Chime in: When Spring Creators Update hits, will you opt-put of the Insider Program?

Are you an Insider for life, or will you be dropping out of the program once the Spring Creators Update rolls out?

The Windows 10 Spring Creators Update is just around the corner, and Insiders are already testing the build that will go out to the public in early April. Lots of Insiders like joining the program so they can get access to the next version of Windows early, so now that the Spring Creators Update is done, will you be opting out?

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Microsoft caught in crosshairs of gender discrimination claims amidst #MeToo movement

In the wake of Microsoft's far-reaching inclusion efforts in hiring practices, product design, and company culture it is morbidly ironic that the company finds itself in the crosshairs of a potential class-action lawsuit for discrimination against women.

I have made it my business to report on the admirable efforts Microsoft has made to embrace overlooked populations such as African Americans and people with disabilities. Hiring practices, support organizations, scholarships, intentional product design and more have been infused with Microsoft's inclusion mission.

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Grab this Amazon Web Services Certification Training bundle for just $69!

When it comes to cloud computing, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is near the top of the pile. It can be found in countless places around the web, and it's comprised of multiple services from computing and storage to analytics. As AWS continues to grow, there is understandably an urgent need for trained professionals in the field.

Save hundreds on this AWS training mega bundle! Learn more

Because AWS is comprised of so many different services, becoming proficient in the entire system can be pricey and time-consuming. Instead of finding the appropriate courses on your own, why not grab a bundle?

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Hands-on with the Twitter Progressive Web App (PWA) for Windows 10

The first progressive web app shows a lot of promise on Windows 10.

With the coming release of Windows 10 Redstone 4 in April Microsoft is also letting free progressive web apps (PWA) in the Microsoft Store.

I've already done a lot of theoretical talk about the PWA platform, why Google is behind it, and how it will level the app field across platforms, but we now have a real live example in the form of Twitter.

Twitter's PWA is live in the Microsoft Store for those on the Windows Insider Program (or build 17133) and it replaces the older Universal Windows Platform (UWP) native app.

To be clear, the current Twitter PWA is still a preview. Things like Service Workers – one of the core components of PWAs that handle offline usage, notifications, and more – won't be live until April when Microsoft enables the feature through the Store.

Other things like dark mode, video uploads, and pasting images to the new tweet field are also missing but are expected in the coming weeks.

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Celebrate World Backup Day with these discounted hard drives at Amazon

Keep your data safe.

As part of its Gold Box deals of the day, Amazon is offering some big savings on a variety of hard drives to help you keep all your personal data backed up. Being World Backup Day, there's no better time to have a deal like this than today. Whether you are looking for a 2TB external drive to keep on your desk or an 8TB drive for your NAS, this deal has you covered.

Some of the best deals from this sale include:

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Best Mini PCs of 2018

Need a PC that doesn't take up much space? Check out these great options!

Windows PCs come in all shapes and sizes, and whatever your needs there'll be a computer out there to suit you. While the ultimate small PCs come in the form of a HDMI dongle, they're somewhat underpowered.

If you want an extreme space saver but need a little more get up and go from your machine, check out one of these fantastic mini PCs.

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Best Xbox One Controller of 2018

• Best overall
• Best Bluetooth
• Best wired
• Best budget
• Best arcade stick
• Best racing wheel

The best of the best

Xbox Elite Controller

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If you want the cream of the crop, you want the Xbox One Elite Controller. It's the same overall design as the regular controller. But it's just ... well, better.

Everything has been upgraded. The thumbsticks are removable, as is the D-pad, and they can be replaced with different options depending on your preferences for the games you play. There are four additional paddles on the back, configurable firing mechanisms, and custom button mapping with the Xbox Accessories app for Xbox One and Windows 10. The only downside is that it has no Bluetooth.

The materials are as close to wear-resistant as Microsoft can get, and once you hold one next to a regular controller, the differences are clear — and astounding. Microsoft studied professional gamers to create the Elite and produce a product to fit their needs. It'll set you back around $125.

Bottom line: The best console controller gets even better.

One more thing: Gradually more third-party accessories are becoming available to brighten up the look.

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Frostpunk is hitting PC soon with bad weather and moral choices in tow

It's cold and dark out there. Will you allow the weather to kill your people or will you make the tough decisions?

From the creators of This War Of Mine comes Frostpunk, an upcoming city builder PC game with a few unique twists. Announced in August 2016, Frostpunk will be set in the summer of 1886 when severe weather patterns destroyed crops and resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. The job of the player will be to lead a small band of people who locate a generator, fire it up and develop a civilized society.

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Watch as wholesome Sea of Thieves pirates give out free treasure chests for Easter

It's Good Friday today, and many of us will be sitting down to do some light (or heavy) gaming across the long Easter weekend. To get into the mood, take a look at this lovely video from Sea of Thieves.

Sea of Thieves is a polarizing title. On the one hand, players yearning for a more traditional RPG experience have been decrying the lack of progression in the game, while millions of others have been sailing the seas, indulging in social experiences utilizing the intersecting mechanics offered by the game.

I saw this video from groble on Twitter, and just had to share, as it truly represents the magic that Rare has managed to capture in this game.

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Huawei MateBook X Pro's infinity display puts the competition to shame

It may look like a MacBook Pro, but Huawei's latest goes beyond our expectations.

Nearly one year ago I reviewed the Huawei MateBook X a thin, well-built Ultrabook that had a 3:2 display and outstanding audio. Competing in the same class as the Surface Laptop I couldn't wait to see what the company did next.

Today, I have my answer in the form of the MateBook X Pro, a high-end, premium laptop that blurs the line between Ultrabook and performance laptop.

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Maxin G30 in-ear gaming headset is a cool concept with a fatal flaw

The Maxin G30 is a cheap, in-ear headset that's great to travel but the microphone quality is disappointing.

A good, easy to travel with gaming headset is something folks who use a gaming laptop are probably interested in. An in-ear headset with a detachable boom microphone sounds great, especially when it also costs less than $25.

The Maxin G30 is very much a headset of two halves, meaning there are plenty of points to like about it, but one big elephant in the room.

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The Division to get Xbox One X upgrade in April

The Division should look crisp on Xbox One X.

Yesterday, Ubisoft hosted a livestream to discuss upcoming changes to Tom Clancy's The Division. While a lot of the information provided pertained to upcoming events and cosmetic items, the host also revealed that the Xbox One X patch was coming on April 12, 2018. The upgrade will add 4K rendering, better anisotropic filtering, improved reflections, screen-space shadows, and object detail.

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Best Gaming Laptop in 2018

• Best overall
• Best 17-inch
• Best 15-inch
• Best budget Dell
• Best budget Lenovo
• Best slim
• Best Max-Q
• Money is no object

Best overall

Razer Blade

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Razer makes the closest thing to a genuine gaming ultrabook, and the Blade (starting at about $1,700) almost defies belief. It packs top-of-the-line gaming hardware into a slim, light chassis and then wraps it all up with Razer's Chroma lighting system. At 14 inches it's extremely portable, and with a GTX 1060 graphics card (GPU) it really is a go-anywhere gaming system.

Bottom line: Thin, light and oozing with power, the Razer Blade ticks every single box.

One more thing: The Razer Core, available separately, can add full desktop GPU power to the Blade over Thunderbolt 3.

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Oculus Rift's Gold Rush VR event gives you a chance to win big

Oculus is celebrating its birthday by giving YOU a chance to receive quite a few choice prizes!

As of March 28, 2018, Oculus turned two years old. Not only is it offering a new sale with plenty of new games available but the company also released information about a contest that will be held inside of Brass Tactics. If you're interested in earning some prizes, including a brand new Oculus Rift, check out the information below!

Play Brass Tactics free to enter

You will have the option to play Brass Tactics for free until Monday, April 2, at 3 am EDT. To participate in this challenge, you need to be playing Brass Tactics during those times to enter. So, not only are you entering to win, but this is also a perfect opportunity to test the game before you buy!

See full rules and terms here

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Windows 10 preview build 17133 rolls out to Insiders in the Slow ring

Days after hitting the Fast ring, Windows 10 preview build 17133 is now rolling out to Slow ring Insiders. Here's what's new.

Microsoft is rolling out a fresh Insider preview build for those enrolled in the Slow ring today.

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How to get the best visuals from your Xbox One

Push the most out of your Xbox One with these tips for display settings and calibration.

The Xbox One cuts out the complexities of gaming, with a seamless setup and gaming experience. Unbox it, plug it in, walk through a few steps of set up, and then you're good to go, with games, movies, and more just a few button presses away.

But to truly get the most from your Xbox One, you'll need to take a deeper dive into the console. Jumping into its settings and tweaking just a few options, you may be able to squeeze the most from your console's power.

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Participate in the Windows Central VR forums and you could win an Oculus Rift Bundle!

Do you love VR? Maybe you're really curious and want to dive in but just haven't been able to swing buying the gear? Let us help!

We've expanded our VR coverage on Windows Central, and to kick things off we're holding not one, but THREE, separate giveaways where you can win some pretty amazing prizes. Entering is super easy, so let's get right to it!

THE PRIZE: One winner will receive an Oculus Rift bundle!

TO ENTER:

• First, leave a comment on this post in the Windows Central VR forums as your official entry into the giveaway.
• From there, head over to our new VR forums here at Windows Central and join in the conversation. Ask questions, offer help and advice, share interesting things ... just be an active part of the community! Each constructive comment you leave and thread you start will be another entry into the giveaway. However, DO NOT spam the forums with nonsense, as you will be eliminated from the giveaway and likely earn a time out from posting.
• We'll keep this open until April 10, 2018, and announce the winner here shortly after. That winner will be chosen in a random drawing, so you'll definitely want to be sure you're actively participating as much as you can from now until the very end. Please note, the giveaway is open internationally, but any customs fees or taxes incurred are the responsibility of the winner.
• Good luck, and have fun!

More chances to win:

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Hands-on with the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update (video)

Let's go hands-on with the upcoming 'Windows 10 Spring Creators Update' to showcase the best new features and changes

Microsoft is about to release a new feature update for Windows 10, known as the "Spring Creators Update" (that name's not official yet, but we're confident it's right), that has lots of new features, enhancements, and changes. Microsoft likes to release two major updates to Windows 10 each year, and the Spring Creators Update is the first release for 2018.

As always, we went deep into the upcoming Windows 10 update and made an in-depth video walkthrough showcasing all the noteworthy new changes and features that are coming in the update.

The biggest noteworthy changes include updates to Task View that add a new feature called Timeline, which lets you resume apps and documents across devices up to 30 days in the past. There are also lots of improvements to Microsoft Edge, the UI of Windows, and the Settings app.

The Spring Creators Update isn't a huge one, but it has enough small improvements that it feels really well rounded. This is an excellent update to Windows 10 that improves things a lot, and users are going to appreciate it.

What are you most looking forward to in the Spring Creators Update? Let us know in the comments.

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This TP-Link AC750 Wi-Fi range extender is only $19 today

Them dead zones feel alive again.

This TP-Link AC750 Dual Band Wi-Fi Range Extender is down to $18.99 on Amazon. It normally sells for $30, and this price is a match for the lowest we've seen. This is a one-day only deal as part of Amazon's Gold Box sale on TP-Link gear.

Make sure you don't have any dead zones in your house with this simple range extender. It can help you get that signal to the lamp in the corner you want to add a smart bulb to, for example. It will work with most routers and gateways with dual-band speeds up to 750 Mbps. The smart signal indicator shows you the best location for optimal coverage. After initial setup, it can be moved to any outlet. TP-Link backs it up with a two-year warranty.

See on Amazon

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Best Laptops Under $600 in 2018

These affordable options are still very capable devices.

Buying a new laptop is a big decision. Sure, you'll likely be safe going with a high-profile device, but prices don't always agree with your wallet. If you have about $600 to spend on new hardware, I've rounded up some of the best laptops you can find in that range.

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Chime in: Which features could Microsoft 'steal' from Linux?

Nothing like a bit of inspiration.

Windows 10 is a strong and able OS that receives regular updates to functionality and ease-of-use, but that doesn't mean Microsoft can't look elsewhere for ideas on where to improve.

Windows Central forum member MatthewR413 recently created a thread asking others what ideas they think Microsoft could "steal," namely from Linux.

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TV, music, movies, and books we're into this week

We're heading into April with some great media.

It's Easter weekend and you might have some extra time to yourself or with your family. Wondering what to do? Why not check out some great tunes, a quality movie, or a real page turner? If you're looking for suggestions, read on!

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Most anticipated Xbox One games launching next week: Dangun Feveron, Minit, Tera, and more

Every week, numerous games launch on Xbox One, but which ones truly stand out? Here are some of the biggest and most anticipated titles launching across Microsoft's platforms this week.

This week we have no new "AAA" releases on Xbox One, but there are still a few surprises here and there. Notably, Tera is finally launching as a free-to-play game, and Dangun Feveron transports you to a world filled with shoot 'em up goodness. With that in mind, here are all the biggest games launching this week, between April 2 and April 6, 2018.

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Best Windows 10 apps of March 2018

From bringing together Android and Windows 10 to giving you some serious video editing power, these are the best Windows 10 apps of March 2018.

In March I took a look at some great apps from a variety of categories, including the best video editor I've ever used from the Microsoft Store to a serious iMessage competitor. My favorites are listed here.

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TP-Link's one-day sale on routers, switches, and more will ensure you never go without Wi-Fi again

The whole series of tubes at your fingertips.

TP-Link is having a huge sale on a variety of routers, switches, and adapters all of which are meant to improve your current wireless Internet situation. This is part of Amazon's Gold Box deals of the day, so not only is it only good for the day but some of these might just disappear before it's all over. The prices are all super low, some even at all-time lows.

If you need a way to stop paying rental fees, grab one of these routers. If you have dead zones around your home, grab a range extender or upgrade to the Deco mesh networking system. If you're building your own computer, you'll want this $40 Wi-Fi adapter. TP-Link has every wireless situation covered with these deals.

Here's a few of the items we liked:

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This $30 Syma drone deal is too good to let fly away

A purchase worth making.

Aside from a brief price drop to $59.99, this popular Syma drone has sold for $79.99 since its release. As part of a one-day deal at Amazon, you can pick one up for just $29.99 if you clip the $10 off coupon that is on the product page.

It has a built-in 720P camera for recording videos and taking pictures, and a real-time first-person view to allow you to see what it sees as you fly. Whether you are a beginner or drone pro, you'll be able to easily fly it thanks to the auto-hovering feature and more. It comes with two batteries, allowing double the flying time, and it easily integrates with a mobile app to help you draw routes and more.

At this price, we don't expect this deal to stick around for the whole day. Be sure to get one now, before it's too late.

See at Amazon

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Microsoft simply can't afford to blow the opportunity that is Sea of Thieves

Microsoft is moving Xbox more towards service-type games, but outside of Minecraft, it hasn't really proven it is capable of delivering a top-tier live game. That needs to change, starting with Sea of Thieves.

Sea of Thieves is already proving to be a huge success story for Microsoft and Xbox, both in terms of retail sales and Xbox Game Pass uptake. While critical reception of the game has been polarizing (to say the least), millions of players are flooding into the game, and seem to be having a whale of a time.

Sea of Thieves was atop Twitch in popularity during launch, and it still remains a strong contender a week later, beating Minecraft, Rainbow Six Siege, and various other hugely popular games at the time of writing. Whether that trend continues remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain – it's clear that Microsoft has a huge opportunity with Sea of Thieves — one it can't afford to squander.

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