When it comes to mega-popular sandbox video games, two names stand out above the rest: Minecraft and Roblox. While these two games may look very similar to one another at first glance – and indeed they do have many commonalities – they are in fact drastically different games in several key aspects, as we will see later in this article.

For those who don’t know, there is a rather fierce ongoing rivalry between the two, and each game has a legion of stalwart champions (many of whom think that “their game” is better and aren’t shy about telling you) within their respective communities. A quick internet search will yield innumerable articles and YouTube videos discussing the Minecraft vs Roblox debate. But really, what are Minecraft and Roblox, and what is the difference between the two? Let’s explore each and then compare them.

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is sometimes called the granddaddy of sandbox games. Created by Swedish programmer and game designer Markus Persson, Minecraft features a procedurally generated world composed of blocks. The game has no set objective, rather going for a freeform style of gameplay in which the player is free to explore the world, scavenge and harvest materials, and build just about anything they desire. Minecraft and Mojang Studios were purchased by Microsoft in 2014. It is the best-selling video game of all time.

What is Roblox?

Roblox is a free to play online game platform that allows users to create and code their own games and play games made by other users. This is one area where it differs from Minecraft, in that it is not a game in itself. Roblox Studio is the tool used to program games, and a virtual currency called Robux is used to purchase in-game items.

How are they alike?

No doubt the most obvious similarity between the two games is the rather basic visual style. Roblox, however, incorporates higher-resolution elements into the simplistic designs in caparison to the pixelated blocks of Minecraft. The result for Roblox is a game that has technically sharper graphics, as well as a vaguely LEGO-esque look which adds an extra layer of charm for some people.

Both games also share a general approach to the player experience, in that each game provides a sandbox environment in which players are free to use their imagination to recreate the virtual worlds around them, without restraints.

How are they different?

Despite the similarities between Roblox and Minecraft, ultimately the two games are different on a fundamental level. Minecraft is a self-contained game in the traditional sense, and sees constant tweaks in the form of updates as well as content additions on a near-constant basis, all provided by a professional studio, so quality is consistent.

Roblox on the other hand, features a free to play structure with microtransactions and a premium version for the “full” experience. And with a staggering number of games being made for Roblox each year, the sheer wealth and range of gaming experiences (everything from working at a pizza joint to scuba diving, to managing a theme park to fending off zombies with your favorite assault rifle) the variety in Roblox is nigh limitless.

Probably the biggest difference between the two is the social aspect, which is much more present in Roblox. Because it is an online game, Roblox has that social element – and is in fact ultimately geared toward it – for both good and ill. While Minecraft, though having a multiplayer option, is predominantly a single player experience.

Roblox and Minecraft are both great games

As you have seen, Roblox and Minecraft are two distinctly different gaming beasts, each of which has their own respective merits, each of which provides a worthwhile experience for all kinds of gamers – newcomers included. And despite what some may say, there is no reason you can’t enjoy both. Much like the Pepsi vs Coke debate, or the schism between Lord of the Rings apologists and those in the Harry Potter camp, it really comes down to a matter of personal taste. Neither is the true better, and at the end of the day there is really no reason to have to choose.

Featured image courtesy of gurugamer.com

I have more than one Microsoft Outlook email account and I often struggle to manage them on a daily basis. I tend to prioritise emails in some email accounts and I completely ignore the rest. Obviously, the email accounts for each client I work for are checked several times a day in the course of my work, the mailboxes are triaged regularly and kept under control.

But the personal accounts I have on both Outlook.com and Hotmail do not fare so well. Whenever I do get around to looking at these accounts via the web browser I often find the number of unread emails overwhelming. I close the browser down and do something more interesting instead.

Today, to get back in control, I deleted message after message quickly became bored, made myself another pot of coffee, and miserably stared at my screen. I had been deleting for what seemed like aeons and was becoming stir-crazy, moving my mouse around the screen for inspiration. And then I discovered the Sweep icon at the top of my Outlook screen.

Microsoft Outlook’s Sweep, which is available for Outlook.com and Hotmail email addresses accessed via a browser, will let you delete emails in your inbox based on a set of criteria. You can move messages from the Inbox folder to a specified folder – and ensure that any future messages from the same sender are dealt with in the same way.

You can retain the latest received message and move other messages from the same sender, or move any messages older than 10 days old from the inbox folder. You can also specify which folder you want to move the messages to, creating a new folder if you choose.

Once your inbox is clear Sweep for Outlook will automatically run every 24 hours to keep your inbox free of messages from the sender you have chosen. If you are as disorganised as I am with your inbox and leave Outlook’s Sweep to automate the tasks you hate.

I know that if I am not going to action a message within 10 days from a specific sender, then I am never going to do anything with that particular email. This is my new favourite option to keep my inbox manageable.

If you believe that you have made a mistake and messages from senders you wish to keep are important, you can check and adjust the settings you have made. Click the Outlook settings icon, followed by the View all Outlook Settings link.

Tips to manage your inbox using Microsoft’s Sweep:

• Use Sweep to initially delete all emails from a specific sender that are older than 10 days old.
• Use Sweep to move emails that you may want in the future from the Inbox to specific folders such as coupons, online shopping outlets etc.
• Check your Sweep settings regularly to make sure that you are not missing important emails.

Sweep has completely changed the way I now manage my inbox – and it will keep my inbox streamlined so I can become more efficient. I won’t drink so much coffee either from now on.

The Grow: Song of the Evertree and Football Manager 2022 Xbox Edition video games are currently free to play on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X console families until the end of the weekend for all players with an active Xbox Live Gold subscription.

As is usual in Free Play promotions, both video games can be played in full and Xbox Achievements can be unlocked during this period.

Here’s the official game description and trailer for Grow: Song of the Evertree:

Grow your own worlds and nurture a deep natural connection with everything they hold. See your actions change the world for better! Bring the Evertree back to life in this breathtaking world-crafting sandbox, with life management and adventure elements.

Over time, the Worlds of Alaria faded. The Evertree – where many worlds resided on its countless branches – is now nothing more than a sapling, its splendor long erased from memory. No one knows how to make it grow. But you are different. You hear the sun as it sings across the sky. You hear the language of rain against the earth. You are the last of the Everheart Alchemists and your task has been passed down from generation to generation – Grow and protect the Evertree!

And here’s the official trailer and description for Football Manager 2022 Xbox Edition:

Navigate your way to the top of the footballing world in Football Manager 2022 Xbox Edition, a bespoke version of Football Manager adapted for streamlined console play on the biggest stage.

FM22 Xbox fine-tunes your management experience, allowing you to focus on the managerial essentials – transfers, tactics and matchdays.

In addition to the above two games, a variety of Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer content is also available to play for free right now on Xbox. This free multiplayer option isn’t part of the Xbox Live Gold Free Play Days promotion but an Xbox Live Account is needed to play Call f Duty’s online modes.

Need more Xbox news in your feed? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

The official LBRY desktop app updated today for Windows devices. This latest update brings the app up to Version 0.52.6 and makes improvements to disk space management and media sorting in addition to fixing a number of app crash bugs.

Here’s the release notes for the LBRY desktop Version 0.52.6 update:

Added

• Discover page medium duration filter (#7506)
• Keep last used collection for Add To (#7491)
• Disk space functionality on mac / windows (#7500)
• Enable renaming private collections (#7519)

Changed

• Some upgrade modal improvements (#7488)
• Updated lbry-sdk to 0.107.1
• New YRBL!; facelift for first run (#7527)

Fixed

• Failed comment count increment (#7510)
• App crash playing media on older windows versions by updating electron (#7509)
• Local build failures on mac (#7497)
• Language change now rerenders whole app (#7504)
• Mac notarization (#7518)
• Prevent crash when deleting last comment reply (#7526)

LBRY, pronounced “Library,” is a blockchain project that’s aiming to build a decentralized web hosting solution for video, audio, and other media. All users who download the desktop client essentially help host parts of the LBRY network while anyone can also upload almost anything to the service by using the same app.

Once files have been uploaded to the LBRY blockchain, they can be accessed within the LBRY app or by using an alternative interface such as Odysee which is basically a YouTube rival that focuses primarily on LBRY-hosted videos.

Need more tech news? Give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Earth Day, a day that many people show their support for protecting the environment is coming up on April 22, and Microsoft is already celebrating. The company is highlighting some eco-friendly laptops and devices that you can purchase from its partners today, alongside mentioning how some laptop makers are being smarter with packaging and processes.

Leading the list of eco-friendly devices is the Acer Aspire Vero. The laptop comes with 30% recycled plastic in the chassis, and 50% recycled plastic in the keyboard caps. There’s also no paint on the chassis service, and the laptop is fully repairable and upgradable. Another laptop on the list is the ASUS ExpertBook B9, which has a long-lasting battery, so you use less electricity. There’s also the Dell Latitude 5000, which is made with 20% reclaimed carbon fiber, and has bio-based rubber feet. It even has  71% recycled and rentable materials in the lid.

Some other laptops and companies Microsoft choose to highlight can be seen below.

• Dynabook Satellite Pro C40-J: Dynabook uses their on solar power generation system to cast this device. Packaging is also recyclable.
• HP Elite Dragonfly G3: Uses recycled magnesium in the cover, ocean-bound plastic in the speaker enclosure, 50% recycled plastics in key caps. Box packaging is 100% sourced sustainably.
• Lenovo Yoga 6:  Made with recycled materials, cover has recycled aluminum that’s fabric rapped with 50% recycled plastics. Free of mercury and arsenic, and is BPR free. Battery cells use post-consumer plastic.
• Samsung Galaxy Book 2: Feature Samsung’s eco-conscious materials that remorse’s ocean-bound plastics. AMOLED display is GREENGUARD gold certified.

The Logitech Meetup, Panasonic Toughbook 55 also make this list. Remember to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, as this year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet.” Learn more about Earth Day and how other companies and people are celebrating by going to the dedicated website.

Scripts are pretty useful as it can help automate parts of working in Excel, so sometimes you might want to share one with a coworker within your organization. Well, spotted by Neowin, it looks as though Microsoft has heard feedback and is working on the ability to save scripts to SharePoint sites.

The feature has officially been added to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, and is set for release in July of this year. With it, you can run team-owned and shared scripts in Excel for the web. Microsoft offers the following description.

“With this new feature, users will be able to save their scripts to a SharePoint site so that their team members can more easily collaborate, view, and run team-owned scripts on their Excel workbooks.”

This feature was first mentioned by Microsoft back on March 31, and will hit all users worldwide when released. Do note, though, that this is just an estimate and the actual release can always change. It’s just the latest ability for Excel on the Web, which is also getting a Argument Assistance card UI, to help minimize errors in your workflows.

Microsoft PowerToys already adds many useful additions to the File Explorer, but a big one that’s based on something from MacOS could be coming soon. That’s according to a new prototype video shared by a Microsoft employee on Reddit, suggesting a “peek” feature for the popular Windows app (via Neowin.)

Apparently created during a hack week at Microsoft, u/MSFT-SAM notes that this new Powertoys Peek feature was created as a “lighting fast file preview feature.” Four engineers worked on the project, according to Sam. That’s why, for now, it’s just a prototype and the team is looking for feedback from the community based on the video. Yet unlike how file preview works in macOS (spacebar key to preview) Microsoft’s take for PowerToys looks to add the ability to preview photos in the File Explorer with the Spacebar and the Shift key combo. This then opens the photo in a small temporary preview window, without opening the actual app. It doesn’t look like it works with other file types at the moment, and the multi-key combo is necessary because PowerToys does not allow for single key shortcuts.

So far Feedback has been pretty good based on reactions in the Reddit thread. The performance looks to be on point, and many people have mentioned that Microsoft should add some tweaks. This includes support for Office Files, a way to open the app from the associated app from the preview window, navigating between previews for multiple files with arrow keys, and even basic edit controls.

To be clear, you already can “add” this feature to Windows with a third-party app called QuickLook. But it would be nice for this to be added to PowerToys, too which is much more popular. We’d love to hear what you think of this feature so be sure to drop us a comment below.

Peloton this week finally released the Peloton Guide, the company’s first motion-tracking fitness camera designed to add an advanced level of feedback and guidance to Peloton’s various fitness videos.

The Peloton Guide, which was announced in late-2021 for a 2022 release, can be purchased from the official Peloton website for a one-off payment of $295 or paid off monthly for $13 per month. A $545 ($23 per month) Guide Strength Starter bundle is also available which includes the Peloton Guide camera, three sets of dumbbells, and a workout mat.

Peloton enthusiasts looking to get really serious with their home workouts can invest in the pricey $935 ($39 per month) Guide Power bundle which includes the Guide, a workout mat, six dumbbells, and a separate heart rate monitor device.

Currently, the Peloton Guide’s tracking features only support Peloton’s on-demand Strength classes though support for other workout styles and live classes is planned in a future update. A separate $24 monthly Peloton All-Access Membership subscription is required to access all of these workouts.

The Peloton Guide will seem remarkably familiar to those who owned one of Microsoft’s Xbox One video game consoles as it seems to work almost exactly the same as the Xbox One’s Kinect sensor and the Xbox Fitness service that launched with the Xbox One in late-2013, almost a decade ago.

Xbox Fitness boasted a large selection of on-demand workout videos that could be accessed by all Xbox Live Gold subscribers and the Xbox One’s Kinect, a marked improvement on the Xbox 360 console’s Kinect sensor, could track body movements, the level of stress being applied to specific muscle groups, and even a user’s heartrate, something the brand new Peloton Guide can’t actually do and needs a separate device for.

Xbox Fitness had an incredibly passionate userbase during its time though it was eventually shut down by Microsoft in mid-2017 as part of the rather frustrating shift away from motion gaming and Kinect functionality on Xbox consoles.

Microsoft’s Xbox One Kinect and console where very much ahead of their time when it came to features such as voice and gesture controls and now it seems that fitness tracking can be added to this list. Not only is Peloton this week picking up where Xbox Fitness left off but Sky TV is also exploring motion gaming with their new TVs (ironically with the help of Microsoft) and there are several smartphone fitness apps which now also offer limited body tracking via smartphone and tablet cameras.

The sudden renewed interest in motion-tracking in the health and wellness space is likely pretty infuriating for Xbox Fitness fans and those who worked on the initiative who knew just how much potential it had and wished Microsoft would have continued supporting it.

It’ll be interesting to see if Microsoft ever decides to resurrect the Kinect and motion gaming given how mainstream such concepts are nowadays. The tech giant is apparently working on some kind of new Xbox-related project which could see a release sometime soon. Could it be a new Kinect? Fingers crossed.

Do you miss Xbox Fitness and would you like to see it make a comeback? Are you interested in the Peloton Guide? Let us know in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more tech news.