Yesterday might have been the last day for Xbox Live Gold members to play Elder Scrolls Online for free, but it seems Microsoft isn’t ready to end the free gaming fun just yet. The company has just announced that two other games will be available for free this weekend starting today, until Sunday, November 17.

Perhaps the game most people will be excited for is the new NASCAR Heat 4 game. The successor to the NASCAR Heat 3 from 704Games last year, the new game comes with improved graphics and overhauled audio to make the game look and sound even better, plus new features including a deeper career mode and more driving control options.

If you enjoy your experience during the free-to-play weekend, you can also purchase it 20% off right now, which puts the base game at $39.99 and the Gold Edition for $55.99. If you opt for the latter, you’ll get the 2019 Season Pass bundled in, which includes Jeff Gordon as a playable character in Quick Race and Online Multiplayer, as well as future expansion packs included until December.

Download
QR-Code

NASCAR Heat 4 – Gold Edition

Developer:
704Games Company

Price:
$19.99

If racing isn’t your style or you’re looking for something different, Contra: Rogue Wars is also free to play. During the free run, you’ll have access to local and online 4-player co-op multiplayer, more than 100 buildable weapons, and character progression. The game is taking a $10 discount right now as well, so you’ll only have to pay $29.99 if you decide you want to keep the game after the trial period.

Download
QR-Code

CONTRA: ROGUE CORPS

Developer:
Konami Digital Entertainment

Price:
$3.99

What makes this Free Play Days weekend so exciting is that both of these are new game titles, each having been released only a couple months ago. Which game are you most excited for?

Every time Microsoft releases a new Windows 10 update, the company shares a list of features that have been removed or that are no longer in development. The just-released November 2019 update is no exception, despite being a fairly minor release compared to the May 2019 Update.

If you check the Windows 10 features lifecycle page today, you’ll see that only two features have been removed in the November 2019 Update, Roaming of taskbar settings and support for the Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP) cloud service. The list of deprecated features is slightly longer with 5 items, and there’s just one really important thing to note: the My People feature that made its debut with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (version 1709) is no longer being developed, and Microsoft notes that it “may be removed in a future update.”

With My People, Microsoft allowed Windows 10 users to ping their favorite contacts to the taskbar, making it easier to send them emails or Skype contacts. Unfortunately, Microsoft never managed Facebook, WhatsApp, or other apps to integrate their Windows 10 apps with My People, and the feature still remains in a sorry state after all this time.

Once again, My People started from a good idea, but it was really up to app developers to make it really useful. Unfortunately, Windows 10 apps seem to a very low priority for app developers, as we’ve seen again this week with the Disney+ app launching on Xbox One, but not on Windows The same can probably be said about Timeline, which still very few Windows apps currently support.

Windows 8 and its new Start Menu showed that Windows users are pretty reluctant to change, and Microsoft should keep this in mind when trying to improve the Windows Shell. My People, Timeline, or Cortana probably aren’t the most beloved features on Windows 10, and we have yet to hear about the return of Windows Sets, an experiment that allowed Windows 10 users to open multiple apps in the same window.

With Windows 10X launching next year, Microsoft is probably more focused on this new version of Windows these days. As we’ve seen on the first demos of the dual-screen Surface Neo last month, Windows 10X will be a brand new Windows that will get rid of legacy components, including Live Tiles on the Start Menu. The OS should be a great opportunity for Microsoft to experiment with new UI and UX elements, something that’s not really possible to do on a desktop OS that millions of people mostly use for work-related tasks.

On the heels of its ARM64 browser availability comes news that Microsoft has an update for its Windows Community Toolkit for developers.

The latest update marked version 6.0, is bringing support for ARM64 as well as XAML Island for .NET Core 3 and new features that include EyeDropper control, Win32 helper notifications on the dashboard and a preview of the highly touted Microsoft Graph with XAML enabled controls.

XAML Islands

XAML Islands enables a developer to enhance the look, feel, and functionality of an existing WPF, Windows Forms, or C++ Win32 application and make use of the latest Windows 10 UI features that are only available via UWP controls like inking. This release improves tooling support for .NET Core 3 and makes it even easier to get started.

ARM64 Support

The Windows Community Toolkit now supports applications that are targeting ARM64. This allows developer’s apps to take advantage of increased performance and battery life by running on the native architecture for devices like the Surface Pro X. We also worked closely with the Win2D team to ensure it also now supports ARM64. This was important for Lottie and other toolkit features that rely on Win2D.

Lottie Improvements

This update brings more Adobe After Effects features to Lottie-Windows, including Linear and Radial Gradients, Masks, Track Mattes, and codegen support for Image Layers. We hope that these additions will allow motion designers and application developers to create even more visually compelling user experiences on Windows 10. Since some of these features rely on newer SDKs, Lottie-Windows now also offers adaptive versioning. We rely on the community to prioritize feature work so please do keep providing your valuable feedback and suggestions for Lottie-Windows here!

XAML Graph Controls Preview

This new addition to the Windows Community Toolkit allows developers to easily authenticate and access Microsoft Graph in Windows 10 apps to create rich data and user connected experiences. These controls are available as a preview of our 6.1 release today and will work with UWP apps and in WPF/WinForms for Win32 apps via XAML Islands on .NET Core 3. In addition, with the help of Xamarin and the Uno Platform, you will also soon be able to use them on Android and iOS.

To read about or get started with the new developer tools, head over to the Windows Blog post here, and Microsoft reminds developers that our docs.Microsoft.com tutorials are also another great source for development references.

I won’t lie. The Surface Pro X is an excellently designed device, but that will probably be the only good thing about it for most people. The reason why? The Microsoft SQ1 processor on the inside of the Surface Pro X, and the limits of Windows 10 on ARM cripple this device. I’ve spent years with all kinds of laptops, and this new Surface feels more of an iPad or Chromebook.

Despite Microsoft beta testing an ARM64 version of the modern Edge browser, as well as planning 64 bit app emulation for Windows 10 on ARM, the damage is done. The Surface Pro X is a device out in the wild but with poor app support and compatibility.

It might be running Windows 10 Pro, but the $1,200 (with keyboard/pen) Surface Pro X only works with 32-bit apps. Microsoft is also depending on developers to recompile their existing 64-bit x86 apps to the ARM64 format, and there doesn’t seem to be a rush, based on this community document.

There’s nothing “Pro” at all with this device. That’s why, in just one week of use, I decided to return the Surface Pro X for a full refund from Microsoft. This simply is a Surface device that I tried to love but ended up hating.

TL;DR

If you’re a first-line worker or someone who is always connected and just using a device for casual web browsing or spreadsheets and office documents, then don’t worry. The Surface Pro X is something you might want. It will able to keep you connected. You can also put it to sleep and wake it up and jump back to where you were before, right when you need it, with no cost to battery life, just like a smartphone.

However, if you’re looking for a serious computer, this isn’t the device for you. You might want to look elsewhere in the ever-diversifying Surface lineup, and perhaps buy a Surface Pro 7. As my job as a reviewer, I’ll tell you that, and some more.

Editors Note: This Surface Pro X was not provided to us for review by Microsoft. Arif purchased it on his own and had planned to keep the device. The opinions are his own and are not influenced by Microsoft.

Very good design

As I covered in both my hands-on and unboxing, the hardware and design of the Surface Pro X are excellent. From the big screen, slim bezels, and overall build quality, it is one of the best-designed Surface devices yet.

On the technical side, the Surface Pro X sports a spacious 13-inch (2,880 x 1,920) resolution touch-screen display with support for 10 points of touch. That is a big improvement over the 12.3-inch (2,736 x 1,824) panel on the Surface Pro 7. It is very vibrant and gets up to 450 nits of brightness, according to Microsoft.

With a tall 3:2 aspect ratio and slim bezels along the side, this all means that I was able to stack my windows side by side. I barely noticed the bigger top bezels, and I was easily able to multi-task and get more things done with this Surface. The display is just so much less-cramped than it is compared to another Surface Pro device and it’s great for productivity.

Elsewhere, the Surface Pro X is outfitted in its classic signature anodized aluminum finish. The color of the finish is Matte Black, which means that it is a fingerprint magnet. This really bothered me in my time with the device, and I found myself constantly wiping it to make sure it was clean.

Moving on, the Surface Pro X has more rounded corners and is thinner than other Surface Pro devices. This makes it easier to hold in the hands. It weighs in at around 1.7 pounds, which is about the same as the other Surface Pro devices. The thickness comes in at around 7.3 mm, which is a bit less than 8.5mm on the Surface Pro 7.

Overall, I’ve never quite felt a Surface device like this before. It’s just so well-balanced and very nice to hold in my hands. For movie watching, and for other multimedia, I often held it in my hand or propped out the signature in-built kickstand and used it more like a tablet. That’s something that I would never do with my Surface Pro 5. It’s what I really loved about the device, and the main reason I was quite hesitant in sending it back.

But, anyway, for all this great design, there is no expandable storage on the Surface Pro X. The SSD is technically upgradable via a slot under the kickstand, but Microsoft suggests that you do it through authorized retailers only. That still doesn’t make up for the fact that the Surface Pro X is missing the MicroSD card slot feature present on almost every Surface Pro device since the original.

USB-C is great (depending on how you look at it)

Before heading into discussing the Microsoft SQ1 processor, another element on the Surface Pro X that I’d like to touch on is its overall connectivity. Depending on how you look at it, this is one of the biggest strengths of the Surface Pro X.

Thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LTE Modem inside, the Surface Pro X is an Always-Connected PC. This means you’ll be able to live a life free of WiFi. For some, this might be a high-point of the device, but for most (like me) that would just be an added cost having to buy a data plan.

All around, the Surface Pro X only features USB-C ports, as well as Surface Connect for charging. USB-C is now the future of connectivity, and it’s the one port that does it all, so I’m glad to see Microsoft finally come on board with the technology.

You’ll also be able to use USB-C for charging if needed. Microsoft says that the Surface Pro X supports fast charge. However, this is now a feature across all of the new Surface lineup. It’s not something to make the Surface Pro X special.

But there is one big glaring omission here. The USB-C port is not Thunderbolt 3 compatible, so you won’t be able to connect an external GPU to the Surface Pro X. Dell’s XPS 13, and other Windows laptops in this same $1,000 price range already take advantage of Thunderbolt 3, so for Microsoft, the omission is an embarrassment.

Oh, and there’s no headphone jack on the Surface Pro X too. There is a dongle available for this to solve that problem, if it worries you, however. But, coming from a Surface Pro 5, I was initially upset that my new $1,200 PC couldn’t even connect to my $5 headphones.

The Microsoft SQ1 Processor powering the Surface Pro X isn’t what Microsoft says it is

Now, for the SoC powering the device. As I’ve touched on, the Surface Pro X isn’t powered by an Intel processor like most Surface devices. Instead, you’ll find a custom-designed Microsoft SQ1 SoC under the hood. That’s paired with a Microsoft SQ1 Adreno 685 GPU, and, on our unit, a total of 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. This is also a fanless processor too, and there are no ventilation holes in the device.

Technically, this Microsoft SQ1 SoC is based on the Snapdragon 8cX which can be found in other Always Connected PCs like the Samsung Galaxy Book S. Microsoft said that the SoC has three times more performance per watt than the 8th-generation CPUs in older Surface devices. It also mentioned that the Adreno 685 GPU graphics processor is powerful enough to perform two teraflops of graphical computations.

But, for real world-usage, it’s important to note that the Surface Pro X is only compatible with 32-bit Windows 10 apps. 64-bit apps won’t work unless a developer has recompiled it for the ARM64 format. However, Microsoft is said to be working on a 64-bit x86 app emulation for Windows 10 on ARM for some time in the future.

As for the 32-bit apps, the Surface Pro X runs these apps through emulation, which comes at a huge performance cost. That also means that some devices (like my older HP printer) also won’t work on the Surface Pro X, unless there are ARM64 drivers available. Microsoft Store apps, though, work just fine.

Anyway, these bold numbers and claims make the SQ1 seem awesome but trust me when I say it, it simply isn’t true. The SQ1 is really behind any recent processor from Intel, and its overall performance can be really slow due to app-emulation if you’re using 32-bit apps like Google Chrome. Of course this can change as more developers come on board with ARM64, but for now, it really sucks.

I’ll start the technical side of things by first by mentioning some of the Geekbench testing. I  tested the Surface Pro X against my Surface Pro 2017, which is powered by the Seventh Gen Intel Core i5-7300U processor. That’s one full generation behind what Microsoft has tested, but I’ve also linked to other reviewers’ Surface Pro 6 and Surface Pro 7 benchmarks too. Typically, I also try to test my laptops with 3D Mark to test the GPU performance, but that benchmark failed to run on the Surface Pro X.

• Surface Pro X (Microsoft SQ1): 3,524 Single Core/ 11,440 Multi-Core Score
• Surface Pro 7 (Core i5-1035G4): 5,342 Single Core/ /16,859 Multi-Core Score
• Surface Pro 6 (Core i5-8250U): 4,074 Single Core/ 13,567 Multi-Core Score
• Surface Pro 5 (Core i5-7300U): 4,242 Single Core/   8,298 Multi-Core Score

Anyway, as you can see above, the Surface Pro X is really lagging behind all older and newer Surface devices in Single-Core performance. It’s also behind in Multi-Core too but edges out the older Surface Pro 5. This makes it clear that Microsoft isn’t giving the full scope here with its claims.

But these numbers don’t mean much without a story behind it. I’m about to explain, one, on one, why this all is a massive failure for me, and perhaps what might become even one for you too.

The best case of all this is how I used my Surface Pro X in my daily life. I typically use both the Chromium-Edge browser (I call it Credge) as well as the 32-bit versions of Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Again, I’m not a graphic designer or engineer. I’m using some very basic lightweight programs.

So, much to my disappointment, opening a few tabs on the 32-bit version of Credge, and running the emulated version of the 32-bit Teams app, the Surface Pro X felt a bit slow. Slack was also slow to update when I clicked to it. Much to my sadness, Teams was constantly reloading when I clicked it to the foreground in front of Credge.

Typing in WordPress was also slow at times, although closing out tabs sometimes speeded it up. There even was a situation where the Surface Pro X froze on me in the middle of typing an article. But, if you have a look at the task manager image below, you can see the victims here. All these 32-bit apps were eating up 34% of the SQ1 processor and nearly 70% of the RAM.

To be fair, I tried switching out and avoiding all these 32-bit apps altogether. I opted to just use the old version of Microsoft Edge, as well as the web versions of Slack and Teams. The experience was a lot less laggy, and more at home to the way I felt with my Surface Pro 5.

I’ll also go back and mention the ARM64 version of the Credge browser, which came out after my Surface Pro X purchase. I switched and tried it out, and the performance differences were significant. It was much less laggy compared to old Edge, as well as the 32-bit version. I felt right at home when multitasking and the system were able to keep up with my web browsing needs. but it’s important to note it still is in beta. Some things like scrolling were especially buggy and some pages occasionally reloaded without warning. While it might seem like the right fit, this isn’t a piece of software I would recommend for you to install.

Alright. I'll give Microsoft a pass. Looks like the ARM64 version of Credge is now live. Not sending it back just yet. One more day of testing. https://t.co/FFXqdlJzvx https://t.co/EmH7PG3GfZ

— Arif Bacchus (@abacjourn) November 13, 2019

With that in mind, I think that makes the Surface Pro X a great machine for web browsing, keen to an iPad or Chromebook. It definitely isn’t a machine for someone looking to get into graphic design or engineering, or anything that is processing-intensive. Instead, if you’re hoping to do these things, go buy a Surface Pro 7 instead. The 32-bit app emulation on the Surface Pro X will just eat up all the RAM and the SQ1 processor.

But there is one key advantage to this SQ1 processor. Since the Surface Pro X is an always-connected PC, it’s able to go to sleep and wake up instantly, just like a smartphone. I put my Surface Pro X to sleep after writing an article in the morning with battery life at 74%. I then went out and spent a good 4 or 5 hours away from home. I came back and pulled down the Type Cover on my Surface Pro X. Within one second, everything I was doing a short 5 hours ago was right there in front of me, and the battery was still at 74%.

At the end of the day, that’s amazing for some, but as I wrote this section of this review, I really just asked myself one question: I just purchased a $1,200 Surface, and should I really be changing up the workflow or apps I use just for fancy hardware or design? Definitely not, and I really think you shouldn’t either.

The battery life is just alright

Battery life is something that is always quite controversial. With the promise that Always Connected PCs have better battery life than devices with Intel processors, I was a bit curious to see how the Surface Pro X stands up. Sadly, it didn’t do so well and put up similar numbers to an Intel-based PC.

To test the battery, I turned the screen brightness down to around 15% and looped the trailer for Olympus Has Fallen overnight with the Surface in “Recommended” settings. Measuring against the in-built batterycfg report, the Surface Pro X lasted around 9.5 or 10 hours in this basic test. That’s about close to the 8.45 hours you’ll get with the Surface Pro 6.

That 40% lasted me for two hours of web browsing image and video playback, and writing my hands on in WordPress. I ended with 12% and a total battery life of around 9 hours. Definitely not the 13 hrs. But still great for me. pic.twitter.com/A9CVq3e4r2

— Arif Bacchus (@abacjourn) November 8, 2019

I also tested web browsing and battery life by running it through my everyday workflow. Running a 32-bit version of Chredge, and Teams and Slack, the device lasted us for about 5 hours of web browsing. Switching that up to just using Old Edge, or the ARM64 version of Chredge, and non-32 bit apps improved it to about close to 7 or 8.5 hours. The screen was around 20% brightness at all times, and Bluetooth and the Cellular network were disabled.

Overall, though, these numbers are still well short of the 13.5 hours quoted by Microsoft. It was still good enough to get me through my 8:30 AM-3:30 PM workday on a single charge.

This isn’t a Surface for gaming

Now, Microsoft mentioned during its October 2 event that the Surface Pro X processor is powerful enough to perform two teraflops of graphical computations. I’m not much of a PC gamer, but I will tell you that is nonsense. The Surface Pro X isn’t for gaming or any graphical intense tasks.

It again goes back to my original point: This is a device that is more for first-line workers if you’re looking to game on your Surface, buy a Surface Book 2 instead.

Anyway, some on Reddit have pointed out that the Surface Pro X can run games like Counterstrike: Global Offensive, but I haven’t had any luck with that at all. I installed Steam, and tried playing Rocket League, BroForce, as well as Castaway Paradise, and all three failed. The games would load but freeze at the title screen. It was a huge letdown for me, as these aren’t even intense games that work perfectly fine on my older Surface Pro 5.

Yeah, um, the Surface Pro X isn't a gaming machine. You'll be able to play Minecraft and some lighter Windows Store games… But I tried to install Steam and some games. But nope. It crashed. pic.twitter.com/INGPHpMhXd

— Arif Bacchus (@abacjourn) November 9, 2019

However, all hope is not lost. Microsoft Store games work just fine on the Surface Pro X. Minecraft runs perfectly smooth without zero lag. A more graphically intense game like Asphalt 9: Legends works just fine too, with the occasional dropped frame.

The Type Cover is decent, at the right angle

Moving forward to the Type Cover, I want to mention the typing experience is just as good as anything I experienced with my Surface Pro 5. The keys on the type cover deck have a nice feeling, and I was easily able to jam my way though articles. The trackpad, however, is my least favorite part of the experience. It’s very loud, and hollow, and I often found myself using an external mouse with the Surface Pro X instead.

In addition, since there is now room for the Surface Slim Pen in the middle part of the Type Cover keyboard, it no longer securely attaches to the screen. Only the left and right sides of the keyboard have magnets that touch the screen, and this makes the keyboard very wobbly. It’s noticeable when I used the Surface Pro X in my lap, as I needed to adjust the kickstand to a precise angle, so the Type Cover wasn’t moving left and right when I was typing.

The Surface Slim Pen is amazing

Finally, there is the new Surface Pen. Along with the design of the Surface Pro X, this new Surface Slim pen is downright amazing. I’m not much of an artist or a designer, but I do often find myself taking notes and journaling in OneNote, and the pen is great for that.

Compared to previous generation Surface Pens, it is more flat and ergonomic. This means it fits in my hands more easily. There’s also the added benefit of it being rechargeable, as I don’t need to worry about swapping batteries when it dies out. However, I did find it quite annoying to have to “pull” down the Type Cover to get the pen out of its housing and built in recharging station. Most times, I just kept it attached to the side of the Surface as I did with my Surface Pro.

As for the performance of the pen itself, I find that its tip is harder when compared to the original Surface Pen. This makes it glide across the screen more easily. This also assists in the new “Tilt” support which Microsoft played up. I actually was able to turn the pen on its side and write on the screen, which fairly amazed me.

A return made easy, and I’m glad I did

At the end of the day, I found out that the Surface Pro X is something that might not be for everyone. I really loved its new design, and that is something that I think people will like. However, the overall performance of the Microsoft SQ1 processor and the 32-bit app-emulation wasn’t for me and might pose problems for others too.

I ended up having to change up the apps I use, just to get an optimal experience on this device. So, I walked into a Microsoft Store and returned it. I’ll be buying either a Surface Laptop 3, or a Surface Book 2 in its place, as these devices might actually work better for what I need it for.

Have you ever wanted to become a princess and ride your very own rainbow unicorn while exploring the countryside and a mystical dream world? Well, The Unicorn Princess might just be the game for you and it’s now playable on Microsoft’s Xbox One family of consoles.

The game is all about the horse riding experience and allows players to ride up to six different horses, which can all be customized to suit personal tastes, and offers up to 15 different missions for players to complete. The Unicorn Princess will also play in 4K UHD when played on an Xbox One X console.

Here’s the full game description:

From your village, the Dream World is just a step away!

Befriend Unica the unicorn while exploring the real world and the world of dreams.

You’re the only one who can help Unica save her world!

• 15 different missions between two worlds
• Many options to customise your character and horse
• An open world to explore on the back of one of six horses available

While this game does clearly have a very niche audience, it could make for a fun Christmas present next month for any children in your life or any adult friends who probably watch way too much My Little Pony.

Are you planning to pick up The Unicorn Princess? Let us know in the comments below and the follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming news.

The app was not found in the store. ?

Go to store
9n2qb8qrpc5h+windowsstore”>Google websearch

Shortly after winning the highly publicized Department of Defense JEDI contract, Microsoft is now sending representatives to meet with the Pentagon officials, according to reports from Bloomberg.

Specifically, Microsoft representatives started meeting with Pentagon officials as early as today, November 13, 2019, and plan to continue a series of assemblies to discuss how the two can collaborate on artificial intelligence contributions to the U.S. military.

In addition to winning the JEDI contract and attending this third annual AI Industry Day, Microsoft had already snuggled close to the DoD by winning a previous $480 million contract to construct a combat-ready version of its HoloLens technology, much to the chagrin of many employees of Microsoft.

While it may seem like Microsoft is consolidating its JEDI contract communications, the truth of the matter is that the company’s appearance today at the Pentagon’s third annual “AI Industry Day” will be among 140 other organizations that include Lockheed Martin, IBM, Boeing, and a dozen or so lesser-known startups as well.

Back on October 15, 2019, it was first announced that the DoD would host the AI Industry Day centered around the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team or “Project Maven” and the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) to work on software that can help in training data, data and inference platforms, new frameworks, User Interface and experiences, testing and Integration at the Edge for military technologies.

Microsoft just released its latest foray into Windows 10 on ARM devices with the Surface Pro X to mixed reviews, especially regarding performance of current browsers. Perhaps mindful of that, the Edge team has just released a Canary channel update for Microsoft Edge for ARM:

We're pleased to announce that Microsoft Edge for ARM is now available in the Canary channel! Canary is now built natively for the ARM64 architecture that powers some Windows 10 devices, including the new Surface Pro X. It will soon come to the Dev and Beta channels as well. pic.twitter.com/cKg1H3Utfd

— Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) November 13, 2019

The new Chromium powered Edge built just for ARM is coming soon to the Dev and Beta channels, according to the tweet by the Microsoft Edge Dev team. Apparently, however, this latest update is not without its own problems:

oh no today's Canary build has arm64 (yay!) but scrolling bugs (boo!)

— Kyle Pflug (@kylealden) November 13, 2019

Our own Arif Bacchus has been preparing his review of the Surface Pro X, a venture that has been frustrating for him, to say the least. Can Edge for ARM save the day?

Alright. I'll give Microsoft a pass. Looks like the ARM64 version of Credge is now live. Not sending it back just yet. One more day of testing. https://t.co/FFXqdlJzvx https://t.co/EmH7PG3GfZ

— Arif Bacchus (@abacjourn) November 13, 2019

Stay tuned to OnMSFT to find out if the latest update to Edge can convince Arif to keep his beloved Surface Pro X!

When the head of the Windows Insider program, Dona Sarkar, moved on to work on Microsoft’s Power Platform a few weeks ago, Microsoft’s CVP of Windows and Education Eran Megiddo announced that the company was conducting a search for a new leader of the program. In a bit of under-the-radar news, in a session titled Exploring the Future of Windows with the Insider Program, Sarkar announced that Ian Todd, a Partner Group Program Manager for Windows User Experience, “is currently managing the humans.”

Todd was on the stage in the breakout panel discussion, and while we’re not really sure if this assignment is long term, it sure sounded like he’s taking the reins. During the presentation, Sarkar re-introduced him as being in his “first month of managing the Insider program, like full-on managing the squad” Todd goes on to say that he’s been getting to know the team and the program at “a much deeper level,” and that he’s loving what he’s seeing. Todd promises to continue with the community aspects of the program that were developed by Dona Sarkar (and before that by Gabe Aul, who’s now a VP of VR engineering at Facebook).

Update: While it wasn’t stated in the session, Brandon LeBlanc has clarified on Twitter that the position is temporary until a permanent replacement is found:

This is *temporarily*. Ian was Dona's manager/our skip manager. As is normal when someone leading a team moves on, Ian has stepped in to drive things until Dona's replacement is determined. The process of filling Dona's position as the lead of our team continues. https://t.co/GMsoaxlMjI

— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) November 13, 2019

The session itself is interesting on a number of levels, and features John Cable from Windows Servicing, David Weston from Windows Security, Todd, Amanda Langowski from Windows Flighting, and Jason Grieves from Accessibility. You can watch the embedded session here, and remember that almost all Ignite sessions are now available for viewing.

With the launch of the Windows Insider Program back in 2014, led by Aul, and then the transition from Aul to Dona Sarkar, much was made of the introduction of the new leader of the program. This time, not so much, but as the Insider program has matured, maybe that’s to be expected. We’ll be interested to see if there’s a more formal introduction, or if Todd is only temporarily taking on the duties while a search is completed.

For now, as Dona Sarkar said in the session, direct your complaints to Todd!

As Microsoft is getting ready to kick off its X019 event in London tomorrow, you may not want to miss the upcoming Inside Xbox Live stream at 12PM PT tomorrow. Microsoft teased on Twitter that tomorrow’s live stream will be “our biggest episode ever,”and there’s a custom Twitter events page for following all the X019 action.

When we say our #X019 Inside Xbox is our biggest episode ever, we mean Biggest. Episode. Ever.

Tune in this Thursday on @WatchMixer: https://t.co/DCF9Suhl4b pic.twitter.com/oCBlxuWFt6

— Xbox (@Xbox) November 12, 2019

Once again, Microsoft will also offer free “MixPot” digital rewards to those of you who will watch Inside Xbox on Mixer tomorrow. This time, you’ll be able to earn an Obsidian Wheel for Sea of Thieves, a $5 X019 promotional pack for the Gears Pop! Mobile game, as well as a chance to win one year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

We’re bringing you an exclusive MixPot fit for our biggest #InsideXbox ever!

• Obsidian Wheel for Sea of Thieves
• $5 Gears POP! X019 Promotional Pack
• A chance to win One-year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Only on @WatchMixer: https://t.co/LTMyBe6o6g pic.twitter.com/qsbec39q34

— Xbox (@Xbox) November 13, 2019

Microsoft already revealed that this upcoming Inside Xbox episode will bring news from over 10 Xbox Game Studios titles, new game reveals, big news about Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud, and much more. We’ll be covering the event live on Thursday, so stay tuned to OnMSFT for everything related to X019.

The Bee Simulator video game is now live on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles. The game is one of very few titles that allow the player to experience the world from the perspective of a bee. Players can fly around and explore a park, collect pollen, avoid wasps, and play with up to three other players in local split-screen co-op and PVP matches.

Here’s the official game description:

See the world through the eyes of a bee! Explore a world inspired by Central Park where you can take part in bee races, collect pollen from rare flowers and defy dangerous wasps.

Play with friends or family in three game modes, including co-op and PvP on split screen.

The hive awakens as the sun’s first rays warm the horizon. It’s time to test your wings, receive orders from the Queen and begin your first mission. And that’s just the start of your adventures. Humans want to cut down the tree that holds your hive, so your fate – and that of the whole swarm – rests on your tiny shoulders!

Bee Simulator is currently selling on Xbox One with a 10% discount and the game will play in 4K when played on an Xbox One X console.
Let us know if you’ve played Bee Simulator in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

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Bee Simulator

Developer:
Bigben Interactive

Price:
$19.99

Since it’s release earlier today, Disney+ has been on the mind and lips of most people who stream media, visit theme parks, love animated movies, cherish the Star Wars lore, dabbled in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, looking for way to pay less for combined services or need something new to entertain their children with while traveling; so basically everyone.

While Disney has primed the well pretty thoroughly with ways to grab its streaming content, there are still a few gaps in its accessibility that need to be addressed for some users such as the 500 million-plus users rocking Windows 10 enabled devices.

To be fair, there is a Disney+ app for Xbox One devices, which are typically included in that audacious 500 million stat by Microsoft, but realistically, there are still up to 400 million-plus people using Windows 10 who don’t have an official app to run towards to stream their favorite Disney content from a PC.

That is, until now.

Thanks to the power of Progressive Web Apps and Microsoft’s recent endeavor in revamping its internet browser with Chromium development, users can now use a nifty little 5-step workaround to get as close to a native app experience as possible for now.

Step 1: Download the goods

Download the latest Microsoft Edge Chromium-based beta browser, be it Canary, Beta, or Dev, here.

As part of the download and install process, also sync any Microsoft Accounts to get port over your internet browsing data from older IE and Edge apps, such as favorites, sync passwords, and even reading lists.

Step 2: Visit Disney+

Head to https://www.disneyplus.com/ to start a free trial, Buy Now or log into your new account.

Step 3: Manage Apps + Install

Now is the fun part. Head to the ellipses in the top left corner of your  Edge browser and select *Apps.

Once Apps is selected, scroll over to the Disney+ App logo next to Install This As an App and select.

Step 4: Name & Install

Now that desktop is primed to recognize the new install as Progressive Web App it’s created a logo and normally would name it the corresponding site name, but for some reason, it pops up nameless. This new turn of events allows users to create their own titles for the PWA.

Step 5: Pin to Start or Taskbar & Enjoy

Once the Disney+ PWA is installed, you can then pin the new icon to your Start Menu and/or Taskbar as any other app.

While it’s not the official download from the Microsoft Store or some sort of Win32 app, the PWA services just as well and offers full UI control over elements, unlike some other workarounds floating on the internet today.

The process to install the Chrome version of the Dinsey+ PWA is a very similar process that follows steps one and two respectively (downloading chrome and visiting Disney+), then navigate to the menu section in Chrome, selecting “More Tools,” “Create Shortcut” and voila, you now have a Chrome version of the PWA.

Now that Microsoft has quietly removed Mixer broadcasting from the Windows 10 Xbox Game Bar, the new Twitch Studio Beta app couldn’t be released at a better time. The Windows app is completely free to use, integrates nicely with Twitch, and is easier to use than popular third-party apps such as OBS or XSplit.

The Twitch Studio Beta is ready to download.

Starting right now, anyone can try out our streaming app designed for new streamers. Learn more: https://t.co/XyqpSHHS0A

— Twitch (@Twitch) November 12, 2019

Twitch already has a desktop app for Windows, which also serves as a game launcher for the free “Twitch Prime” games Amazon offers to Prime subscribers every month. Twitch Studio beta is a separate app that works on Windows 7 and newer, and it’s much more feature-complete than the built-in Mixer broadcasting feature on Windows 10 ever was. You’ll find guided setup to help you set up your mic, webcam, monitor resolution, and bitrate, and there are also customizable templates to make your stream look unique. Moreover, there are also integrated alerts for your Twitch activity.

If you previously tried streaming on Mixer from your Windows 10 PC, you should really give Twitch Studio a try. While the app is still in beta, it’s being updated regularly and the team also added a button for reporting bugs front and center.

As expected, Microsoft has just started rolling out the Windows 10 November 2019 Update to consumers already running the May 2019 Update. Starting today, the November 2019 Update (or Windows 10 version 1909) is available for “seekers,” which means that you can get it now by checking for updates manually in Windows Update. The Update should be labeled as “Feature update to Windows 10, version 1909”

In case you’re not seeing the update today, Microsoft notes that there may be a compatibility issue preventing you from getting it immediately. If you do see it in Windows Update, the November 2019 Update should install like a regular cumulative update, and the whole process should be pretty quick.

Here are the main new features included in the November 2019 Update, as explained by Microsoft today:

• Quickly creating an event directly from the Calendar flyout on the Taskbar.
• Better managing notifications, including a new button at the top of the Action Center and the ability to sort notifications by most recently shown.
• Integrating OneDrive content online with traditional indexed results in the File Explorer search box.
• The navigation pane on the Start menu now expands when you hover over it with your mouse to better inform where clicking goes.
• Using your voice to activate third-party digital assistants from the Lock screen.

If you want to learn more about this update, we invite you to check out our hands-on video.

As of this writing, we’re not seeing the update on our PCs, just this month’s Patch Tuesday update for Windows 10 version 1903. It may take some time for the November 2019 update to roll out, but please let us know in the comments if you’re able to download it today.

During Microsoft’s Ignite 2019 conference in Orlando this year the company dropped a few bombshells regarding its Microsoft 365 security offerings, Azure Synapse Analytics, Project Cortex and how Cortana is evolving across mobile and desktop, among other news.

Microsoft jam-packed a lot of news, announcements, developer sessions, and showroom floor demos into four days, and all of that info is now available in an on-demand streaming experience at the Windows Insider blog.

This year’s conference featured over 1,000 sessions showcasing new ways to migrate legacy workloads, the latest cloud technologies, innovative client development techniques, new ways to manage your infrastructure and more.

Anyone who is interested can select from the Insider Team’s cherry-picked options on the site that include Ignite archived session videos from The Future of Windows with WIP, WSUS and Configuration Manager, Group Policy and Intune for WIP as well as running your own Windows Insider Program at your organization among a host of others.

Head here to view the other 1,000 plus sessions from Ignite 2019.

Microsoft has come out in “strong” support for the California Consumer Privacy Act, a bill that was introduced to give individuals more control over the collection and reselling of their personal data. The company has committed to supporting the new standards—which are set to take affect on January 1 of next year—across all fifty U.S. states. Julie Brill, Microsoft’s Chief Privacy Officer and Corporate Vice President for Global Privacy and Regulatory Affairs, wrote in a blog post:

We are optimistic that the California Consumer Privacy Act — and the commitment we are making to extend its core rights more broadly — will help serve as a catalyst for even more comprehensive privacy legislation in the U.S. As important a milestone as CCPA is, more remains to be done to provide the protection and transparency needed to give people confidence that businesses respect the privacy of their personal information and can be trusted to use it appropriately.

For those unfamiliar, California’s new law—or CCPA for short—is the state’s new bill that brings new guidelines for consumer privacy. As part of the new act, companies will be required to be transparent about the data they collect and to whom it’s sold to. Additionally, consumers should be able to reject consent of the resale of their personal data, and even request their information to be completely deleted.

In addition to committing to providing more tools to help consumers understand and control their data, the company says it will work with enterprises to help them comply with California’s new law.

Microsoft’s commitment to complying with the CCPA in every state is similar to how it committed to following the EU’s GDPR guidelines outside of Europe. The U.S. Congress has been pretty quiet on consumer privacy issues, so the company’s commitments on its privacy tools should help both consumers feel better about their data as well as businesses in providing consumer privacy reassurance.

What do you think of Microsoft’s stance on consumer privacy? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Ahead of its hotly anticipated console release next year, Microsoft is slowly reenvisioning the way its gamers will regularly interact with the dashboard.

Today, Xbox Insiders will get a chance to test out some new changes to the Xbox One Home screen that include a new way to customize tiles and a new “Surprise Me” button that will surface recommendations on games to play.

Hey Alpha Skip-Ahead, users! You may notice some changes to the Xbox One Home, Guide, and your Collection Surprise me button soon on your console.

— Xbox Insider (@xboxinsider) November 11, 2019

Customizing your Home dashboard gets a little easier for Alpha Skip-Ahead! Pressing the View button on your Xbox One controller brings up a screen with more info to help setup your Home the way you like it. pic.twitter.com/JsIGwOFhL8

— Xbox Insider (@xboxinsider) November 11, 2019

The Surprise me button in Alpha Skip-Ahead users' Collections, located in the upper right of My Games & Apps, can help determine what to play next! Use it today. pic.twitter.com/R8QWi9aTCN

— Xbox Insider (@xboxinsider) November 11, 2019

Back in July of this year (2019), the Xbox team began testing a new dashboard look and flow with users opting into its Alpha and Skip Ahead release builds. The new dashboard is a bit more streamlined than the one that showed up with the original release of the Xbox One.

The UX team working on the reinvented dashboard applied emphasis on “dynamic content” surfacing in the UI while allowing for more customization of the home screen, allowing users to quickly access specific menus.

Today’s additions look to continue the theme of quick access by enabling new ways for users to set up their Home more their liking.

The new additions should be rolling out to Alpha and Skip Ahead beta testers through today pending a new download on an Xbox One console.

In a press conference in New Delhi, HP Inc. today introduced the HP Elite Dragonfly in India geared towards the always-on-the-go mobile business professionals.

The HP Elite Dragonfly is a sub-one-kilogram ultralight premium notebook that claims to offer the ‘world’s longest battery life in a 13-inch business convertible’ – up to 24.5-hour battery life.

The HP Elite Dragonfly boasts of a precision-crafted chassis from CNC-machined magnesium and a redesigned quiet and backlit keyboard with a glass touchpad. It sports a high screen-to-body ratio for a 13-inch business convertible at almost 86 percent. The notebook packs in the latest Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and comes with an optional gigabit-class 4G LTE.

HP Elite Dragonfly also offers a myriad of software add-ons including HP WorkWell, a personal wellbeing software, HP Sure Sense that defends against malware attacks on mobile workers using AI, and HP Sure Recover that gets users back up and running fast.

There are also privacy-focused features like HP Sure View Gen3, an integrated privacy screen, as well as HP Privacy Camera that helps users control what is shared with the world.

The HP Elite Dragonfly is expected to be available from December 1 starting at ₹149,990 ($2092).

Microsoft has quietly released a new system update for Xbox 360 consoles (via Reddit). It’s not clear yet what this new version of the OS (2.0.17559.0) includes, as the software giant has yet to add the release notes on the Xbox Support website. We’ll keep an eye on this page and we’ll update this post if we get more details about this new update.

The Xbox 360 received a previous system update back in August, which according to Microsoft brought “minor bug fixes and improvements.” Before that, the Xbox 360 OS received two updates in 2018 and 2016, which was the year when Microsoft stopped manufacturing the console.

As the Xbox 360 will celebrate its 14th anniversary on November 22, which is the date of the console’s US launch, it’s great to see that Microsoft is still supporting it as well as all of its Xbox Live online features. We hope this ongoing support will continue once Microsoft’s next-gen Project Scarlett console is released in holiday 2020.

Update 9:15AM PDT: The Xbox Support website now indicates that this new system update only brings “minor bug fixes and improvements,” just like the August update.

Welcome back to our Windows 10 news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.

Surface Pro X is Microsoft’s most repairable tablet ever according to iFixit

According to iFixIt, the Surface Pro X is Microsoft’s most repairable tablet ever, a strong accolade to hold when it’s generally quite difficult to repair devices yourself in this day and age.

Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser has a new icon that frees it from Edge and Internet Explorer’s past

Microsoft’s new Edge browser has received a new icon to differentiate it from Internet Explorer.

New Chromium-based Edge will start shipping with Windows 10 once the stable version is out

Once the stable version of Chromium-based Microsoft Edge is out, Windows 10 will begin shipping with the new Edge by default.

Microsoft ends Skip Ahead Ring for Windows Insiders beginning with Windows 10 build 19018

The Windows Insider program is going back to more simple times, as Microsoft is ending the Skip Ahead ring. The change starts from Windows 10 build 19018.

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Windows 10 news!

Microsoft kicked off the Project xCloud public beta in the US, the UK and South Korea last month, and if you didn’t receive your invite yet, you may now get the chance to get in. Xbox’s Major Nelson announced earlier today that Microsoft has started sending out more Project xCloud invitations, and you still have time to register if you want to get early access to the company’s cloud gaming service.

Before heading into the weekend, we’re sending out more Project xCloud preview invitations! If you’ve already registered, be on the lookout for an email. If you’re interested in participating, sign up here: https://t.co/Bb1M2e4tOS pic.twitter.com/N9J05l15zf

— Larry Hryb ????????☁ (@majornelson) November 8, 2019

As of today, the Project xCloud public beta only provides access to four Xbox Game Studios titles: Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Sea of Thieves, and Killer Instinct. To try the service, you’ll need a Bluetooth-enabled Xbox Wireless controller, as well as a phone or tablet running Android 6 or newer. Microsoft hasn’t said yet when the service will be available on other devices, including iPhones, iPads, or PCs. With Google Stadia launching on November 19, it may be time for Microsoft to finally share more details about Project xCloud, and a tweet on the Xbox Twitter account just teased “big Project xCloud news” at X019 next week.

#X019 kicks off with an episode of Inside Xbox you won’t want to miss.

✅ 12 Xbox Game Studios titles (including new reveals and PC)
✅ New PC and Console game reveals for @XboxGamePass
✅ Big Project xCloud news

Tune in LIVE @WatchMixer November 14: https://t.co/lOycoVHid2 pic.twitter.com/0fIeytMIMj

— Xbox (@Xbox) November 8, 2019

We have yet to hear about the business model for Project xCloud, and there will hopefully be some synergies with Xbox Game Pass. It would probably be too much to ask Xbox Game Pass subscribers to pay for an additional subscription to access the cloud gaming service, especially when Google Stadia and Sony’s PlayStation Now service now cost just $9.99/month. Microsoft probably can’t ask for more than that for an Xbox Game Pass/Project xCloud monthly bundle, but we’ll see if the company is finally ready to discuss pricing details at X019 next week.

The new Surface Pro X is one of Microsoft’s most hotly anticipated devices of 2019. Unlike the Surface Pro 7, or the Surface Laptop 3, it’s quite different from anything the company has released before. It is also something that I’ve been quite excited for myself, which is why I went ahead and purchased one from the Microsoft Store for this review.

From its super-slim bezels, new Surface Slim Pen, and the custom Microsoft SQ1 processor powering the device, there’s a lot to talk about. Today we’ll be taking a quick look at all that and will be unboxing the Surface Pro X, and sharing some initial impressions ahead of our full review in the coming weeks.

Bezels, be gone!

As I took the Surface Pro X out of the box, the first thing I noticed is its slim bezels. A bit similar to an iPad Pro, the bezels are very slim on the right and left sides of the device. The top bezel is still a bit large, mainly due to the Windows Hello webcam on top. As for the bottom bezel, it almost disappears when the Type Cover keyboard is attached.

Compared to my older Surface Pro 2017, these slim bezels really make the device beautiful. It really brings out all the beauty of the 13-inch screen, and its 2880×1920 resolution. While not quite edge-to-edge like the XPS 13, it’s quite immersive, especially for me, as someone who is constantly stacking windows side by side when working.

Overall, the Surface Pro X still feels really nice to hold in my hands, thanks to its round corners and balanced weight. Great as it is, I am a bit concerned that the device will become a fingerprint magnet, but I think it’s something that I can get used to it over time with the proper care. I’m also a bit let down to see the omission of a MicroSD card slot, as this has been a signature feature of the Surface Pro since the original Surface.

But, all around, this still feels like a Surface Pro that I’ve always loved, with the design improvements I always wanted. Its black matte magnesium finish is still absolutely beautiful and cool to the touch. The kickstand still makes the device easy to use on my desk and my lap. The keyboard cover is still a magnetic attachment and increases the overall usability of the device. And, it’s all now flanked by a beautiful slim bezel and downright beautiful screen.

A note on the specs

Under the hood, Surface Pro X only features one SoC option. It’s powered by the Microsoft SQ1 processor paired with the Adreno 685 GPU. RAM options range from 8GB or 16GB, and there’s either 128, 256, or 512GB of removable SSD storage.

I opted for the most basic $1,000 model with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. It should also be noted that the SSD in the Surface Pro X is technically removable, though Microsoft wants you to do that through authorized dealers.

Anyway, this SQ1 SoC is based on the Snapdragon 8cX processor and was designed in partnership with Qualcomm. Microsoft claims it can be as good as the Intel Core processors inside the older Surface Pro 6. It supposedly has three times more performance per watt than the 8th-generation CPUs.

We’ll be testing that later, and will run benchmarks in a separate post, but first, we want to mention that only 32-bit apps will work on this device through emulation. Yes, this Surface Pro X is powered by the full version of Windows 10 Pro, but since it’s an ARM device, there are limits to 32-bit apps only. It’s up to developers to recompile their apps to ARM64 for it to work on the Surface Pro X.

But for now, in my brief day or so with the device, it has proven good enough for web browsing in the 32-bit version of Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser. However, many early reviewers have reported issues with the SQ1 processor powering the Surface Pro X. Some have reported experiencing Blue Screen of Death, not being able to install their favorite apps, as well as random freezing when the device wakes.

After a day-two firmware update, so far in my time with the device, I haven’t had any of those issues. However, coming from a Surface Pro 5, I did notice that apps from the Microsoft Store and even Windows 10 updates were kind of slow to download and install. But, I took the Surface Pro X on the road for me for Microsoft’s HoloLens showcase event in New York City, and it was very reliable for web browsing, writing up a draft post in Word, and more I didn’t experience any freezing, but you can expect my more in-depth analysis and some comparisons in the future full-review.

I’ll also want to mention that this is an always-connected PC. This means that you’ll be able to live a life free of WiFi. You’re getting up to Gigabit LTE Advanced Pro via the nanoSIM and eSIM tray on the device. That’s thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LTE Modem built-in. There’s even the “instant-on” feature. I set the device down, and it’s able to resume right where I left off, right away, without any drain to the battery.

Do you see the USB-C?

As I pointed out in my original hands-on, another thing I noticed with the Surface Pro X is the USB-C ports. There’s two alongside the left side on the device. You’ll also find the Surface Connect port on the right side.

Sadly, there’s no headphone jack, which means I needed to use my Bluetooth Surface Headphones with my Surface Pro X. Lacking a good quality USB-C to USB-C cable at the moment, I also needed to use a dongle to connect up my camera and phone to transfer photos and the video for the post. But USB-C does offer one advantage, I was able to charge up my Surface with my portable power bank. Microsoft quotes a total of 13 hours of battery, and the Surface Pro X supports quick charge, but I only experienced about 10 hours in my testing so far. I’ll be sticking to the regular version of Edge for the full-review to test the full potential of the device.

I’ll also mention that these USB-C ports don’t support Thunderbolt 3, which is a letdown since it means that you can’t use an external GPU to go with it. Still, after years of seeing MiniDisplay Port and USB-A on the Surface Pro lineup, this is quite refreshing.

A fairly great type cover to go along

Moving along, is the need to mention the new Type Cover Keyboard with the Surface Pro X. Overall, typing on it feels about the same as it did on my older Surface Pro 5 Type Cover. However, clicking the trackpad feels a bit more hollow and loud, that could be due to it being new and there being no wear and tear.  It’s very loud, so much so that my mother heard me clicking my way through typing this review, and asked what was making that annoying noise.

The way the Type Cover attaches to the screen is also a bit weird. Since the pen is in the middle of the connector on the top of the keyboard, only the two sides grip the screen. This means it the Surface Pro X is quickly rocked or moved, the keyboard just a tiny a bit to the right and the left. Otherwise, it’s fairly comfortable. I haven’t experienced the weird sensation that Tom Warren experienced, where his Surface Pro X type cover covers the entire taskbar.

Surface Slim pen feels great

Now, for the Surface Slim Pen. To me, having the flat pen is more ergonomic than having a round pen, like with the older Surface Pen.  It fits in my hand more easily, although the “click” button is now in the thin facing side of the pen, and harder to reach.

This new pen is housed in the keyboard, and, coming from the Surface Pro 5, I sometimes forgot it was even there. I was just too used to seeing it snapped to the side of my Surface, so that’s something I did. I will have more on the pen experience in my full review, but for now, I’ll mention that it’s rechargeable via that cradle in the keyboard.

Quite impressed, for now…

At the end of the day, I’m quite impressed with the new Surface Pro X after just two days of use. All around, it’s a nice device. However, given it’s powered by Windows 10 on ARM, I am still concerned about the overall reliability of this new Surface device. While the experience with 32-bit app-emulation has been solid for me so far, and the battery life decent, it might be subject to change as I put more use into the device. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks.

The latest entry in the popular Need For Speed video game franchise, Need For Speed Heat, is now available to play on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles.

The game is available in a regular edition and a Deluxe Edition that comes with the base game and a variety of in-game character outfits, cars, and 5% boosts for REP and BANK rewards.

Here’s the official game description and launch trailer:

Burn through the streets of Palm City in Need for Speed Heat. By day, earn bank to create your perfect ride through sanctioned Speedhunters Showdown events. By night, enter illicit street races alongside your crew, earning rep and building heat. But stay ready – cops are waiting and not all of them play fair. The roads and the rides are endless in this twenty-four-hour street racer where only the fast are free to chase the line, risk everything, and burn all limits.

The Need For Speed series began way back in 1994 and has become a constant presence in the gaming industry ever since with new entries being released on an almost yearly basis. Need For Speed Heat is the 24th main Need For Speed video game and supports online multiplayer for up to 16 players and also renders in 4K Ultra HD when played on an Xbox One X console.

Are you a Need For Speed fan? How many titles have you played? Let us know what your favorite game is in the comments below and then follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

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Need for Speed™ Heat

Developer:
Electronic Arts

Price:
Free

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Need for Speed™ Heat Deluxe Edition

Developer:
Electronic Arts

Price:
$10.49

Xbox Live Gold members can try some new games this weekend, as Microsoft has introduced three new titles to the Free Play Days lineup for gamers to enjoy. The official Xbox Twitter account in France tweeted the news: “Here are 3 good reasons to play during this long weekend!”

Voilà 3 bonnes raisons de jouer pendant ce long week-end ! pic.twitter.com/4KSqnIKv3Q

— Xbox FR (@XboxFR) November 7, 2019

First off, Bethesda’s MMORPG title The Elder Scrolls Online is free to play right now, and players can see all of what the base game offers all the way until November 13. While the Elsweyr upgrade might not be included in this free trial, there’s still plenty quests, crafting, and exploration to keep you going. And if you enjoy your experience, the base game is also on sale for half off, which brings it to just $9.99 right now.

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The Elder Scrolls® Online

Developer:
Bethesda Softworks

Price:
Free

Cities: Skylines and The Surge are also free to play on the Xbox One for Gold members, although you only have until November 10 to play these games. The first one is already free to play for Xbox Game Pass for Console subscribers, but now Gold members also have a very brief opportunity to play the game before buying—or potentially upgrading to Game Pass Ultimate. For the latter title, Gold members can purchase it for $4.99—or 75% off—for a limited time.

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Cities: Skylines – Xbox One Edition

Developer:
Paradox Interactive

Price:
Free

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The Surge

Developer:
Focus Entertainment

Price:
$2.99

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for Xbox Live here:

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Xbox Live Gold Membership (Digital Code)

Developer:
Microsoft Corporation

Price:
Free

Which game will you most likely be playing this weekend? Be sure to drop a comment down below to let us know what you think about them.

Metro 2033: Redux, the remastered version of the post-apocalyptic shooter has just been added to Xbox Game Pass for PC today. The game is joining Metro: Exodus on the catalog, which is the latest installment of the Metro franchise released earlier this year on PC and consoles.

Even though the store listing doesn’t mention it, the game does support Xbox Live Achievements, as seen on its Game Hub xbox.com. Not all Xbox Game Pass for PC games support Xbox Live Achievements, but developers doing the extra effort to add them definitely deserve some credit.

It’s been nearly six month since Xbox Game Pass for PC launched in beta on Windows 10 version 1903, and the subscription service is about to lose its first games: Pony Island, The Surge, and Tyranny – Gold Edition will be removed from the catalog next week on November 15, but hopefully these will be replaced by new games very soon. The Xbox team said today that it will have more Xbox Game Pass news to share during the X019 event in London next week, and we’ll let you know as soon as we get more information.

If you have yet to try Xbox Game Pass for PC, you can get one month for just $1 for a limited time. Additionally, you can also get 3 months of Xbox Game Pass for PC for free when you purchase select Alienware PCs, and you can find more information on Dell’s website.

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Metro 2033 Redux

Developer:
Deep Silver

Price:
$19.99

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PC Game Pass

Developer:
Microsoft Corporation

Price:
$1.00

The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game launched on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles earlier this week. The game went live with very little fanfare which is rather surprising given the prestige of the property and reputation of Lord of the Rings video games on Xbox consoles.

This The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game title is, as its name implies, a digital card game in the vein of Gwent and Hearthstone. It features numerous characters and species from The Lord of the Rings and supports online support for player versus player matches.

Unlike Gwent and Hearthstone which are both free-to-play titles, The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game is retailing for $24.99 which may restrict its playerbase someone. It is, however, available to play for free for all Xbox Game Pass subscribers so this could be a way to build up a following.

Here’s the official (long) game description and launch trailer:

Build a deck of iconic Heroes and challenge the forces of Sauron in this thrilling tactical card game. Go forth on your own or join forces with a friend and explore famous locations, complete story-driven quests, and forge your own legend of Middle-earth. But beware the Eye of Sauron—should you draw his attention, all will be lost…

Answer the call of countless adventures, face the dark forces of Sauron, and protect the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. As allies gather and foes arise, so your journey begins.

The time has come to form and lead your own fellowship of heroes through immersive story-driven campaigns—each with its own unique narrative and challenges.
Pick three Heroes from some of the most emblematic characters of Middle-earth, then build your deck around their specific abilities and powers. Each Hero belongs to one of four Spheres of Influence—Leadership, Lore, Spirit, or Tactics—which allows you to play specific cards while in-game. Choose wisely when building your deck to make the most of each Hero and gain the advantage against Sauron’s forces. Each story-driven Campaign is set in famous locations across Middle-earth, providing hours of thrilling gameplay where each choice you make will forge a legend that will be sung about for ages to come.

While your journeys may contain great challenges, taking advantage of your Heroes and your customized decks will earn you victory in battle. Sometimes combining the strength of multiple champions from the same Sphere of Influence can help you overcome the swarms of Enemies that you will face. You might also apply your Characters’ Willpower to the Fate Pool and trigger powerful abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Each Quest is different, and there is no single path to victory—find the deck and the strategy that works for your fellowship!

Every Quest will require experimenting with different strategies as you confront ever more terrifying foes, ranging from giant Spiders to fierce Trolls, and even hordes of powerful Orcs! The Dark Lord will do everything in his power to prevent you from completing your journey. Watch out for the Threat Pool—as its total increases, Sauron can unleash story-specific events to make your Quest more difficult. Take care—if you reach the maximum Threat level, you will suffer Sauron’s full attention and fail your Quest!

Are you a fan of Lord of the Rings and will you give this card game a try? Let us know why or why not in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook for more Xbox gaming content.

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The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game – Definitive Edition

Developer:
Twin Sails Interactive

Price:
$19.99