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AppWizard
July 16, 2026
A Reddit user named Jibril-sama is repurposing second-hand 2.5-inch SSDs into game cartridges for their Steam library, creatively combining physical media with digital gaming. Each SSD is encased in colorful housing featuring the game's cover art and can launch the game directly from a specially designed drive dock. Jibril-sama acquired several 128 GB SSDs for €7 each, highlighting the challenges of fluctuating prices in the memory market. The project reflects a trend among gamers who appreciate the tactile experience of physical media despite the dominance of digital downloads. Additionally, Sony plans to stop producing physical game discs after 2028, raising concerns about the future of the second-hand market and consumer choice. Many games on Steam still require proprietary software, prompting questions about ownership rights in the digital age.
AppWizard
July 16, 2026
Desktop Explorer is a mystery/horror game that allows players to explore a Windows 95 machine left by an uncle. Players solve puzzles by gathering clues and using era-appropriate software to uncover the uncle's story. The game emphasizes the chaotic charm of '90s computing, featuring a labyrinth of files and folders, and evokes a sense of adventure without modern conveniences like cloud storage. As players progress, they encounter unsettling phenomena such as corrupted files and ghostly faces, highlighting the fragility of technology and the narratives it holds.
AppWizard
July 16, 2026
Sony announced it will cease production of physical PlayStation game discs by 2028. A PC gamer has created a system using individual SSDs as "game cartridges," each containing a dedicated game. These SSDs are housed in custom cases with game cover art and connect to a PC via a SATA dock. When an SSD is inserted, a script automatically directs Steam to the corresponding game page and launches it. The SSDs used are 128GB drives purchased for approximately €7 each, though costs may vary now. The setup requires games to be launched through Steam, and updates must be managed via the platform.
AppWizard
July 16, 2026
VK has announced its decision to sell 100% of RuStore to Dmitry Pankrushev, the CEO of Mnogo Prilozheniy. This announcement coincided with recent European Union sanctions against VK. RuStore was established as a domestic alternative for Android users in response to restrictions imposed by Apple and Google after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The platform currently features over 110,000 applications and games, attracting 68 million monthly users. VK did not disclose the financial details of the sale or the reasons behind the divestment, while assuring users that operations would continue seamlessly. On the same day, Russian media reported that VK-related applications were removed from Google Play and Huawei's AppGallery, following previous removals from Apple's App Store. RuStore has faced allegations of user tracking and unauthorized access to data, which it denies, stating that its practices are standard for major app storefronts.
AppWizard
July 16, 2026
Max, a messaging application launched by VK in 2025 and endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was removed from Google’s Play marketplace on July 16, 2023. The app does not provide end-to-end encryption, raising concerns about government access to user communications. This removal is part of a trend affecting other VK-owned applications, coinciding with recent EU sanctions targeting VK Company and its subsidiary Communication Platform LLC, which oversees the Max app. The EU characterized Max as having extensive surveillance features used against critics of Russia's military actions in Ukraine. Apple also removed Max from its App Store in June without explanation. Max aims to be an all-encompassing platform for messaging, social media, digital identification, payments, banking, and government services, which critics say could enhance government monitoring of citizens. The Russian government has implemented strict measures against foreign social media platforms and previously enacted a ban on Telegram in 2026, which faced public backlash.
Winsage
July 16, 2026
Valve has released new Windows drivers for its Steam Machine console, improving user experience. Benchmark results from ETA Prime indicate that after installing Windows 11, the Steam Machine operates smoothly with all hardware components functioning well. The GPU is an AMD Radeon RX 7600, and the machine has been upgraded to 64 GB of memory. In performance comparisons, Windows outperforms SteamOS in the Geekbench 6 multi-thread benchmark by 22%, while single-core results are similar. In Cinebench 2024, the Steam Machine scores 99 points in single-core and 554 points in multi-core, trailing behind Apple's M1 Max and AMD Ryzen 5800X in multi-thread performance. Gaming performance shows a competitive edge between the two operating systems. Windows has a slight advantage in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 4K and 1080p, while SteamOS leads at 1440p. In Cyberpunk 2077, SteamOS outperforms Windows by 8.8% at 4K and 4.7% at 1440p. At 4K, both struggle, with SteamOS averaging 18 FPS and Windows 20 FPS. In Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Windows has a 7.1% advantage, while SteamOS is faster at 1440p and Windows leads at 1080p. Running Windows on the Steam Machine is a viable option, supporting Valve's claim that it functions as a standard PC, though there are other factors to consider beyond gaming performance.
Tech Optimizer
July 16, 2026
Google Cloud has enhanced AlloyDB by integrating AlloyDB AI Functions with Gemini models to improve search indexing for logographic languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. This update addresses challenges in database search functionality, particularly for languages written in continuous scripts, where traditional PostgreSQL text parsing struggles. Developers can now invoke Gemini models directly from SQL to facilitate word segmentation and stop-word removal before creating full-text indexes, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional methods. The architecture maintains raw text, segmented text, search vectors, and embeddings in a single table, with generated columns ensuring automatic updates to search vectors and embeddings. A batching process using a PL/pgSQL stored procedure allows for efficient processing of extensive document collections by aggregating rows into arrays for model requests, thus reducing row-locking issues. Google Cloud provides tailored text search configurations for different datasets, suggesting a simple configuration for solely Chinese text and an English configuration for bilingual datasets. This preprocessing logic can also be applied during query execution, allowing user searches to be directed to Gemini for text segmentation and stop-word elimination. AlloyDB supports RUM indexes on search vectors, which store lexeme positions for computing relevance and word distance, enabling rapid query responses. Additionally, a hybrid search methodology combines full-text and vector search using a ScaNN index on embeddings, merging results through Reciprocal Rank Fusion. This development allows for robust multilingual search and vector retrieval solutions within the database environment, eliminating the need for external microservices.
AppWizard
July 16, 2026
The latest Android 17 QPR1 Beta introduces an update to the taskbar functionality, replacing predicted apps with a display of the most recently used applications. This change benefits foldable device users by locking in the last two active apps, improving productivity. Mishaal Rahman confirmed this enhancement, which aims to provide a more predictable user experience and simplify navigation. The feature is currently in testing within the QPR beta track before a broader rollout.
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