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Android Auto now lets you play games on your car's display with this requirement
BetaBeacon
April 3, 2025

Android Auto now lets you play games on your car’s display with this requirement

Google announced that users can now play select Android games on their car's display through Android Auto. The key requirement for playing games on the car display is having a mobile device running on Android 15 or higher. Games can only be accessed when the vehicle is fully parked, and only a limited number of Android games are currently supported for this feature.
PCSO offers new phone app to public
AppWizard
April 3, 2025

PCSO offers new phone app to public

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) has launched a new smartphone application and an updated website to improve communication with the community. The app, developed by TheSheriffApp.com, includes features such as a welcome message, inmate and jail information, registered sex offenders, school safety resources, pistol permit applications, cyber safety tips, crime tip submissions, and contact information for the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Russell Thomas stated that the app serves as an educational tool and enhances public safety engagement. The app allows citizens to access information conveniently on their smartphones, especially during emergencies or for updates like road closures.
Minecraft’s Aprils Fool’s Day 2025 updates take crafting to the next level
AppWizard
April 2, 2025

Minecraft’s Aprils Fool’s Day 2025 updates take crafting to the next level

Minecraft has introduced a new mode called Craftmine for April Fool's Day 2025, allowing players to design and construct personalized mines. Players can generate a mine by selecting resources and using the Mine Crafter, which provides additional resources for crafting. To access Craftmine, players must enable "Enable Snapshots" in the Minecraft Launcher and select the latest snapshot. In Craftmine mode, players start at a room with the Craftminer block and can craft items by collecting wood, converting it to planks, and arranging them in a 2x2 grid. Players are advised to back up their worlds as snapshots can corrupt them.
Gemini is an increasingly good chatbot, but it’s still a bad assistant
AppWizard
April 1, 2025

Gemini is an increasingly good chatbot, but it’s still a bad assistant

Google's Gemini platform aims to streamline tasks by utilizing data across various applications, allowing users to request actions like sifting through emails for specific messages. However, there are significant issues with its functionality. An example involved retrieving a shipment tracking number, where Gemini provided a seemingly accurate but ultimately fabricated number that did not work in tracking systems. This incident highlighted Gemini's tendency to misinterpret requests and produce incorrect information, raising concerns about its reliability as an assistant. Over the past year, the user experienced multiple instances of Gemini misplacing calendar events and inputting incorrect data, leading to frustration with its performance compared to its predecessor.
silver Android smartphone
Winsage
April 1, 2025

7 PowerToys Run plug-ins I use to boost my productivity

PowerToys is a suite of productivity tools for Windows 11, featuring over two dozen modules. PowerToys Run is a launcher and search bar that simplifies launching applications and finding files. It can be enhanced with plug-ins, including: - Window Walker: Allows users to search for running applications for quick window switching. - OneNote: Enables quick access to notebooks and pages after activation. - WinGet/Scoop: Streamlines app installation and uninstallation from a trusted repository. - BrowserSearch: Facilitates quick searches of browser history across different web browsers. - FastWeb: Allows users to create shortcuts for websites accessible via text commands. - Everything: Provides a fast search engine for files, improving upon the basic file search capabilities. - Clipboard Manager: Makes clipboard history searchable for easier reuse of text clips.
Watch Out for This Info-Stealing Malware on Windows
Tech Optimizer
March 31, 2025

Watch Out for This Info-Stealing Malware on Windows

A new malware strain called CoffeeLoader has been identified, posing a significant risk to gamers by masquerading as a legitimate ASUS utility, specifically the Armoury Crate software. Once it infiltrates a system, it deploys the Rhadamanthys infostealer, which can extract sensitive information such as credentials from web browsers, email clients, cryptocurrency wallets, and password managers. CoffeeLoader evades detection by most security tools by operating on the GPU instead of the CPU and using advanced techniques like call stack spoofing, sleep obfuscation, and exploiting Windows fibers. To protect against CoffeeLoader, users should exercise caution when downloading software, navigate directly to official websites, avoid suspicious links, and adhere to basic cybersecurity practices. If infection is suspected, users should disconnect from the internet, reboot in safe mode, delete temporary files, and check Task Manager for unusual activity. Employing a reliable malware scanner can help identify and eliminate infections.
Windows 11 gets Quick Recovery to fix computers that cannot boot
Winsage
March 30, 2025

Windows 11 gets Quick Recovery to fix computers that cannot boot

Microsoft introduced Quick Machine Recovery at the Ignite conference, a feature within its Windows Resiliency Initiative for Windows 11, aimed at improving user experience during system failures. This tool allows users to recover their systems when boot failures occur by transitioning into recovery mode and connecting to the internet to analyze crash data and retrieve fixes via Windows Update. Quick Machine Recovery is currently being tested in the latest Windows 11 Beta build, with plans for a broader rollout across all Windows 11 editions. IT administrators can enable or disable this feature and customize settings such as network credentials and scanning intervals. The feature is designed to help mitigate the impact of widespread outages and assist users with critical bugs and compatibility issues.
Raycast is a better launcher than anything on Windows
Winsage
March 29, 2025

Raycast is a better launcher than anything on Windows

The author has transitioned from using Flow Launcher on Windows 11 to Raycast on a Mac Mini and finds Raycast to be superior in elegance and functionality. Raycast is described as a comprehensive solution with high extensibility and customizability, offering an intuitive design that enhances productivity. A Windows version of Raycast is anticipated in the future, and the author hopes it will match the quality of the Mac version.
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