Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Fallout 76 features monsters like the Mothman and Wendigo

There are a lot of monsters in Fallout 76.

Fallout 76 is just around the corner, and Bethesda keeps on revealing new details about the game. According to the company, "the world of Fallout 76 is steeped in mystery, from trying to discover what happened to everyone after the bombs dropped, or what's that figure lurking in the dark." In an effort to discuss the creatures in the game, the team released "The Tales from the West Virginia Hills" series on YouTube.



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How to get Power Armor in Fallout 76

Finding Power Armor in Fallout 76 is easy, once you know where to look.

Fallout 76 is a fresh take on Bethesda's role-playing series, abandoning its single-player roots for an all-online experience. The move brings significant changes to gameplay and progression, ushering a new focus on cooperative play across its biggest open-world to date. And while set for a November 14 release, the game's pre-release B.E.T.A. is already underway.

As with prior Fallout games, obtaining Power Armor is a key objective for daring wasteland explorers. Here's what we know about Fallout 76 Power Armor and how to find it fast.



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Latest Man of Medan trailer focuses on choices in the face of evil

So many jump scares.

At Gamescom 2018, Supermassive Games announced "The Dark Pictures Anthology" series for Xbox One and other platforms. Today, GameSpot posted extended footage from the first game, called "Man Of Medan". The team's previous game, Until Dawn, was a PlayStation 4 exclusive, locking Xbox One and PC gamers out of what was a terrifying experience.



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Can you buy the HP Spectre Folio 13 with a 4K display?

Best answer: Not yet. HP has stated a 4K version of the HP Spectre Folio 13 is on its way, but it's not yet available for purchase. In the meantime, you'll need to wait it out or go with the Full HD panel.

HP: HP Spectre Folio 13 ($1,300+)

Should you wait for the 4K HP Spectre Folio?

If you prefer the use of a 4K display and are set on the HP Spectre Folio, it would make sense to hold out for the company to make the 4K display available for configuration. We've heard that it'll be available later this year, but there's no confirmed release date, yet.

Right now, it's only possible to add a Hull HD (1080p) display, which is great for battery life but only allows you to run a few programs at once before the screen gets cluttered.

The drawback of a 4K display is the battery drain, which is increased due to the increased number of pixels that need to be activated. This isn't a huge issue should you be conservative with use, but if you also go with LTE, that's a further strain on the power source.



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Samsung's SmartThings LTE Tracker is down to just $90 today

Buy this now, so you can find it later!

Right now you can pick up the Samsung SmartThings Tracker with real-time LTE and GPS for just $89.99, which is $10 less than it normally sells for. This device was only announced back in September, and has sold steadily at the $100 price point since then. There are other Bluetooth trackers available, but this option from Samsung is one of the first with real-time LTE built-in, which allows you to see its location from anywhere, even if you aren't right next to it. The first year of service is included with the purchase, and after that it's $5 a month or $50 a year to continue with the LTE subscription.

You can set up alerts for when the tracker arrives at or departs from a specific location, or when an SOS signal is sent. It's IP68 certified, which means it's water resistant, and rain won't destroy it. The internal battery is rechargeable and lasts 10 days per charge.

See at Amazon



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October 2018 Update fails to make dent in latest AdDuplex numbers

Amid October 2018 Update struggles, AdDuplex reports 2 percent of Windows 10 PCs have upgraded.

The rollout Microsoft's latest Windows 10 release, the October 2018 Update, hasn't been the smoothest to date. While October 2 marked its initial debut, the update was pulled four days later, amid reports of user files being deleted upon upgrade. With a November rollout now likely, AdDuplex's latest report confirms the update has failed to make a dent, with just a 2.3 percent share of the Windows 10 market.

According to AdDuplex's data, usage of other Windows 10 editions has remained mostly unchanged, with minor fluctuations as users move forward. When compared to other Windows 10 versions, the April 2018 Update continues to dwarf their share. The closest is, as you'd expect, the Fall Creators Update falling to 4.6 percent coverage. The Creators Update and Anniversary Update follow with 1.9 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively. Windows 10 versions 1511 and 1507 round things out at 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.



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Are Microsoft's Surface Headphones worth the price?

Best answer: Surface Headphones are pricey, but worth it since you're getting more than just a pair of headphones. Plus, they compare well against the other popular choices.

Microsoft: Surface Headphones (Order from November 15) ($350)

Headphones with added smarts and features.

The thing with the Surface Headphones is that you're not just buying another pair of headphones. You're buying smart headphones with Microsoft's assistant Cortana built right in, along with some other nifty features like touch controls on the sides and even a feature that can amplify external noise, as well as blocking it out entirely.

You're also promised 15 hours battery life with noise cancellation and Cortana turned on, which is enough for a full day's use or pretty much any long haul flight you might find yourself on.

As you can imagine, these features inevitably drive the price up when compared to a regular set of headphones.



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For just $3 a month, NordVPN can secure all of your web browsing

Keep your information away from prying eyes.

Have you ever stopped to think about how much of your day you spend connecting to networks that aren't your own? Whether you're working at a Starbucks, trying to finish something up at the airport before your flight, or sitting in the public library, odds are you're connected to a network that isn't the most secure without even thinking about it. Daily we do things like accessing our bank account, pay bills, send personal emails, and much more, all while not knowing if someone is tracking these moves and getting ready to steal your information.

Sounds a bit scary, huh? Well, personal information is something that should be kept personal, and luckily there are some easy ways to protect yourself. Odds are, by now you've heard of Virtual Proxy Networks, or VPNs, but you may be wondering why you would want to invest in one, right? Some of them can be a bit expensive, and others are unusually cheap, leaving you wondering which to end up with. NordVPN is one of the best services out there (and there's so much service you get from a good VPN), and right now you can grab a three-year subscription for just $107.55 when you use the code CYBEROFFER.



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Next Windows 10 updates reportedly codenamed 'Vanadium' and 'Vibranium'

A new report claims Microsoft is switching up its codenames again for future Windows 10 updates.

Earlier this year Microsoft dropped its "Redstone" codename for Windows 10 updates, shifting over to a new format after five releases. The next update on the horizon currently goes by 19H1, identifying its planned public release in the first half of 2019. However, another change is reportedly underway at Redmond, adopting a new system for next year's second update.

As reported by ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, the next Windows 10 update will be codenamed "Vanadium," amid a shift to element-themed codenames. Next on the list is reportedly "Vibranium" – the fictional metal used to create Captain America's iconic shield. The report claims Microsoft will use elements as they appear in the periodic table, however, given Google's ties to "Chromium," Vibranium will take center stage.

Microsoft has cycled through several codenames over Windows 10's lifetime, starting with "Threshold" updated based on its Halo video games. Redstone clearly derived from its blocky-adventure franchise, Minecraft, before 19H1 restored some order to the system. With closer ties to the Microsoft Azure team, it appears to two divisions will share codenames after 19H1 releases.

For all the latest details on Windows 10 19H1, the next major update, don't miss our complete roundup.



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Snapmaker 3-in-1 3D printer is a 3D hobbyist's dream machine

Create anything you can imagine.

When you are first starting out as a 3D creator, you want to be able to experiment with as many different materials and mediums as you can.

The Snapmaker 3-in-1 is the perfect machine to find your maker groove. With its three different configurations out of the box, it can be anything you want it to be, giving you the freedom to create anything and everything you can.

Snapmaker 3-in-1

Price: $800



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Microsoft Office picks up dark mode for macOS Mojave

Expanding Microsoft's love of dark modes, support has arrived for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on macOS Mojave.

Microsoft has unveiled a new updated headed to its Microsoft Office suite for Mac, delivering a dark mode on macOS Mojave. Designed for the latest version of the desktop OS, the clean interface complements the full system-wide theme implemented by Apple earlier this year.

As detailed by Microsoft Office product manager, Akshay Bakshi the new dark mode is currently rolling out to select testers. Those enrolled in the Office Insider Program Fast ring can now download build 181029, adding the feature to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The mode is also joined by new styling for upper ribbons and icons.



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Costco will be selling the Surface Pro 6, Type Cover and Pen for just $799

If you're a Costco member buying the Surface Pro through them is the best deal around.

If you're holding out for a new Surface Pro 6 Costco's in the U.S. is always a good bet – the company tends to get "special editions" of the Surface just for its stores at low prices.

Spotted on Reddit between November 16 and November 26 Costco is selling the Surface Pro 6 128GB model (with 8GB of RAM) plus Surface Pro Type Cover and Surface Pen as a bundle for just $799.



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Is the Surface Laptop 2 or Huawei MateBook X Pro better for you?

We take pride in testing and reviewing plenty of Windows laptops, including those from both Microsoft and third-party manufacturers. If you're looking for a suggestion or general help with which laptop to buy, we can help.

Surface Laptop 2

Latest Surface notebook

From $999 at Microsoft

Pros

  • Surface Pen support for inking
  • Available in multiple colors
  • IR camera for Windows Hello
  • Cheaper starting price
  • Comfy Alcantara fabric finish

Cons

  • Lower-resolution display
  • No dedicated graphics
  • Limited ports

The Surface Laptop 2 has a lot going for it, including a lower starting price than the MateBook X Pro, multiple color options to choose from, Alcantara fabric finish around the keyboard, and Surface Pen support for an ideal inking experience. However, its port selection is limited and dated and there is no dedicated graphics (GPU) option available.

Huawei MateBook X Pro

Unreal display



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This $389 Wen 2000-watt inverter generator produces power without the noise

Includes a USB port for staying charged in the wild.

The Wen 56200i 2000-Watt 79.7cc Inverter Generator is down to $389.18 on Amazon. This generator has been selling for around $445 over the last couple months. The price drop today is a match for the best we've seen on Amazon, although there was a deal dropping it to $380 on Newegg back in August. It is currently around $445 or higher at Newegg and Home Depot.

The generator uses fuel in its 79.7cc 4-stroke engine to create clean, efficient, portable power. It only generates 51 decibels of noise, which is relatively quiet compared to a more traditional generator. That's important if you want to use this around other people like at campgrounds or tailgates. There are two three-pong 120V outlets, one 12V DC receptable, and one 5V USB port so you can charge your phone, computer, or other electronics. It has 4.5 stars based on 535 reviews at Amazon. You'll also receive a two-year warranty with its purchase.



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Jazz up your XPS 13 with these excellent accessories

The Dell XPS 13 is a stellar laptop that can function entirely on its own thanks to a smart design, capable internal hardware, and your choice of FHD or 4K touch display. There are, however, several accessories that will make your experience even better, and we rounded up our favorites right here.

External webcam

Logitech C922x

If you don't like the unconventional placement of the built-in XPS 13 webcam, definitely give this one a look. It streams and records 1080p video at 30 frames-per-second (FPS) and 720p video at 60 FPS. A clip lets you attach it to the lid of the XPS 13, or you can use a tripod and set it aside.

$73 at Amazon

Multipurpose messenger

Peak Design Everyday Messenger

Available in a 13-inch design, your XPS 13 will fit snugly inside one of the two padded compartments, and you'll have plenty of room for your accessories in the divided outer pocket. The Maglatch makes for an easy close, and it stays shut until you want it open — no more worrying about whether or not your stuff is falling out while you rush to catch a taxi.



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This $9 iClever wireless FM transmitter adds Bluetooth to your car

Do a little bit of everything.

The iClever wireless Bluetooth FM transmitter radio adapter is down to $9.10 with code F55CARKIT. This car kit sells for $26 usually, and the lowest we've ever seen it drop to directly was $18.

Use this one device to add an FM transmitter, Bluetooth, two USB ports, and a micro SD card reader for playing music that way. Plug in and charge two devices in the USB ports or use them to play music off a flash drive. The design is meant to be compact and ergonomic with a little radio knob and digital screen display. It also has a built-in microphone for hands-free calls. The device supports micro SD cards up to 32GB, and the Samsung Evo Select 32GB card is only $6.99 on Amazon.

See on Amazon



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Start jamming with the compact Aukey Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $6

Stream music wirelessly from up to 33 feet away.

Aukey's Portable Bluetooth Speaker is available for just $5.89 at Amazon when you enter the code 7AGY49ED during checkout, saving you $13 off its usual price there.

This speaker can wirelessly stream music from up to 33 feet away using Bluetooth, or you can connect a device using the included 3.5mm audio cable. It features a block-effect rubberized finish with gently ridged grills giving it a rock-solid form and surprising durability. It's also water-resistant, so is perfect for taking on your next hiking trip.

This speaker currently has over 50 reviews on Amazon with a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Aukey backs it up with a 24-month warranty.

See at Amazon



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Best Windows 10 apps of October 2018

From using dark mode on sites to syncing your phone to your PC, these are the best Windows 10 apps from October 2018.

The Microsoft Store gained some solid additions recently, including a beautiful media player and Microsoft's own Your Phone app. Here are the best apps I looked at in October of 2018.



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Plantronics RIG 300 headset protects your hearing, but not your fingers

The RIG 300 is a headset that brings affordable audio with some nifty ear-protection features.

Plantronics makes a range of quality headsets, with modular designs and great audio, at a variety of price points. The latest effort from the company is the RIG 300, clocking in at $40. People often associate lower price brackets with a cut in quality, but Plantronics has managed to build a headset that not only punches above its weight but also contains some nifty features, particularly for parents looking to buy headsets for youngsters in the holiday season and beyond. There is a potentially big downside with the RIG 300, though ...



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This Xbox Game Pass burger truck packs the ‘Forzarella’ to ‘Master Cheese’

Come for the burgers, stay for the puns.

Microsoft's ongoing marketing for Xbox Game Pass has been somewhat quirky, continuing with its latest Paris Games Week appearance. In the heart French capital, Xbox France opened a promotional Xbox Game Pass food truck, packing dishes themed on the service's top titles.

As shared by Xbox Game Pass France lead, Vincent Desmazes, the stand served themed burgers from Microsoft Studios' staple franchises. From the "Forzarella," "Master Cheese," or "Burgears of War," show-goers could get a tasty treat, alongside a two-week trial of Xbox Game Pass.

Paris Games Week has since wrapped up, yet for those who missed the stall, the full burger breakdown can be found below:

For those yet to jump on the service, Xbox Game Pass packs over 100 Xbox One games, priced at $9.99 per month. For the best Xbox Game Pass deals, check out our complete roundup.



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Microsoft Lumia 950 originally had gestures that made it much 'smarter'

We go hands-on with an early Lumia 950 prototype featuring smart gestures that never made it into the device that was released.

To many, the launch of Microsoft's Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL was somewhat of a disappointment. While both devices were an improvement over previous Windows phones, they did very little to stand out from the rest of the market. Sure, they had great cameras for the time, but any positives in the hardware at launch were quickly overshadowed by buggy software, most of which did not get resolved until several months into the product's lifecycle.

The devices that shipped in November 2015 were not the devices Microsoft had originally planned. During development, in an attempt to stabilize the platform, Microsoft cut several notable hardware and software capabilities, including pen support, and advanced hardware gestures. While pen support is pretty self-explanatory, the removed gesture support is much more interesting.

Hands-on with Lumia 950 gestures



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Creepy Halloween movies, TV, music, and books we're into right now

There's no better time to indulge in a horror movie, listen to some creepy tunes, or read a scary novel than Halloween. We rounded up some good ones just for you.

We have Halloween on the brain this week. As such, we put together another roundup of scary movies, music and books we're into right now, to follow up on last week's Halloween-themed Team Windows Central media recommendations. If it's scary entertainment you seek, you've come to the right site.

And if horrors movies and generally spooky stuff isn't your thing, you can hit our full list of weekly recommendations below for some more suggestions.

Happy Halloween!

More media recommendations from Windows Central

Movies

Halloween (1978)

Recommended by Dan Thorp-Lancaster, news writer

I caught the latest Halloween sequel this weekend (it's terrific, by the way), so I found myself with a hankering to revisit the original 1978 opus from director John Carpenter.



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Stop losing your work in Office documents by properly using auto-save

You can configure auto-save on Office apps to prevent losing your work when the unexpected happens. Here's how.

Losing work you've done on a document because of crashes, or if you accidentally close the file without saving, can be very frustrating. Thankfully, to reduce the chances of losing your work, the suite of Office applications provides two options (AutoRecover and AutoSave) to save Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other documents at various intervals automatically.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to configure when Office applications should save the contents of a document automatically.

How to enable AutoRecover in Office for documents you store on your PC

AutoRecover is a legacy feature that allows you to control the time when you want to auto-save a document. When enabled, it saves a copy of the document (every 10 minutes by default) to ensure that most of the content is available in the event that the app or your device crashes, or if you close a document without saving.

To enable AutoRecover for documents that you store locally on your computer, do the following:



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Fallout 76 BETA bug deletes 50GB install, next session extended

Bethesda nuked your Fallout 76 BETA install – but you can play for longer on Thursday.

While the Fallout 76 B.E.T.A. test has been underway on Xbox One since October 23, the trial just extended to PlayStation 4 and Windows PCs. A strange bug surfaced throughout this expansion, deleting 50GB game installations across some platforms.

Bethesda's upcoming multiplayer role-playing game is among this year's hottest releases, with pre-release access granted alongside paid preorders. Trials are underway over the coming days and servers go live during a set schedule of dates and times. And with a four-hour session first headed all platforms, pre-loading the game was near-essential to play during the timeframe.

As the BETA's 7 p.m. ET arrival neared, users reported game installations were restarting on PC and Xbox One. For PC users, issues seemingly stemmed from the in-house Bethesda launcher, used in favor of rival established digital storefronts like Steam. Bethesda was quick to confirm it was "actively investigating" the issue, advising players to let the download complete if affected. For those with data caps or slow download speeds, we feel your pain.

Via a later update, Bethesda announced it will extend its November 1 test session and additional 4 hours, so set for 2 PM ET to 11 PM ET (11 AM PT to 8 PM PT / 6 PM to 3 AM UK).



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Huawei's MateBook X Pro doesn't support inking, but these laptops do

Best answer: No, the Huawei MateBook X Pro does not work with an active pen or stylus despite it having a brilliant touch display. For active pen functionality in a clamshell notebook, we recommend the Surface Laptop 2. For the best inking experience from a modular device, upgrade to the Surface Book 2.



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Fallout 76 BETA schedule: All times and dates

Playing the Fallout 76 beta? Here's a list of all the times and dates you need.

Bethesda has kicked off the first Fallout 76 beta test; its upcoming shared-world role-playing game (RPG) headed to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Dubbed the "Break It Early Test Application (B.E.T.A.)," the trial provides a chance to get hands-on before its slated November 14 release.

The Fallout 76 beta is available exclusively via a preorder, granting access to a pre-release version of the full game. However, despite several weeks of testing, Fallout 76's beta won't be playable 24/7. To gather large pools of players for testing, servers will only be live for small timeframes, ranging from "four to eight hours."

We've wrapped up all confirmed dates and times for Fallout 76 beta sessions so far. We'll update this post going forward with future updates.

How to play the Fallout 76 beta

See at Amazon

Fallout 76 Xbox One beta dates and times

Fallout 76's beta launched first on Xbox One, with sessions since expanding to other platforms.



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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Respawn working on multiple games, may launch by winter 2019

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order may be here soon.

A few months ago, Respawn Entertainment surprised everyone by announcing that the team was working on a game called Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Not much is known about the project, but it seems like it's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and possibly Titanfall 3 could launch by holiday 2019.



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On this weeks podcast: New ARM PCs, Microsoft earnings, and more!

This week on the Windows Central Podcast: New ARM PCs, Microsoft earnings, Andromeda sightings, and more!

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and this week Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden have some unique and interesting hardware to check out in this episode, including the ARM-based Samsung Galaxy Book 2 with LTE connectivity, and the dual-screen Lenovo Yoga Book C930.

They also talk about Microsoft's Q1 FY2019 earnings report and a new 19H1 build for Insiders. Plus, Zac shares some nuggets of information from a Microsoft presentation, stoking the fires of some hot, fresh Andromeda rumors. The common theme across the topics this week — it's all about the haptics!

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast was recorded on October 26 2018.



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