tech giants Archives

AppWizard

February 20, 2026

“It needs to cooperate fairly, and it’s clearly not.” Why Valve is facing a £656m day in the UK courts

Tim Sweeney of Epic Games has criticized revenue sharing on digital storefronts, leading to the creation of the Epic Game Store, which charges a 12% fee to developers. Legal actions against Apple and Google resulted in them allowing alternative storefronts for games. Valve maintains a 30% commission on Steam, prompting antitrust lawsuits from developers in the U.S. in 2021, which were consolidated into a class action approved in November 2024. In the UK, Vicki Shotbolt is leading a legal case against Valve, alleging violations of competition laws, with a court ruling allowing the case to proceed to trial. Shotbolt argues that Valve's 30% revenue share inflates prices for consumers and that its price parity requirement restricts developers from offering lower prices on other platforms. She emphasizes the need for fair cooperation in the gaming ecosystem and highlights Valve's market dominance, which pressures developers to use Steam. If successful, the class action could seek up to £656 million in damages for UK consumers and aims for a more equitable profit-sharing model between Valve and developers.

AppWizard

February 17, 2026

App ‘handoff’ will be one of the biggest features of Android 17

Android 17 is introducing a feature called Handoff that enhances cross-device continuity, allowing users to start an app activity on one device and continue it on another without losing progress. Handoff enables users to transition tasks between smartphones, tablets, and foldable devices seamlessly. It operates as a background system feature and a developer-facing API, detecting available activities on nearby devices. If the same app is installed on the receiving device, it uses deep linking to restore the session. If the app is not available, there is an app-to-web Handoff fallback, allowing users to continue in a browser. Handoff is not yet active in Android 17 Beta 1, and Google has not released detailed documentation on supported devices. The feature may be particularly beneficial for larger-screen devices and could extend to desktop-style experiences. Historically, Android has struggled with cross-device continuity compared to Apple, and Handoff could help bridge that gap if adopted by developers.

AppWizard

February 12, 2026

ChatGPT goes further with focused ‘Deep Research’ sources, more apps for users

OpenAI has updated its ChatGPT platform, enhancing the Deep Research feature for better accuracy and relevance in reports. Users can now instruct the AI to source information from specific references. The side menu has been redesigned for improved navigation, and a wider range of connected applications has been introduced. The GPT-2.5 model's responses have been refined for better interaction. Last month, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Go, its most affordable subscription tier, utilizing the GPT-5.2 model, offering rapid response times, ten times the messaging capacity, file upload options, and additional features compared to the Free tier. The Deep Research feature, designed to emulate a human analyst, compiles comprehensive reports from online sources, with completion times ranging from five to thirty minutes based on topic complexity. OpenAI's updates come amid competition with Google and its AI tools. Users are advised to verify the accuracy of the information provided.

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

Gemini keeps asking me to turn on Personal Intelligence, but I’m keeping it off

Gemini has introduced a feature called Personal Intelligence, which allows users to customize the data accessed from Google services like Gmail and Google Photos. This feature is opt-in and was launched on January 14. Users receive prompts to enable it and can choose to defer or start using it. Personal Intelligence replaces the previous feature, Personal Context, which is still active by default. Users can connect various Google apps to Gemini to enhance their experience, with the ability to control which data sources contribute to Personal Intelligence. Google emphasizes that app connections are off by default, and users have control over their data sharing.

Winsage

January 21, 2026

‘Windows Mobile is back, sort of’: US startup packs THREE OS in one smartphone in most exciting mobile release I’ve seen in years

Nex Computer has launched the NexPhone, a smartphone that operates on three operating systems: Android, Linux, and Windows 11. It allows users to switch between platforms and is the first device to integrate these functionalities into a single mobile device. The NexPhone primarily runs on Android but has dual-boot capabilities for Windows and Linux (Debian), offering a full desktop environment. Traditional calling functions are limited to Android, as Windows and Linux are not designed for telephony. The device will receive standard over-the-air updates for Android, while Windows updates will be managed through Windows Update. Preorders for the NexPhone are open at a refundable price of , with the remaining balance due upon delivery, and include a complimentary USB-C dock.

AppWizard

January 12, 2026

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney argues banning Twitter over its ability to AI-generate pornographic images of minors is just ‘gatekeepers’ attempting to ‘censor all of their political opponents’

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has criticized a US initiative to ban the social media platform X and its generative AI tool, Grok, following reports of Grok generating inappropriate images, including those of minors. Sweeney emphasized the importance of open platforms and opposed political demands for censorship, labeling it as crony capitalism. Reports indicated that Grok produced troubling content, including altered images of influencers in compromising situations. In response to the controversy, X has placed Grok's image generation feature behind a paywall. Sweeney's stance on free speech contrasts with censorship practices on his own platforms, such as the Epic Games Store's ban on the art game Horses due to pressure from conservative groups. He acknowledged the dangers of AI, noting that major AIs have instances of misuse.

Winsage

December 24, 2025

Microsoft engineer says Windows isn’t being rewritten to Rust with AI

Galen Hunt, a Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft, has proposed a plan to phase out all C and C++ code within the company, emphasizing that this initiative is focused on developing technologies for smoother transitions between programming languages rather than a complete rewrite of Windows in Rust. Microsoft aims to eliminate technical debt and address memory-related vulnerabilities, which account for about 70 percent of vulnerabilities in its products, by adopting Rust, a language known for its memory safety features. The company is leveraging advanced tooling and AI to facilitate the transition, and Hunt is seeking a Principal Software Engineer with Rust expertise to support these efforts. Microsoft’s commitment to Rust reflects a broader trend of increasing adoption of the language, with significant growth in enterprise settings. Major tech companies are also integrating Rust into their infrastructure, highlighting its importance for critical systems.

Winsage

December 24, 2025

Microsoft engineer says Windows isn’t being rewritten to Rust with AI

Galen Hunt, a Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft, has proposed to eliminate all C and C++ code within the company, focusing on transitioning to Rust. This initiative aims to address technical debt and improve memory safety, as C and C++ are responsible for approximately 70% of vulnerabilities in Microsoft products. Microsoft plans to leverage AI and modern tooling to facilitate this transition, which includes rewriting portions of the Windows kernel in Rust. Hunt is seeking a Principal Software Engineer with Rust expertise to support this effort. The adoption of Rust is growing globally, with a reported 2.3 million developers using it, and major tech companies are increasingly integrating it into their infrastructure.

Winsage

December 24, 2025

‘1 engineer, 1 month, 1 million lines of code’: Microsoft wants to replace C and C++ code with Rust by 2030 – but a senior engineer insists the company has no plans on using AI to rewrite Windows source code

Microsoft plans to phase out C and C++ in favor of Rust by 2030, as announced by Galen Hunt, a Distinguished Engineer at the company. AI will assist in large-scale code modifications, and the foundational infrastructure for this transition is already in place. Microsoft has been integrating Rust into its ecosystem, investing a million dollars in 2022 to establish it as a primary language for engineering systems. Rust-based kernel features have been introduced in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25905. Hunt clarified that the initiative is a research project aimed at facilitating migration between programming languages, not a complete rewrite of Windows in Rust with AI. Other tech companies, like Google, are also adopting Rust for its productivity and efficiency benefits, driven by security concerns related to C and C++. The US National Security Agency has recommended transitioning to memory-safe programming languages, including Rust.

Tech Optimizer

December 12, 2025

The digital impersonators: How cybercriminals hijack your brand to launch malvertising attacks

Brand trust is highly valued by consumers, leading cybercriminals to exploit it through malvertising, which embeds malicious code in legitimate ads. Malvertising can redirect users to phishing sites or download malware. Cybercriminals create fake ads that mimic trusted brands, targeting high-traffic moments and using real-time bidding to distribute these ads on reputable sites. The process involves setting up fake accounts, creating convincing ads, purchasing ad space, and delivering malware through exploit kits. The consequences include identity theft and financial loss for consumers, and reputational damage for brands. To protect against these threats, organizations should implement regular software updates, continuous employee training, protective tools, and consider partnering with managed service providers for enhanced security measures.