneDrive Photos serves as a centralized hub for viewing images stored locally and in the cloud, integrating with OneDrive.com’s Gallery. It appears in search results above the traditional Microsoft Photos app, even on systems not part of the Windows Insider Program. IT administrators have expressed frustration over its unexpected presence on enterprise PCs, as the app is designed for personal accounts.

Winsage

August 8, 2026

Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge could quietly download up to 20GB AI models on Windows 11

Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome are phasing out support for Manifest V2 extensions, affecting popular add-ons like uBlock Origin. Google Chrome can automatically download a 4GB AI model for local functionalities, requiring approximately 20GB of free disk space for the download. Microsoft Edge has established a similar 20GB minimum storage requirement for downloading local AI models, with additional specifications including Windows 10 or 11 and macOS 13.3 or later, at least 5.5GB of VRAM, and an unmetered network connection. Users can disable on-device AI features in Chrome, and Edge will automatically delete the AI model if available storage drops below 10GB.