Microsoft could be working on making its various Surface Type covers even thinner. According to a new Microsoft patent spotted by German blog Windows United (via The Verge), future versions of the detachable keyboards could shed some thickness and weight by integrating the trackpad directly into the circuit board of the detachable keyboard.

In the patent description, Microsoft explains that this is all about “not requiring additional space and additional components within a device chassis for a separate touch.”

Microsoft’s detachable Surface keyboards evolved quite a lot over the years, with the Type Cover for the Surface Pro 3 (the first 12” inch Surface tablet) representing a major shift with a much larger trackpad. Since then, we’ve seen iterative updates such as the new Alcantara finish, but this new patent suggests that it could be time for a more significant refresh.

Back in June, ZDNet reported that a “heavily redesigned” Surface Pro could be launching in mid-2019. It has been said that the new tablet may feature more rounded corners like the Surface Go, as well as an USB-C port, and you can probably expect a new detachable keyboard to match the new design. Let us know in the comments what you would like to see being improved in the new Type Covers.

Eternal Card Game, a new digital card game, has just launched on Windows 10 and Xbox One. The game is remarkably similar to the popular Hearthstone video game though also bears some resemblance to Gwent: The Witcher Card Game with its artwork. Basically, if you’ve ever played a fantasy card game, you should know what to expect here.

Eternal Card Game supports Xbox Play Anywhere which means that all of a player’s progress will sync between the Xbox One and Windows 10 versions and gamers will be able to play against those on the other platform. It’s also free-to-play and supports 4K graphics when played on an Xbox One X console.

Here’s the game’s official store description:

• RAISE THE BANNER: With spells and swords, six-guns and subterfuge, heroes collide in the struggle for the Eternal Throne. Where will you stand? Join the battle in Eternal, the new strategy card game of unlimited choices and unbelievable fun.
• THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: Eternal combines the infinite possibilities of a deep strategy card game with the pace and polish of a modern video game. Build any deck you can imagine by freely mixing cards from an expanding collection, and plunge into lightning-fast battles. The only limits are your own creativity.
• A GAME THAT GROWS WITH ITS PLAYERS: In Eternal, there’s always something new. Frequent new cards release between set launches to guarantee that the meta-game never gets stale. A steady influx of unexplored content keeps even the most experienced players on their toes. What will you create?

Are you interested in Eternal Card Game or are you satisfied with the numerous other digital card games out there? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more gaming content.

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Eternal Card Game

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The Windows 10 October 2018 update has had plenty of problems so far, and there are currently several upgrade blocks in place due to the various incompatibility problems that surfaced after the re-release. But even though the major update is now rolling out to  Windows 10 users, Microsoft still has to fix two bugs affecting Windows Media Player and application defaults.

The Redmond giant recently acknowledged the two new bugs on its Windows Support website (via Thurrott.com). If you still use Windows Media Player, Microsoft says that the Seek Bar may not be working when playing “specific files. Microsoft says that it will provide a fix in “an upcoming release,” but in the meantime the Movies & TV app or VLC Media Player should be areat alternatives.

However, the other bug affecting default applications may be more annoying. According to Microsoft, some users may be unable to set Win32 program defaults for certain files using the Open with… command or Settings > Apps > Default apps. The bug may affect certain Win32 apps like Notepad, Microsoft added, adding that a fix may be coming in “late November 2018.” This strongly suggests the release of a new patch for the October 2018 update this week.

A couple of weeks ago, we learned that political journalism company Politico Europe had teamed up with Microsoft to launch a new Election Hub. The interactive tool leverages Microsoft’s PowerBI analytics service to improve Politico’s coverage of the the 2019 European Parliamentary elections.

Today, this new Election Hub has been updated with new country-level pages featuring detailed informations about each of the European countries participating in the upcoming election. “Enabled by Microsoft Power BI, our product provides comparisons of 2014 results with the latest projections, linking national parties, their European parliamentary groups, voter turnout and key information on the voting process,” explained said Johannes Boege, Chief Product Officer at POLITICO Europe. “At a glance, our readers can get a very detailed and up-to-date overview of the EU elections in their country and compare it with the situation in other member states.”

Microsoft’s collaboration with Politico Europe is part of Redmond’s new Modern Journalism initiative, which aims to transform the news industry with technology. This only came to our attention today, but Ben Rudolph, previously Global Director of Retail Experience at Microsoft (and known by Windows Phone fans for his “Smoked by Windows Phone” series of videos) is now leading Microsoft’s Modern Journalism initiative. In addition to partnerships with various news organizations like Politico Europe, Microsoft revealed earlier this year that it had a team of more than 800 editors across the world that help curating the news that appear on MSN.com or the Microsoft News app.

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.

Google Chrome could be coming to Windows 10 on ARM soon with help from Microsoft

According to a new report, Microsoft is helping on a project with Qualcomm and Google to bring Google’s Chrome browser to Windows 10 on ARM.

Now you can sign in to your Microsoft Account using Windows Hello, FIDO2 devices

Signing in to your Microsoft Account is now easier thanks to the help of Windows Hello and FIDO2 devices, which can now be used to log in to your Microsoft Account.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2019 is now live in Windows 10’s app store

Adobe continues to bolster its presence on the Microsoft Store by releasing the latest version of Adobe Photoshop Elements on the Microsoft Store for Windows 10.

Windows 10 October 2018 Update is currently blocked on PCs running iCloud for Windows and F5 VPN clients

Microsoft’s October update for Windows 10 continues to highlight new issues, this time an incompatibility with iCloud for Windows, and also F5 VPN clients. Now, Microsoft is blocking the update for machines running those pieces of software.

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

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

LinkedIn is launching Student Voices, its own take on Snapchat Stories for students

Microsoft’s professional-centric social network, LinkedIn, is adding a new feature called Student Voices, which is its own take on Snapchat’s Stories, except only for students.

Microsoft Launcher leverages Digital Health features in latest 5.1 update to show time spent on apps, more

In version 5.1, Microsoft Launcher will show the time being spent on apps through a new card, part of the Digital Health features.

Microsoft Launcher beta gets 5.1 update with To-Do and Sticky Notes integration

In addition to the new Digital Health feature, Microsoft Launcher’s version 5.1 update adds integration for To-Do and Sticky Notes.

Our last major #MicrosoftLauncher release of 2018 is one of our favorites. We're so incredibly thankful for all of the support and feedback from our customers. With the 5.1 update, we want to say THANK YOU and Happy Holidays!

Join our beta at https://t.co/6RPke9dVXI! pic.twitter.com/YQCA5MbrI5

— Ezra Park (@ezp4rk) November 21, 2018

Job listing hints at renewed Xbox focus in Japan, China, and South Korea

According to a new job listing, Microsoft could be looking to have a dedicated management team for Xbox in Asian markets, leaving out Phil Spencer and Chris Charla from the roles.

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

To say that Microsoft’s gaming success in Asia has been challenging would be putting a rather amiable punctuation on the consoles history in the region. While Microsoft has never really held a solid footing in Asian regions, during this latest console run, the company’s gaming presence has all but depleted what little good-will it crested from the good ol’ Xbox 360 days.

As the company makes plans to expanded its gaming efforts across all fronts, including PC integration, cloud gaming and new devices, a new job listing surfaced recently that indicates that Microsoft is also interested in reproaching the lost market shares it suffered during this current generation of gaming, specifically in Asian markets.

Perhaps, contrary to popular belief, Microsoft has continually attempted to address its presence in Asian markets. The Global Gaming Partnership & Development (GGPD) project has been something put in place by the company to spur more thoughtful Asian-related gaming communications from both a game development aspects as well as a marketing effort.

While that has yielded little for the Xbox community, it seems Microsoft is retrenching its efforts and ousting head of Xbox Phil Spencer and Xbox director Chris Charla from their positions in the GGPD.

No, Spencer Charla are not out of the company, but the business would like to have a more dedicated presence manning the GGPD division in Asia, according to this new job listing.

• The Microsoft Global Gaming Partnership & Development or GGPD is a division dependent on the branch of Xbox that seeks precisely strategic alliances.
• The place of residence is not fixed, it requires Tokyo, South Korea or Shanghai. Also Redmond.
• The purpose of this regional team should be to close agreements with potential partners.
• The candidate will be the representative of Xbox in the territory.
• You should deal with studios and developers to detect opportunities.
• He will be in charge of several people.
• For the description of this offer, the GGPD team destined for Asia, should start as soon as possible and streamline the processes, so it follows that Microsoft is in a hurry to advance work there. At present it is Chris Charla or Phil Spencer who has to close deals there, now there will be a team and a more dedicated figure.

As previously mentioned, the GGPD has been in existence prior to this listing, but it seems as though Microsoft is doubling its efforts to find a team and leadership that can produce the types of agreements, partnerships and development collateral necessary to not only revive Xbox’s mindshare in Asia but also bring Asia influenced/inspired gaming to the platform that many have argued, it has desperately needed for some time now.

Just days after its initial release, Fallout 76 has been given a 33% discount as part of Microsoft’s Black Friday sale. The game has an RRP of $59.99 but is now selling for just $40.19 which is a pretty good bargain for such a new game.

Other major Xbox One video games currently discounted as part of Black Friday include Shadow of the Tomb Raider (50% off), FIFA 19 (50%), Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (35%), Overwatch (67%), Star Wars Battlefront II (67%), and Forza Horizon 4 (35%). Red Dead Redemption has been given a tiny 10% discount for those who have yet to play this incredibly popular title.

Microsoft has also heavily discounted their Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles in several major regions as part of this year’s Black Friday so those who have been thinking about upgrading their consoles may want to pick and Xbox One S or X sometime over the next few days.

Have you bought any Xbox consoles or games this week? Share your gets with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

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Fallout 76 Standard Edition

Developer:
Bethesda Softworks

Price:
Free

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Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey – ULTIMATE EDITION

Developer:
Ubisoft

Price:
Free

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Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Developer:
Crystal Dynamics

Price:
Free

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Red Dead Redemption 2: Special Edition

Developer:
Rockstar Games

Price:
Free

Xbox One gamers will be getting a new Huntsmen and Marksmen Xbox Event Mode this weekend in the popular PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) video game.

The special event will run from Nov 22nd at 7pm PST (23rd 4am CET) and will last until Nov 25th at 7pm PST (26th 4am CET). The game mode will be similar to the last event but will have the following changes:

• Increased max match time and max points
• Care package drop time has been increased, but frequency remains the same to retain the importance of care packages
• Decreased revival time (when knocked down) and increased the default HP when revived – Don’t wait for your teammate to respawn, save them when they are knocked down instead!

PUBG is one of the most-popular video games on the Xbox One family of consoles right now and its playerbase is expected to grow even more with its addition to Xbox Game Pass earlier this month.

Do you play PUBG on your Xbox One and will you partake in this event? Let us know in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox goodness.

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PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS

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KRAFTON, Inc.

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Google has been working with Qualcomm to bring its Chrome web browser to Windows 10 on ARM devices for some time now, and it appears Microsoft want to help. According to a report from 9to5Google, two Microsoft developers, named Tom Tan and Jon Kunkee, have been contributing to the project.

Right now, Windows 10 on ARM devices come with a feature that allows it to emulate existing x86 applications, however oftentimes the performance of the applications can be hindered, potentially frustrating users who use them. The perfect example is Chrome, which has an overwhelming majority of the PC browser marketshare, but doesn’t run natively on ARM PCs.

While Microsoft’s efforts to bring Chrome to Windows 10 ARM devices, such as the company’s line of Always Connected PCs with Snapdragon processors, will likely please some users, although it still raises some questions. Right now, all Windows 10 computers with ARM processors ship with S Mode enabled, which prevents users from changing the default browser or installing one outside of the Microsoft Store. Google Chrome isn’t available on the Store, due to Microsoft’s policy against third-party web rendering engines. With this in mind, it’s unclear if Microsoft will lift either of these restrictions, or risk a substantial number of users switching out of S Mode.

Whatever the case may be, at least we know that this will give users more options, as opposed to feeling locked down entirely. What are your thoughts about Chrome on Windows 10 ARM devices? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft has seemingly pressed its proverbial foot on the development pedal of its former Garage Project Android launcher. The relatively new Microsoft Launcher has been receiving several substantial feature updates over the past two years and today’s update kicks it up a notch.

While much of today’s update coverage may center around new tie-in with Microsoft’s Sticky Notes and further Cortana integration, but a lesser known feature made its way to the update that leverages the new theme of Digital Health.

A new card that parrots Apple and Googles Digital Health initiatives, has now made its way to Microsoft Launcher.

Now, users of the Microsoft Launcher will be able to see their in-app activities as a card in the At-a-Glance section of the hub as well as drill down into specifics of usage that include time, longest session, usage over several days and pin a discrete widget to their homepage as a reminder.

The new update is rolling out to devices currently and can also be picked up at the Google Play Store for curious first-time users. While Microsoft’s smartphone ambitions with Windows 10 Mobile may have been doused a few years ago, it seems as though the company is latching onto Android as its new mobile life raft.

Microsoft has released a preview of the upcoming 5.1 update of its Launcher app to Google Play beta testers, and the updated app includes a host of new features and refinements. Most notably, a few new card options have been added, including Sticky Notes, Microsoft To-Do, and screen time usage, all of which can either be pinned to the Glance page on the left or as separate page on the launcher. Additionally, the “Hey, Cortana” command can also be turned on for users who wish to try it out.

Our last major #MicrosoftLauncher release of 2018 is one of our favorites. We're so incredibly thankful for all of the support and feedback from our customers. With the 5.1 update, we want to say THANK YOU and Happy Holidays!

Join our beta at https://t.co/6RPke9dVXI! pic.twitter.com/YQCA5MbrI5

— Ezra Park (@ezp4rk) November 21, 2018

The update is the first since Microsoft overhauled the UI in version 5.0, which has recently been released to all users of the app. The last update added Timeline to Android devices, as well as a new Microsoft News screen.

If you’re interested in downloading the update, you can sign up to try the beta, then download the app using our link below. Be sure to leave your thoughts about the new features in the comment area below.

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Microsoft Launcher

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There’s a free update coming to No Man’s Sky November 22, 2018, on Xbox One. As noted in a post on Xbox Wire, the Visions update will bring No Man’s Sky a slew of new planetary content, similar to what the Abyss update did for No Man’s Sky’s underwater environment. Here’s a look at all that’s new in No Man’s Sky: Visions.

Other bonuses in this update are the ability for archaeologists to unearth valuable alien relics, as well as give scrappers the ability to salvage broken alien satellites. The update also unleashes new dangerous floras, including carnivorous plants and giant gas spores. You will have to be well-equipped to venture to more dangerous planets with extreme weather to collect valuable storm crystals.

“Explorers will be able discover this universe together in a new Community Research mission, where everyone will work together to unlock a new set of rewards. These include the new Eye of the Korvax helmet, more gestures and building parts, and deployable fireworks to light up the skies!

Those who prefer to fly solo will find plenty of other reasons to explore. Throughout the universe, exotic anomalous planets have become easier to find as well as more varied. These strange worlds are inhabited by curious new lifeforms – some harmless, others predatory, all never seen before. Navigate your way around these otherworldly places to discover rare and mysterious artifacts, ready to be brought home to your base as trophies.”

The new Visions update is coming to Xbox One on Thanksgiving. The Visions update marks yet another free content update to No Man’s Sky on Xbox One. No Man’s Sky has fixed many of the issues the game had at launch, with the release of new content updates; Next, The Abyss, and now, Visions. No Man’s Sky is becoming the game it was always meant to be.

Buy No Man’s Sky on Xbox One

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No Man’s Sky

Developer:
Hello Games

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With it being just 24 hours before the Thanksgiving holiday in the US, Microsoft quietly released its latest Windows Server Preview build. Windows Server Insider Preview build 18282 marks a rather substantial release just before a holiday, as it becomes the first 19H1 development branch Server release.

The details of the release are still shrouded in mystery as authors over at Neowin discovered the build on the Windows Insider Preview Download page before the company offered any accompanying release notes. At this moment in time, it is unclear if the release is official or perhaps a slip, as it seems odd to release such a significant branch development tool a day before a major holiday and offer no details about it.

As of now, the preview remains live for download here, and we optimistically expect to see some release notes in the coming hours as the remaining Microsoft employees depart the offices for the holiday over the next few hours; it would seem odd to release this build and not talk about it until next week.

This is coming a bit late to the party, but LinkedIn has just confirmed the launch of a new “Student Voices” feature that is heavily inspired by Snapchat’s Stories format. As its name suggests it, LinkedIn’s Student Voices will be restricted to university students in the US, allowing them to express themselves in short videos recorded from their smartphones.

Speaking with TechCrunch, product manager Isha Patel explained that the new feature is a response to what students like to do with their phones today. “As we know, students love to use video to capture moments so we’ve created this new product to help them connect with one another around shared experiences on campus to help create a sense of community.”

Compared to Snapchat or Instagram Stories, LinkedIn’s Student Voices will work slightly differently: videos will remain permanently available on the profile of students who published them, but they will disappear after a week on a student’s Campus Playlist. Each university will apparently have its own Campus Playlist with student-created videos that will remain public for week.

Since the launch of LinkedIn Video last year, the professional social network introduced several new features designed for attracting a younger audience including GIF support and voice messages. Unfortunately, taking some inspiration from popular messaging apps isn’t a guaranted recipe for success, and even Skype failed to copy Snapchat Stories with its own “Highlights” feature, which disappeared from the Skype mobile apps after a year of consumer neglect.

According to LinkedIn, Student Voices have just started rolling out to college students in the US, but the company told Techcrunch that it’s planning to bring ephemeral videos to more LinkedIn users in the future. Time will tell if the professionnal social network will have more success at copying Snapchat than Skype ever did.

Earlier this year, Microsoft dedicated a not insignificant amount of stage time at their developer conference to explain blockchain technology. While much of the section went over my head at the time, in the subsequent months, I’ve seen several companies introduce new apps and migration services to leverage evolving blockchain technologies.

On that note, Microsoft just released a new software development kit on its Azure cloud platform that will allow businesses to create their own distributed ledger technology (DLT) to work with SaaS solutions and third parties over the course of days, rather than the months it used to take.

Microsoft’s new DLT solution is called Azure Blockchain Workbench and was released yesterday November 20, 2018, to commercial users, but ABW has been tested and implemented for some time by other Asia-Pacific companies such as China Binary Sale Technology and High Cloud.

More specifically, yesterday’s release is focusing on features and tools to interface with mobile clients, Internet of Things (IoT), SMS and ambient computing systems among other technologies. In addition to the release of ABW, Microsoft also launched a set of extension tools in Logic App and Flow Connectors to boost workflows around blockchain networks.

As Marc Mercuri, a Microsoft principal programmer at Blockchain Engineering puts it, “The resulting applications will run atop a network that has higher rated cloud performance than other large-scale providers and enable federating identities between participants using Azure Active Directory.”

If Microsoft To-Do doesn’t ship with Windows 10 yet, the task manager app is becoming integrated with more and more Microsoft services these days. We’ve recently seen To-Do show up in Outlook.com, the Windows 10 Mail app and Skype, and it appears that Microsoft now plans to make To-Do become a new Cortana skill.

As you may know, Cortana still uses its own system for reminders and To-do lists, though the digital assistant already connects with Wunderlist, a versatile task manager app that Microsoft acquired years ago. However, Windows Central reported yesterday that Microsoft is currently inviting select Windows Insiders to try a new To-Do integration in Cortana. According to the invitation, the purpose of this new integration is to “save time, stay organized and keep all your reminders and list all in one place.”

According to the report, Microsoft plans to go public with the integration in December, As you can see in the screenshots below, you’ll be able to ask Cortana what are the tasks lefts in specific To-Do lists, create new tasks and see completed items right from Cortana, and tasks suggestions will also be available within the digital assistant

If Microsoft want Cortana to stay relevant, it makes sense to de-emphasize its native Reminders and To-Do capabilities in favor of a Microsoft To-Do integration. This should also simplify things for people living in the Microsoft ecosystem, as it’s already hard enough to remember all the different ways you can create to-do lists and reminders across all of Microsoft’s apps like Outlook, Cortana, OneNote, Sticky Notes, and Microsoft To-Do.

It’s not clear how Microsoft is selecting testers for this new integration, but the company recently invited Microsoft To-Do enthusiasts to fill a form to get early access to new features. Let us know in the comments if you’re looking forward to see Microsoft To-Do join Wunderlist as a new Cortana skill.

Players of Rocket League on Xbox One X will finally be able to take advantage of Microsoft’s top-of-the-line console’s 4K graphics support next month, thanks to an upcoming update announced on the game’s website. The game will also be able to take advantage of the console’s supersampling feature when plugged into 1080p televisions.

In addition to 4K and supersampling support, Rocket League is also getting a host of other goods in the update, including new leaderboards for Ranked Extra Modes, as well improvements to the progresstion system and a new “Rocket League x Monstercat Vol. 5” episode.

The update is expected to be released December 3, so for now Xbox One X owners will have to wait for the updated visuals. For those interested, the game has been  available for subscribers of Xbox Game Pass since July, and the subscription is also available for just a dollar for the first month of new subscribers right now.

Are you excited about Xbox One X support? Let us know in the comment area below this post.

Microsoft’s Jen Gentleman teased some upcoming image functionality for the Sticky Notes app earlier today on her Twitter account.

The tweet simply read, “What say you?  #WindowsInsiders” and was accompanied by an image of the feature in action on three different sticky notes. The hashtag used obviously implies that Windows Insiders will get to test images in Sticky Notes before the functionality is rolled out to the average user.

What say you? ???? #WindowsInsiders pic.twitter.com/FeUdYINvAi

— Jen Gentleman ???? (@JenMsft) November 20, 2018

The modern Sticky Notes app began as a lightweight alternative to OneNote but has been gaining more and more features recently, making it a potential future rival for the latter.

Are you excited for new functionality coming to Sticky Notes? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below.

As part of this year’s Black Friday sales, Microsoft has heavily discounted its Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles in most major markets around the world on the numerous official Microsoft websites.

On the USA Microsoft site, the regular Xbox One X has had its price slashed from $499 to $399 with a $100 saving while the new Xbox One X Fallout 76 bundle, which contains the console and game, has been reduced by $70. The Xbox One S Minecraft bundle is now $100 cheaper and is selling for just $199. You can see all of the discounted USA Xbox One consoles here.

Even bigger savings are happening in Australia with entirely new Xbox One X and S console bundles that offer savings of AU$199.75 (around US$150). Most of the bundles consist of an Xbox One X or Xbox One S console, five video games, and TV tuner with the X bundles going for AU$549 and the S ones selling for AU$299.

The level of discounts being offered does differ between regions but most international Microsoft websites are offering savings of some kind.

This is a pretty good opportunity to upgrade to an Xbox One X or S console for a fraction of the price it would usually cost. Many Xbox One video games are also currently discounted in the Microsoft Store.

Have you bought any Xbox-related products during this Black Friday sales period yet? Let us know what you got in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox content.

Microsoft and other tech companies are currently hard at work to replace passwords with more secure alternatives. Today, the Redmond giant is making a huge step forward by making it possible to sign in to your Microsoft account online using Windows Hello or a FIDO2 security key.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it was adding support for FIDO2 security key authentication to Windows 10. The feature initially launched in limited preview during the Spring, but it’s now officially available with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

For those unfamiliar, FIDO2 authentication keys are standard-based devices that allow users to sign in to online services without a password. FIDO2 devices usually look like USB keys (some models also use NFC), and they come with a built-in biometric technology for letting you verify your identity.

Companies selling FIDO2 devices include Yubico and Feitian Technology with prices starting at $20. The set up process will require you to go to the Microsoft account page on Microsoft Edge, and then set up a security key in Security > More security options > Windows Hello and security keys. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to choose your security key next time you need to sign in to your Microsoft account with Microsoft Edge.

For those of you who don’t want to invest in a FIDO2 device but already have a PC that supports Windows Hello, you’ll also be able to use that to sign in to your Microsoft account online. If Windows Hello is already configured on your PC, you’ll be able to use it as a login option when you sign in using Microsoft Edge. Again, the ability to sign in with your Microsoft account using a FIDO2 device or Windows Hello requires the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, and Microsoft has just resumed the public rollout of this major update last week.

“With each update, we’re eradicating places where you’re forced to enter a username and password, bringing you peace of mind that your account is protected and accessed by you, and only you. We’re excited about the journey we’re on and hope you join us on this quest to go password-less,” Microsoft said today.

Microsoft, Sony, and Steam, to varying degrees, have all proven that online gaming is bustling community ripe for nurturing. While Microsoft may be late to the party when compared to other online gaming storefronts, it continues to push its Game Pass loaded with its backward compatible, Play Anywhere, and indie dev titles, and is seeing additional revenue opportunities surface from those investments.

Microsoft isn’t the only late entrant who sees online gaming as an additional recurring revenue generator; Lenovo is also dipping its toes into online gaming with its Legion Game Store.

The Legion Game Store is a web-based e-commerce site that offers a robust catalog of more than 200 of the latest and greatest PC games including hit new titles such as Fallout® 76 and Battlefield™ V, and some of the best indie discoveries like Dead Cells™ and Frostpunk™. We’ve partnered directly with a variety of publishers, allowing for a myriad of discounts and exclusives not available to other retailers. Unlike other digital download services, the Legion Game Store will have a regimented screening process that only allows fully developed or closed beta titles onto the platform. We know gamers can get frustrated with having to pay for half-finished, half-hearted demos, and we want to help put an end to that.

On the face of it, Lenovo’s Legion Game Store Online sounds a lot like what Steam has long cultivated over the past couple of decades, but from my understanding, LLGSO is meant to run in parallel to other online game stores, for now, at least.

Lenovo appears to be expanding its gaming footprint from just device builder with its Legion line of gaming towers and laptops to a vertically stacked gaming experience. While most hardcore gamers who purchase Legion devices will presumably head to the Steam storefront for much of their traditional gaming, Lenovo is using its Vantage app to shoehorn itself into the conversation.

I’ve long praised the Lenovo Vantage app as being the best conduit to device maintenance for casual or novice PC users and now it seems Lenovo is looking to leverage that usefulness into a streamlined gaming experience for those same users.

The Lenovo Vantage app comes preinstalled on all modern Lenovo devices or can be picked up from the Microsoft Store for free. With Lenovo leveraging its tool that most gamers are encouraged to use to overclock CPU and RAM as well as boosting graphics capabilities, it makes sense to start marketing games in the same space.

The Legion Game Store will be available on November 26, and just in time for the digital gaming deals of Cyber Monday.

Blizzard’s Overwatch game will be free this week, and anyone on any platform can download the game and have access to the majority of its features, including its 29 characters available as well as play on 19 different maps (via ESTNN). What’s more, anyone who purchases the game after the trial period can access all of their saved data from before by logging into the same Blizzard or Xbox Live account that was used during the trial.

Of course, as this is an online game, you’ll need an Xbox Gold subscription to play. Luckily, Microsoft is giving new users their first month for $1 as part of its early Black Friday sale, so now is probably the best time to get it if you’ve been planning to do so.

Blizzard has ran other free trials before, with their most recent one being last August. However this time the game is free for a whole seven days, starting from today (November 20) and ending November 26.

Are you a current owner of Overwatch, or will you be participating in the trial? Your thoughts about the game are welcome in the comment area below.

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Overwatch® 2

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The Windows Insider webcast will be making a comeback later this morning with a special episode live from Vancouver, Canada. On this occasion, the Sticky Notes team will be here as a special guest, and we hope to hear more about new features coming to the Windows 10 app in the coming weeks.

Join us tomorrow for our #WindowsInsider webcast featuring @RezaJooyandeh and the Sticky Notes Team! https://t.co/tUVUFy1NZ9

— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) November 19, 2018

Along with Skype and Microsoft To-Do, Sticky Notes is currently one of the fastest evolving Microsoft apps these days. A major update was released in September with a new cloud syncing feature, and Microsoft has since made Sticky Notes available on iOS and Android via OneNote, as well as the web.

The Windows Insider team will likely have plenty of other things to talk about during today’s webcast, and maybe we’ll also get a new 19H1 build ahead of Thanksgiving. Don’t forget to tune in to the livestream at 10 AM PST on mixer.com/windowsinsider.

Jump Force was one of the most-talked about video games at this year’s E3 and it’s finally available for digital pre-order on Microsoft’s Xbox One consoles.

The game is being sold in a regular version, a Deluxe Edition, and an Ultimate Edition. Pre-ordering any version will unlock three exclusive in-game costumes, a new lobby vehicle, and two T-shirts for the player’s avatar while buying the Deluxe Edition will unlock the Character Pass, a collection of digital content that contains nine additional characters and their respective costumes and moves for the game’s avatar plus 4 days of early access to play with those characters before everyone else.

The Jump Force Ultimate Edition comes with everything in the Deluxe Edition plus 16 exclusive T-shirts for the in-game avatar and a Jump Starter Pack of digital items.

One of the reasons for the hype surrounding Jump Force is the fact that it will see numerous popular manga and anime characters appear in one game. Among the characters being used are some from Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Yu-Gi-Oh (see above image), and Saint Seiya.

Jump Force will release on Xbox One on February 15th 2019.

Are you excited for Jump Force and will you pre-order it? Let us know which version you’re going to grab in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.

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JUMP FORCE – Pre-Order Bundle

Developer:
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment

Price:
Free

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JUMP FORCE – Deluxe Edition Pre-Order Bundle

Developer:
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment

Price:
Free

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QR-Code

JUMP FORCE – Ultimate Edition Pre-Order Bundle

Developer:
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment

Price:
Free

In a different kind of holiday ad, Microsoft showcases the power of its new Adaptive Controller to let everyone play Xbox One. You can check out the ad below (via Tom Warren):

According to the YouTube video description, the ad shows Owen, a nine-year-old with Escobar syndrome, which limits his mobility, play a game on Xbox One. Microsoft’s commitment to accessibility shows that “when everyone plays, we all win.” The ad shows off the power of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, allowing people with disabilities to play games on Xbox One.

In the ad, all of Owen’s friends come to his house upon word of his pending Xbox achievement. The ad ends with Owen succeeding and all of his friends celebrating, capped off by as Tom Warren puts it, an “epic floss.” This Microsoft ad epitomizes the spirit of the holiday season and shows off Microsoft’s mission to create accessible technology that allows everyone to participate. It would have been nice to see what Xbox game Owen was playing, but it is a great way for Microsoft to kick off the holiday season.

ZEE5, the global digital entertainment platform, has chosen to take its expansive library of multi-genre and multi-language content to the world with Microsoft Azure. Through this continued partnership, ZEE5 plans to leverage Microsoft Azure solutions to further empower its platform on an international stage.

ZEE5, a product of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL), went live in 190+ markets worldwide last month across platforms, offering audiences around the globe a completely integrated entertainment experience with multi-genre content, with both On-demand and Live TV. With a presence in over 173 countries and a reach of more than 1.3 billion people around the globe, ZEEL is among the largest global content companies.

“Ensuring consistent performance for a seamless customer experience and security are of paramount importance to us, and we are extremely happy to partner with Microsoft for this. The elasticity and security they provide have been key to deploying our new service, and in building a more scalable platform.”

– Amit Goenka, CEO, Zee International and Z5 Global

According to Sashi Sreedharan, Managing Director, Microsoft India, the fast-increasing penetration of OTT services necessitates more efficient and secure ways to build scalable streaming solutions. ZEE5 uses a fully-managed Azure platform to perform infrastructure maintenance and load balancing. Azure has also helped ZEE5 to accelerate containerized application development within rigid stipulated timelines.

With growing internet penetration, OTT services are fast being adopted, not just in metro cities but in tier 2 and tier 3 cities as well.
Microsoft Azure helps app providers become agile and scale rapidly on demand, in sync with the increase in customer base and app traffic.

After releasing the Xbox One S in 2016 and the Xbox One X console a year later, we could get new Xbox One hardware as soon as next year. According to Brad Sams from Thurrott.com, Microsoft may announce two new consoles next year: a newer version of the Xbox One S that would be a cost saver for Microsoft, as well as a cheaper Xbox version with no disc drive.

The first console would be pretty much like the Xbox 360 E was for Microsoft: Announced back at E3 2013 at the end of the Xbox 360 lifecycle, this hardware revision of the Xbox 360 S came with a refreshed design inspired by the upcoming Xbox One, but it also dropped some ports like the AV connector and the S/PDIF interface.

As for the disc-less version of the Xbox One that Microsoft could also be planning for next year, the report says that it could be as much as $100 cheaper than the current Xbox One S, which is usually priced at $299. Interestingly, Microsoft could also throw a bone to fans of physical disks by allowing them to exchange their discs for digital versions of Xbox One games:

In addition to the new console, there will be a ‘disc-to-digital’ program that, as the name states, turns your physical games into digital downloads. The idea is that you can take your disc to a participating retailer (like the Microsoft store) and trade in your disc for a digital download.

Sams said that the disc-less Xbox One console could be launching in Spring 2019, while the cost-saving version of the Xbox One S could be launched later in the year. “Microsoft is moving forward very carefully with this product as it knows that a sizeable portion of its users do prefer to buy physical games and not download them,” wrote Sams.

Both Microsoft and Sony are expected to launch their successors to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2020, and we already know that Microsoft’s “Scarlett” family of next gen consoles could include a cheaper console designed for Microsoft’s Project xCloud, in addition to a traditional game console. That’s definitely a lot of new hardware, but Microsoft may be right to launch cheaper Xbox One hardware next year before we eventually jump to the next console generation.