strategic Archives

Winsage

May 12, 2025

Windows 11 gets a new context menu item, and people already want it removed

Microsoft has added an "Ask Copilot" option to the context menu in Windows 11 as part of update 1.25044.93.0, allowing users to right-click on a file and send it to Copilot for insights. Users have expressed dissatisfaction with this addition, citing an already crowded context menu, and some have found ways to remove the feature via a registry edit. The feature aims to boost the usage of Copilot, which has reportedly plateaued, by keeping it visible to users.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

What is Mending Enchantment: How to Get Mending in Minecraft? | Esports News – The Times of India

Mending is an enchantment in Minecraft that allows players to repair tools, weapons, and armor using experience points. It is not available through the enchanting table and must be obtained through trading with librarian villagers, fishing, looting chests in generated structures, or raid drops (in Bedrock Edition). To acquire Mending, players can transform a villager into a librarian and refresh their trade offers until Mending appears, fish for a chance to catch an enchanted book, explore structures like jungle temples and strongholds for chests containing Mending, or participate in village raids. Once obtained, Mending can be applied to an item using an anvil, but it can only be used once per item and cannot coexist with the Infinity enchantment.

AppWizard

May 11, 2025

Xbox is giving away $214 worth of its PC games for just $10, including a Metroidvania banger and the best game from Marvel’s Spider-Man devs

A new Humble Bundle offers a collection of Xbox Game Studios titles valued at approximately £161 for £8. The bundle includes games such as Wasteland 3, As Dusk Falls, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, Broken Age, Battletoads, and Quantum Break. It will be available for 12 days, and each purchase supports Gameheads, an organization that promotes diversity in the tech industry through video game design and development training for youth of color.

Winsage

May 11, 2025

Microsoft Confirms New Free Update Deadline For Windows Users

Microsoft has extended support for Microsoft 365 applications on Windows 10 until October 10, 2028, providing an additional three years of security updates. This change comes after the company had previously announced that support would end on October 14, 2025. The extension aims to assist the 240 million Windows 10 users who cannot upgrade to Windows 11 due to hardware limitations, allowing them to transition without immediate pressure to purchase new hardware. Microsoft has stated that while they will provide troubleshooting assistance for issues with Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10, users are encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 for optimal performance and reliability.

AppWizard

May 11, 2025

Scrutinizing the security of messaging apps continues.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the White House are facing scrutiny over security vulnerabilities in their messaging application. Hacktivists breached GlobalX, the airline handling U.S. deportation flights, exposing sensitive flight manifests. The FBI warned about threats exploiting outdated routers. Pearson confirmed a cyberattack compromising customer data. Research shows cybercriminals are using Windows Remote Management (WinRM) for lateral movements in Active Directory environments. A new email attack campaign is delivering a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) via malicious PDF invoices. A zero-day vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver allows remote code execution, affecting multiple sectors. An Indiana health system reported a data breach affecting nearly 263,000 individuals.

Tech Optimizer

May 10, 2025

Databricks looks to buy database startup Neon for over $1B

Databricks is in advanced talks to acquire Neon, a startup that provides a commercial version of the open-source PostgreSQL database, with the deal valued at over billion. Neon, based in San Francisco, has raised more than million from investors, including Microsoft's M12 fund. Neon’s PostgreSQL version features a serverless architecture, automatic hardware scaling, separate allocation of storage and computing power, and connection pooling to enhance performance. Neon also offers a security tool for user access management and the ability to restore databases to previous states. Databricks' interest in Neon is likely linked to AI applications, as Neon’s database supports vector storage and can launch new database instances in one second. Databricks has previously acquired several startups to enhance its AI capabilities, including Fennel AI, Lilac AI, and MosaicML Inc.

AppWizard

May 9, 2025

Sumo Group’s founders are leaving the company

Sumo Group is undergoing a leadership transition as CEO Carl Cavers, COO Paul Porter, and Director of Excellence and Integration Darren Mills step down after 22 years. CFO Andy Stewart and newly-promoted COO Gary Dunn will share the chief executive responsibilities. Tim Repa-Davies has been promoted to the board. Cavers expressed pride in their achievements and confidence in Sumo's future, while Stewart highlighted the natural evolution of the company.

AppWizard

May 9, 2025

Doom: The Dark Ages review

The latest first-person shooter from id Software, titled Doom: The Dark Ages, is set to release on May 15, 2025, with a price of £60. It is published by Microsoft and has been reviewed on an RTX 2080 Super, Intel Core i9 9900KS, and 32GB RAM. The game features a new mechanic called the Shield Saw, allowing players to deflect attacks and engage enemies more aggressively. However, the complexity of the firearms has been reduced, with no dedicated secondary fire modes and a focus on passive upgrades. The game emphasizes accessibility, offering customizable difficulty settings, but the level designs are simpler compared to previous installments. Players can pilot mechs and engage in aerial dogfights, but these moments are brief and feel disconnected from the main gameplay. The overall experience may lead players to prefer earlier entries in the series. The game does not include multiplayer and has not been tested on Steam Deck.

Winsage

May 9, 2025

Huawei to unveil PC with HarmonyOS now that Windows is out of reach

Huawei Technologies will unveil its first personal computer on May 19, powered by its in-house operating system, HarmonyOS, due to the inability to renew its contract with Microsoft for Windows because of U.S. sanctions. The project has been in development for five years with the efforts of over 10,000 engineers, expanding the HarmonyOS ecosystem beyond smartphones and tablets into personal computing.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Mojang’s big Minecraft VR mistake

Mojang has officially discontinued VR support for the Bedrock version of Minecraft on PCs, ending a VR initiative that began in April 2016. The Gear VR version was initially available on devices like the Oculus Go and original Oculus Quest, but support for older games on the Oculus Quest 2 rendered these experiences obsolete. Modders, particularly through the Vivecraft mod, have filled the gap left by Mojang, with QuestCraft being a notable port for Meta Quest headsets. Despite Mojang's claims of lacking resources for VR, the company has over 55 million daily active players and a workforce of more than 600 employees, indicating financial stability. The demographics of the Meta Quest user base suggest a strong potential interest in Minecraft if officially supported. Recent collaborations between Meta and Microsoft hint at potential opportunities for an official Minecraft VR port, yet progress remains stagnant. The QuestCraft Discord server has 80,000 members, indicating significant interest in a VR version of Minecraft, which could attract hundreds of thousands of active users.