Sometimes our Internet connection suddenly drops and we are lured to fall into a fit of rage. If you use Google Chrome, you must be familiar with the offline side-scroller game that has you avoiding obstacles as an 8-bit T-Rex. It turns out that Chrome’s offline minigame is so popular that Microsoft built its own for its Edge browser.

Just like Chrome, Microsoft Edge will suggest a minigame once you’re offline. Unlike Chrome though, there’s no visual indicator telling you that there’s some sort of a game that you can play to pass the time. The prompt for the minigame appears at the bottom of the error page. You have to click the button to toggle the minigame.

Edge’s minigame is actually much more sophisticated than Chrome’s. To begin the game, you press the spacebar and use the mouse or keyboard controls to guide the surfer safely across the open waters. There are a lot of obstacles on the way that you have to avoid. Once you hit an obstacle, you lose a life. Given that you have three lives in the game, you have more chances to score higher than Chrome’s dino game where you’re given only one life.

Of course, the game increases its difficulty by throwing more obstacles as you speed along. Later in the game, giant octopuses will try to catch up with your surfer. You can use various power-ups to outrun these obstacles. The game ends when you lose all of your three lives.

There are also three modes to choose from: “let’s surf”, “time trial”, and “zig-zag”. Each mode has its own mechanics, and the default one is set to “let’s surf”. Aside from choosing the modes, you can also choose from different surfers. Sadly, they don’t have any special abilities whatsoever.

If you’re eager to try out the minigame, you must update the Microsoft Edge to version 83. Once you go offline, you’ll see a prompt inviting you to play Microsoft’s new minigame. But if you’re really excited to play the game, you can type “edge://surf” in the address bar sans the quotation marks. From there, you can start playing the minigame if you fancy.

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, more and more tech brands are relying on online stores to reach their customers. LG Singapore is the latest brand to go online with the opening of its flagship Lazada store. To mark the opening, it is discounting its appliances and devices for a limited time.

There’s a wide range of appliances on offer with LG’s Lazada store. Customers who buy LG appliances from May 23 to May 31 can get savings of up to 25% and a further 3% discount with a minimum purchase of SG$ 499.

Those who work from home will find a great range of LG TV and monitors on offer at the online store. They can also purchase the latest LG Gram through Lazada should they need a trusty laptop for their work.

Those who wanted to step up their facial self-care routine will also appreciate LG store’s selection of Pra.L appliances. For a limited time, LG will give away two complimentary brush heads with every purchase of Pra.L Dual Cleanser.

Other appliances offered on the Lazada store include LG refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and more. There’s something for everyone on the online store, so be sure to check it out here.

Youtube support channel

LG has also put up a Youtube support channel to help customers in troubleshooting their appliances. Their Youtube channel features handy tutorials on common troubleshooting problems. Since most customer service centers are still closed or are operating in a limited capacity in most areas, the channel is a great alternative for those who need help with their LG devices.

With LG opening its online store on Lazada and putting up a support channel on Youtube, customers don’t have to go to a physical store just to buy or have their appliances repaired. This is not just convenient for many, but also necessary as Singapore still restricts many non-essential shops from opening.

Historically, Microsoft has been averse towards the free and open-source operating system Linux. It’s become a popular choice for developers and enthusiasts, making it a “threat” to Windows. Over the years, however, Microsoft seemed to change course. Nowadays, the company has been embracing Linux and integrating it right into Windows.

In its latest Build conference, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 is gaining support for Linux GUI apps. This is a big deal for most developers since they don’t have to dual-boot or run Linux in a virtual machine to run Linux-exclusive apps. Take note though, that Windows 10 already supports Linux apps through the command line. GUI apps for Linux can run on Windows 10, though it requires a hefty workaround for most.

Support for Linux apps is possible through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) that Microsoft developed and improved over the years. The second version of WSL will have a full Linux kernel, allowing apps to run natively on Windows.

Elsewhere, Microsoft is also bringing GPU hardware acceleration for Linux apps running on Windows. There’s also a brand-new terminal app and a package manager coming to Windows 10. Developers who rely on Linux-exclusive developer tools will now find it easier to develop and compile code on Windows as a result.

Support for Linux apps, hardware acceleration, and more will come on future updates to Windows 10.

A native GTK app running alongside Windows 10 apps | Photo from Microsoft

Embracing developers

The reason for Windows embracing Linux over the years is to attract more developers. Microsoft’s recent stance towards open-sourcing its products is another indication of this strategy. The latest move will only make Windows 10 a viable option for most developers who have to resort to dual-booting Linux or buying a Macbook to suit their workflow.

h/t: The Verge