You can splash your Office apps with a new fresh coat of colors, and in this guide, we'll show you how to do it.

If you had enough of the same default colors for your Office applications, you can quickly personalize the experience using different color themes. In Office, you can pick from several themes, including Colorful and White, and you can even choose dark schemes, such as Dark Gray and Black.

While the ability to change color themes has been available since Office 2013, the black theme has been limited to users with an Office 365 subscription, but now, the theme is available without a subscription when you upgrade to Office 2019 on Windows 10 or macOS.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through two easy ways to change the color theme for Office applications whether you use Office 2019, 2016, or Office 365.

• How to change Office theme using Account settings
• How to change Office theme using Options settings

How to change Office theme using Account settings

To use Office apps with a different color scheme, use the following steps:

1. Open an Office app (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
2. Click the File menu.

3. Click on Account.

4. Use the "Office Theme" drop-down and select one of the available colors, including:

   • Colorful (default): Aligns with the primary colors of Office apps.

   • Dark Gray: Offers a good balance between dark and high-contrast.

   • Black: Provides the highest contrast for visual elements.

   • White: Offers a more classic look.

   Quick Tip: Alongside the ability to change the theme colors, you can also use the Office Background drop-down menu to remove or change the background patterns.

Once you've completed the steps, the new theme will apply to all applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other Office applications, except Skype and the modern app of OneNote.

How to change Office theme using Options settings

Alternatively, you can switch to black, dark gray, or one of the other themes using the options page with these steps:

1. Open an Office app (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
2. Click the File menu.

3. Click on Options.

4. Click on General.

5. Under the Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office section, use the "Office Theme" drop-down and select one of the available colors, including:

   • Colorful (default).
   • Dark Gray.
   • Black.
   • White.

After completing the steps, all your apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and others) will switch to the theme you selected.

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

Best answer: Your best option for buying a Yoga C930 is straight from Lenovo. There are quite a few pre-built configurations to choose from, plus you can build and customize your own C930 from the ground up if you don't find a model that fits your liking.

Lenovo: Yoga C930 ($1,400+)

What configurations does Lenovo offer?

On top of being able to build and customize your own Yoga C930, there are a number of pre-built models available if you go straight to the Lenovo website. Get 8th Gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processors (CPU), choose between 8 GB, 12 GB, or 16 GB of DDR4-2400MHz RAM, and get an M.2 PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) in 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB sizes.

You can also choose the color finish on your laptop. There's only iron gray and mica, but you won't be charged extra for the choice. The Yoga C930 also has a couple of touch displays to choose from. For better battery life but a less crisp picture, the 1920x1080 (FHD) model makes the most sense, and it's $200 cheaper. If you want the best picture possible, though, the 3840x2460 (4K) model will be well worth the extra money.

With specs maxed out, including Windows 10 Pro, you'll pay about $2,650 (the 2 TB SSD adds an extra $800), but know that you can get a great model for far less, starting at about $1,400.

What about warranty coverage?

All Yoga C930 models include a one-year depot or carry-in warranty. Covered are parts, labor, and delivery to and from the repair facility. Extensions and renewals are also readily available, and you can get coverage for your device for up to five years. Optional software support is likewise available.

What about the Lenovo C930 Glass?

For an even more impressive look for your premium Yoga C930, there's a separate model available from Lenovo that has a glass cover with a unique design. It has all the same features as the standard Yoga C930, including convertible design, built-in active pen, FHD or 4K display, and 8th Gen Core i5 or Core i7 CPUs. However, you will pay a bit more for the glass cover, with models starting at about $1,500.

Buy your Yoga C930 straight from Lenovo

If you're looking to buy the impressive Yoga C930, go straight to Lenovo's website. There you'll find competitive prices, plenty of pre-built configurations, and a customization menu that lets you build your own C930 from available hardware.

At Lenovo's website, you'll also find the special Yoga C930 Glass, which is essentially the same laptop but with a glass cover on the lid for a more premium appearance.

Our pick

Lenovo Yoga C930

From $1,400 at Lenovo

A premium laptop with updated design

Lenovo's Yoga C930 has a premium set of features, including soundbar hinge, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a brilliant touch display available in FHD or 4K, and all-day battery life. Head to Lenovo's website to customize your own C930 from the ground up.

Best answer: The best place to buy the Yoga Book C930 is straight from Lenovo. There you can choose from available hardware and get a 1-year warranty that can be extended or renewed for extra coverage.

Lenovo: Yoga Book C930 ($1,050)

What configurations does Lenovo offer?

Depending on your region, Lenovo may offer more than one configuration (or might not offer any models), but currently, in the U.S., you can find a model with a 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7Y54 processor (CPU), 4 GB DDR3 RAM, and relatively speedy Toshiba 256 GB solid-state drive.

All models come with the same 10.8-inch IPS touch display with 2560x1600 resolution, 36 Wh battery, fingerprint reader, and a unique 10.8-inch E Ink screen with 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution. The model available from Lenovo costs about $1,050, which puts it up there with a lot of full-sized premium Ultrabooks on the market.

It's interesting to note that European models from Lenovo have available LTE connectivity and a corresponding SIM card slot, which it doesn't seem like North America is getting.

Does Lenovo offer warranty coverage?

No matter the model of Yoga Book C930 you choose at checkout, you're getting a 1-year carry-in or depot warranty. You get coverage for parts, labor, and delivery to and from the repair facility (if you don't drop it off yourself). If that doesn't seem like enough, you can extend or renew your warranty for further coverage past what's primarily offered.

Is a pen included in the price?

All models of the Yoga Book C930 come with an included active pen. It uses Wacom technology on the main touch display and offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity for a natural inking experience, plus it works with the second E Ink display.

You won't get the same level of inking with the bottom portion, but the combination of Lenovo's proprietary note-taking app and the smart design makes it easy to jot down notes while also keeping your standard screen free to display whatever you want. It's also going to suck up a lot less battery power than the standard top touch display.

Thanks to E Ink technology, the bottom display doubles as an e-reader akin to a Kindle or Nook. Unlike a standard display, E Ink cuts down on eye strain and provides a much more natural reading experience. Full Windows 10 ebook support is hopefully coming in the future, but for now, it acts as a PDF reader.

Buy your Yoga Book C930 straight from Lenovo

If you want to get your hands on a slick new Yoga Book C930, check out Lenovo's website. There you'll find region-specific configurations and you'll get a standard one-year warranty.

Our pick

Lenovo Yoga Book C930

$1,050 at Lenovo

A unique laptop with two displays

The Yoga Book C930 might not be for everyone, but it certainly has a home with anyone who relies heavily on inking and who needs a portable, multipurpose device. Its dual-display build pushes the boundaries of what a laptop can be, and the hardware inside allows you to power through a standard day's work.

Microsoft Store apps can target you with ads, and here's how you can prevent this from happening on Windows 10.

On Windows 10, every user account gets a unique identifier, known as the "advertising ID," that tracks and collects their activities, which then advertisers and developers can use to show targeted ads in apps.

If this sounds familiar, it's because the advertising ID works like cookies on the internet to "personalize" your experience and show you tailored ads, but the token generated for Windows 10 users only applies for apps they obtain from the Microsoft Store.

If you don't want to get ads on apps based on your activities, Windows 10 offers an option to disable this behavior. It won't block ads in apps, but future advertisements you see won't be personalized.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to disable the advertising ID on your device to stop getting targeted ads on apps from the Microsoft Store.

• How to disable advertising ID using Settings
• How to disable advertising ID using Group Policy
• How to disable advertising ID using Windows 10 setup

How to disable advertising ID using Settings

To delete your advertising identifier on Windows 10, use the following steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Click on Privacy.
3. Click on General.

4. Under the "Change privacy options" section, turn off the Let app use Advertising ID to make ads more interesting to based on your app activity toggle switch.

Once you've completed the steps, you'll continue to see ads through the experience, but they won't be based on your activities.

If you change your mind, you can use the same instructions to revert the changes, but on step No. 4, make sure to turn on the toggle switch. (Re-enabling the feature will reset the unique advertising identifier.)

How to disable advertising ID using Group Policy

If you're running Windows 10 Pro, you can also prevent tailored advertising using the Local Group Policy Editor.

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\System\User Profile

4. On the right side, double-click the Turn off the advertising ID policy.

5. Select the Disable option.

6. Click Apply. 
7. Click OK.

After completing the steps, Microsoft Store apps will no longer show relevant ads.

In the case you change your mind, you can roll back the previous settings using the same instructions, but on step No. 5, select the Not Configured option.

How to disable advertising ID during Windows 10 setup

Alternatively, you can also prevent apps from showing relevant ads by turning off the Advertising ID in the "Choose privacy settings for your device" page during the last step setting up Windows 10.

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

We listen to a lot of music and try a ton of different headphones. When it comes to choosing between the evenly priced, noise-canceling Surface and Beats, we've got the details you need to know.

Regardless of Cortana being included on the Surface Headphones, they're the better choice for folks not using Apple devices. The Beats Studio 3 gets a boost from the Apple W1 chip, which you can't take advantage of on your Android phone or Windows PC. Surface Headphones are available from November 15.

Microsoft vs Apple

2018 saw both Microsoft and Apple in the headphones market with the Surface and Beats brands respectively. Of the two, Apple has the history and brand recognition, though that itself doesn't come without its fair share of criticism.

However, the Studio3 wireless headphones aren't the Beats of old and deserve plenty of respect.

Microsoft, on the other hand, has been developing the Surface Headphones for a long time and while these are the first, everything the Surface division knows about building hardware has been poured into these headphones.

What we end up with is both Apple and Microsoft producing high-quality headphones. They both sound great, are very comfortable to wear, and, in their own unique ways, very stylish, with excellent ANC all round.

Beats are great for iPhone and iPad owners

Where Beats have a definite edge over the Surface Headphones is if you use an Apple device such as an iPhone or iPad. Thanks to the Apple W1 chip, you get some serious benefit, including a better, easier to manage wireless connection and a much better battery life.

The W1 also allows you to switch seamlessly between your Apple devices without worrying about pairing each time. If you can take advantage of this connectivity, it's very, very good.

Of course, for everyone else, the Beats Studio3 is just a normal pair of wireless headphones. Sure, you can use your voice assistant with them, but it'll be the one on your phone, running from your phone.

Surface Headphones work the same across every device

The Surface Headphones, by contrast, are a consistent experience across whichever devices you pair with it. Part of that is because Cortana is built into the headphones, so you always have Cortana in your ears ready to help out, no matter the device.

The ultimate battery life may be weaker than the Beats3, but you at least have USB-C to top it off with, something you're likely to be carrying. An Apple product with a micro USB port, on the other hand, is pretty absurd and doesn't present itself for a lot of charging opportunities.

The Surface Headphones support Swift Pair on a Windows PC, but aside from making it easier on the initial connection, performance is the same across any PC or phone you use, Apple included.

A great all-rounder

The Surface Headphones are certainly worthy contenders against the likes of Beats and Bose. For a first attempt, they're excellent, and whether you're going to use Cortana or not, you have a high-end pair of ANC headphones to use with any device. If you're not using Apple hardware they're the ones to get.

Surface Headphones

Voice assisted

$350 at Microsoft

Pricey but extremely attractive

Microsoft put its Surface design and build quality into a pair of headphones, tossed in Cortana and ANC and made something your ears will love.

Beats are best for Apple devices

Thanks to the W1 chip from Apple, there's just no way the Surface Headphones can compete when you're using an iPhone or iPad. The seamless switching between devices and extraordinary battery life enhancements simply can't be matched. There's just no reason to get a pair unless you have that Apple device.

Beats Studio 3

For Apple

For Apple fans, there's nothing better

$350 at Amazon

Thanks to the Apple W1 chip, if you're using the Beats Studio 3 with an iPhone you'll get superior battery life and connectivity. For everyone else, they're less impressive.

Microsoft Edge includes a new word-lookup tool, and in this guide, we'll show you how to use it.

Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update) delivers an updated version of Microsoft Edge that introduces a number of improvements, including a new feature to look up definitions for words when reading a document or page without needing to open a new tab.

The new dictionary comes as built into Microsoft Edge, and unlike the Google dictionary extension for Chrome, it's a feature that works while viewing a web page using Reading view, reading an ebook, or working with a PDF file.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with the Edge dictionary available starting with the October 2018 Update.

• How to enable or disable the Microsoft Edge dictionary
• How to use the Microsoft Edge dictionary

How to enable or disable the Microsoft Edge dictionary

On Microsoft Edge, you can decide on which type of content the dictionary is available, or you can disable the feature completely using these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more button in the top-right corner.
3. Select the Settings option.
4. Click on General.

5. Under "Show definitions inline for," turn on or off the toggle switch to enable or disable the dictionary.

Alternatively, instead of disabling the experience, you can clear the checkbox for the experience that you don't want to have the ability to look up definitions.

How to use the Microsoft Edge dictionary

Using the built-in dictionary on Microsoft Edge is a straightforward process. While viewing a website using Reading view, reading an EPUB book, or working with a PDF file, simply double-click the word to see its definition appear above the selection.

Alongside the definition, you can click the speaker button to hear the pronunciation, and you can click the more option to expand the definition.

This feature is limited to single words, which means that you cannot look up the definition for combinations like "Windows 10." However, you can select a phrase, right-click it, and use the Ask Cortana option.

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 DS918+ has numerous apps you can install from the App Center, but if you want to deploy a powerful media center, you'll want to look at Plex. Here's how you can quickly set up Plex on the Synology DS918+.

Products used in this guide

• Amazon: Synology DS918+ ($540)
• Plex: Plex Media Server (Free)

Install Plex Server

1. Download the Plex Server package. (Choose "Synology" under "NAS".)
2. Connect to your Synology NAS.

3. Open up the Package Manager.

4. Click on "Manual Install."
5. Click "Browse" and locate the Plex Server download.

6. Click "Next."

7. Click "Yes" on the pop-up.
8. Click "Apply."

Plex is now installed and ready to be configured.

Configuring your new server

Now that Plex is installed on the DS918+, you can click on the main menu in the top-left on the DSM interface and choose Plex Server. This will launch a new window in your browser with the Plex Server for you to hook up your Plex account, configure the network, search for media, and more. The wizard is straightforward with only a few options.

In order for you to store data on Plex and have it made available for other hardware, you will want to select a folder for where Plex can keep track of media files, be it photos, music, or video. The NAS itself comes with some default folders for media, but you can create new folders in your "home" folder that can then be accessed.

Now you can enjoy access to all your content on your smart TV, Xbox One, tablet, smartphone, Windows 10 PC, laptop, and all other devices running the Plex app with adequate access. Need more assistance? Check out our comprehensive Plex beginner's guide.

Our top equipment picks

Here's what you'll need to install and run Plex on a Synology DS918+.

NAS

Synology DS918+

$540 at Amazon

You'll need to have a NAS to install Plex on.

Synology's DS918+ is a capable NAS with a multi-core Intel processor that isn't the most powerful around, but does allow for content streaming.

The four-bay DS918+ is ideal if you're looking for a powerful media server or are in the market for a NAS enclosure aimed at a small office environment. Its ability to transcode two 4K streams at 30 frames per second (FPS) allows it to stand out, and DiskStation Manager (DSM) is endlessly customizable.

Optional subscriptions

You don't need a Plex Pass, but we strongly recommend it due to the additional features unlocked.

You can manage your touchpad settings to improve navigation and multitasking on Windows 10. Here's how to do it.

On Windows 10, "Precision Touchpad" is a implementation designed to overcome the limitations found with traditional touchpads.

Using this approach, instead of manufacturers having to build drivers that translate touchpad signals into mouse and gesture inputs, Windows 10 is able to understand the inputs directly. This means that on devices with supported hardware, the implementation can provide a more accurate and reliable pointer, and it enables other features, such as a broader range of multi-touch gestures, accidental activation prevention, battery life, security, and the ability to customize a lot of new settings.

If you have a relatively new laptop (such as a Surface Pro 6 or a Dell XPS laptop), it's likely it includes support for Precision Touchpad, and you can customize the experience to suit your preferences, which can help you to improve navigation speeds and productivity.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you how to find out if your device includes support for Precision Touchpad, and we'll outline the steps to enable, disable, and customize the experience.

• How to check if your device supports Precision Touchpad
• How to enable (or disable) Precision Touchpad
• How to customize taps with Precision Touchpad
• How to customize scroll and zoom with Precision Touchpad
• How to customize three-finger (or four-finger) gestures with Precision Touchpad
• How to customize advanced gestures with Precision Touchpad
• How to reset settings with Precision Touchpad

How to check if your device supports Precision Touchpad

Although nowadays most laptops and hybrid devices come with a Precision Touchpad, there are still devices, especially older laptops, that don't support this technology. You can quickly find out if you can use and customize multi-touch gestures with your touchpad using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

4. Under "Touchpad," it should read: "Your PC has a precision touchpad."

If you don't see the message, you'll still find the settings page, but you'll only get an option to adjust the touchpad sensitivity.

Alternatively, if your device doesn't include support for Precision Touchpads, you can use this workaround to replace the current trackpad driver with the Microsoft driver for laptops that use Synaptics or Elan drivers.

How to enable (or disable) Precision Touchpad

The ability to use gestures with a touchpad can be useful to improve your productivity, but it's not something for everyone and does not always works flawlessly. If you want to disable the experience, use the following steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

4. Turn on (or off) the Touchpad toggle switch.

If you also use your device with a traditional mouse, you can choose to disable the touchpad as you connect the mouse by clearing the Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected option. In addition, you can use the available slider to adjust the cursor speed on the screen.

How to customize taps with Precision Touchpad

The default settings are usually good enough for most users, but you can customize many aspects of Precision Touchpads. For example, using the "Taps" options, you can customize the tapping behavior when using a touchpad when clicking and selecting. Here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

4. Under the "Taps" section, use the Touchpad sensitivity drop-down menu to adjust the sensitivity level of the touchpad. Options available, include:

   • Most sensitive.
   • High sensitive.
   • Medium sensitivity (default and optimal).
   • Low sensitive.

5. Select the tap gestures that you want to use on Windows 10. Options available include:

   • Tap with a single finger to single-click.
   • Tap with two fingers to right-click.
   • Tap twice and drag to multi-select.
   • Press the lower right corner of the touchpad to right-click.

How to customize scroll and zoom with Precision Touchpad

The Windows 10 Precision Touchpad settings also allow you to decide if you can use gesture to scroll content, the scrolling direction, and if you can use pinch to zoom, just like on tablets. Here's how.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.
4. Under the "Scroll and zoom" section, decide whether or not to use drag two fingers to scroll gestures.

5. Use the "Scrolling direction" drop-down menu to change the scrolling gestures. Options available include:

   • Down motion scrolls up.
   • Down motion scrolls down.

In addition, under the "Scroll and zoom" section, you can enable or disable pinch to zoom depending on your preferences.

How to customize three-finger (or four-finger) gestures with Precision Touchpad

Using the Precision Touchpad settings, you can control gestures with three or four fingers, which helps you speed up navigation when working with multiple apps, virtual desktops, and you can even use gestures to control audio and volume. Here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

4. Under the "Three-finger gestures" section, you can use the Swipes drop-down menu to customize gestures using three fingers. The available options are:

   • Nothing: Turns off three-finger gestures on Windows 10.
   • Switch apps and show desktop: Enables three-finger swipe up to open Task View, down to show the desktop, and left and right to switch between apps.
   • Switch desktop and show desktop: Enables three-finger swipe up to open Task View, down to show the desktop, and swipe left and right to switch between virtual desktops.
   • Change audio and volume: Allows you to swipe up to turn the system volume up, down to turn the volume down, and left and right to skip to the previous or next song using a music app.
   • Custom: Turns on the custom gestures configured in the advanced settings page.

5. Use the Taps drop-down menu to customize the three-finger tapping action. Options available, include:

   • Nothing.
   • Share with Cortana.
   • Action Center.
   • Play/pause.
   • Middle mouse button.

If the touchpad supports it, you'll also find a section to configure an additional gesture using four fingers.

How to customize advanced gestures with Precision Touchpad

Using the Settings app, it's also possible to customize additional advanced settings when using three-finger (or four-finger) gestures on the touchpad, and you can access and customize the settings using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

4. Under "Related settings," on the right side, click the Advanced gesture configuration link.

Instead of using one of the sets of actions under "Three-finger gestures" (or "Four-finger gestures"), this page allows you to specify custom actions for each swipe or tap.

For instance, you can select to use a three-finger tap or swipe on the Precision Touchpad to open Action Center. Or you can choose the Custom shortcut option to specify a keyboard shortcut that you want to execute when using a three-finger tap.

Here's a list of actions that you can use with the three-finger gesture:

• Nothing.
• Switch apps.
• Task view.
• Show desktop.
• Switch desktops.
• Hide everything other than the app in focus.
• Create desktop.
• Remove desktop.
• Forward navigation.
• Backward navigation.
• Snap window to the left.
• Snap window to the right.
• Maximize a window.
• Minimize a window.
• Next track.
• Previous track.
• Volume up.
• Mute.
• Custom shortcut.

After completing these steps, the three-finger gesture will execute the custom command you specified.

How to reset settings with Precision Touchpad

If you made changes to use the touchpad with custom configurations, you can restore the original settings using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

4. Under the "Rest your touchpad" section, click the Reset button.

Once you complete these steps, the touchpad will revert to its default settings.

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

Best answer: The 35.8 Wh battery in Lenovo's Yoga Book C930 can realistically last between five and six hours from a single charge depending on brightness and use. The 27W charger uses the USB-C port to charge, and you should be able to get a full charge in under three hours with the laptop powered off.

Lenovo: Yoga Book C930 ($1,050)

Dual displays affect the Yoga Book C930's battery life

The Yoga Book C930 is designed to be slim and portable, and considering the amount of hardware and features jammed into the aluminum chassis — including two displays — there's not a ton of room for a large battery. You get a 35.8 Wh battery that uses a USB-C port on the side of the laptop to charge, and from full you should get between five and six hours of continuous use before you need to plug in.

The combination of a high-resolution (2560x1600) and touch function in the main display is a big draw on its own, but paired with the secondary E Ink display with its own respectable 1920x1080 resolution and touch function, there's even more screen sucking up power. Add in a 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7Y54 processor (CPU) with a 4.5 thermal design point (TDP) and a speedy Toshiba solid-state drive (SSD), and it becomes evident where all the power is going. Getting a Core m3 CPU model would probably boost battery life a bit, but don't expect a huge jump.

A Yoga Book C930 with something like a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 CPU makes a lot of sense. You'd get better battery life and all models would have LTE connectivity built-in, rather than the option being exclusive to European markets. Alas, Intel was the one to begin development on the Yoga Book C930, which no doubt plays a big part in it sticking with Y-series CPUs.

Tips for getting battery life from your Yoga Book C930

Like all Windows 10 PCs, there are a number of tips and tricks to follow to eke out the best battery life possible. Properly configuring and enabling your battery saver, optimizing battery life for video playback, underclocking your CPU, and setting up which apps are allowed to run while on battery power can help you get a few extra minutes between charges. More specifically, if you're using the Yoga Book C930's E Ink display as an e-reader, turn off wireless communication and turn off the primary display.

As for long-term care of your battery, best results will emerge from keeping the charge between 40 and 80 percent. You'll also see far less degradation if you can manage to keep the battery as cool as possible.

Lenovo's Yoga Book C930 doesn't quite get all-day battery life

Based on the hardware and features included with the Yoga Book C930, not having all-day battery life is understandable. It's designed as a portable, slim laptop that puts inking first, and its unique dual-display build further cuts down on the space for a large battery.

If you need a device for eight or more hours of cord-free work day in and day out, you're probably not looking at the Yoga Book C930 anyway. There are plenty of laptops with far better battery life, though they look quite normal next to what Lenovo has created. If you love to stay at the forefront of what laptops can be, the battery life offered here should be easily taken in stride.

Our pick

Lenovo Yoga Book C930

$1,050 at Lenovo

A laptop with two displays that puts inking first

The Yoga Book C930 certainly isn't for everyone, but it will no doubt find a comfortable place with anyone who loves the idea of a relatively powerful device with a high-res touch display, secondary E Ink display, and a beautiful slim design.

Best answer: No, Lenovo's Yoga C930 does not have an E Ink display. It is a convertible notebook with standard 1080p or 4K touch display. If you'd like an E Ink display on your laptop, you'll have to go with Lenovo's Yoga Book C930, which has two displays for a unique design.

• Lenovo: Yoga C930 ($1,162+)
• Lenovo: Yoga Book C930 ($1,050+)

What are the main differences between the Yoga C930 and Yoga Book C930?

Though they're similarly named and are both convertible laptops thanks to a 360-degree hinge, the Yoga C930 and the Yoga Book C930 have quite a few differences.

The standard C930 is more of a traditional laptop, with 13.9-inch touch display (available in 1080p or 4K), physical keyboard and touchpad, and aluminum unibody chassis. Previous 900-series Yogas used to use the same watchband hinge that the Book C930 uses, but it's been replaced with a wide hinge with a built-in soundbar. It delivers full sound not commonly expected from a laptop, so watching movies or TV is a bit of a treat.

The Yoga C930 is compatible with active pens and actually has one included with the laptop. It has its own silo on the back edge that keeps it safe and the battery charged, and inking with it gets you 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Lenovo Yoga C930

The Book C930 also has a convertible build and touch display, though it's smaller at 10.8 inches and it has a single resolution option of 2560x1600. Instead of a physical keyboard and touchpad, the Book C930 has a secondary E Ink display with a 1080p resolution. It can be used as a digital keyboard (with four different styles) and touchpad, it can be used for jotting down notes with the included active pen, and it can be used as an e-reader, much like a Kindle or Nook. The digital keyboard does a good job of emulating a real keyboard thanks to audible clicks and haptic feedback.

Performance-wise, the Yoga C930 beats the Book C930 thanks to U-series processors (CPU), more RAM, longer battery life, and more storage options. The C930 is a bigger laptop — though still portable — but it's much better suited for a daily driver role, whereas the Book C930 is more of a specialized device with a heavy focus on inking.

What's so great about the E Ink display?

Lenovo Yoga Book C930

Lenovo is pushing the boundaries of what a laptop can be by eschewing a physical keyboard for a secondary E Ink display, and it has its fair share of upsides and downsides. It allows you to jot down notes while also using the main display, you can read for longer periods of time — only PDFs so far, but hopefully ebooks soon — with far less eye strain, and it really just looks awesome.

It does its best to emulate a real keyboard and touchpad, but you'll no doubt find that the real thing is still better if you need to type for long periods of time. However, you can quickly choose between different keyboards, and there's a touchpad that can be configured to your liking. E Ink technology isn't as fast and responsive as a standard touch display, but if you love inking it's going to open up a bunch of new possibilities.

Which laptop makes the most sense for you?

If you're in search of a laptop that can handle a day's work with its hardware and battery, the Yoga C930 is likely a better choice. Its convertible design means you can still use it as a tablet, and the included active pen offers a great inking experience.

For those who don't necessarily need a powerful PC and who'd rather have a fetching device that's useful for banging out some email, reading documents, watching videos, and handwriting notes, the Yoga Book C930 should prove itself invaluable.

Convertible

Lenovo Yoga C930

$1,162+ at Lenovo

A more traditional laptop experience

With 8th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs, all-day battery life, a premium aluminum build, and a unique soundbar hinge, the Yoga C930 is an outstanding laptop with few flaws. If you're looking for something to keep up with you no matter the task (save specialized endeavours), the Yoga C930 should do the trick.

E Ink display

Lenovo Yoga Book C930

$1,050+ at Lenovo

A truly unique laptop

It's not as powerful as the Yoga C930, but it can still power through most productivity tasks with ease. The E Ink display brings a secondary set of uses to the Book C930, allowing you to read documents, jot down notes, and type on a digital keyboard.

Microsoft Word includes learning tools to improve your reading skills, and here are the steps to get started.

In Office, the Microsoft Learning Tools is a set of features available in Word designed to help you improve reading skills no matter your age or ability.

The idea with these tools is to remove distractions and offer proven techniques to improve reading fluency and comprehension. For example, using Learning Tools, you can add spacing to reduce visual crowding. You can change the color of the background to make it easier to see the letters. It's also possible to break down words into syllables and highlight part of the speech, and you can use the narration feature to hear the text aloud and see the words highlighted to follow along.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with the Learning Tools available with Microsoft Word to improve your reading skills when using an Office 365 subscription or Office 2019.

• How to use Learning Tools in Word
• How to use Learning Tools in Word Online

How to use Learning Tools in Word

To get started with the Learning Tools available in Word, use the following steps:

1. Open Word.
2. Click the View tab.

3. Click the Learning Tools button.

Once you open Learning Tools, a new tab will appear, with various features to help with reading fluency and comprehension, including "Color Width,""Page Color,""Text Spacing," and "Syllables," and "Read Aloud."

Column Width

Using the Column Width option, you can control the width of the text lines which can affect readability as a result of how our eyes see content. (Usually, you don't want to read more than 10 to 15 words per line of text. Otherwise, reading text can quickly become tiring.)

Options available, include:

• Very Narrow.
• Narrow.
• Moderate.
• Wide.

Page Color

The Page Color options allow you to change the background color that best suits your eyes, which can help reduce eye strain while reading content.

Options available, include:

• None.
• Sepia.
• Inverse.

Text spacing

The Text spacing option allows to add wider spacing between characters and words to improve reading fluency.

Syllables

Using the Syllables option, you can divide words into syllables to help you to better your reading and spelling skills as well as to improve word pronunciation.

Read Aloud

Using the Read Aloud option brings up a set of media controls that you can use to hear the text in the document aloud.

To hear text aloud, select the text, and click the Play button in the top-right corner. You can also use the Previous and Next button to go back to the previous or next paragraph that you selected.

Click the speaker button allows you to control the reading speed and the voice selection.

How to use Learning Tools in Word Online

If you use the online version of Microsoft Word, you can also use the tools to improve comprehension and fluency using these steps:

1. Open Word Online.
2. Click the View tab.

3. Click the Immersive Reader button.

Once in the "Immersive Reader" experience, a full-screen view will open with various learning tools, including "Text Preferences,""Grammar Options,""Reading Preferences," and read aloud.

Text Preferences

Clicking the Text Preferences option in the top-right allows you to change several options to help with reading fluency, including the ability to change the font size and family.

In addition, you can add wider spacing between letters and words, and you can even choose from 21 different themes to change the background color, which can help to make it easier to see the letters and reduce eye strain while reading.

Grammar Options

The Grammar Options, similar to the Learning Tools for Microsoft Edge, includes features to help with reading comprehension.

Turning on the Syllables toggle switch allows you to break words into syllables.

Using the Parts of speech option, you can highlight nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in the Word document.

As you start highlighting parts of the speech, you can use the drop-down menu to select different colors to highlight the words.

In addition, it's also possible to turn on the Show labels toggle switch to display a label above the part of the speech that you're highlighting.

Reading Preferences

Clicking the Reading Preferences button allows you to access a few additional features. For example, the Line focus option helps you to focus on the document you're reading by highlighting one, three, or five lines of text at a time while dimming the rest of the document.

If you enable this feature, you'll need to use the controls that appear on the right side to move up and down within the document.

Finally, there's also an option to enable the built-in Picture Dictionary. When you enable this feature, you can click a word to see its definition appear as an image. If an image definition is not available, you can still click the speaker button to hear the pronunciation.

Read Aloud

At the bottom of the Word document, you'll also find the Play button, which you can click to use the narrator to hear the entire document or selection aloud.

If you want to change the voice settings, you can click the speaker button next to the Play button to access the menu, and change the voice speed and voice selection.

We're focusing this guide for Microsoft Word, but the Learning Tools are also available for OneNote desktop and OneNote Online, Outlook desktop, Office Lens, and Microsoft Edge for Windows 10.

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

Check out the new features and changes shipping with Windows 10 build 18277 and build 18272.

Microsoft recently made available Windows 10 build 18277 for PCs enrolled in the Fast ring for testers. This is the twelfth preview releasing for the 19H1 development, and even though it's still considered a minor update, it introduces a new set of features and improvements.

Windows 10 build 18277 introduces a new option to control brightness in Action Center, improves Focus assist, ships with a beta version of emoji 12, and much more.

Along with the build 18277, the company has also released Windows 10 build 18272 with additional changes for the Start menu, Sign-in options, input, and visual improvements.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll highlight the most significant features and changes for the next feature update expected to release sometime in spring 2019.

Windows 10 19H1 latest improvements

Here's a closer look at the enhancements available in the last two previews for the Windows 10 19H1 development:

Start menu and search

Beginning with Windows 10 build 18272, the Start menu is adding the ability to unpin groups of tiles or folders. (Just right-click a group or a folder and select the Unpin group from Start or Unpin folder from Start option.)

In addition, when you open search from the taskbar, you'll notice that the design for the "All" filter has been updated with a light interface, instead of a dark background, and relocates the filters (Apps, Documents, Email, Web) to the header of the page, which now includes a dark interface with transparency part of the Fluent Design system.

Action Center

In Action Center, you'll now find a new slider that allows you to quickly adjust the screen brightness (on supported devices). This option replaces the brightness button in Quick actions, which limited the configuration to only five brightness levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 percent).

Image source: Microsoft

Also, you can now manage the Quick actions buttons inside of Action Center, which removes the extra trip to the Settings app to change the same options.

If you want to rearrange the buttons, you only need to right-click a button and select the Edit option. While in the editing mode, you can move the buttons around, and it's possible to add and remove quick actions as needed. Once you've completed making the changes, click the Done button to apply the settings.

These changes in Action Center are available starting with build 18277 and later releases, and as a result of this change, you no longer find the "Quick actions" settings in the Settings app.

Settings

Windows 10 build 18277 and build 18272 also adds several changes to the Settings app.

Display

On Settings> System> Display, in the Advanced scaling settings page, you won't find new settings, but starting with build 18277, the option to fix blurry desktop applications after changing the scaling settings is now enabled by default.

Focus assist

On Settings> System, the Focus assist page has been updated with build 18277 to include a new rule that allows you to stop distractions when you're using any application in full-screen mode.

Storage

On Settings> System, the Storage page is getting a significant visual update. Starting with Windows 10 build 18277, when you open the updated settings page, you can now view how the storage is used, which helps you to get a clear idea on how you can free up space.

If you find a specific category that is using a lot of storage, you can click it to free up additional space. For example, you can click the "Temporary files" category to access the Disk Cleanup successor to delete junk files from your device. If you click the "Apps & features" category, you'll access the settings page to uninstall apps that might just be wasting space on your computer.

In this page, you'll no longer see the "Store Sense" section, but you can still enable or disable the feature with the toggle switch located at the top of the page. In addition, you now have to click the Configure Storage Sense or run in now option to access the Storage Sense settings to free up space from your computer.

At the bottom of the page, under the "More storage settings" section, you'll see the Optimize Drives option to open the defragmentation tool to optimize traditional rotating platters hard drives.

There's also a View storage usage on other drives option, but it seems not to be working, as currently, clicking the link will crash the Settings app (at least on my installation).

Colors

On Settings> Personalization, the Colors page with build 18272 moves the options to switch between the light and dark system modes, and the option to enable or disable transparency effects to the top of the page to make it easier to find.

Sign-in options

On Settings> Accounts, the Sign-in options page isn't adding new features, but starting with build 18272, it's getting changes to simplify and make settings easier to understand when securing your computer using Windows Hello Face, Windows Hello Fingerprint, or any other authentication method.

Region

On Settings> Time & language, the Region page is getting a new page globe icon to better reflect the settings with build 18277.

Diagnostic & feedback

On Settings> Privacy, the Diagnostic & feedback page now includes a new "Recommended troubleshooting" section at the bottom of the page, which you can use to control how Windows 10 can automatically apply recommended fixes for common problems.

Options available, include:

• Ask first.
• Apply the notify.
• Apply silently.

This setting is part of the "Recommended troubleshooting" feature that Windows 10 introduced with build 18262 in the "Troubleshoot" settings page, but for some odd reason, you have to use the Diagnostic & feedback page to manage the feature.

Windows Security

The latest flight of Windows 10 also includes an updated version of the Windows Security experience that introduces a new option to manage your camera and microphone while using Windows Defender Application Guard with Microsoft Edge.

Image source: Microsoft

If a network administrator manages your device, you can see if this new setting is configured on Windows Security> Apps & browser control, but you won't be able to change it.

Input

Starting with build 18277, Windows 10 is shipping with emoji version 12. If you're testing this flight, considered that emoji 12 still in beta, and you'll notice additional changes in future releases.

In addition, Microsoft is redesigning the Japanese IME experience to improve security and reliability. The IME candidate interface is getting changes to make it look a little more polished and cleaner than before. And if you use the Japanese IME experience, you can now manage all the settings using the Settings app.

You can quickly access the settings on Settings> Time & Language> Language, or right-clicking the IME mode indicator in the taskbar and selecting the Settings option.

Image source: Microsoft

SwiftKey, the technology that learns your typing style to offer more accurate predictions and autocorrections, is now expanding to more languages, including for:

• English (Canada) – en-CA.
• English (India) – en-IN.
• French (Canada) – fr-CA.
• French (Belgium) – fr-BE.
• French (Switzerland) – fr-CH.
• Portuguese (Portugal) – pt-PT.
• German (Switzerland) – de-CH
• Spanish (United States) – es-US.

If you write in Indic language, Windows 10 now ships with Indic Phonetic keyboards for Hindi, Bangla, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. This is in addition to the Indic Traditional Inscript keyboards already available with the latest version of the OS.

In the case that you use any of these languages, you can enable the keyboard on Settings> Time & Language, and on the Language page, select the language you're using, click the Options button, click the Add a keyboard button, and enable the Phonetic keyboard. Finally, click the input indicator in the taskbar, select the Indic Phonetic keyboard option, and type away.

Additional improvements

Alongside the most significant changes, Windows 10 build 18277 and build 18272 also include several minors, but yet welcome additions. For example, in the latest flight, you'll find performance improvements when using the Windows key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut to bring up the snipping tools.

If you work with command lines, starting with build 18272, you can use the Ctrl + Mouse wheel scroll combo to zoom text in and out while in Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Using the dark theme will now change the color of the scrollbars for PowerShell, Command Prompt, and WSL.

Also, with build 18272, Narrator alerts you when you start typing with Caps Lock enabled. If you don't like this behavior, you can customize the option on Settings> Ease of Access> Narrator, and select the appropriate option using the Change when you receive Caps Lock warnings while typing drop-down menu.

Wrapping things up

While build 18277 and build 18272 don't include everything that Microsoft is planning to ship with the next feature update, these early previews introduce a number of enhancements that should help to improve the overall experience of Windows 10.

As a reminder, if you're planning to test pre-releases of Windows 10, consider that these are not stable versions, which means that problems, errors, and even data loss issues are expected. It's best to install these previews on a spare machine or virtual machine. At the very minimum, you should create a full backup of your computer before proceeding with the installation, in case something goes wrong, and you need to rollback.

Do you like the work that Microsoft has been adding to Windows 10? Tell us in the comments.

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

Best answer: The Galaxy Book2 does come with a microSD card slot that can be used for transferring files and expanding storage.

• Samsung: Samsung Galaxy Book2 ($1,000)
• Amazon: Samsung Evo Select ($14)

Small storage

The Samsung Galaxy Book2 only has one storage option: 128GB. The good news is that the built-in storage is an SSD, so you'll get fast bootups and longer battery. The bad news is that there isn't a lot of it. While there are ways to make that work, you'll likely want more storage if you deal with larger files and apps. Additionally, microSD cards provide flexibility to move files between devices such as cameras.

Windows 10 works well with external storage devices and the Galaxy Book2 will handle files from a microSD card better than an iPad.

You can also leave the microSD card in the device and load apps onto it if you prefer to maintain the largest amount of native storage space on your device possible.

Best card

While the Galaxy Book2 can work with any microSD card, it's important to get one that works with your workflow. The Samsung Evo Plus is a class 10 microSD card with a UHS 3 classification. It has 100MB/s read and 90MB/s write speeds. That means that it's quick enough to record 4K video on your external devices and then transfer them to your PC.

It's also one of the most affordable cards in its class, starting at $14. It's important to note that some storage variants of the Evo Select are only UHS 1. You'll want to 64GB or 128GB variants.

Other options

While the Samsung Evo Select is a great bargain, it is exclusive to Amazon. If you can't order from Amazon in your area or just want to use a different card or retailer, you can use other microSD cards with your device.

A good alternative is the SanDisk Extreme UHS 3. This card has great read and write speeds and will work well for storing files or apps. It also has a smaller 32GB variant that is only $13.

Our pick

Samsung Galaxy Book2

$1000 at Samsung

A 2-in-1 with LTE

The Galaxy Book2 features superb battery life, instant and constant internet connection thanks to supporting LTE, and comes in a familiar form factor of a slab with a kickstand and magnetic keyboard.

Our pick

Samsung Evo Select

$14 at Amazon

Fast and affordable microSD card

The Samsung Evo Select is a class 10 UHS 3 card with fast read and write speeds. It's perfect for transferring files quickly or using as storage for your device.

Best answer: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme has a stated battery life of around 15 hours, which depends entirely down to the configuration you select at purchase, as well as how you use the notebook. Kitting the notebook out with all the best available options can bring that figure down to as little as six hours. Dell's XPS 15 may be a better option with a larger battery pack.

• Lenovo: ThinkPad X1 Extreme ($1,674+)
• Dell: XPS 15 ($980+)

Lenovo X1 Extreme has a capable power plant

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is aptly named for the sheer amount of power you can configure when purchasing one from Lenovo. Not only can you include an 8th Gen Intel Core processor, but also an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti GPU, up to 64GB of RAM, and even a 4K touchscreen with VR support. When properly equipped, it's a powerhouse.

A fear for potential owners is what the battery life is like. Surely adding all this advanced tech will have a negative impact? That's correct, especially if you opt for a faster, more power-hungry processor and a 4K display. Out the box, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme has a posted battery life of around 15 hours with the 4 cell 80Wh pack.

You likely won't hit 15 hours even with the base model of the X1 Extreme unless you truly stretch out the battery by only running an app or two at a time. In our video review, we found between 6-7 hours of use on a single charge, but that's packing the 4K display, discrete GPU, Intel Core i7 processor, and 32GB of RAM.

Go with the Full HD display for better battery life

The 4K display is truly gorgeous on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme. Color reproduction and overall brightness and quality is stunning, but also incredibly draining on the battery. Should battery life be the highest priority for you in a notebook, you'll want to consider the Full HD matte display.

But even then you may struggle to sail past 10 hours of uptime, which leaves us to recommend another notebook for better longevity. Dell's XPS 15 has outstanding battery life, thanks in part to the larger 97Wh pack. It can also be configured to match the performance of the X1 Extreme, and even starts at a cheaper price for the entry model.

If you're still set on Lenovo, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme supports Type-C charging if you have a battery pack at hand.

Our pick

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

$1,674+ at Lenovo

Impressive power

Lenovo has produced a sleek-looking powerhouse of a notebook and aptly named it Extreme. Packing the latest processors from Intel, GPUs from NVIDIA, as well as up to a whopping 64GB of RAM, you'll be able to configure one to handle all your daily tasks.

Our pick

Dell XPS 15

$980+ at Dell

Better battery life

Dell not only made the XPS 15 look stunning, but also packed it full of powerful tech. Rocking both a powerful Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti GPU, you're going to have a good time with most PC games.

The Amazon Echo is not a smart home product that is reliant on a mobile device to operate. Once set up, the Echo is entirely voice activated and it's very good at it. And because there's a web app you can handle everything from your Windows 10 PC.

Products used in this guide

• Amazon: Amazon Echo ($100)
• Microsoft: Amazon Alexa for Windows 10 (Free)

Setting up other Amazon Echo devices will follow the same process, but for the purposes of this guide, we used the standard, 2nd generation Amazon Echo.

Which Amazon Echo should you get?

Amazon now has a whole range of Echo products to choose from: The Echo Dot, Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Show and Echo Spot.

The first big difference between them is the price. The Echo Dot is $50, the 2nd generation Echo is $100 and the Echo Plus is $150. The Spot is $130 and Show is $230, with these two also having a display (Show has a big rectangular screen, Spot's is little and round), not just audio-based features.

The Echo Plus tops the range of the speakers because it's also a built-in smart home hub, and it's basically the same form factor as the standard Echo, but is more expensive at $150.

The Echo Dot has recently been refreshed, and for $50 you get all the same Alexa features as the other two in a teeny tiny package. It's not as good for playing music, but you can get a pair for the price of one Echo and the newest version is a marked improvement in both quality and volume. Or if you'd prefer one for the kids' room, the Kids Edition is available for $70 with a neat case and an included year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited.

If you're looking for an extended Echo experience, the Show and Spot have built-in displays that can show you the time, weather, make video calls and take advantage of skills like the Ring Doorbell. You can answer the door and check your cameras using the Echo Show and the Echo Spot.

How to set up an Amazon Echo with Windows 10

Before you get too excited there are a couple of caveats, the first is that you'll have to set it up through your desktop browser. Unless you're a weird outlier like me and using a smaller browser like Opera, you'll probably be supported — if your browser's not, Edge will work just fine.

Setting up using your browser is fairly straightforward:

1. Go to https://alexa.amazon.com in your browser.
2. If you're not already logged in, hit log in.
3. Plug in and turn on your Echo.
4. Wait for the Echo's ring light to turn orange. The Echo should appear in the Alexa web app, as it's was automatically attached to your Amazon account when you ordered.
5. Hold down the action button on the Echo for 5 seconds.
6. In the web app, click on settings.
7. Select set up new device.
8. Choose the type of Echo you have.
9. Select your Wi-Fi network in the web app.
10. Click connect

After a few seconds, your Echo will set up and you can begin talking to it!

What you get inside the Alexa web app is a very simple to use layout to manage all your key Amazon Echo features. If you're using an Echo it's mostly a given you're also a Prime subscriber, and this will be your default music service. In the UK, Echo has support also for Spotify Premium, but that's it.

Amazon now has Music Unlimited, which has a special, lower-cost Echo only subscription that opens up more music for about $5 a month. To enable it, just ask Alexa to start your Music Unlimited trial.

Alexa on Windows 10 PCs

Announced at CES 2018, Amazon has Alexa to Windows 10 PCs in partnership initially with companies like ASUS, Acer, and HP. While not specifically for interacting with an Echo, it does provide another outlet to handle Alexa, requests and skills on your PC.

Amazon has since released a dedicated app for Windows 10 which can be used by everyone. It can't be used to set up an Echo device, you'll still need to follow the steps above and use the web app for that.

But, it expands the reach and makes Alexa even more convenient to integrate with your life, and your home. It's a little rough right now, but it's a start.

Our pick

Amazon Echo

$100 at Amazon

A great way to get Alexa in your life.

The standard Amazon Echo is the best balance of sound quality, design and price, and unless you need a screen, it's the one to go for.

UPnP can be a hassle, but it's not hard to fix on Xbox One.

While an internet connection unlocks the best of Xbox One, networking is paired with countless issues to encounter. If you're experiencing Xbox One's "UPnP not successful" error in your network settings, here's how to fix it and get back to gaming.

Everything you should know about Xbox One networking

See at Microsoft StoreSee at Amazon

Xbox One 'UPnP Not Successful' error explained

Ports are digital channels for your router, used for sorting incoming and outgoing internet traffic. Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) essentially allows applications to forward ports automatically, avoiding the hassle of manual "port forwarding." Although they often achieve the same end result, UPnP allows the console to seamlessly request a port, rather than requiring specific port numbers to be entered manually. And for many, it's a simple flick of a switch.

However, if issues with UPnP surface, your Xbox One can display a "UPnP not successful" error in its network settings. This message indicates issues with utilizing UPnP and failing to automatically forward the correct ports. As a result, connectivity issues can be experienced with Xbox Live.

How to fix 'UPnP Not Successful' error

Due to the complexities of networking, the steps to correct this issue can vary between users. A simple restart may be your solution, or more advanced steps may be required with help of our cohesive guides. Firstly, follow the steps below to attempt a fix for the issue:

1. Navigate to your router login page. (For more details on logging in to your router, search online for guides related to your specific model.)
2. Log in to your router using the required credentials.
3. Navigate to the UPnP menu on your router.
4. Ensure UPnP is enabled.
5. Disable UPnP.
6. Save your changes.
7. Restart your Xbox One, router, and modem.
8. Navigate to the UPnP menu on your router.
9. Enable UPnP.
10. Save your changes.
11. Restart your Xbox One, router, and modem.

If these steps didn't solve the issue, we recommend visiting our Xbox One port forwarding guide for a step-by-step breakdown of the next steps. If problems will prevail, further troubleshooting options will be provided.

• How to get Open NAT on Xbox One with port forwarding

See at Microsoft StoreSee at Amazon

Fallout 76 can be played solo, but it's designed with groups of people in mind. If you happen to come across an event taking place or are unable to progress past a certain point, you may need to team up with some other players. Here's how you can invite someone to your game or join someone else's.

How to invite someone to your team

1. Press the menu button on your controller.
2. Press the Right Bumper for the social menu once the map pops up.
3. Navigate to Recent or Friends.
4. Select the person's gamertag.
5. Select Invite to Team.

Alternatively:

1. Approach the player in question.
2. Hold A as prompted to invite them to your team.

How to join someone's game

1. Hold the menu button on your controller as prompted after they have invited you.
2. Select Join Team.

Why should I team up with other people?

Fallout 76 is designed as a social experience. You can certainly play it solo should you choose, but a lot of activities were made with groups of people in mind. There will be times where you'll find yourself easily outmatched and desperately hoping for some backup. By teaming up to take on more difficult challenges, you also get to reap the rewards of receiving better loot as well. Plus, watching a nuke go off after a hard day's work just isn't as satisfying unless you have some pals to enjoy it with.

Even if you decide to team up for a session, you can always choose to go your separate ways afterward without adding them to your friends list. However, should you find that you happen to connect with some buddies you've teamed up with, it's always a good idea to make some more friends that you can team up with whenever you want.

Best answer: The Galaxy Book2 comes with the ability to connect to LTE. It works with a physical SIM and will be available on multiple carriers soon.

• Samsung: Samsung Galaxy Book2 ($1,000)

Always connected

One of the main reasons to build a PC that uses a Qualcomm processor it makes it easy to setup an LTE connection. The Snapdragon 850 that powers the Galaxy Book2 is designed to keep you connected no matter where you go.

The device has a physical SIM tray that allows you to pop in a SIM and stay connected to the web no matter where you are. Windows 10 has been optimized to work with these constant connections and will seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and LTE if you'd like. If you move between areas with and without Wi-Fi you won't even notice a drop in connection as Windows 10 is set up to jump back and forth between different types of connections seamlessly. This setup will feel familiar to anyone who is used to carrying their smartphone around since they also switch seamlessly between connection types.

You can also customize the LTE connection, including on a per app basis, to make sure that it doesn't use up all of your data. That's particularly important as web-powered apps and websites can eat up data quickly on larger screens like that of the Galaxy Book2.

Carrier optimized

The Galaxy Book2 is not locked to a specific carrier but it's optimized for different ones depending on where you purchase it. The device is currently available through AT&T and if you purchase it through that company you will get the best upload and download speeds through AT&T. Our review of the Galaxy Book2 further breaks down the LTE connectivity of the device.

The Galaxy Book2 will also be available through Sprint and Verizon in the future. You can put a card from a different network into the Galaxy Book2, but it won't work as well. We've tested SIM cards from different carriers in the Galaxy Book2 and noticed that connection speeds are slower using SIM cards from networks other than what the device is optimized for. The largest difference appeared to be in upload speeds, though this could vary depending on devices and carriers.

Our pick

Samsung Galaxy Book2

$1,000 at Samsung

A 2-in-1 with LTE

The Galaxy Book2 features superb battery life and an instant and constant internet connection thanks to supporting LTE.

Fallout 76 is a shared-world experience, meaning you'll come across several other players as you explore Appalachia. Once PvP is enabled after hitting level 5, you may find yourself getting harassed or griefed by other players. In order to avoid this, you have the option to block them.

How to block another player

1. Press the menu button on your controller.
2. Press the Right Bumper for the social menu once the map pops up.
3. Navigate to Recent or Friends.
4. Select the person's gamertag.
5. Select Block For Session or Block.

What does blocking do?

When you block another player for a session, that means that they will not be able to interact or communicate with you at all while you are currently playing during that session. If you simply choose to block them, this will do so permanently until you otherwise decide to unblock them.

According to Bethesda, blocking someone means that "you will no longer be able to speak to or hear them in voice chat, and any trade or team invitations they send you will be ignored. Additionally, you will no longer appear on each other's maps, which will make it extremely difficult for the offending dweller to follow or find you again in the future."

Though the game's built-in bounty system is meant as a way to deter griefers and harassment, there's no sure-fire way to stop it other than outright blocking the person. Thankfully, Fallout 76 only hosts about two dozen players in a world at any given time, so you won't be encountering a ton of different people.

What about reporting another player in Fallout 76?

Unfortunately, there is not a dedicated way to report another Fallout 76 player in-game as of yet. If you'd like to do so, you can file a report to Xbox.

Want to remove your wallpaper and settings sync from your Microsoft Account on Windows 10? Here's how to do it.

If you log in to Windows 10 using a Microsoft Account, you likely also take advantage of Windows 10's built-in syncing functionality, which takes some saved settings, colors, and wallpapers and stores them in the cloud for automatically applying to other Windows 10 devices when you log in to them, as well.

This syncing functionality was first introduced in Windows 8 and is still in use today in Windows 10. But if you're tired of all the settings that are synced to every device you log in to and want to start afresh, here's how you can go about doing that.

The best time to do this is if you're clean installing Windows 10 or setting up your account on a new PC for the first time. If you don't want your old settings to sync over to your new PC or install, just follow this guide and remove your old sync settings from Microsoft's servers. This will give you a clean slate when logging into your new PC or Windows 10 install, with the default Windows 10 wallpaper and everything.

How to remove Windows 10 account sync settings

Just follow these easy steps:

1. Head to account.microsoft.com

2. Sign in to your Microsoft Account.

3. Select the Devices tab at the top of the page.

4. Select More actions under one of your listed devices.

5. Select Remove cloud backup of personal settings from all devices in the drop-down menu.

6. Read the instructions presented on this web page, and make sure you have either signed out of your Microsoft Account on your PC or turned off sync settings.

7. Select Remove.

8. Select Yes.

Your account sync settings will then be deleted from Microsoft's servers. You should now be able to start fresh with your Microsoft Account sync settings, including wallpapers and more.

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