Windows Central Podcast 80: Polaris

This week on the Windows Central Podcast: We talk Windows Core OS, Polaris, Andromeda and the unreleased Microsoft Band 3!

We're back with another exciting episode of the Window Central Podcast. This week, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden talk about Microsoft's Windows Core OS for traditional PC form factors codenamed Polaris, everything we know so far about Andromeda, and the canceled Microsoft Band 3!

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Xbox Live grows to 59 million active users

Xbox Live monthly active users grew significantly last quarter, possibly due to a boost from Xbox One X and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.

Today, Microsoft released its second quarter earnings and blew away expectations. The company announced $28.9 billion in revenue and $7.5 billion in non-GAAP net income. However, the gaming division's results were some of the most surprising with revenue growing 8 percent to $3.9 billion.

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Windows Defender will soon set its sights on coercive 'cleaner' software

Windows Defender will protect you against potentially coercive 'cleaner' software starting on March 1.

Starting in March, Windows Defender will begin detecting and removing "cleaner" and "optimizer" applications that use coercive messages to scare people into upgrading to their paid versions.

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Rocket League Xbox One X upgrade pushed to late 2018

The wait for Rocket League's Xbox One X upgrade might lead us to the end of 2018.

Rocket League is a sports game where you control a vehicle and have to use it to play soccer. You jump, boost and hit your way to victory in intense single-player or multiplayer matches. The game looks sharp and runs smoothly on Xbox One, but many gamers have been waiting for the title's Xbox One X upgrade. Unfortunately, it looks like the delay is more severe than we thought.

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Battalion 1944 team talks Early Access launch time, first patch, and more

Battalion 1944's launch is nearly here, and the team behind the game is offering a look at what's to come.

Battalion 1944 is gearing up to take on the competitive shooter scene with its February 1 Steam Early Access launch.

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PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) free 30,000 battle points now live on Xbox One

Everyone who's bought the game already should now be seeing their reward when they log in.

A short while ago, Microsoft and the PUBG Corporation announced a reward for the Xbox One PUBG players as a celebration for the Game Preview title hitting 4 million players.

The freebie: 30,000 battle points to spend on cosmetic crates in the game. And that reward is now live.

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These SteamVR betas are all worth checking out on Oculus Rift

The best beta games the Oculus Rift has to offer

I've spent some time checking out the games below to bring you the best of the best unfinished and, well, beta games for your Oculus Rift. If you are just as into testing new products before the official release as I am, venture forth and broaden your horizon! Be sure to keep an eye on their official releases as well! This way, if you enjoy a game but find it might have too many technical issues you can at least play it when all of them are sorted out.

On that note, be sure to drop a feedback form to the developers of what you had issues with and what you loved. (Devs need love too!). Here are seven of the best Beta games you'll find on Steam for your Oculus Rift!

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Microsoft FY18 Q2 earnings: $28.9 billion in revenue backed by cloud, Office growth

Revenues for Microsoft's second quarter were up to $28.9 billion, backed by continued cloud services growth.

Microsoft has released its earnings report for FY18 Q2, showing revenues of $28.9 billion and $7.5 billion in non-GAAP net income. That's up from the same period a year ago, during which Microsoft brought in $25.8 billion in revenue and $6.2 billion in net income.

Here are the highlights from this quarter's release:

• Revenue was $28.9 billion and increased 12%
• Operating income was $8.7 billion and increased 10%
• GAAP net loss was $(6.3) billion and non-GAAP net income was $7.5 billion -GAAP diluted loss per share was $(0.82) and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was $0.96 -GAAP results include a $13.8 billion net charge related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA)

Developing...

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5 must-know Monster Hunter: World for Xbox One tips and tricks

New to Monster Hunter's beast-riddled world? Here's what you should know.

Monster Hunter has made its arrival on Xbox One X with its latest installment, Monster Hunter: World. Following success on both Sony and Nintendo platforms, the game marks the series debut on Xbox One, with a variety of changes to take advantage of the new hardware.

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Microsoft Launcher beta for Android snags Cortana integration

Microsoft Launcher is getting a dose of Cortana in its latest beta update.

Since its launch in late-2017, Microsoft Launcher has picked up a number of tweaks focused mainly on customization.

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Get your maximum refund with TurboTax's $65 Home & Business tax software

Got your W-2 ready?

The TurboTax Home & Business tax software 2017 is down to $64.86 on Amazon. It normally sells for $80. Not only is this software $15 better than its average street price, it's also $5 lower than any previous deals we've seen. We've shared a couple deals on TurboTax software in the past, but this is the first time it has dropped this low.

You can also get the TurboTax Premier software on sale for $54.86. That's a drop from its street price of $70 and a match for its lowest ever.

Both pieces of software are available in a Windows-only digital download, which means you can use it as soon as you buy it. I'm sure you've been eagerly awaiting this day. If you don't use Windows, you can get Home & Business or Premier as physical discs compatible with Windows and Mac for the same price.

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HTC Vive Pro vs HTC Vive: Which should you buy?

If you're going to get a Vive, make sure it's the right one.

Anyone looking to invest in the flagship VR headset for SteamVR has a big question in need of answering before cash is put on the counter. Do you go with the HTC Vive that has been available for over a year now, or do you wait for the more capable and expensive HTC Vive Pro? HTC plans to sell both instead of retiring the original, because these headsets actually appeal to two different audiences.

So, which should you buy?

Hardware compared

Before we dive too deep, lets get a look at those specs.

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Best All-in-One (AIO) PC of 2018

• Best overall
• For creators
• For gamers
• Best ultrawide

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Llama-slaughtering 'Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse' gets Xbox Play Anywhere support

Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse is now an Xbox Play Anywhere game after fans requested the developer add the feature.

A few weeks ago we reported that a bizarre game called Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse (VALA) was coming to Xbox One and PC. Since then many gamers asked us whether the title was an Xbox Play Anywhere experience, but unfortunately it wasn't. This resulted in some disappointment because the popularity of the feature grows every day. Xbox Play Anywhere games allow you to purchase the title once, either on Xbox One or Windows 10, and play it on both platforms at no additional cost. The best part is that progress carries over so you can pick up and play wherever you like.

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New cumulative update brings handful of fixes to Fall Creators Update PCs

A number of small issues, ranging from display problems to keyboard language bugs, are fixed in this release.

Microsoft has been busy releasing patches outside of its standard Patch Tuesday cycle in January, and it's ending the month with another.

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Trailmakers for Xbox and PC fuses alien environments with customizable vehicles

Trailmakers combines the thrill of exploring an alien planet with deep vehicle customization for a creative experience.

Trailmakers is a vehicle-building adventure from developers at Flashbulb Games who have worked for Press Play, Rare, and Square Enix in the past. The game is now available on Steam Early Access with an Xbox Game Preview release scheduled for later this year. In Trailmakers, gamers journey to a hazardous alien world where every mountain, river and ramp is a playground. You might remember Trailmakers as Project Karoo, which was conceptualized as an Xbox One exclusive under Press Play in years past.

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Microsoft Store sale offers free game when you buy an Xbox One X or One S

Now you can get a jump on your game collection when you pick up a new Xbox One console.

Microsoft is offering up another deal on Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles to draw in those who may not have bought in just yet.

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Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) ultimate guide

Looking for some help? Accessories? Games? Ideas on what to do in Windows Mixed Reality? Our ultimate guide has everything you're looking for.

Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) has entered the VR arena, offering a varied selection of headsets and motion controllers from a variety of manufacturers. The platform's integration with SteamVR has only expanded the selection of games, apps, and experiences already found in the Microsoft Store, offering up an overall impressive library. Whether you recently got your hands on a WMR headset or you already have some experience under your belt, this guide aims to provide you with recommendations, suggestions, and help with the emerging VR platform.

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Stock up on Rockstar PC games on the cheap with Humble's latest bundle

Pick up Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and more in Humble's latest pay-what-you-want sale.

If you're a fan of Rockstar's extensive catalog of games, you'll want to turn your attention to the latest Humble Bundle sale.

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Microsoft launches new MSN News beta for iOS and Android

Microsoft's new MSN News beta brings a revamped look and feel.

Microsoft has introduced a new MSN News beta for Android and iOS, bringing along a complete revamp of the app with a new look and experience on both platforms.

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Hands-on with Xbox 'Joule,' Microsoft's canceled fitness watch for gamers

This is Microsoft's canceled Xbox fitness wearable, codenamed 'Joule,' which was (oddly) going to target gamers with Kinect.

Before the Microsoft Band, a small team within Microsoft was developing an Xbox accessory that was internally referred to as "Joule" (pronounced jewel). Much like the Microsoft Band, Joule was going to primarily be a fitness accessory but with one stand-out difference: it was tied to Xbox. Paired with the Microsoft Kinect, Joule was going to be able to track gamers' exercise while playing Kinect-based games and then show simple fitness data like heart rate and distance traveled via Kinect PlayFit.

We got our hands on an early Xbox Joule prototype, which gives us our best look yet at what Microsoft was planning for its first fitness wearable. This device is early and is running software that was never finished, so our prototype likely doesn't include the full feature set that Microsoft originally intended. But here's what we know about the now-defunct Xbox fitness wearable.

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Become an Excel whiz with this bundle of training courses!

Microsoft's Excel, the spreadsheet tool in its Office suite, has an incredible amount of depth that most people never touch. Figures and graphs are what Excel is usually used for, but there's so much more potential if you have the correct knowledge.

Become an Excel master with this 32-hour course Learn more

Whether it's PivotTables, Pivot Charts, macros, or powerful formulas, in-depth Excel training to automate spreadsheets and solve complex problems can be quite expensive. There's a lot of content to cover, and there are many questions to answer.

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Groove Music brings equalizer and artist art for wallpaper toggles to Release Preview Insiders

Release Preview Windows Insiders can get their hands on some handy new Groove Music features, including an equalizer and interesting wallpaper settings.

Despite the retirement of its streaming service, Groove Music continues to add new features for those using it to play back their local files.

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How to connect to Ethernet on a laptop without a dedicated port

You can get online with a stable, wired Ethernet connection using a USB Type-C or Thunderbolt adapter.

Buying a shiny new laptop that does everything you need it to while keeping its form factor portable and attractive to the eye is a challenge. Keeping the size small means you'll be losing a DVD drive (which no one really uses anymore, right?) as well as some ports, including the trusty Ethernet jack. But what if you want to hook up to a wired connection for internet access? Here's how you can make use of an adapter to enjoy a reliable experience.

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Grab a Dell Latitude 14-inch notebook for $700 today only

Time for a tanky laptop.

The Dell Latitude 7480 14-inch business notebook is down to $699.99 on Amazon. This deal is part of Amazon's Gold Box deals of the day and is sold by Woot, Amazon's daily deal affiliate, so it will expire by tomorrow.

This is the best price we can find for this laptop, refurbished or otherwise. Newegg has a similar model for $999.77, and Groupon has sold it for as much as $1,030. Both of those are refurbs as well, so you can see this is a great deal price.

The Dell Latitude 7480 uses a 6th generation Intel processor, which means it was probably released in late 2015. That wasn't too long ago, and the specs are still good. It features a Core i5-6300U 2.4GHz processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 512GB solid state drive, Windows 10 Pro, Bluetooth, and more.

The best part is despite being a refurb it is backed by a three-year warranty from Dell. Usually laptop deals from Woot are lucky to come with a one-year warranty. Three years says these laptops are in pretty good shape.

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Chime in: Should you pay for extra OneDrive cloud storage?

Are the premium OneDrive plans worth the extra cost?

Microsoft offers 5GB of OneDrive storage for free with a Microsoft account, but if you need more space you'll need to part with some cash. There are two ways to achieve this: by purchasing the 50GB OneDrive upgrade, or by paying for a full Office 365 plan. The former will set one back $1.99 per month, while Office plans start at $69.99 (1TB of space) a year.

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