2019 is coming to 2018.
A few months ago, Microsoft announced the Xbox Insider "Alpha – Skip Ahead" ring. The Skip Ahead ring allows Xbox Insiders to test out builds with features that won't be available to all Xbox One owners for many months. However, that timeline seems to be shifting. Skip Ahead Insiders will soon start receiving builds meant for 2019.
Earthfall is about to get even better.
Earthfall follows survivors who fend off an alien invasion of the American Pacific Northwest using squad tactics, portable heavy weaponry, instant walls, and more tools as they try to avoid swarms of horrific intergalactic invaders.
The game plays a lot like like cult classic Left 4 Dead. Today, the developer shared a roadmap which detailed future content. While a lot of the patches will involve weapons and missions, in October a "Horde Mode" is coming. This means that you'll have to fight waves of increasingly-difficult aliens with your friends.
In Earthfall, you have to work together with your teammates to succeed because there are countless alien creatures that must be eliminated. It seems like trying to "Rambo" it will only end in disaster.
You can either buy the $39.99 Earthfall: Deluxe Edition on Amazon, or purchase the digital-only standard edition for $29.99 on the Microsoft Store.
Tour the countryside.
Microsoft started off E3 2018 with a bang, taking the wraps off of the latest entry in its Forza series called Forza Horizon 4. The game takes place in Britain and features numerous enhancements over its predecessor. Today, during an official livestream, we got another in-depth look at the game.
This week on the Windows Central Podcast, we talk new builds, the definition of an Always-Connected PC, the future of UWP, and more!
We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast! This week, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden talk about the week's news in the Windows universe, including the latest build of Redstone 5, and trying to parse the actual meaning of 'Always Connected PC'. They also speculate on the age old privacy question — Who is 'they'? And, apropos of nothing, Dan seems to know an awful lot about how super-criminals use computers. Finally, Dan and Zac discuss the future for UWP apps on Windows 10 and the Lenovo Thunderbolt 3 Graphics Dock. Join us!
Help us make this show the best Microsoft podcast in the world. Tell your friends, share it on social media using the hashtag #wcpodcast, and give us a five-star rating wherever you download your podcasts! Thank you so much for listening!
Another week, another Insider Preview build for us to test! Today's build is 17728, and features under the hood improvements and changes to Narrator.
We're back with another Windows 10 Redstone 5 build for Insiders in the Fast ring today, bringing with it more improvements and enhancements to the OS. We're now at that point in development where new builds don't really include new features, so today's changelog is a little sparse.
Cut down on grime and make your Vive comfortable again.
The foam cushion on your HTC Vive is pretty comfortable as is, but that doesn't mean you can't go with a better option. Whether you sweat a lot, share your Vive with friends and family, or just can't stand the stock foam, you can get something soft and comfortable. Here are the best foam cushion replacements and covers for your HTC Vive.
No Man's Sky can be challenging right off the bat, but these three tips will help keep you alive.
No Man's Sky recently released on Xbox One, and players are excited to experience the complexity, scale, and detail that its randomly-generated worlds offer. However, before exploring at will, you'll need to survive the perils of your starting planet long enough to repair your ship. We made a full beginner's guide to help you get through most early obstacles, but there are some other things you should be prepared for, too.
The leaves are coming back.
The Forza Horizon 4 team has been gradually showing off all of the game's seasons over the past few weeks, and the latest to have its veil lifted is the spring map. During the weekly livestream, Playground Games offered a look at the full spring map as you'll see it in-game, showing off the lush trees and vegetation players can expect to speed through in the spring months.
The most affordable way to stream in 4K. You don't say? Hit play! Yay!
Add 4K streaming to your daily routine with the Roku Streaming Stick+ for $54 on Amazon. This is part of Roku's newest lineup of products, which was released at $70 in October. It hasn't dropped this low for quite some time.
Roku's newest lineup includes five different products. In the heirarchy of awesomeness that is Roku, the Streaming Stick+ is second from the top. The absolute best is the Roku Ultra, but all it does is add luxury features you might not necessarily need. The Ultra adds things like private listening, through a headphone jack, an Ethernet port if you prefer a wired connection for the best streaming quality, and a microSD card slot. You can upgrade to the Ultra for $85 if you want, but you'll still get Roku's entire content library and 4K shows with the Streaming Stick+.
Features include:
Don't have cable TV? That doesn't mean you can't watch live TV on your Xbox One. Here's what you need to know.
OneGuide is one of the core features of the Xbox One, and it integrates cable TV with the console in a single seamless interface. But what if you don't have cable TV?
The good news is you're not frozen out, and you can very easily — in certain areas at least — integrate over-the-air (OTA) TV channels into your Xbox One experience. Here's how.
A powerful gaming laptop with plenty of ports.
While the higher-end specs might be overkill for most people, you can land a mid-range Alienware 17 with enough power to run VR for about $1,799. This laptop has an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor (CPU), 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a NVIDIA GTX 1070 OC graphics card (GPU) with 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM, and enough ports for Rift, Vive, or Windows Mixed Reality (WMR). The 17.3-inch display is big and beautiful, available in 1080p, 1440p, or 4K.
Bottom line: For the best VR-ready for most people, go with the Alienware 17.
Contains everything released so far.
Recently, Bungie announced the "Forsaken" expansion for Destiny 2, which should hopefully add a slew of new activities to the game and bring fans back. Forsaken is the first major expansion to Destiny 2 and launches on September 4, 2018. With two new destinations to explore, and new weapons, armor and "Super" abilities to acquire, the download takes players on an epic journey into the wild frontiers of our solar system where the lines between justice and revenge are blurred.
Printers have come a long way and picking up a unit can carry out more than a single task — simply printing on paper. It's now possible to fax, print, scan, copy, and do everything wirelessly. If you need to do more than just printing, you'll need what's known as an all-in-one printer. Here are a few choices to get you started.
Now that's a great deal.
State of Decay 2 is a co-op multiplayer game which forces you to survive in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. Players have to work together, build bases, and form communities if they wish to survive in this hostile land.
From getting work done to managing your downloads, these are the best apps of July 2018.
This month I ventured outside of the Microsoft Store a bit to check out some great utilities and productivity software, but I also found some great apps inside the store suck as iDownload Manager. Here are some of the highlights I have to recommend.
Everyone's been asking for these Splinter Cell games.
Today, Larry Hryb, Director of Programming for Xbox Live, announced that Xbox 360 games Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Splinter Cell: Double Agent are now backward compatible on Xbox One. Both games are the heavy-hitters fans were hoping for, and they're still a lot of fun.
We're giving you all a chance to enter to win not only the Surface Go, but the Signature Type Cover, new Surface Mobile Mouse, and a Surface Pen to go with it! Keep reading for details and to get entered!
Microsoft went back to the drawing board with the Surface Go with refreshed hardware and a more modern design that closely mirrors the most prominent features of the more expensive Pro. We are really looking forward to giving the Go a closer look when it releases in August, and we know you're excited, too, so we're giving you all a chance to enter to win not only the Surface Go, but the Signature Type Cover, Surface Mobile Mouse, and a Surface Pen! Keep reading for details and to get entered!
One lucky reader will win a Surface Go, Signature Type Cover, Surface Mobile Mouse, and Surface Pen
There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values, in the widget at the bottom of this post. Complete all of the tasks by clicking each option in the widget for maximum entries and your best shot at winning. Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. The contest is open internationally, but any customs fees or taxes incurred during shipping are the responsibility of the contest winner.
The giveaway is open until August 13, 2018, and the winner will be announced right here in the widget shortly after the close date.
Good luck!
There are just a few days left to snag this limited time deal.
Update: This deal is set to expire at the end of the day, so if you haven't already taken advantage, now's your last chance. Don't miss out!
Amazon is offering Prime members an exclusive 66% discount on their first three members of Audible this month. Through July 31, you can start an Audible membership (or re-activate one) for just $4.95 per month for three months. After that time, the price of the membership will rise to its regular price of $14.95 per month. If you're not yet a Prime member, you can start a free 30-day trial to get in on this deal.
You'll be billed monthly for the service, so if you decide during the first month that it isn't for you, you can cancel your subscription immediately after only having paid $5. You'll get one credit each month, which are each good for any audiobook on Audible regardless of its price. You'll also get access to podcasts and other audio programs ad-free.
"19H1" is Microsoft's next major update for Windows 10. Here are some of the things we're hoping to see make an appearance.
Windows 10 19H1 development is now a-go internally at Microsoft, which means it's time to start thinking around about what we want to see in Microsoft's next update for Windows 10, scheduled for release in the spring of next year.
Microsoft already stated that it plans to release two feature updates to Windows 10 each year, one in March or April and the other in September or October. We're expecting 19H1 to be finalized in the March or April 2019 time-frame.
Here are some new features we're hoping to see.
Microsoft hasn't publicly committed to a specific Windows 10 release for Windows Sets, as the company only wants to ship the feature when it's good and ready. Insiders were able to test an early version of Sets during the development of Redstone 4 and Redstone 5, and the same should happen throughout the development of 19H1. So, here's hoping it will be ready in time for the RTM of 19H1 next year.
Sets allows users to group apps and websites under the same window, just like how tabs work in a web browser. It extends that same tabbing experience to more than just websites, allowing apps like Word, PowerPoint or Slack to be grouped together under one Set that can then be shared across devices with Timeline. It's a productivity enabler and is a significant change to how we use our PCs.
The popularity of video games continues to grow, and the industry surrounding our favorite past-time keeps getting more and more lucrative. Despite the enormous list of games available across so many platforms, the next big hit is still waiting to be discovered.
Stay current with video game design with this lifetime membership! Learn more
Have you always been interested in video games? Why not create your own? If this thought has already crossed your mind, Windows Central Digital Offers has a deal for you.
Fight those skeleton crews.
Sea of Thieves is an exploration-based pirate game which launched on March 20, 2018. Rare is known for many famous franchises including Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, and GoldenEye. However, in recent years, the team focused on developing Kinect games for Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Looking to up your meeting game with a great projector? Come on in.
As awesome as they are, something like a Surface Hub just isn't practical for a lot of businesses. Especially when you can get a projector to hook up to a laptop and share presentations and such while keeping the finance department happy.
There are a lot of projectors out there to choose from, but we've rounded up a few of the best to help you on your way.
The current Surface Pro is a fine device, but the next big thing might just be around the corner.
The latest Surface Pro was released June 15, 2017, and it's proven to be an exceptional 2-in-1 device with a beautiful display, performance hardware within, and plenty of worthwhile accessories. At just over a year old, however, it sits in that grey area where a new model might be announced soon.
Surface Go availability in the UK comes later than the U.S., but here's where you can buy one.
The Microsoft Surface Go is set to go on sale in the UK on August 23, which is a few weeks later than in the United States. Nevertheless, orders can be placed right now for Microsoft's new baby Surface and there are a few different places you can go.
Here's where to get your Surface Go.
Since the untimely death of Windows on phones, I haven't really found a phone that "can do it all" while retaining the aspects of Windows Phone I found hard to give up. The KEY2 comes the closest.
The Lumia 1520 is my all-time favorite phone. With the polish of Windows Phone 8.1, the stunning camera sensor, insane battery life, that huge, gorgeous display, that eye-popping polycarbonate body, ooh baby. No phone has really come close to delivering that sort of experience for me since. But man, the new Android-based BlackBerry KEY2 comes damn close.
