Microsoft's new eye-tracking technology is incredible. In fact, this entire article was written with it.

With the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview, Microsoft is beta testing a new technology that allows users to control their PCs with just their eyes, using third party hardware from Tobii. This technology is being built to help those who may not be able to move as freely as others, and as such find it hard to use everyday PC peripherals such as mice and keyboards.

The new eye-tracking technology, which should launch with the Fall Creators Update later this year, gives users the ability to interact with their PCs using just their eyeballs.

Microsoft has built a new virtual keyboard that's designed specifically for eyes, that when glanced at, will activate the letters you choose. Microsoft also built its Shape Writing feature into the eye-tracking keyboard, which means users just have to glance over all the words they wish to type, and the keyboard, using autocorrect, should be able to determine what it is you are saying, just like on a smartphone.

A keyboard for your eyeballs

And that's exactly what I used to type this article. I'm putting the eyeball keyboard through its paces, and so far it appears to be holding up pretty well, minus a few hiccups.

The keyboard is really big, meaning your eyes have a lot of room to move around and accurately look at an element on-screen. Sometimes the eye tracker itself may mistake my eyes for looking slightly to the left or right, but outside of that, the keyboard appears to be rock solid.

I'm currently using the keyboard with Shape Writing on, which is a lot faster than using it without. When Shape Writing is off, you have to stare at the letter you wish to insert for a couple of seconds before the letter is inserted. With Shape Writing on, you just have to glance your way through all the letters of a word, and the keyboard will form that word for you. It's much faster overall, but it's still pretty slow in comparison to a normal keyboard experience.

Up to this point, I've written 423 words, and it's taken me about 13 minutes. That's after a bit of practice. On a normal keyboard, I can spew out 423 words in about 3 minutes, so it takes a bit longer, but that's not much of a surprise. I imagine someone that uses this all the time will be able to type much faster. It's still an amazing piece of technology.

It's also worth noting that since this is still in beta, there is room for improvement. I noticed the keyboard will sometimes not insert a word after spelling it out, and a lot of the time the Shape Writing will incorrectly guess a word. But for a first beta, this technology is impressive.

This new feature is going to help so many people who are unable to use PCs in a conventional way. People who may be paralyzed from the neck down, amputees, and those who suffer from Parkinson's Disease will benefit greatly from this new technology.

If you're interested in trying it out for yourself, make sure you're a part of the Windows Insider Program and running the latest build, and grab yourself the Tobii Eye Tracker 4C ($150) to get the eye tracking function to work.

See at Amazon

Windows 10 gives users many different settings that help manage and control potentially sensitive information and maximize privacy. However, the majority of users still choose to share "full" diagnostic and usage data with Microsoft, according to the company.

What does full diagnostic data include? "Browser, app and feature usage, and inking and typing data." That's a broad description and it could entail lots of different kinds of data. But a full 71 percent of all Windows 10 users still choose to share full data, instead of the "basic" data that's "necessary to keep Windows up to date and secure,"according to Microsoft.

Microsoft says there are 500 million devices that run Windows 10 today. In late June, Windows ad network AdDuplex reported that more than 35 percent of PCs on its network run the Creators Update. That number has almost certainly increased during the past month, so 125 million or more PC users running the Creators Update choose to share full usage diagnostics, based on those numbers.

Do you share full or basic usage data? Do you even know off-hand? If not, here's how to find out and modify that setting:

1. Hit your Windows Start button.
2. Open Settings.
3. Click the Privacy icon. (It looks like a lock.)
4. On the left side, scroll down to Feedback & diagnostics.
5. Choose Basic or Full to designate the amount of data you wish to share.

Got yourself an eye tracking device? Here's how to set it up and control your PC with it.

Starting with the Fall Creators Update, Microsoft is introducing a new ease of access feature that allows users to control their PC with just their eyes, using third party hardware from the likes of Tobii. This new feature gives the user full control of their desktop via the eyeballs, allowing them to interact with it without needing to use a mouse of keyboard.

The feature is pretty easy to set up, and here's how!

Prerequisites

Before we begin, there's a prerequisite you'll need to acquire: an eye tracking device. You can grab the Tobii Eye Tracker 4C from Amazon for around $150, which is the only eye tracker that works with the feature right now. Microsoft says it will be adding support for other eye tracking devices in the future.

See at Amazon

Also worth noting is that this feature is currently only available as beta in the Windows 10 Insider Preview builds, and will be available to the public with the Fall Creators Update later this year. So with that, let's get started.

Download and set up eye tracker

To begin, we need to download a bit of software from Tobii to get our Eye Tracker device working.

1. Download the Tobii Eye Tracker software.

2. Select Run when prompted.

3. Plug your Eye Tracker device into your PC via a USB port.

4. In the software installer, tick Agree and then select Next.

5. Wait for the installer to complete, this should take just a couple of minutes.

6. Once the install is complete, select Continue.

7. Select Next.

8. Select "This Display" on the monitor where your Eye Tracker will be set up.

9. Make sure your Eye Tracker is positioned at the bottom center of your monitor and align the lines that are on display with your mouse.

10. Select Done.

11. Make sure the Eye Tracker can see your eyes.

12. Follow the on-screen instructions to calibrate your eye tracker

13. Type your name and select Save.

14. When prompted, press the escape key on your keyboard.

Enable Windows eye tracking

Now that we've set up the eye tracker and software, we need to enable the eye tracking functionality from within Windows 10.

1. First, head to the Windows 10 Settings app and check for updates to make sure we're up to date.

2. In the Settings app, select the Ease of Access category

3. Select Other options.

4. Scroll down and enable the "Eye tracking" option

5. A bar should now be visible at the top of the screen.

And with that, your PC is now ready to be used with just your eyes. To get started, just glance at any of the four icons in the new eye tracking bar at the top of the screen and Windows should activate them for you.

Russian infosecurity firm Kaspersky has ceased its legal action against Microsoft in Russia and Europe after the company agreed to make changes to Windows 10 that will help third-party antivirus makers prepare their products for significant Windows updates and ensure compatibility.

Kaspersky, maker of the popular Kaspersky Lab antivirus suite, hit Microsoft with a legal complaint in June, claiming that the company used unfair practices to promote Windows Defender over competing products in Windows 10. At the time, Kaspersky accused Microsoft of removing its software from users' PCs when they upgraded to Windows 10, turning to Windows Defender in its place. Microsoft said that was for compatibility issues, but Kaspersky said the company didn't afford third-party antivirus developers enough time with an update to prepare its software ahead of a broad rollout.

The best antivirus software of 2017

Yesterday, Microsoft announced changes that address Kaspersky's complaints. And they appear to have appeased the Russian antivirus company, because today it responded with a blog post stating that it will withdraw its legal action against Microsoft.

Here's a list of changes Microsoft promised:

• It will work with antivirus vendors more closely on compatibility before major Windows updates.
• It will give antivirus vendors more time in advance of major OS updates to prepare their products and provide more clarity on specific release dates.
• The company will let third-party antivirus vendors use their alerts to tell users that their antivirus will soon expire, and notify them if the software has already expired, so they can update and stay secure.
• Windows itself will also let users know if an antivirus program is no longer active. A new notification will remain on the user's screen until they either renew the third-party software, or they pick another option, such as Windows Defender or another third-party antivirus. (Currently, a toast notification lets users know their antivirus is about to expire but it quickly disappears and is easily missed.)

These changes can be expected in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, according to Microsoft.

From Kaspersky:

We are absolutely satisfied with the changes that will be implemented in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, and we will be taking all necessary steps to withdraw our claims and inform all regulatory bodies that we no longer have any matters for Microsoft to address.

New to Windows 10 but want to become an expert with some invaluable resources? We've got you covered with these great beginner books.

Whether you've been using Windows 10 for some time or have just started a switch from another OS, it doesn't have to be an intense adventure to learn the ins and outs of Microsoft's desktop platform. There are some handy resources available for purchase that contain screenshots, tips, and helpful guides that cover numerous bases. We'll highlight a few of these invaluable books that can help kick-start your experience with Windows 10.

Windows 10: The Missing Manual

Written by Yahoo Tech guru David Pogue Windows 10: The Missing Manual ($31.39 paperback) is essentially the guide that should be bundled with copies of Windows 10. Covering the Windows 10 release as a whole, this book highlights some of the things Microsoft addressed with the latest iteration of the OS, fixing complaints consumers had with Windows 8.

In-depth sections are combined with screenshots that help provide a visual guide for the reader, which is a vast improvement over similar books that do not have any images. Overall, it's just a solid resource for those wanting to learn more about the OS. If you need a go-to book for everything Windows 10, you really cannot go wrong with Pogue's Windows 10: The Missing Manual.

See at Amazon

Windows 10 Companion

Joe Thompson's Windows 10 Companion ($3.90) is a solid resource for beginners. In order to get the most out of the OS, not only are instructions provided for those who have yet to achieve even the most basic functions within Windows, but also more advanced users. Everything from what's new in Windows 10, what you need to do before upgrading from Windows 8, and overviews of major features are all included.

A total of 31 chapters is joined by frequently asked questions, Windows 7 vs. Windows 10, tips and tricks, how to address well-known bugs, and more. It's also affordable too, coming in at just under $4. For the price of a coffee, you can invest in an invaluable resource that covers Windows 10. Not a bad deal.

See at Amazon

Windows 10 for Dummies

Part of the popular Dummies series of resources, Windows 10 for Dummies ($19.32 paperback) is exactly what one would expect from a manual under the same umbrella. Managing files, connecting to the net, customizing Windows are all covered. There are even answers to common questions, tips for solving common issues, and the guide even covers Windows 10 on a tablet.

There's also a version of this guide dedicated to those who happen to be over the age of 50, called Windows 10 for Seniors. It's never too late to become accustomed to Windows 10. The resource is priced the same as the main Windows 10 for Dummies book but has an extended focus on simple network management, connecting with family and friends, protecting data, and learning to type faster with a larger font.

See at Amazon

Windows 10 Inside Out

When you need a resource by top professionals in the field, Windows 10 Inside Out ($46.98 paperback) is a solid option. Crafted by Ed Bott, Carl Siechert, and Craig Stinson, this book is a powerful companion for anyone looking to get accustomed to Windows 10. Packing in literally hundreds of timesaving tips and guides, all taking into account the latest Anniversary Update.

Topics include installing and configuring Windows 10, understanding Microsoft's activation process, discovering Edge improvements, using Cortana, taking advantage of Windows Hello, managing files with OneDrive, as well as fine-tuning performance, just to name but a few. Honestly, while it's rather pricey, this is a resource you will be able to rely on for everything Windows 10.

See at Amazon

Microsoft announced a new version of Windows for power users, enterprises and other organizations, called Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, that supports server-grade hardware and is designed to make high-end PCs more responsive and reliable.

Announced yesterday on Microsoft's Windows blog, Windows 10 Pro for Workstations is expected to be available later this fall along with the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.

Windows 10 Pro for Workstations "comes with unique support for server grade PC hardware and is designed to meet demanding needs of mission critical and compute intensive workloads," Microsoft says. And related tweaks to the Windows kernel help the OS fully utilize high-end processors, including Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron, which feature a lot of cores in single and multi-processors, according to the company.

Here's a list of new features in the OS:

ReFS (Resilient file system): ReFS provides cloud-grade resiliency for data on fault-tolerant storage spaces and manages very large volumes with ease. ReFS is designed to be resilient to data corruption, optimized for handling large data volumes, auto-correcting and more. It protects your data with integrity streams on your mirrored storage spaces. Using its integrity streams, ReFS detects when data becomes corrupt on one of the mirrored drives and uses a healthy copy of your data on the other drive to correct and protect your precious data.

Persistent memory: Windows 10 Pro for Workstations provides the most demanding apps and data with the performance they require with non-volatile memory modules (NVDIMM-N) hardware. NVDIMM-N enables you to read and write your files with the fastest speed possible, the speed of the computer's main memory. Because NVDIMM-N is non-volatile memory, your files will still be there, even when you switch your workstation off.

Faster file sharing: Windows 10 Pro for Workstations includes a feature called SMB Direct, which supports the use of network adapters that have Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) capability. Network adapters that have RDMA can function at full speed with very low latency, while using very little CPU. For applications that access large datasets on remote SMB file shares, this feature enables:

• Increased throughput — Leverages the full throughput of high speed networks where the network adapters coordinate the transfer of large amounts of data at line speed.
• Low latency — Provides extremely fast responses to network requests, and, as a result, makes remote file storage feel as if it is directly attached storage.
• Low CPU utilization — Uses fewer CPU cycles when transferring data over the network, which leaves more power available to other applications running on the system.

Expanded hardware support: One of the top pain points expressed by our Windows Insiders was the limits on taking advantage of the raw power of their machine. Hence, we are expanding hardware support in Windows 10 Pro for Workstations. Users will now be able to run Windows 10 Pro for Workstations on devices with high performance configurations including server grade Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron processors, with up to 4 CPUs (today limited to 2 CPUs) and add massive memory up to 6TB (today limited to 2TB).

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: All the changes so far

It's almost the weekend and time to relax! Here are the movies, music, and books the Windows Central team is enjoying this week.

The weekend is just around the corner, and you're probably keen to put your feet up and enjoy some downtime. What better way to relax than with some great tunes, a great movie, or a real page turner? If you're looking for some suggestions, we put together a collection of some of the best stuff out there right now.

Movies and TV

Here are some of the movies and TV shows the Windows Central team is enjoying this week.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Recommended by Daniel Rubino, executive editor

I've been a huge fan of the Marvel series of movies mostly because I never read any comics. That lack of bias means I can watch them and just enjoy the story without fingering contradictions the whole time.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014) and its recent 2017 sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 are immensely dense and hilarious films. While the sequel did not garner as much critical acclaim as the original, I think the opening scene of Vol. 2 is worth the price of entry alone.

Sure, some of the plot is a bit predictable, but the story does an excellent job of developing its main characters even further while introducing us to a few new ones like the adorable Mantis. Shoot, even Nebula – the adopted daughter of baddie Thanos and sister to Gamora – is a blast to watch with her brooding meanness (that is touchingly explained later).

Between the music, colorful visuals, and sarcastic banter, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 still maintains what its predecessor featured: heart.

Bonus: Volume 2 is also available in 4K UHD through the Store. And you can buy both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 on sale for just $33.

See Vol. 2 at Microsoft Store

The Simpsons (seasons one through nine)

Recommended by Jez Corden, senior Xbox editor

Ah, The Simpsons. An unwavering staple of TV, a menagerie of quotable gags, and repository of modern memery. How the mighty hath fallen.

While modern episodes of The Simpsons might be a cringey shadow of its former glory, seasons one through nine, maybe even a little higher, remain incredibly funny, poignant, and often timeless. They're available on the U.S. Microsoft Store, and they remain hilarious for light viewing.

See at Microsoft Store

The Circle

Recommended by Jason Ward, writer

As a big sci-fi fan and someone who loves to contemplate social issues and ponder where the world is headed, my wife and I found the movie The Circle a poignant commentary on the erosion of privacy, and the acceptance of that, very interesting.

As believers in biblical prophecy, we found the movie a springboard for discussion of what the world might be under the rule of a one-world government with unfettered powers of surveillance.

See at Microsoft Store

Logan

Recommended by Brendan Lowry, writer

Out of the hundreds upon hundreds of films I've seen in my lifetime, I can safely say that James Mangold's Logan has officially secured its spot as my No. 1 film of all time. It distances itself from the typical action-packed superhero films by taking a much more grounded approach, portraying Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) as a shadow of his former self, a weary, aged mutant who struggles to protect who he loves (mainly Professor Xavier, played by Sir Patrick Stewart) and finds difficulty coming to terms with his past.

But where his adamantium claws show weakness, his heart shows an unparalleled strength. This film is a phenomenal, near-flawless conclusion to the Hugh Jackman-era of Wolverine, and an emotional, touching message to the world that heart, not powers, is what truly makes a hero.

See at Microsoft Store

Ballers

Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor

HBO's Ballers is overdone. It's absurd. It's often obviously fake. It's always excessive. And that's precisely why I enjoy watching it.

The series is about former professional football player Spencer Strasmore (played by Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a., The Rock), a mountain of a man with a pile of personal baggage at an equal scale. After his pro ball career ends following injuries, Strasmore tries his hand at being an agent for young players, where he thinks he can help them avoid the same mistakes he made — and make a lot of money in the process. The show is a comedy, but it's packed with gratuitous sex, drugs and rock and roll, and it can be quite dark at times. I'm a big fan of HBO's Entourage, and Ballers is very much like that hit show, but with a focus on pro athletes instead of movie stars. It's also shot in beautiful, sunny Miami, which doesn't hurt.

The third season of Ballers just started on HBO, so now's a great time to get caught up with the episodes that are already available.

See Ballers Season One at Microsoft StoreSee Ballers Season Two at Microsoft Store

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is not a show for the easily offended. It's not a show for anyone who doesn't like inside jokes and weird plot twists. It's not a show for anyone who needs a laugh track to know where the funny parts are. Actually, it's probably best if this show remains unwatched.

Just kidding. Watch it. Watch it from the very start if you haven't seen any of it. Make it through the first season and hold on tight for season two when Danny DeVito joins the cast. From there, it's a showcase of characters who shouldn't be allowed out in public. This group of friends owns a bar (they don't do a very good job of running it), but if you're expecting a regular old Cheers vibe, you'll be disappointed.

See at Microsoft Store

Music

Here's some of the music the Windows Central team is listening to this week.

Bruised Orange — John Prine

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

A weekend at the lake for me usually involves a bit of John Prine, and this one will be no different. If you don't know who John Prine is, you might not be into folk-rock, as he's one of the most talented, most celebrated voices who ever sang a song about Sabu the elephant man.

Prine has a certain songwriting ability that conveys hurt and pain in a funny, quirky way that's not often found. You can relate to each song he sings, even when you've never been to any of the locations or met any of the people he sings about.

Bruised Orange was released in 1978, but it's been listened to ever since. If you've never heard of Prine, it's a fine place to start. If you have heard of Prine, it's time to finally add this one to your collection.

See at Microsoft Store

Books

Here are the books we're reading this week!

It — Stephen King

Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor

Stephen King is my single favorite novelist. I've literally read every novel and short story he's ever officially published (and that's saying something, the guy is extremely prolific). It is King's best — and scariest— book. It's been at least five years since I read It, but I've read the story cover to cover at least three times. And it's more than 1,000 pages long. That sounds daunting, but I promise you'll be sucked right in after the first chapter. By the end, you'll think 1,000 pages wasn't enough.

It is on my radar right now, because there is a new movie version coming out early next month. For some reason, King's writing doesn't translate very well to film or TV, so I'm not exactly optimistic about the remake. But the 1990 It TV miniseries was actually one of the best visual interpretations of King's work to date, so who knows?

Either way, the book is an absolute masterpiece. If you haven't read it, DO IT RIGHT NOW. Seriously. You will not regret the decision.

Download the Kindle book from AmazonDownload the Audible audio book from Amazon

In a Dark, Dark Wood — Ruth Ware

Recommended by Jen Karner, writer

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware is a fraught and tense tale of a woman returning to the past she thought she'd left behind her. It involves a weirdly awkward bachelorette party held in the middle of the woods, a cast of sharp and interesting characters, and a murder.

There is plenty here to sink your teeth into. It starts a bit slow but once it picks up, you won't want to put it down until you turn the last page.

Download the Kindle book from AmazonDownload the Audible audio book from Amazon

The Things They Carried — Tim O'Brien

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

I recently found a copy of The Things They Carried in a used bookshop, and as soon as I began reading I was transported back to high school where I first read it. I'm a lot older now, and I think I can appreciate the themes of the story a bit better.

Tim O'Brien writes about the Vietnam War from first-hand experience. This is a fictitious (or is it?) collection of short stories that all weave together to create one long narrative of his time over there. It's an incredibly sad book, one filled with themes of loss, love, heartbreak, and redemption.

O'Brien's prose is to-the-point and subtly poetic. Once you start reading, it's very difficult to put down. Give this one a try if you don't mind the content that comes with a novel about war.

Download the Kindle book from AmazonDownload the Audible audio book from Amazon

If none of these recommendations strike your fancy, check out a list of all of our past recommendations. We promise you'll find something you'll like:

Tons more recommendations from Team Windows Central.

Your favorites?

What have you been watching, reading, and listening to this week? We want to know, so drop a comment and share your recommendations.

The Fall Creators Update, Microsoft's next major update for Windows 10 is at its last leg of development at this point, and here are all the changes so far.

Microsoft is now at the tail end of development on the next major version of Windows 10. Dubbed the "Fall Creators Update," this update is expected to launch in October 2017 and will focus on a whole bunch of new improvements for Windows 10 users.

There's a lot of improvements coming with the Fall Creators Update that not everyone may be aware of. So, we thought it'd be a good idea to throw together a list of all the changes that are being introduced with the Fall Creators Update!

Windows Shell

The Windows Shell is the main part of Windows that people interact with everyday. It's the Start menu, the Action Center, the Taskbar, and File Explorer. So here's all the noteworthy changes showing up in those locations.

• Resizing Start horizontally is now smoother.
• You can now resize Start diagonally.
• Start now uses Acrylic backdrop.
• Scrollbars will now shrink away when cursor isn't near them.
• Added new context menu icons in Start.
• New Action Center UI featuring Fluent Design.
• Action Center now shares the same Acrylic backdrop as Start.
• Toast notifications now float in the bottom right corner.
• Tweaked design for toast notifications.
• Toast notifications now feature an arrow instead of an X to dismiss.
• There is now a My People Hub icon on the taskbar.
• You can now pin up to three contacts to the taskbar.
• Pinned contacts can send you "pops" that appear as animated emoji on your desktop.
• My People Hub gives you quick access to all your contacts and associated communication apps.
• You can now share with contacts directly from the Share UI
• Taskbar Battery icon has new flyout with a slider for Power Throttling.
• You can now enable Spatial Sound directly from the Volume icon context menu in the taskbar.
• You can now see files saved in the cloud via OneDrive with "On-Demand Sync" in File Explorer.
• You can now share files via the Share option in the context menu.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft continues to improve Edge in many ways. With this release, Edge now has better PDF and EPUB support, a new readaloud feature, an updated favorites system and a load of under the hood improvements for stability.

• You can now ink on PDFs directly within Microsoft Edge.
• You can now see a PDFs table of contents.
• Microsoft Edge now supports PDF forms.
• General PDF reading improvements.
• You can now pin websites to the taskbar just like with Internet Explorer 11.
• General EPUB improvements.
• You can now annotate EPUB documents.
• Minor UI improvements.
• Reading progress is now synced across devices.
• You can now save favorites into a different location directly from the favorites UI.
• You can now edit the URL of an already saved favorite.
• Share UI now shows up in the top right of the window.
• Tabs that are no longer active will show a semi-transparent icon.
• Edge now features a readaloud mode that reads text for you on a webpage, PDF or EPUB document..
• Under the hood improvements.
• Copy and paste is now more reliable.
• Edge now shows Acrylic in its title bar.

Input Improvements

Input improvements include the way users interact with Windows, whether that be with a mouse or keyboard, touch screen, or pen!

• New Emoji Panel (accessed with WIN+.)
• Support for Emoji 5.0.
• Updated Touch Keyboard with Shape Writing and one handed mode.
• Improvements to handwriting panel.
• You can now scroll lists and webpages with a pen.

Settings

Here's a list of all the noteworthy new settings coming in the Fall Creators Update.

• About area has been redesigned with relevant information about system health.
• Storage Sense can now automatically delete files in your downloaded folder after 30 days.
• Storage Sense can now delete the previous version of Windows once an upgrade has taken place.
• Remote Desktop is now in the Settings app.
• A new sidebar is present with contextual help tips and video.
• A new "Video Playback" option has been added with HDR and other video options.
• A new Game Monitor option is present.
• Updates now have individual progress indicators when downloading and installing.
• New update activity monitor that shows statistics on downloads of updates for the month.
• Cortana now has its own area in Settings.
• Slight changes to the order of Settings categories.
• Delivery Optimization improvements
• You can now track update download usage
• There is a new option for linking an Android or iPhone device to your Windows 10 PC
• New options for controlling your PC with your eyes using third party hardware from Tobii.

General improvements

Here's a list of some of the changes that don't belong to any of the categories above. These changes are just as important as all the others.

• Windows is now smart enough to throttle inactive programs.
• Windows can now adjust Win32 programs DPI without needing to logout.
• Android users can now see missed call notifications on the desktop when Cortana is synced on their PC and phone.
• Windows 10 now runs on ARM64 architecture.
• Cortana now supports dedicated Speaker Devices.
• Minor elements of the Fluent Design System are present in some areas of the OS.
• The Photos app now has a new Story Remix area that allows you to create quick video clips.
• You can now recover your Microsoft Account password directly from the lock screen.
• Battery life improvements
• Windows 10 Security enhancements with Windows Defender, Exploit Guard and more.
• Translucent UI elements now have Acrylic noise.
• The Mixed Reality Portal icon has been updated.
• Cortana can now lock, sign out, shut down and restart your PC with voice commands.
• Windows can now automatically re-setup your account after feature-update is installed, automatically opening apps and more.

So there you have it, all the noteworthy changes coming with the Fall Creators Update in October. What are you most looking forward to in this update? If you want an even more detailed changelog, make sure you check out Change Windows for its in-depth Fall Creators Update changelog.

Updated with new changes added in Build 16257

It's possible to delay previews of Windows 10 if you want to skip a release, or you want to avoid a particular bug, and in this guide, we'll show you how to do it.

On Windows 10, you can join the Windows Insider Program to install preview builds to test upcoming features and to send Microsoft suggestions to help shape the future of the OS. The program offers three readiness levels, including the Fast, Slow, and Release Preview rings, each one making available new builds at different times and with different stability levels.

Usually, most Insiders enroll their devices in the Fast ring, because previews in this level are available very regularly. The only problem is that development builds through the Fast ring typically includes more issues and sometimes nasty bugs that could break your installation.

Although Microsoft makes very clear the risks of using the Windows Insider Program, if you're enrolled in one of the rings, it's possible to delay the installation of new previews. You may want to do this when you want to give yourself some time to check how other devices are performing before upgrading, or if you want to skip the release entirely when it's known to cause bigger problems than usual.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to defer Windows Insider Preview builds on your computer using the Settings app and Group Policy.

• How to defer Windows 10 previews using Settings
• How to defer Windows 10 previews using Group Policy

How to defer Windows 10 previews using Settings

If you're looking to delay (or skip) the installation of a new pre-release of Windows 10, you can quickly pause updates using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Insider Program.

4. Click the Stop Insider Preview builds button.

5. Click the Pause updates for a bit option.

6. Turn on the Pause Updates toggle switch.

Once you've completed the steps, new previews will not install on your computer for 35 days, or until you clear the option.

How to defer Windows 10 previews using Group Policy

If you're running Windows 10 Pro, you can use Group Policy to defer Windows Insider Preview builds up to 14 days, or you can pause updates for 35 days, using these steps:

Setting telemetry level

For the policy to work, you'll need to set your telemetry level settings to 2 or higher before configuring the policy to delay new builds using these steps:

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds

4. Double-click the Allow Telemetry policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.

6. Under "Options," select the 2 - Enhanced option from the drop-down menu.

7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK.

Delaying preview builds

Once you set the telemetry level to 2 or higher, use the following steps to select when your computer should install new Windows Insider Preview builds:

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business

4. Double-click the Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.
6. Under "Options," select the readiness level to Preview Build - Fast from the drop-down menu.

7. Select the number of days you want to defer a new preview release (up to 14 days).

   Using the "Pause Preview Builds or Features Updates starting" field, it's also possible to prevent getting new previews. Just enter the date (e.g., 2017-12-25) you want start pausing updates, and the block will remain for 35 days from the date you entered.

8. Click Apply.
9. Click OK.

After completing the steps, your computer will not receive builds for up to 14 days, or for 35 days starting from the day you specified.

At any time, you can use the same instructions to revert the changes, but while in the Allow Telemetry policy, on step No. 5, make sure to select the Not Configured option. Then in the Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received policy, on step No. 5, also make sure to select the Not Configured option.

It should be noted that using the Group Policy option will cause the Settings app to display a Some settings are managed by your organization message, which should go away after sometime after disabling the policies.

While we're focusing this guide on the desktop version of Windows 10, it's also possible to use the Settings app instructions to pause preview builds of Windows 10 Mobile.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

The Windows Store has gained some notable apps over the last few months, and another well-known app made its way to this Store this weekend, called ShareX.

The software is a free, open source, feature-filled screenshot and screen-capturing app for PC.

ShareX blows the Windows Snipping Tool out of the water, and its GIF and video capture tools put in good competition against paid screen capturing software.

Notable features from ShareX include:

• Being able to identify borders on screens to allow easy captures.
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts.
• Scrolling capture.
• Web page capture.
• Image annotation.
• Adding watermarks to images.

It's a powerful and essential app for anyone who needs to capture content on their screens, with many more features than are listed above.

See ShareX on the Windows Store

What ShareX gets right

When it comes to screenshots, you have options for region capturing including rectangles, ellipses, and freehand shapes. After taking screenshots you can annotate or watermark them among other options to help you illustrate your point with images. You can also enter a URL to capture an entire web page or do scrolling capture, which can be used to grab an entire page or anything else that scrolls without showing any stitching lines. You can even trim the edges off the scrolled capture to remove elements that would normally repeat on scrolling, such as app menus.

Video capture is simple, as well, because ShareX makes it easy to record the content you want from your device. You have options for recording video using a variety of codices including MP4, gif, webm, and avi. One of the most useful features for recording video is that ShareX can identify borders on your screen when there is something you're more likely to record. For example, if you have multiple apps open on your screen it can tell the borders of those windows and adjusts the recording area before you start. But if you want to record a specific area you can still select it freehand. After taking a screenshot or recording your screen, ShareX has a variety of upload destinations. You can set it up to upload content to multiple popular services such as Imgur, Flickr, Photobucket, Twitter, and more.

You can also customize where the files are stored on your device. And you can select any folder to be your storage destination, including OneDrive folders.

You can customize your workflow with a variety of keyboard shortcut combinations. For example, if you're watching an event live and need to grab lots of screenshots you can set up ShareX to take screenshots when you hit Ctrl + PrtScn, but if you need to grab a video you can with Ctrl + Shift + PrtScn.

What ShareX gets wrong

The tradeoff for ShareX is its outdated UI.

Opening ShareX will send you back to the past, far back before the Universal Windows Platforms (UWP) was part of Windows. It is a legacy-style program with smaller items to click in the interface and a very basic design. That doesn't take away from the app's functionality or impressive features, but if you're used to new and modern apps utilizing Fluent Design and the Windows 10 design language, you'll get whiplash going back to the design language used in ShareX.

With that classic design comes a bit of a learning curve. ShareX is tremendously customizable with options for keyboard shortcuts, upload destinations, application settings, and even things like video recording frame rate. These options can take a bit of time to find but the app is worth taking an honest hard look at to learn its features.

It's also worth noting that while screenshots will work on devices running Windows 10 S, screen recording features will not work on these devices.

Overall, ShareX is a powerful screen capture tool that will streamline your workflow and make it easier to grab content from anywhere on your device.

See ShareX on the Windows Store

Newton for Windows makes its official debut today on the Windows Store.

Newton, an extremely popular email client on iOS, Android and macOS, is finally coming to Windows 10 today with an official launch on the Windows Store. After being in closed beta testing on Windows 10 over the last few months, the Newton is finally ready for the masses.

What is Newton?

Newton for Windows is the only email service that works across all accounts and is available on all platforms. iOS, Android, Mac and now Windows too. Newton is a paid subscription service and client that offers you email in an incredibly clean, simple and friendly UI. I've been playing with it over the last few days, and I must say I really like what this app has to offer.

The app supports all the major email services, including Outlook, Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo Mail, Exchange and more. You can have multiple email accounts accessible via a unified inbox or separately if that's what you prefer. The app uses Windows 10 notifications for alerts, but unfortunately doesn't support Actionable Notifications at this time. It also doesn't appear to have a live tile just yet.

If you're someone who already uses Newton on other platforms, you're going to love the new Newton client for Windows just as much. If you're new to Newton, you can sign up today for a free 14-day free trial (with no credit card required) to test the waters, and if you like it, you can subscribe at any time.

You can get a years subscription for $49.99, which I admit might be a little steep for an email client. If you already have a subscription, all you need to do is login to Newton for Windows with your account, and everything should be exactly how you left it on other versions of the app. Pretty neat!

I would love to see a dark mode added to Newton for Windows at some point. As you can tell from the screenshots, the Newton app is primarily white. A dark mode would be an appreciated addition to an already great email client.

Newton for Windows is now available via the Windows Store. It's great to see more apps make their way to the Windows Store on Windows 10, and is hopefully a trend that we'll see continue now that the ball is rolling. What are your thoughts on Newton for Windows? Let us know!

See at Windows Store

Microsoft's Story Remix feature will be launching half baked with the Fall Creators Update as its 3D capabilities will be missing in action.

If you've been trying out the Story Remix preview on the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview builds, you'll notice a rather large chunk of its feature-set that was demoed at Build earlier this year is missing. Features such as being able to import 3D effects and objects are missing in action, and my sources tell me that's because those features won't be ready in time for the Fall Creators Update.

My contacts say that Story Remix itself will be ready with the Fall Creators Update, but being able to insert 3D objects and effects into your video; arguably Story Remix's blockbuster feature, still needs work and as such will not be showing up alongside the launch of the Fall Creators Update. I'm told Insiders can expect to see that functionality show up in the months after the Fall Creators Update launches, likely during the Redstone 4 development cycle.

This will undoubtedly be disappointing news for those who were interested in the 3D capabilities of Story Remix. Microsoft showcased being able to add effects and characters to scenes, lock them in place, and have the 3D object track itself in the video as if it was there all along. You can check out our hands on video above to see the feature in action.

Update: A Microsoft employee has also confirmed this on Twitter.

Insiders can test out what Story Remix has to offer right now in the latest Insider Preview builds by heading to the Photos app. There, you will be able to create quick video clips from your library, and add transitions, text and music easily.

Delaying features appears to be an ongoing narrative with Windows 10 as of late. Microsoft demoed several features earlier this year, but two features that were planned for the Fall Creators Update; Timeline and Cloud Clipboard, have been pushed back to Redstone 4. Now Story Remix's 3D capabilities can be added to that list.

What do you need to know about encryption on your Windows 10 PC? We have you more than covered.

In order to add a layer of protection to the sensitive data on your PC, you might want to encrypt it. Encryption essentially means that you're turning data into something unreadable without proper authentication.

Encrypting a drive or a folder or a file generally means you have a single password that must be used in order to decrypt and access. Not only does this stop outside parties from hacking their way into your files, it also protects in the event that you forget your PC somewhere or, worst case, it's stolen.

There are two encryption methods built into Pro, Enterprise, and Education versions of Windows 10. For everyone else, there's a third way to encrypt your data. Let's take a look at how all three work to help you choose which encryption method is best for you.

Encrypting File System

Encrypting File System (EFS) is a file encryption service in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. It's very easy to use, often requiring just a couple of clicks to encrypt a file or folder. When the user who encrypted the files is logged in, the files are accessible. If another user is logged in, the files are inaccessible. For that reason, you want to choose a strong password for the account on your PC.

Compared to BitLocker whole-drive encryption, EFS isn't quite as secure. Windows itself creates the encryption key, and it is saved locally. The key is also protected with encryption, but it's not the same level of security you'd find with a Trusted Module Platform (TPM) chip.

Despite the steps taken to protect EFS keys, someone with the time and means could eventually decipher the key. A user might also forget to manually encrypt a sensitive file, further leaving it open to snooping. Finally, since the entire drive is not encrypted, there's a chance of data leaking into temporary files where it could potentially be accessed.

EFS is best viewed as a quick way to protect files and folders on a PC with multiple users. Not even administrators have access to the encrypted files, and, if your password was changed without your knowledge, your encrypted files would remain encrypted.

BitLocker

BitLocker is another drive encryption feature special to Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education. While it's generally recommended that the PC has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, there is a way you can turn on BitLocker without.

A TPM chip is a special bit of hardware added to your motherboard that is used to hold bits of encryption keys. TPM chips are designed to sniff out unauthorized or tampering users quickly, in which case the chip will not give up the part of the decryption key it's holding.

Rather than choosing single files and folders for encryption, BitLocker encrypts your entire drive. No matter the user logged in, the drive remains encrypted. Any new files you create will fall under the same layer of protection, so there's no chance you'll forget to encrypt a sensitive file. To unlock a drive that's protected with BitLocker, you can either enter a password or you can set up a USB drive that, when inserted, unlocks the PC.

How to use BitLocker Drive Encryption on Windows 10

Third-party encryption software

Until EFS and BitLocker become available in Windows 10 Home (any time now, Microsoft), there are numerous third-party encryption programs that can fill the void.

These programs differ in what they can protect. Some will encrypt whole drives, just like BitLocker, while others will encrypt files and folders, just like EFS. The best encryption software also usually comes with a bunch of extra features, like file shredders, cloud storage, and password managers.

The best encryption software also lets you set a master password that is only saved where you choose. That means that you can write it down, save it to a USB drive, or keep it in your head. Without the password, your files will remain encrypted forever. Software-based encryption is open to certain attacks, but in most cases, encryption is still better than no encryption.

See the best third-party encryption software

More resources

• How to encrypt data before storing in in the cloud (and why you should)
• How to enable device encryption on Windows 10 Mobile

Still running a PC on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update? You might want to check Windows Update.

Microsoft has quietly started rolling out a new cumulative update to Windows 10 PCs, but only those that are still running the Anniversary Update. This latest update (via Neowin) follows on from the standard Patch Tuesday updates that arrived last week, and it bumps the build number up to version 14393.1613.

Here are the full release notes for cumulative update KB4034661:

• This package contains d3dcompiler_47.dll; for more information, read the blog post, HLSL, FXC, and D3DCompile.
• Addressed issue where a black screen appears when launching an application on Citrix XenApp that was deployed from Windows Server 2016. For more details, read CTX225819.
• Addressed issue where the User Account Control (UAC) prompt sometimes appears hidden under other opened windows.
• Addressed issue in the event collector data that caused data corruption with % symbols in the user logon events (ID 4624) from other Domain Controllers (DCs).
• Addressed issue where the PowerShell command Add-HgsAttestationTpmHost fails to find the Endorsement Key Certificate for a system even though the certificate exists.
• Addressed issue where, in some cases, an Encrypted Hard Drive device would not automatically unlock at system startup.
• Addressed issue where the AppLocker rules wizard crashes when selecting accounts.
• Addressed issue where third-party directory structures caused Disk Cleanup to render a boot drive inaccessible.
• Addressed issue where unsynchronized access in NtfsQueryLinksInfo led to a system crash.
• Addressed issue where an extremely high number of I/O flushes might lead to an error.
• Addressed a reliability issue that occurs when a user gives the wrong input to the smart card pin prompt.
• Addressed issue by increasing the time out window when starting Docker for Windows to avoid 0x5b4 errors.
• Addressed issue with Azure Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) when an ADFX server is configured to use an HTTP Proxy.
• Addressed issue where the calling IP address is not logged by 411 events in the Security Event log of ADFS 4.0 and Windows Server 2016 RS1 ADFS servers. This issue occurs even after enabling Success Audits and Failure Audits.
• Addressed issue where a computer account loses its domain membership with the error 1789, "The trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failed." The same problem happens internally when a user password cannot be changed with error 0xc0000206, "The size of the buffer is invalid for the specified operation."
• Addressed issue where, after a planned restart of the primary server, storage replication doesn't automatically resume as expected. Also, Storage Replication service randomly fails after restart.
• Addressed issue where using a GPO logon script to map a network drive fails if the user disconnects from the network and restarts. When the user logs in again, the mapped drive is not available. This issue occurs even though the logon script has the persistence flag set to TRUE.
• Addressed issue where after uninstalling SMBv1, if you set the SPN validation level to 2, when you access a UNC share remotely (e.g., \\C$), the request will fail with STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED.
• Addressed issue where the Remote Desktop client cannot connect or disconnects intermittently when trying to connect using the RD Gateway.
• Addressed issue where presenting an expired or revoked certificate to the ADFS Proxy server does not return an error to the user.

Microsoft still notes that there are three known issues following this cumulative update, though none are critical. You can find a full rundown, along with workarounds, with Microsoft's release notes.

Microsoft's new Skype Preview app for desktops only works on older versions of Windows, but there's a way to get it running on the latest version of Windows 10. Here's how.

Microsoft has just released a brand new Skype Preview app for Windows desktop users that introduces a brand new user interface and several new features, some of which have been in testing in the Windows 10 app for some time. Oddly, the new desktop preview app is only available for Windows 7, Windows 8 and legacy versions of Windows 10, but there's a way of installing it on the latest version of Windows 10 too.

If you're on the Anniversary Update or Creators Update, trying to install the new preview app will result in the installer telling you to use the Skype UWP app instead. As we all know, the UWP version of the app is rubbish in comparison, and the new Skype Preview for desktop app is an all round better app. So, here's how to bypass that block and get the new app installed on the latest versions of Windows 10.

Install the Skype Preview desktop app

1. Download the Installer

2. Once downloaded, right-click on the installer file and select "properties."

3. At the top of the window, select the "Compatibility" tab.

4. Select the "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" option.

5. Select Windows 8 in the drop-down menu.

6. Select OK.

7. Run the Installer.

There you have it, the program will now run and install on the latest version of Windows 10. Let us know what you think of the new Skype Preview app.

If you're a Windows Insider, expect the wait for a new PC build to continue into next week.

Windows Insiders went without a new PC build release last week, and it looks that wait will continue through this week as well. Windows Insider chief Dona Sarkar has now confirmed on Twitter that there won't be any new build releases this week due to a number of issues.

1/2 #WindowsInsiders: the installation bug we hit (GSOD + constant rollbacks) internally is too impactful for us to flight this week.

— Dona Sarkar (@donasarkar) August 17, 2017

2/2 There are no more build releases this week and we will check back on Monday. Have a great weekend #WindowsInsiders

— Dona Sarkar (@donasarkar) August 17, 2017

The last Windows 10 PC build to be released to Insiders was 16257, which came at the beginning of August. The latest Mobile Insider build was a little more recent, with build 15240 having arrived last week. Sarkar's wording presumably covers both PC and Mobile builds, so Insiders can probably relax and hope for another build to hit sometime next week.

Skype for Windows 10 currently sits in my book of terrible Windows 10 apps. Skype seriously needs some love from Microsoft, and soon.

Hating on Skype is so in vogue in 2017. Whether you're a technology enthusiast, general consumer or both, hating on Skype is something we've all done at some point. Microsoft's decisions have made that too easy.

If you're a user of the Skype app for Windows 10, you'll be annoyed to hear Microsoft just released a brand new preview build of Skype for desktop that introduces a brand new, polished UI and features. Meanwhile, the Skype UWP app is still slow, buggy and ugly in every conceivable way. Microsoft wants developers to adopt UWP, but why should they if Microsoft won't take UWP seriously themselves?

Let it be clear that the preview update today is NOT for the Windows 10 app. It's for the older, desktop Skype that works on Windows 7, Windows 8 and legacy versions of Windows 10. We're seriously not making this up.

Messaging Everywhere

I hate Skype for a few reasons, but mostly because it took away my beloved Messaging Everywhere feature from the Messaging app on Windows 10 PC and Mobile, butchering the ability to send SMS messages from your desktop by implementing the feature into the Skype app for Windows 10.

The problem with this move, for me, is that the Skype app for Windows 10 is rubbish in every conceivable way. It took the concept of being able to send SMS messages from your desktop and, to put it lightly, butchered it. Ever since Messaging Everywhere was renamed to SMS Relay and moved into Skype, the feature has sucked majorly. It made me stop using SMS Relay altogether.

Messaging Everywhere was, to me, one of the best things about using a Windows phone and a Windows PC together. It made my devices feel connected, as if they were part of the same platform, and Skype took that away from me. I would've been okay with it if Skype for Windows 10 was good, but it just isn't, and not just because of the SMS Relay stuff. For starters, I think the Skype for Windows 10 UI looks incredibly poor and "pre-release."

A poor UI

At first, I assumed the reasoning for the UI being so poor was because the app was still in preview, but then Microsoft dropped the preview tag, and the app's interface hasn't improved in the slightest. It still looks like it is in an early alpha stage, with odd design choices that make the overall experience seem unfinished. Why is there this big gap at the bottom of chat window above the text input field? Why does the text that categorizes chats by day move and open the top chat when selected? It makes no sense.

What's more, a recent update to the app made things worse. It doesn't have a hamburger menu anymore, which while I understand some people didn't like to begin with, made sense. Now, there's a left hand column that doesn't collapse, it just disappears when the window is small enough, and some areas now show up in fake windows that can't be moved around. What is going on?

I do admit, the light mode version of the Skype app for Windows 10 looks a bit better than the dark mode one, but both overall still look terrible. The Skype app for Windows 10 needs some serious improvements especially considering it's an app that's shipping in Windows 10 today. All 500 million Windows 10 users have this Skype app preinstalled on their device, and it looks awful. The Skype app should look like what's seen in the concept image below by concept designer Michael West:

This is what I expect from an inbuilt app on Windows 10, not the app that we currently have. The design sucks, it's slow to launch on phones, and the unreliable and sluggish SMS Relay all play a factor into why I still use the Skype Win32 program and the Messaging app on Windows phone. I'd rather not use SMS Relay at all than suffer through it with the still unfinished and poorly built Skype for Windows 10.

The Skype app for Windows 10 needs some love from Microsoft. Right now, it's a total mess, and I wouldn't blame anyone if they took one look at it and thought it was some kind of unfinished beta app. Microsoft needs to stop focusing on the dumb Win32 app and start focusing on its UWP version. Bring that same UI to the UWP version, with all the features, and make it stable, and you'll be on the right track.

It's almost the weekend and time to relax! Here are the movies, music, and books the Windows Central team is enjoying this week.

The weekend is just around the corner, and you're probably keen to put your feet up and enjoy some downtime. What better way to relax than with some great tunes, a great movie, or a real page turner? If you're looking for some suggestions, we put together a collection of some of the best stuff out there right now.

TV and movies

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Windows Central is enjoying this week.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Recommended by Zac Bowden, senior editor

I love Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the latest season recently became available in the Windows Store. As someone in the UK, this is the only way I'm able to watch the show as it airs because it doesn't air on broadcast TV for weeks after it's aired in the U.S.!

See at Microsoft Store

Sing

Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor

I'm a sucker for a good animated or computer generated imagery (CGI) flick. And Sing is just that.

It's light and funny, and easy to follow. And it's set in a world populated only by animals, which doesn't sound so bad these days … Anyway, Sing is the story of a conniving koala bear who owns a theater that's on the brink of ruin. To save it, the koala holds a singing contest that promises prize money to the winner but is really designed to save the koala's hide.

That's about it, but it's not the story that makes Sing, well, sing. It's the cast that does the voices, which includes a seemingly endless list of actors and superstars, such as Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, and Jennifer Hudson, among many others.

Quite simply, Sing left me smiling, and if it's some levity you're looking for, this one won't disappoint.

See at Microsoft Store

Alien: Covenant

Recommended by Dan Thorp-Lancaster, staff writer

I know, I'm a little late to this one — not to mention copping a little of Cale's thunder from a couple of week's back. Still, I was a big fan of Prometheus, so I was stoked to dive into Alien: Covenant this week.

And boy, was it a treat. I know Ridley Scott's recent efforts in the Alien universe have drawn their fair share of criticism, which I can understand from the perspective of die-hard fans. That said, just getting a peek into the history of the Alien mythos is a fun ride for me.

If you're even marginally interested in the Alien universe, or just want to sit down for a solidly suspenseful sci-fi flick, give Alien: Covenant a shot. Just one note on casting: Danny McBride does a solid job as a serious actor here, but you'll probably still have a hard time getting his usual brand of comedic machismo out of your head — at least initially.

See at Microsoft Store

Apocalypse Triple Feature

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

For not being noted as a big fan of war, I sure do love war movies. After reading The Things They Carried (my last-week book recommendation), I felt like going back and watching Apocalypse Now, which is arguably the best war movie of all time.

Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 masterpiece is an adaptation of the classic Heart of Darkness book by Joseph Conrad. The movie follows Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) up a river into Cambodia on a classified mission to assassinate rogue Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando).

If you haven't seen Apocalypse Now but enjoy war movies, you're seriously missing out. This Triple Feature includes the original Apocalypse Now, Apocalypse Now Redux, which includes a bunch of extra scenes, and Hearts of Darkness, a documentary about the pitfalls experienced by the crew while filming.

See at Microsoft Store

Inception

Recommended by Matt Brown, Xbox writer

After seeing Dunkirk earlier this week (If you haven't watched it yet, you're seriously missing out), I've started to look back at some of the best movies from Christopher Nolan. To this day, Nolan's Inception still stands out as one of my all-time favorites, with its unique premise, groundbreaking visuals, and generally smooth execution.

Inception follows Dom Cobb — a thief who has harnessed the technology to hook into other people's dreams. Using this ability to steal information from their subconscious, this sets the scene for several intense heists, which blur the lines between both dreams and reality.

See at Microsoft Store

Music

Here's some of the music the Windows Central team is listening to this week.

Coming Home — Visitor

Recommended by Rich Edmonds, PC editor

Two excellent tracks are included on the Coming Home album by Visitor. Should you be a fan of light EDM and progressive synth, you should absolutely tune into RNB and Coming Home with the speakers on maximum. I've enjoyed many hours of Visitor while driving, and I nod back to the 80s.

See at Microsoft Store

130 Mood : TRBL – Dean

Recommended by Matt Brown, Xbox writer

130 Mood : TRBL is the first full album from Dean, an alternative R&B singer based out of South Korea. Despite initially debuting in the U.S., the singer has once again returned to his roots with a jazz and R&B combination of the two languages. Pairing together his vocals with other renowned artists of the eastern scene, the album holds up as one of my favorites months after release. Dean is also expected to make a comeback in the weeks ahead, making now a better time than ever to revisit previous releases.

See at Microsoft Store

Fear Fun — Father John Misty

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

Once the drummer for the Fleet Foxes, Josh Tillman created an alter-ego for himself while in the desert, high on mushrooms. His brand of folk rock is a sarcastic yet genuine look at the world around us, as well as the music industry as a whole. His song "Prius Commercial Demo 1" is an example of how he views most folk music these days.

Fear Fun, Tillman's first album as Father John Misty, is a mix of songs about arriving in Hollywood, Hollywood trying to take his soul, and eventually finding love. It's a nice mix of singalong campfire songs, ballads, and funky jams.

See at Microsoft Store

Books

Here are the books we're reading this week!

IQ — Joe Ide

Recommended by Al Sacco, managing Editor

Isaiah Quintabe, a.k.a., "IQ," is one of the most exciting additions to the detective fiction genre in a very long time. Dubbed "part Quentin Tarantino, part Sherlock Holmes," IQ resists the various temptations and bad influences that surround him in his native South Central LA (well, most of them), and he uses his wits and impressive IQ — get it? — to help people around him who either can't afford to help themselves (elderly neighbors) or, on the flip side, can pay a pretty penny for his first-class gumshoe services (spoiled and drugged-out hip hop moguls).

Joe Ide's first novel is authentic, intelligent, gritty, funny and creative as hell. It features a cast of quirky characters you won't soon forget. And though it's dark at times, it's also uplifting — and it ends with cliffhanger that has me itching for the sequel, which is due this fall.

If my recommendation isn't enough to pique your interest, I'm not the only one who really liked this book; both The New York Times and The Washington Post called it one of the best books of 2017. And it was nominated for the Edgar and the Anthony awards for best first novel. That's truly impressive, and Mr. Ide deserves all the acclaim he and his protagonist have received to date.

Download the Kindle book at AmazonDownload the Audible audio book at Amazon

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle — Haruki Murakami

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

In classic Murakami style, we have a missing person, a dry well, a young girl with an obsession with death, a WWII veteran who can't stop reliving the past, and, of course, plenty of cats.

As protagonist Toru Okada searches for his wife and cat, he begins to uncover some of the less-than-reputable undertakings in Tokyo's underworld. This main plot is interwoven with a subplot concerning the atrocities against the Chinese during WWII; if it sounds far-fetched, it is. And it isn't.

Murakami is a master of magical realism, a genre that blends the fantastic with the real in a way that makes sense to the reader. Translated by Jay Rubin, this is a novel that's at once calming and thrilling. Weird, right?

Download the Kindle book at AmazonDownload the Audible audio book at Amazon

Your favorites?

What have you been watching, reading, and listening to this week? We want to know, so drop a comment and share your recommendations.

If none of these recommendations strike your fancy, check out a list of all of our past recommendations. We promise you'll find something you'll like:

Tons more recommendations from Team Windows Central

Is Spotify for Xbox a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app? You bet, and today we explain what exactly makes a UWP app UWP.

Writing about technology is often a balancing act. Some people want general tech news, while others want deep dives. When it comes to software and OS development, as a non-programmer I often find myself in over my head. That's why UWP is such a steamy mess to talk about for the "prosumer."

Today, I'm going to chip away at this monolith of a topic.

Who is UWP even for?

Before I try to explain what Microsoft's software development platform is for Windows 10, let's just get this out of the way: The term "UWP" is not a consumer-facing one, it's for developers.

At no point should a customer walk into Best Buy and inquire with the sales clerk about what UWP apps a PC can run. In fact, a rule of thumb in technology is if you must explain something to someone the product probably already failed.

On Windows Central, however, we jump back and forth between consumer news and how-tos and more informative articles discussing Microsoft's technology, OS development, and general computing trends. In our reporting, we must talk about UWP to understand Windows 10. For non-pro consumers, however, it should be simpler.

'Universal' does not mean run-everywhere

On a technical level, UWP is Microsoft's extension of the Windows Runtime platform that leverages the C++, C#, VB.NET, and XAML coding languages. There are a few main ideas behind UWP, which include:

• Universal API toolkit.
• Responsive design and scaling in apps.
• Universal controls, styles, input, and interactions.
• Cloud, A.I., and cognitive services.
• Single Store for distribution.
• One Software Development Kit (SDK).

The confusing bit for our audience is the "universal" in "Universal Windows Platform." While the goal for UWP is to let developers share code between apps and utilize a broad swath of APIs, it does not necessarily mean that a UWP app is supposed to "run everywhere," such as on phones, PCs, Xbox, HoloLens, IoT devices.

Ideally, an app developer will write a native UWP app that just works across all Windows 10 devices, but sometimes that just doesn't make sense. For example, certain phone-only apps have little value on the desktop. Some UWP games could be too resource intensive for a phone, or the benefit of running a map app on your Xbox may not be self-evident (even if it is available, it's likely not used often).

The "universal" in UWP refers to the shared APIs and resources that developers have access to when writing an app, not the app's hardware destination. I can't stress this enough. Just because an app is only available on Xbox or can only be installed on Windows 10 Mobile does not mean it's not UWP or even "true UWP," which has no technical definition.

Windows Bridge apps are UWP too

To add to the confusion, Microsoft introduced Windows Bridges a few years back during its Build developer conference.

All you need to know is that an app that takes advantage of Windows Desktop Bridge (a.k.a. Project Centennial), Progressive Web Apps (Project Westminster) like LinkedIn, or Windows iOS Bridge (a.k.a. Project Islandwood) is a UWP app too.

Getting more technical, a Windows Bridge app is best thought of as a hybrid app. For instance, Adobe Photoshop Elements 15 and the new Spotify apps are classic Win32 desktop apps literally wrapped in a UWP appx file container.

If you're not a developer this is probably confusing.

It's not just the wrapper or installer that makes it UWP, but rather it is how a Desktop Bridge app can leverage Windows 10-only features like:

• Cortana.
• Live tiles.
• Action and Notification Center.
• Share targets.
• UWP background tasks.
• UWP XAML user experience.
• UWP app services e.g. cloud, A.I., and cognitive.
• Automatic updates, licensing, in-app purchases and all Windows Store features.

Therefore, desktop bridge apps are really hybrid-UWP ones. To the OS, however, they're just UWP since it is those features that are most prominent.

Those Desktop Bridge apps also behave like non-hybrid "native" UWP apps. They do not modify the system registry and are essentially sandboxed from the OS to ensure one-click uninstallation with no orphaned DLL files in the Windows System directory.

The curious case of Spotify and UWPness

When talking about Microsoft's UWP, the Spotify example is a great one to highlight the weird choices that companies can make with its apps.

There are technically four Windows-type Spotify apps:

• Spotify Win32 .exe installer.
• Spotify for Windows Phone 8.1.
• Spotify for Windows 10 (UWP).
• Spotify for Xbox One (UWP).

The last two are the newest and are UWP even though they are vastly different. The Spotify app for Windows 10 is just the Win32 .exe desktop version repackaged using the Desktop Bridge. However, as noted above, bridge apps are still considered UWP.

The new Xbox One Spotify app is also UWP. Some have taken umbrage with the term since that app is not available for Windows 10 PCs or Mobile (although, technically, you could side-load it if it were signed).

Spotify on Xbox One is very different from everything else but still UWP.

So why did Spotify create so many apps instead of just one "native" UWP app that could run on Mobile, PC, and Xbox?

I have no idea.

But it doesn't matter. The UWP platform and its bridges are all about giving developers various routes to one place: the Windows Store. How they get there, or how many versions of the app exist, is inconsequential. Microsoft would prefer developers just to use the same code with a single app, but the company does not dictate such practice. In the end, it is up to developers to choose the best route.

For now, Spotify deemed a desktop bridge app for Windows 10 PCs as the best way to the Windows Store while a separate Xbox One app is the top solution for that platform.

UWP is a work in progress

The UWP is not finalized, nor will it ever be for developers. UWP is the future of Windows 10 app development that – someday – will supplant Win32. Nonetheless, Win32 has been around for 20 years, and you cannot recreate a developer platform in a year.

Some UWP games in the Windows Store.

The point here is that UWP as is is far from perfect or feature complete. Thousands of APIs are needed to bridge Win32 app calls and features to the world of native UWP. Microsoft is prioritizing where it can, but it's like a wartime hospital where triaging the patients is necessary.

One reason some companies do not put their apps in the Windows Store – even with the desktop bridge – is today's tools do not make it possible. If your app uses a custom API or makes a weird system call that UWP does not yet support, well, the desktop bridge does not work.

Anything in the Windows Store is UWP

For now, the only definition that Microsoft and Windows watchers need for UWP is this: If the app is in the Windows Store it is technically UWP. If you want to get specific:

Windows 10 introduces UWP, which provides a common app platform available on every device that runs Windows 10. The UWP provides a guaranteed core API across devices. This means you can create a single app package that can be installed onto a wide range of devices. And, with that single app package, the Windows Store provides a unified distribution channel to reach all the device types your app can run on. Apps that target the UWP can call not only the WinRT APIs that are common to all devices but also APIs (including Win32 and .NET APIs) that are specific to the class of device that the app is running on.

While Microsoft's intent is for a UWP to run across types of devices it's not all there just yet, nor is Microsoft forcing companies down that path.

If the app or game is in here it's UWP.

The confusion here is also due to Microsoft, which has a lousy history of naming schemes. Many developers and even people at Microsoft have a tough time defining what UWP is and is not.

I can also add the caveat that websites can technically host UWP appx files, which would still make them UWP even if not in the Store. Although rare, these and apps that only target Windows Phone 8.x are the exceptions to the Windows Store rule.

Regular consumers have no idea what UWP is or is supposed to mean, nor should they. The customer experience is intended to be simple. Turn on a Windows 10 device, go to Windows Store, search, find, and install the app. How the app got there, or whether it's technically an Electron app or React Native or it leverages the UWP JavaScript container, is entirely inconsequential.

Microsoft is trying hard to make the Windows Store and the apps therein device-universal, but it's not quite there yet. UWP is a journey for Microsoft and it is just starting but all paths eventually lead to one destination: the Windows Store.

Further reading about UWP

Here are a few more deep dives and discussion articles about Windows 10, UWP, and the future of the platform:

• Can Project Centennial apps run on Windows 10 Mobile (and other questions answered)
• Why Windows 10 S, Project Centennial are critical to Continuum's success
• Microsoft may focus on desktops with UWP — here's why you should care
• If not phones, Microsoft needs another device category to ensure Windows UWP success
• How to convert desktop apps to Universal Windows Platform apps with Desktop Bridge
• Microsoft is NOT opening Xbox One to all UWP games ... but should it?

If Microsoft hopes to gain ground and then keep up in the busy and competitive app space, while inspiring talented software developers to create apps for the Windows Store, it needs to maintain a high-performance platform and software marketplace.

Unfortunately, for some users, that doesn't always appear to be the case.

If you love Windows, as we do at Windows Central, you accept the platform for what it is, and you take the good with the bad, the beauty with the warts. For some users, such as forum member pallentx, those "warts" include reoccurring issues with the Windows Store. Pallentx started a thread to discuss this subject and have other Windows users weigh in:

pallentx

08-15-2017 12:41 PM

“

I've had store issues like this since Windows 8 first launched the store. How long does it take to make this platform more stable? You cant expect users to go all in on a app marketplace with something like Windows 10 S if they keep getting this junk. Yes, its been reported to feedback with all the other reports. 137021 137022

Reply

Personally, I have the occasional issue with the Store hanging up on an update, but if I restart my PC and try again, the problem usually resolves itself. That's inconvenient, but it's not a big deal. However, I can see how the issue described in the thread would be much more annoying.

It begs the question of whether the Store is up to snuff. Do you have constant problems with the Store? If so, what are those problems, and how do you resolve them? Taking it a step further, what does Microsoft need to do with the Store to make sure it keeps up with the competition. Hit the forum link below and "chime in" with your thoughts.

From the forums: No excuse for this to be still happening