Tag: Microsoft

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Games Tech

Microsoft Plans To Expand Xbox Game Pass Service to PC

Xbox Game Pass is undoubtedly one of the most attractive services to enjoy on Xbox One nowadays. For an affordable price of only $9.99 per month, the Microsoft console’s Xbox Game Pass presents a broad list of video games that is updated month after month and also includes the first-party releases of the console from the moment they reach the market. At a date yet to be announced, Microsoft would expand the Xbox Game Pass service to PC for players to enjoy the feature on Windows.

Microsoft Plans To Expand Xbox Game Pass Service to PC

This news comes directly from Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, so the information is official. At the moment it should be noted that no details have been shared regarding this expansion, so we do not know if it will follow the same model that is now available on Xbox One.

In the meantime, until Microsoft expands its Xbox Game Pass service to PC, you still have plenty of time to take advantage of the recent Halloween deals and get four terrifying games.

Xbox Game Pass Halloween Deals

Halloween is just around the corner, and Xbox One is celebrating the event on its Xbox Game Pass service. Accordingly, Microsoft has decided to take a step forward alongside Xbox Game Pass and add four terrifying new games to the subscription service catalog.

So, it is now possible to enjoy four new titles via Xbox Game Pass service, to celebrate the Halloween:

  • Observer
  • Outlast
  • Dead Island: Riptide
  • Hello Neighbor

Also, in the following days, Microsoft might also add even more games to make this Halloween an excellent experience for Xbox gamers who are members of the Xbox Game Pass service.

In short, Microsoft decided to expand its Xbox Game Pass service to PC to allow Windows gamers to enjoy the company’s games catalog.

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Tech

Microsoft To Release A Patch To Tackle the Spectre V2 Vulnerability

Earlier this year, two vulnerabilities were discovered that affected the performance of Windows 10 and had risen many debates online. We’re talking about Spectre and Meltdown, which as everyone knows, affected the performance of computers with Intel processors and Windows 10. Following the discovery of Spectre and Meltdown, both companies rushed to put the problem to an end and, although they managed to solve some of the vulnerabilities of Spectre and Meltdown, Microsoft has now reported that it will tackle the more recent Spectre V2 vulnerability.

Intel’s new processors are already immune to these hardware failures, and although Microsoft had solved some software problems, now the software company will release a new patch to tackle the Spectre V2 vulnerability to address the performance issues it causes in Windows 10.

Remember that Spectre V2 is one of the vulnerabilities that affected the most the performance of computers, as it could even reduce the performance of a processor by up to 20%, but Microsoft is going to prevent this from happening by enabling the next major update of Windows 10, Retpoline.

Spectre V2 vulnerability will no longer be a performance problem in Windows 10

With Retpoline enabled in Windows 10, Microsoft expects that they will tackle Spectre V2 vulnerability lowering its incidence to 2%. However, Retpoline will only be available to users who upgrade their computers to Windows 10 1903 or Redstone 6, which will arrive for everyone in the spring of next year.

So, the patch to address Spectre V2 can’t be launched for previous versions, so those using older computers that can’t upgrade to this version could still be affected by the vulnerability. However, all those who update their computers will be protected from the vulnerability that most affects system performance.

To have the confirmation of the real improvement in performance the patch would bring, it will be necessary to wait for the first tests, something that users of the Windows 10 Insiders program will be able to commence very soon since the Retpoline function would be about to reach these users.

However, the rest will have to wait until April, when Microsoft is expected to release the new significant Windows 10 update that will also pack this new feature to tackle Spectre V2.

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Tech

Microsoft Launched KB4464455 For Windows 10 October 2018 Update To Fix Some Bugs

Although initially, Microsoft was happy after the staging of its most recent update, the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, little by little all that enthusiasm lowered due to the severe errors that users worldwide reported. That’s why the giant tech company had to correct those bugs with the new KB4464455. Accordingly, Microsoft launched a new Build, but only for the Windows Insider program’s members, to check out the fixing of the bugs the users detected in the last major update of the renowned operating system.

For example, the severe issue found in the Task Manager, which causes incorrect details to be displayed in the processes tab, was ruled out in the new KB4464455 update. In particular, this was a problem that Microsoft itself admitted after the launch of the Windows 10 October 2018 update for the members of the Windows Insider program. Somehow, this error reached the final release of the update.

On the other hand, the new KB4464455 update also solves a series of errors with various third-party antivirus solutions, as well as some compatibility bugs with multiple drivers, although no further details were provided in this regard. Reportedly, it also fixed a problem that, occasionally caused the IME to not work in Edge sessions, as well as a bug that made program unresponsive after waking up PCs from the sleep mode.

Microsoft released KB4464455 to fix bugs of the recent Windows 10 October 2018 Update

However, you must keep in mind that this new KB4464455 version does not bring any new features to the Microsoft’s operating system, as was to be expected, since its primary objective is to improve the performance of the software before Microsoft resumes Windows 10 October 2018 Update’s global implementation on devices around the world.

The problems with the most recent major update have not stopped. That until the giant tech company had to pause delivering the Update after the finding of a severe bug that caused the deletion of users’ personal files after installing the patch. That was unacceptable for Microsoft.

Although Microsoft has already solved this problem, for the moment, the Windows 10 October 2018 Update is still available for some of the Windows Insider program’s members, as others high-level testers are already probing the upcoming Windows 10 Redstone 6.

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Tech

October Xbox Update Brings Revamped Avatars and Dolby Vision Support, Among Others

Microsoft has just announced that its October Xbox update for its renowned video games console is now available and brings revamped avatars and Dolby Vision support.

October Xbox update brings revamped avatars and other features

The primary novelty of the new update is the introduction of the new, revamped Xbox avatars, initially announced by Microsoft in 2016. The enhanced avatars offer greater customization options, especially regarding diversity and accessibility. The revamped Xbox avatars, including different body types, wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs, can be accessed via the “Closet” section under the Avatar Editor menu.

Also, the Avatar Store would now permit users to acquire some new outfits and other equipment for their Avatars, such as items inspired by the Halo and Gears of War franchises. According to the official Microsoft Xbox site, new content would be added to this section on a monthly basis.

As Microsoft reported, users can still use the original avatars if they want that, as the older avatars would remain available in the Xbox Original Avatars. Also, the new Photo Booth mode will allow users to place their avatars in various poses and backgrounds to come up with pics that can be useful as profile pictures.

October Xbox update also comes with Dolby Vision support

The new Xbox update also adds Dolby Vision to the Xbox One, Dolby’s high-dynamic range (HDR) format. Until now, the Xbox One used HDR 10 support, which is actually the current standard, but the new Dolby Vision is meant to bring more vivid color schemes. For example, the same technology is now used by Netflix apps on several compatible TVs, as well as by Apple TV 4K and the Google Chromecast Ultra.

Accordingly, Xbox One, thanks to the recent October Xbox update, becomes the third streaming device to support Dolby Vision, besides Apple TV 4K and Google Chromecast Ultra.

 

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Games News

Microsoft X018 Might Hold Some Big Surprises and Exciting News In its Bag

The return of Microsoft X018 was one of the ads that surprised us the most about the latest Inside Xbox. Phil Spencer made an appearance, announcing important news for the company. The comeback of the X018 event was one of the news Spence announced, and it was very well received by fans, as well.

Gaming industry specialists think we’ll witness many announcements during the Microsoft X018 conference

Jez Corden, a journalist of Windows Central and known insider of Microsoft, has launched some tweets on the matter. Corden assures that Microsoft will make some significant announcements during the X018 and that it will be more than the Inside Xbox.

Corden also bets that we will see streamings of certain upcoming games, while, on the other hand, the hype has also been unleashed by Hugues Ouvrard, director of Xbox France. After he launched the mysterious message saying that “I’m really looking forward to launching an important announcement this week,” many users have pointed out that we may witness even more news at the X018 than expected.

When and where will the new X018 event take place?

Past X0 events have always been characterized by revealing essential novelties. And the first leaks regarding what we can find in the new Microsoft X018, which will take place from November 10th to November 11th in Mexico City, are already beginning to emerge.

In any case, for the moment, there is nothing confirmed, and we just have to wait for the event to happen.

It is true that Microsoft X018 event promises a lot, especially after remembering its history. Or maybe, in the end, the event is just an Inside Xbox with more impact on the Xbox community. In any case, we look forward to the event set to start on November 10th, and, hopefully, Microsoft will announce some exciting news.

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