If Windows 10 is slowing you down, in this guide, we'll tell you six ways to remove distractions to boost productivity.

Windows 10 packs a lot of useful features to make your life inside and outside the office a little easier, and new ones are always being added with every major release. The problem is that while most of these features are meant to make you more productive, many of them are not for everyone, as they can add unnecessary distractions.

Thankfully, most features on Windows 10 are very customizable, and they can easily be turned off with a few clicks.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you six tips you can use to remove distractions to help you focus more on the work you need to get done.

• How to disable toast notifications
• How to disable badge notifications
• How to remove date and time from taskbar
• How to stop Live Tiles updates on Start menu
• How to disable suggestions
• How to disable Cortana's taskbar tidbits

How to disable toast notifications

Although toast notifications can be useful, they also add distractions that can significantly affect productivity.

You can quickly disable flying banners popping from the bottom-right enabling quiet hours and removing the Action Center from the taskbar. Using these steps lets you suppress banners while allowing Action Center to collect notifications for later viewing.

1. Right-click the Action Center button in the notification area, and select the Turn on quiet hours option.

2. Open Settings.
3. Click on Personalization.
4. Click on Taskbar.

5. Under "Notification area," click the Turn system icons on or off link.

6. Turn off the Action Center toggle switch.

After completing the steps, banner notifications will no longer be a distraction, and at any time, you can view them opening Action Center using the Windows key + A keyboard shortcut.

Disabling notifications completely

It's also possible to disable the notifications completely using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Notifications & actions.

4. Under "Notifications," turn off the Get notifications for apps and other senders toggle switch.

Just remember that you'll still be able to open Action Center, and while you won't be seeing any alerts from apps and other services, system notifications will continue to appear. (You can always use this guide to disable Action Center on Windows 10.)

How to disable badge notifications

On Windows 10, badges are a new form of lightweight notifications that appear on top of an app button on the taskbar every time there is a new event you missed. For example, in the case of the Mail app, you'll see the number of unseen emails, or status glyphs in the case of the Weather app.

While badge notifications are handy, they can also be intrusive as they can cause you to lose focus every time the badge appear or gets updated in the taskbar making you less productive.

You can disable badge notifications in the taskbar using the following steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Taskbar.

4. Turn off the Show badges on taskbar buttons toggle switch.

How to remove date and time from taskbar

While date and time are essential information to have in the notification area, sometimes you'll pay more attention to the clock than the work you supposed to be doing.

If the clock is a distraction, there is an easy way to remove it from the taskbar using the following steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Taskbar.

4. Under "Notification area," click the Turn system icons on or off link.

5. Turn off the Clock toggle switch.

How to stop Live Tiles updates on Start menu

Live Tiles in the Start menu are meant to give you a glance of the things happening in your digital life without needing to open the app. However, sometimes you'll find yourself spending more time than you should in the Start menu, just because the extra seconds you spend checking new updates.

If you want an easy in and out from the Start menu, you can customize the experience to only show the app list, or you can also turn off live updates for each tile.

To show only the app list, you'll need to remove all the Live Tiles from the right side. You can quickly do this by right-clicking each tile and select Unpin from Start.

To keep your Live Tiles in the Start menu without updates, you can right-click each tile, select More, and click on Turn Live Tile off.

How to disable suggestions

Windows 10 also displays pop-ups in the taskbar and certain apps and apps recommendations in the Start menu. If you prefer not to be nagged by these suggestions, you can turn them off using these steps.

Removing suggestions from Start

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Start.

4. Turn off the Occasionally show suggestions in Start toggle switch.

Removing suggestions from Windows 10

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Notifications & actions.

4. Turn off the Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows toggle switch.

Once you completed the steps, you'll no longer see suggestions while you're trying to get work done on your computer.

How to disable Cortana's taskbar tidbits

Cortana is an extremely useful feature, but on the desktop, it doesn't stay still, every now and then, it'll bounce up and down to get your attention to lure you to use it.

If you don't want Cortana to offer thoughts, greetings, and notifications in the search box, there are two things you can do:

Disable Taskbar tidbits

1. Open Cortana.
2. Click on the gear button from the bottom-left.

3. Turn off the Taskbar tidbits toggle switch.

Remove the search box from taskbar

1. Right-click the taskbar.
2. Select Cortana.

3. Click on Show Cortana icon.

Using this option, you'll only prevent Cortana from distracting you, but you'll also reclaim valuable space in the taskbar to pin more apps.

Is there anything else would you turn off on Windows 10 to keep it free of distractions? 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

Are you getting errors installing Linux distros on Windows 10? In this guide, we'll tell you exactly what you need to do to fix this issue.

Starting with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, Microsoft is making some Linux distros, including Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, and OpenSUSE Leap 42 available in the Windows Store. Additionally, it's no longer a prerequisite to enable Developer mode, which makes the installation of Linux distros a lot easier.

However, a number of users a seeing an error code 0x8007007e as they try to install any of the distros, but it's not a bug in the software. Instead, users are seeing this error because the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), the compatibility layer to run Linux binary executables on Windows 10 is missing.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to successfully install Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, and openSUSE Leap 42 on your device.

How to install Windows Subsystem for Linux

Before you can install any version of Linux on Windows 10, you must install WSL using Control Panel.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click on Apps & features.

4. Under "Related settings," on the right side, click the Programs and Features link.

5. Click the Turn Windows features on or off link.

6. On "Windows Features," check the Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta) option.

7. Click OK.
8. Click Restart now.

After completing the steps, you can open the Windows Store to get the Linux distro you want to use.

Installing Windows Subsystem for Linux using PowerShell

If you prefer using the command line method, it's also possible to install the Windows Subsystem for Linux using PowerShell.

1. Open Start.
2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command to add the required module and press Enter:

   Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

4. Type Y to complete the installation and restart your computer.

How to install Linux distros on Windows 10

After adding the Windows System for Linux module to your computer, there are two ways to install Ubuntu or SUSE Linux distros on Windows 10: you can use Command Prompt or the Windows Store.

Installing Linux distros using Command Prompt

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator.

3. Type one of the following commands to install Ubuntu, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, or openSUSE Leap 42 and press Enter:

   • ubuntu
   • sles-12
   • opensuse-42

As you execute the command, the required files will download and install automatically on your device. Then simply follow the on-screen directions to complete the setup.

Installing Linux distros using Windows Store

Perhaps an easier way to install Linux distros on Windows 10 is to use the Windows Store using the following links:

• Ubuntu
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
• openSUSE Leap 42

Once the installation completes, launch the app, and complete the on-screen directions.

Remember that you're not limited to install just one version of Linux. If you want, you can also install all three, including Fedora Linux when it becomes available in the Store, and run them all simultaneously.

You can install Linux distros using the Store starting with the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. However, if you have a device enrolled in the Windows Insider Program running the latest test build for PC, you can try any of them immediately. Also, note that devices running the Windows 10 Creators Update only supports Ubuntu, which can be installed using these steps.

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

You can change the default action of your PC's power button, and in this guide, we'll show you how to do it.

Although nowadays it's more common to use the power options in the Start menu to shut down Windows 10, there are still many users who feel more comfortable pressing the hardware power button to turn off their computers.

If you're in the group of users who prefer to use the physical button, you can also change its behavior to either do absolutely nothing, sleep, hibernate, shut down, or turn off the display when you press it. Something that can come in handy in many scenarios, for example, if you have a tablet, and you want it to hibernate instead of sleep to save battery life. Or on a desktop PC, you may prefer to use sleep mode instead of shutting down to resume the device more quickly.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to change the power button action on your device using Control Panel and Command Prompt.

• How to change power button action using Control Panel
• How to change power button action using Command Prompt

How to change power button action using Control Panel

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Click on System and Security.
3. Under "Power Options," click the Change what the power buttons do link.

4. Using the drop-down menu for "When I press the power button" select the action you want:

   • Do nothing.
   • Sleep.
   • Hibernate.
   • Shut down.
   • Turn off the display.

5. Click the Save changes button at the bottom of the window.

Once you completed the steps, every time you press the power button your computer will respond to the new action.

Depending on the hardware and device you own the settings available will be different. For example, the hibernation power state is not a feature supported on every system, which means that depending on the hardware this option may not be available. In addition, on laptops and other mobile devices like Surface Pro, you can define the power button action when it's plugged in and when it's running on battery.

How to change power button action using Command Prompt

If you prefer using command lines, it's also possible to use Command Prompt to define a new action for the power button.

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and select Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command to change the default action for the power button and press Enter:

   To change the default action when your computer is plugged in, use the following command:

   powercfg -setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 4f971e89-eebd-4455-a8de-9e59040e7347 7648efa3-dd9c-4e3e-b566-50f929386280 0

   To change the default action when your computer is on battery, use the following command:

   powercfg -setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT 4f971e89-eebd-4455-a8de-9e59040e7347 7648efa3-dd9c-4e3e-b566-50f929386280 0

   You'll notice in the examples, both commands end up with a value of "0", this is the index value that defines the action, and you must change it to reflect what you want the power button to do.

   Here are the available values you can use with their repective action:

   • 0 -- Do nothing.
   • 1 -- Sleep.
   • 2 -- Hibernate.
   • 3 -- Shut down.
   • 4 -- Turn off the display.

   If your computer doesn't have support for hibernation, remember not to use the index value of 2.

4. Type the following command to apply the changes and press Enter:

   powercfg -SetActive SCHEME_CURRENT

After completing the steps, the next time you press the power button your device will respond to the new action.

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

Everything you need to know about Destiny 2's Titan, Warlock, and Hunter subclasses available at launch.

Since its 2014 debut, Destiny's responsive shooter gameplay has become synonymous with the franchise. One of the game's most defining traits is its class-based mechanics, separating players into three groups, with their own associated play styles.

Everything we know so far about Destiny 2

Destiny 2 is just around the corner, bringing back Titans, Warlocks and Hunters, and the associated subclasses that define your abilities in battle. While entirely new subclasses are being introduced, three existing fan favorites are also being revived with their own set of changes. We've broken down what subclasses mean in Destiny 2, and details on all six available at launch.

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What is a subclass in Destiny 2?

While classes somewhat outline your personal playstyle in Destiny 2, subclasses are an additional choice to be made, which determines your in-game abilities. At launch, two subclasses are available for Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters – each based on one of the game's three energy types. Each of these subclasses come with their own unique skill trees, which serve as one of the main forms of progression in your early days of playing Destiny 2.

Each subclass is hugely defined by its "Super ability," which allows players to charge up and utilize a single powerful move during combat. This is now complemented by a "Class ability," which also grants access to a secondary less powerful talent, with a fast recharge time. The choices within your subclass tree also determine your available grenade types, movement options, and passive abilities. These are the six subclasses available at launch for Destiny 2, across all classes.

• Sentinel (Titan)
• Striker (Titan)
• Dawnblade (Warlock)
• Voidwalker (Warlock)
• Arcstrider (Hunter)
• Gunslinger (Hunter)

With only two energy types available per class it's also assumed three more will be added later down the line, via DLC. For veterans from the first game, the Defender, Sunbreaker, Stormcaller, Sunsinger, Bladedancer and Nightstalker classes are all removed for the sequel.

Sentinel (Titan, Void)

The Sentinel subclass is the latest addition for Titans, offering abilities that leverage multiple traits of the class. This Void light class can be used for both aggressive and defensive play, with abilities that incentivize melee kills and heavy weapon use. The "Void Shield" Super ability makes this one of the most unique subclasses in Destiny 2, through a throwable shield, which serves as a fast projectile dealing heavy damage.

Super Ability

• Sentinel Shield: Press "LB and RB" to summon a shield of Void Light. While Sentinel is active, press "RB" to attack. Hold "LT" to guard. Press "LB" to perform a Shield Throw.

Class Skill

• Towering Barricade: Press and Hold "B" to create a large barrier that can be used to reinforce a position with cover from enemy fire.
• Rally Barricade: Press and Hold "B" to create a small barrier that allows you to peek over it while aiming down sights, and which instantly reloads your equipped weapon when you take cover.

Grenade

• Magnetic Grenade: A grenade that attaches to enemies and explodes twice.
• Voidwall Grenade: A grenade that creates a horizontal wall of burning Void Light.
• Suppressor Grenade: An explosive grenade that prevents enemies from using abilities for a short time.

Movement Mode

• High Lift: Jump while airborne to activate Lift and launch into the air at greater heights.
• Strafe Lift: Jump while airborne to activate Lift and launch into the air with strong directional control.
• Catapult Lift: Jump while airborne to activate Lift and launch into the air with a strong initial burst of momentum.

Code of the Protector

• Turn The Tide: Your Overshield from Defensive Strike lasts longer and increases melee damage and reload speed.
• Rallying Force: Melee kills restore Health for you and nearby allies.
• Ward of Dawn: When Super energy is full, press and hold LB and RB to create a shielding dome to protect you and your allies.
• Defensive Strike: Kill an enemy with this Melee Ability to create an overshield around you and nearby allies.

Code of the Aggressor

• Shield Bash: After sprinting for a short time, use this Melee Ability to unleash a devastating Shield Bash that disorientates enemies.
• Superior Arsenal: Grenade kills recharge your Grenade energy.
• Second Shield: Gain an additional Shield Throw charge while Sentinel Shield is active.
• In The Trenches: Kills while surrounded by enemies reduce the cooldown of your Super.

Striker (Titan, Arc)

Strikers are making a return for Titans in Destiny 2, with some tweaks upon the first revision. While some minor changes have been made across the board for this Arc-based class, the biggest overhaul affects its super ability, "Fists of Havoc." Unlike in the original Destiny, where players would receive a single supercharged ground-pound, the ability now activates over a period, allowing for multiple attacks in rapid succession. Overall this class is now better suited for an offensive play style, taking full advantage of the Titan's damage-dealing properties.

Super Ability

• Fists of Havoc: Supercharge your fists and slam the ground with the force of a maelstrom.

Class Skill

• Towering Barricade: Press and Hold "B" to create a large barrier that can be used to reinforce a position with cover from enemy fire.
• Rally Barricade: Press and Hold "B" to create a small barrier that allows you to peek over it while aiming down sights, and instantly reloads your equipped weapon when you take cover.

Grenade

• Flashbang Grenade: An explosive grenade that disorients enemies it damages.
• Pulse Grenade: A grenade that periodically damages enemies inside its explosion radius.
• Lightning Grenade: A grenade that sticks to any surface and emits bolts of lightning

Movement Mode

• High Lift: Jump while airborne to activate Lift and launch into the air at greater heights.
• Strafe Lift: Jump while airborne to activate Lift and launch into the air with strong directional control.
• Catapult Lift: Jump while airborne to activate Lift and launch into the air with a strong initial burst of momentum.

Code of the Earthshaker

• Magnitude: Gain an additional grenade charge. Increases the duration of grenade effects.
• Aftershocks: Damaging enemies with Seismic Strike recharges your grenade.
• Terminal Velocity: Fists of Havoc's ground slam attack leaves a damage-dealing field in its wake and deals more damage the longer it's in the air.
• Seismic Strike: While sprinting, activate this melee ability to slam shoulder-first into your target and release an Arc explosion on impact.

Code of the Juggernaut

• Frontal Assault: Strike an enemy with this Melee Ability to reload your weapon and increase your weapon stability.
• Reversal: Melee kills immediately trigger health regeneration.
• Trample: Killing enemies with Fists of Havoc extends its duration.
• Knockout: Critically wounding an enemy or breaking their shields increases your melee range and damage.

Dawnblade (Warlock, Solar)

Warlocks now have access to "Dawnblade" in Destiny 2 – a new subclass centered around Solar light. The new super ability, "Daybreak," allows players to levitate for a brief period while throwing flaming blades woven with light. Under the hood, this ability works similarly to the Sunbreaker Titan subclass available in the third Destiny expansion, The Taken King. Other abilities available to this class build on its Solar damage abilities, and agility in combat.

Super Ability

• Daybreak: Weave Solar Light into blades and smite your foes from the skies.

Class Skill

• Healing Rift: Press and Hold "B" to conjure a well of Light that continuously heals those inside it.
• Empowering Rift: Press and Hold "B" to conjure a well of Light that increases weapon damage for those inside it.

Grenade

• Solar Grenade: A grenade that creates a flare of Solar Light that continuously damages enemies trapped inside.
• Firebolt Grenade: A grenade that unleashes bolts of Solar Light at nearby enemies.
• Fusion Grenade: An explosive grenade that deals bonus damage when it attaches to a target.

Movement Mode

• Strafe Glide: Jump while airborne to activate Glide and start an airborne drift with strong directional control.
• Burst Glide: Jump while airborne to activate Glide and start an airborne drift with a strong initial boost of speed.
• Balanced Glide: Jump while airborne to activate Glide and start an airborne drift with both moderate speed and directional control.

Attunement of Sky

• Heat Rises: Airborne kills recharge your Grenade and Melee energy. Casting Daybreak instantly refills all your ability energy.
• Winged Sun: Engage your enemies mid-flight. Fire weapons and throw grenades while gliding.
• Icarus Dash: Press "B, B" while in midair to dodge.
• Swift Striker: Strike an enemy with this Melee Ability to burn your target and temporarily increase your movement and reload speed.

Attunement of Flame

• Igniting Touch: Strike an enemy with this melee ability to burn them and cause them to explode when killed.
• Phoenix Dive: Hold "B" while in midair to quickly descend and restore your health. While Daybreak is active, Descend cause explosive damage.
• Everlasting Flame: Killing an enemy with Daybreak extends its duration.
• Fated for the Flame: Daybreak projectiles seek targets as they travel and, upon impact, launch a streak of deadly flames.

Voidwalker (Warlock, Void)

The Voidwalker subclass is also being revived for Destiny 2, and while some changes have been made, its mechanics are almost unchanged from the first game. The subclass' devastating Nova bomb still serves as its super ability, dropping an explosive ball of Void light, damaging enemies in its blast radius. Otherwise, the recommended approach to using the Voidwalker subclass is the same – encouraging a more offensive style of play. This subclass is also the only class to offer the blink ability, which allows for a short-distance teleport.

Super Ability

• Nova Bomb: Hurl an explosive bolt of Void Light at the enemy, disintegrating those caught within its blast.

Class Skill

• Healing Rift: Press and Hold "B" to conjure a well of Light that continuously heals those inside it.
• Empowering Rift: Press and Hold "B" to conjure a well of Light that increases weapon damage for those inside it.

Grenade

• Vortex Grenade: A grenade that creates a vortex which continually damages enemies trapped inside.
• Axion Bolt: A bolt of Void Light that forks into smaller bolts on impact that seek out enemies.
• Scatter Grenade: A grenade that splits into many submunitions and covers a large area with multiple explosions.

Movement Mode

• Strafe Glide: Jump while airborne to activate Glide and start an airborne drift with strong directional control.
• Blink: Jump while airborne to activate Glide and start an airborne drift with a strong initial boost of speed.
• Burst Glide: Jump while airborne to activate Glide and start an airborne drift with a strong initial boost of speed.

Attunement of Chaos

• Bloom: Void ability kills cause enemies to explode.
• Chaos Accelerant: Hold "LB" draw power from your Super to overcharge your grenade, making it deadlier and more effective.
• Cataclysm: - Nova Bomb travels slowly and seeks enemies. Detonations shatter into smaller seeker projectiles. Fire your weapon at the Nova Bomb to detonate it early.
• Entropic Pull: Strike an enemy with this Melee Ability to drain your enemy's life force and use it to recharge your grenade.

Attunement of Hunger

• Devour: Kill an enemy with this melee ability to fully regenerate your health. For a short time afterward, kills restore additional health.
• Feed The Void: Hold "LB" to consume your grenade energy to regenerate your health. Grants the Devour effect.
• Insatiable: While the Devour effect is active, killing enemies extends its duration and recharges your grenade.
• Vortex: Nova Bomb creates a singularity which continually damages enemies trapped inside.

Arcstrider (Hunter, Arc)

Arcstriders are the new stylish melee subclass for the Hunters, sporting Arc-based abilities. This new class bears strong similarities to the Bladedancer class, although swaps out its blades of a stylish staff. The Arcsrtider Super ability also activates of a period of time, allowing for multiple repeated melee attacks while activated. This class' moves mostly specialize in its sleek melee attacks, alongside swift locomotion.

Super Ability

• Arc Staff: Form a staff of pure Arc energy and acrobatically take out your foes.

Class Skill

• Marksman's Dodge: Dodge "B, B" to perform an evasive maneuver with a steady hand. Dodging automatically reloads your weapon.
• Gambler's Dodge: Dodge "B, B" to perform a deft tumble, avoiding enemy attacks. Dodging near enemies fully recharges your Melee Ability.

Grenade

• Skip Grenade: A grenade which splits upon impact, creating multiple projectiles that seek enemies.
• Flux Grenade: An explosive grenade that deals additional damage when attached to enemies.
• Arcbolt Grenade: A grenade that chains bolts of lightning to nearby enemies.

Movement Mode

• High Jump: While airborne, jump a second time to reach greater heights.
• Strafe Jump: While airborne, jump a second time with strong directional control.
• Triple Jump: While airborne, sustain your air control with a second or third jump.

Way of the Warrior

• Deadly Reach: Dodging increases your melee range, allowing you to lunge further to strike enemies.
• Combat Flow: Melee kills recharge your dodge ability.
• Lethal Current: After dodging, each Arc Staff hit creates a damaging lightning aftershock.
• Combination Blow: Kill an enemy with this melee ability to trigger health regeneration and increase your melee damage temporarily.

Way of the Wind

• Disorienting Blow: Strike an enemy with this melee ability to disorient the target and nearby enemies.
• Focused Breathing: Sprinting recharges your dodge ability. Increased maximum sprint speed.
• Lightning Reflexes: You are harder to kill while dodging.
• Combat Meditation: While critically wounded, melee and grenade recharge drastically faster.

Gunslinger (Hunter, Solar)

Gunslingers are also back in Destiny 2, although a new approach to its Solar light capabilities makes for a slightly new style of play. The "Golden Gun" ability has seen the biggest change, allowing for up to six solar revolver shots, rather than the first game's three. This can be a huge help when taking on multiple enemies, although the individual damage of each shot has been reduced.

Super Ability

• Golden Gun: Summon a flaming pistol that disintegrates enemies with Solar Light.

Class Skill

• Marksman's Dodge: Dodge "B, B" to perform an evasive maneuver with a steady hand. Dodging automatically reloads your weapon.
• Gambler's Dodge: Dodge "B, B" to perform a deft tumble, avoiding enemy attacks. Dodging near enemies fully recharges your Melee Ability.

Grenade

• Incendiary Grenade: A grenade whose explosion catches enemies on fire.
• Swarm Grenade: A grenade that detonates upon impact, releasing multiple drones that seek nearby enemies
• Tripmine Grenade: A grenade that sticks to surfaces and detonates upon enemies who pass through its laser trigger.

Movement Mode

• High Jump: While airborne, jump a second time to reach greater heights.
• Strafe Jump: While airborne, jump a second time with strong directional control.
• Triple Jump: While airborne, sustain your air control with a second or third jump.

Way of the Outlaw

• Deadshot: Significantly improves your ability to hit with Golden Gun.
• Chains of Woe: Precision kills increase weapon reload speed for you and nearby allies.
• Six-Shooter: Golden Gun can be fired quickly up to 6 times, but has a short duration.
• Explosive Knife: Throw a knife from a distance that explodes shortly after impact with this Melee Ability.

Way of the Wind

• Knife-juggler: Throw a knife from a distance. Precision knife kills with this Melee Ability immediately recharge it.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Enter a trance with each precision hit, reducing the cooldown of your Super.
• Line 'em up: Precision hits with Golden Gun increase its damage and extend its duration.
• Crowd-pleaser: Enables precision damage with Golden Gun. Precision hits with Golden Gun generate Orbs of Light.

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Further reading

• Everything we know so far about Destiny 2
• Destiny 2 Exotic weapons guide
• What you need to know about the Destiny story so far

Switching phone service doesn't have to be a chore.

Changing your phone carrier can be stressful. Shopping around and seeing so many different choices and prices and crazy perks can leave anyone confused ready to throw in the towel.

But it doesn't have to be that way. If you remember a few tips before you get started you'll be able to weave your way through all the hyperbole and get what you need and what you want. If you're ready to move on to a new carrier, here are five things you need to know.

Coverage, coverage, coverage

Any time we talk about carriers and their service, coverage gets mentioned. That's because it is the single most important thing you need to consider before you sign or buy anything. There is no value in paying for service that doesn't work for you.

Start by looking at online coverage maps. These are never 100% accurate (the providers even acknowledge this) but can be a good starting point. If you're shown in an area of full coverage and not on the fringe of service, that's a good sign. Also, be sure to use the selection tools of the map to check both voice and data coverage, as well as high-speed LTE data coverage versus lower speed network coverage.

• AT&T coverage map
• Sprint coverage map
• T-Mobile coverage map
• Verizon coverage map

Don't stop there. Ask your friends what service they use and if they're happy with it. Making sure you'll have good coverage is worth all the legwork. If nothing else, check and see if the service you're considering has some sort of money-back guarentee and try it yourself.

Will your phone work?

Unless you plan on buying a new phone, be sure to check that your phone works with the carrier you're considering. Some phones, like an iPhone or a Google Nexus or Pixel, will work on any U.S. carrier. Others, especially models that are a few years old, only work on specific networks.

If you're considering an Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) you should see which of the Big Four (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon) networks they use. If your phone was built to use the same network the MVNO is using, you're probably good to go as long as it's SIM unlocked. If not, things can get a little complicated.

Here's a chart to help get you started.

You'll find the information about what frequencies and LTE bands your phone uses in the user manual, at the manufacturers website or other online resources. Keep in mind that some phones from different carriers may share a few frequencies or radio bands, that doesn't make them compatible. For example, a phone built for Verizon shares two LTE bands with AT&T's network. That doesn't mean it will work, even if an advanced user can fiddle with settings to get it to partially work in some places.

If you're not an enthusiast who knows or cares about frequencies and radio bands, don't worry. There's a great online resource that can give you the answers you need. Just enter the model of your phone and the carrier you are thinking of using and you'll find out if your phone works.

Will My Phone Work?

One last option is to just call the carrier and ask if your phone will work. You might be put on hold for a few minutes, but they can figure it out for you.

SIM unlocking

Your phone will probably need to be SIM unlocked to use it on a carrier it wasn't designed for. This is different from Jailbreaking or rooting, and is simply lifting the restriction some carriers put in place to keep you from using the phone on another network.

Many phones, like the Google Pixel or some iPhone models, are sold unlocked and designed to use on any GSM network (see the table above) and even Sprint or Verizon in a few cases. These phones are advertised as unlocked when you buy them.

Phones sold by Sprint and Verizon might also be SIM unlocked, especially if they're relatively new. Things can get a little complicated here, too, because even though they are unlocked they may have carrier restrictions in place so they won't work on other U.S. carriers. It's also a safe bet to say a phone designed to use on Sprint won't work on a carrier that uses Verizon's network and vice versa.

The good news is that it's simple to get a phone SIM unlocked. If your account is in good standing and the phone is paid in full, the carrier will unlock it. Give them a call and they will give you a code. Put in your new SIM card and you'll be able to enter the code when prompted.

If you bought the phone second hand or no longer have an active account with the carrier it was built for, you can turn to a third party. The process is the same, so all you need to do is find a reputable company and contact them. Most companies who provide this service are trustworthy, but take a few minutes to search their name on Google to read user reviews and make sure you're comfortable before you pay $20 or so for an unlock code.

What plan should you buy?

There are a lot of different service plans available to fit most every user. You can buy service that is voice and text only, or go big and buy a plan with unlimited everything. The important thing is to get the plan that works best for both your usage and your wallet. That means you need to know how much data you need.

If you need unlimited data, you know it already. You want to stream video and music and browse the internet on your phone because it's a great tool to do those things, and Wi-Fi isn't the best option. All the Big Four carriers offer unlimited plans so you'll be able to find one on the network that works best for you. We've gone into each plan in-depth, and it's a great place to start.

Which unlimited plan should you buy: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon?

Most people don't need an unlimited plan. When you're shopping for plans that offer a fixed amount of data each month, you have a lot of choices. With a little homework, you can get a service plan that works great and saves you money.

Your number goes with you

Once you've settled on what type of service you're going to buy and who you're going to buy it from, there's one last thing to remember: you can take your phone number with you no matter which company you get service from.

Don't let a company tell you that you can't keep your number. By law, you can.

This is called porting your number, and in most every case (some numbers created by VOIP services can't be ported) it belongs to you. And keeping it to use with your new service is easy.

Every company does things a little differently, but you'll need to know your phone number, your account number from your current carrier, and any PIN or password you use to access it. Your new carrier will ask for this information (yes, giving anyone a PIN or password is scary, but thats how it works) and they will handle the rest.

While your number is being ported you won't be able to use it. Generally, this will be done the same day but sometimes it can take longer. Your new carrier will be able to advise you and let you know how the number port is going if it takes longer than a few hours.

When the number porting is done, your new service will use the same phone number you and everyone else is used to. This makes it easier to switch for everyone. The number is assigned to your phone or new SIM card, but it's still yours and you can move it to another carrier anytime you like. Of course, you can always just get a new number if you like.

One last thing here: your voicemail and texts won't transfer with your number. If you are using the same phone things switch with no issues, but if you're changing phones, too, you'll need to back up anything important from your messages.

Switching carriers can be painless. Armed with this information you'll be able to breeze through the process and get the service you want at the best price

Here's what's new for the HTC Vive for August 2017!

A number of interesting titles are set to release for the HTC Vive this month, fit for the fan of any of virtual reality genre. Although we won't be getting any highly anticipated releases from big studios, some indie gems are on the horizon. Here's an in-depth breakdown of all the HTC Vive games releasing over the month of August 2017.

Note: This list is compiled from Steam store listings at the start of the month.

Read more at VRHeads

When a single monitor just isn't enough for your workflow, you need to add a second one to increase your display real estate.

Here we take a look at how you can set up and configure multiple displays in Windows 10. Thankfully, Microsoft did a solid job implementing multiple display support right into Windows so you don't have to install third-party software to fiddle around with settings.

Before you get started, you need to make sure all the necessary cables are connected to your displays. This includes power, audio and any VGA, DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort cables. Be sure to hit up your display manual if you're confused with which port is which and where cables are connected to. Once both screens are plugged in and ready to go, fire up Windows 10 because you'll need to change a few settings and make sure everything works as intended.

• Switch between display modes
• Configuring display settings
• Hide the taskbar on displays
• Change wallpapers

Microsoft improved how Windows 10 handles the desktop experience, which now has the taskbar on both screens with full Windows menu integration. Should you be a fan of task view, this feature also works on both screens for a quick glance as to what windows are present on each display. Multi-tasking has never been so easy.

Switch between display modes

There are four display modes available in Windows 10, which can be quickly accessed by hitting Windows + P. This will bring up a sidebar with four options. Depending on whether you're on a laptop or desktop PC, either Extend or Duplicate will be selected by default. Here's a quick run down on the differences between each option:

• PC screen only— Only the primary monitor is used.
• Duplicate— Secondary monitor shows duplicate desktop.
• Extend— Both monitors combine to offer an extended desktop.
• Second screen only— Only the secondary monitor is used.

Most folks who have more than a single monitor installed on a desk will want to select the "Extend" configuration. This allows Windows to use the primary monitor as normal, but offer other displays at maximum resolution that can be accessed by moving the mouse over to them. Essentially, Windows is joining together the displays to create one expansive canvas. For example, if you have a 2560 x 1440 main display with a secondary 1080p screen, your new desktop run at 4480 x 1440, but only a 1080 high on the display with the lower resolution.

Ideally, you want to have two displays that share the same resolution to keep everything simple, which will help prevent clipping when moving between displays. As you can see in the graphic above, using a 1080p display with a 1440p one will have part of the display on the 1440p that isn't connected to the secondary screen. It's no deal breaker but will take some time to get accustomed to.

Configuring display settings

Customizing displays and how they are managed by Windows is easy. But in order to do it, you need to gain access to the display section of the control panel.

1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop.
2. Click Display settings.

3. Click Identify to show numbers on corresponding displays. (1 is the primary.)

4. Rearrange displays by clicking and dragging the numbered boxes.
5. Use the scaling slider to make text and other content larger. (This is ideal for higher resolutions or for people with impaired vision.)

6. Choose between landscape or portrait to change the selected display orientation.

7. The Multiple displays option allows you to switch display modes (as described in the section above).

The Windows Night light feature can also be configured from this window, which adjusts the screen temperature depending on the time of day.

Advanced settings

This section of Display settings will enable you to not only play around with display ordering, multiple display profiles and more but also change various options that aren't available in the main view. This step isn't required and should only be carried out if you notice issues with the display in question. Here's how you can use these advanced settings to alter more technical options.

1. Optional: Select Color management to open up the corresponding window for editing International Color Consortium (ICC) profiles.

   • We only recommend tweaking ICC profiles if you've researched a little and have a rough idea of what to do. Generally, you should be fine with Windows calibration and simply alter monitor settings.

2. Choose Color calibration to fire up the Windows calibration wizard.
3. Follow the wizard to calibrate brightness, gamma, colors, and contrast.
4. Follow the links under Related settings for further configuration:
   • ClearType text— Change settings for the font smoothing technology used in Windows.
   • Advanced sizing— Alter the size of title bars and more.
   • Display adapter properties— Check the properties of your connected graphics card.

Hide the taskbar on displays

If you don't like having all apps listed with their names on the connected displays or duplicate taskbars, Windows 10 makes it painless to make some changes.

1. Right-click the taskbar.
2. Choose Settings.
3. Scroll down to Multiple Displays.
4. Toggle show taskbar on all displays.

Two further options can help you define just what is displayed on the taskbars. The former lets you configure where taskbar app icons are shown, depending on which monitor they're presently using. Choosing "all taskbars" will show all pinned and open apps on both taskbars. The combining labels option lets you choose whether or not Windows will show window titles next to open apps on additional monitor taskbars.

Change wallpapers

With a second monitor connected, it's possible to have a little more fun with wallpapers and really personalize your desktop experience. Here's a quick look at how you can configure everything so a folder full of images is randomly shuffled as desktop wallpapers, with a different image on each screen.

1. Right-click the desktop.

2. Choose Personalize.

3. Select Slideshow from the background drop-down menu.
4. Hit Browse under "Choose albums for your slideshow."
5. Change "30 minutes" to however often you wish a new image to be selected.

6. Enable shuffle.

7. Ensure "Choose a fit" is selected as "Fill".

Windows 10 will now randomly select a new image every 30 minutes from the folder you selected, displaying a different image on all connected monitors. If you'd prefer to stick with one image for your wallpaper and have one with sufficient resolution to cover connected monitors, switching "Fill" to "Span" in step No. 7 will have the same image span across all desktops.

Updated July 31, 2017: We added a little more detail about using displays with different resolutions.

Anthem is the next big franchise from renowned developer, BioWare – these are the five things you might not know, after its debut.

Last month at E3 2017, Electronic Arts revealed its next major franchise, "Anthem." Showcased alongside the Xbox One X, we've now experienced seven minutes in the game's jaw-dropping open world.

Coming from BioWare, the renowned developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, Anthem marks a new and ambitious direction for the studio. In the game's world, hostile monsters rule the wilderness, and humanity has taken refuge inside a walled city. "Freelancers," bounty hunters bearing "Javelin" exosuits, are among the few who can venture outside these walls, forming the basis for Anthem's gameplay. Diverging from the developer's heritage solidified in narrative-driven experiences, Anthem pursues an online shared-world, built with action-adventure mechanics in mind.

However, after its initial E3 debut, we're now left with more questions than answers. With little information outside of a small vertical slice, the details surrounding the game still remain somewhat vague. We've brought together five things you might not yet know about Anthem, after its E3 2017 showcase.

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1. Anthem isn't an RPG (well, kinda)

Although Anthem's first on-stage demonstration teased class-based gameplay, loot systems and crafting, the game's publisher, Electronic Arts, has been keen to stress that Anthem is not a role-playing experience. Earlier this year during a conference call with investors, EA CEO Andrew Wilson purposely emphasized Anthem is being created as "an action-adventure, not RPG"– assumedly putting focusing development on core combat mechanics.

However, that's not to say story won't be a major component of Anthem – quite the opposite. Even if action lays at the center of Anthem, the developer's role-playing legacy won't be completely out of the picture. Wilson expanded on his statement guaranteeing that Anthem won't leave behind "the great RPG character development and story progression that BioWare is known for," even if a new, and potentially ambitious approach may be taken in the process.

Electronic Arts has been keen to stress that Anthem is not a role-playing experience.

So, if Anthem isn't an RPG, what exactly is it? EA's claims somewhat echo statements previously made by Bungie, with their own online shared-world shooter, Destiny. Back in 2014, the studio was reluctant to pin down a specific genre for the game – even to this day, its genre is still somewhat ambiguous.

After the reveal, Anthem's influence from role-playing titles is still evident. As of right now, the game appears to be shaping up as an action RPG, taking advantage of some elements seen in massively multiplayer online games (MMOs).

2. Anthem accommodates both solo and co-op play

When first revealed at E3, the vertical-slice of Anthem gameplay heavily revolved around the cooperative multiplayer features of its sandbox. Featuring scripted interactions between friends as a part of the demo, communication and teamwork were portrayed as integral to the intended experience.

Shortly after the reveal, Corey Gaspur, lead designer on Anthem, assured fans that the game will also accommodate solo players. Designed with both single-player and cooperative parties in mind, players can supposedly "enjoy an amazing BioWare story and explore an incredible open world," regardless of their allies (or lack thereof).

Exactly how Anthem will handle single-player is yet to be disclosed, though this will assumedly be near-identical to cooperative play. Like similar games on the market, we can expect shared-world content to adapt for both solo players and groups. It's also safe to assume Anthem will be an entirely online experience, forcing those playing solo to still connect to game servers.

3. Anthem adopts a connected "live service" model

As expected from a modern multiplayer title, Anthem will adopt a Games-as-a-Service (GaaS) model for providing content post launch.

Anthem will leverage online features significantly more than any other BioWare titles.

Live services are nothing new in the modern age, allowing dozens of games to maintain healthy player bases – sometimes years after their release. By purchasing Anthem, you'll be buying into the game's service, with future updates expected after launch. Few details have been shared on how this "live service" will develop the game going forward – although content updates, events and larger expansions are all common with this business model.

This also feeds into Anthem's concept of a shared open world, adding an interconnected and somewhat dynamic edge to the experience. Anthem will leverage online features significantly more than any other BioWare titles, through both gameplay and post-launch support.

4. Loot will play a major role in Anthem

As briefly teased during its unveiling, collectible loot will also play a major role in Anthem's progression system. Examining footage, instances of both new weapons and suit upgrades are among the loot offerings, obtained through both randomized drops and crafting.

The weapon unlocked during the demonstration was a Level 35 "Legendary" rifle, which points toward rarity tiers and gear progression systems, as seen in RPGs. Searching for new gear, grinding through upgrades and other progression mechanics can all be expected at the heart of Anthem's gameplay loop.

5. Anthem will run at 4K, with HDR, on Xbox One X

Electronic Arts appears to have worked closely with Microsoft to tailor its upcoming titles for Xbox One X, and Anthem is no exception.

Electronic Arts appears to have worked closely with Microsoft to tailor its upcoming titles for Xbox One X.

Used to showcase the power of the console at Microsoft's E3 2017 press conference, Anthem will run at 4K resolution on the console, with support for High Dynamic Range (HDR). With a 30 frames per second (FPS) gameplay video feed at E3, it's also safe to assume this will be the target framerate on Xbox One X.

Upon further analysis from Digital Foundry, Anthem's supposed Xbox One X reveal points toward a "checkerboarding" technique used to achieve a 4K output. Although implementation can differ between titles, the technique essentially renders a smaller percentage of the image and estimates the remaining pixels. Reducing tax on the system for little trade-off, this allows resources to be used on other visual enhancements.

While Anthem does appear to be pushing the Xbox One X to its limit, the game is currently among the most graphically impressive titles showcased on the console. However, as a vertical slice of the full experience, it remains to be seen how this performance translates to the final product.

Preparing for Anthem

Electronic Arts is yet to commit to a release date for Anthem, aside from the period of "Fall 2018." With over a year remaining until its expected launch, a lot could change before release. As of right now, the game isn't even available to pre-order in the United States for Xbox One, showing it's still early days for the project. As always, let us know what you think of Anthem so far, in the comments section.

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You can adjust the maximum length of time for background recording using Game DVR on Windows 10, and in this guide we show you how.

On Windows 10, the Game DVR feature comes with "background recording," which allows you to quickly capture clips of your favorite games without needing to configure extra software. However, when enabled, recordings end automatically after 30 minutes.

Although that default recording time should be enough for most users, if you want to capture longer clips, Windows 10 allows you to easily increase the time up to two hours in at least two different ways.

In this Windows 10 guide, we show you the easy steps to adjust the maximum background recording time using the Settings and the Xbox app.

• How to change Game DVR recording time using Settings
• How to change Game DVR recording time using Xbox

How to change Game DVR recording time using Settings

Using the Windows Settings app, you can change the maximum recording length with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Gaming.
3. Click on Game DVR.

4. Under "Record this," use the Maximum recording time drop-down menu to select the time length:

   • 30 minutes.
   • 1 hour.
   • 2 hours.

How to change Game DVR recording time using Xbox

Using the Xbox app, you can adjust the maximum recording time for games with these steps:

1. Open Xbox.
2. Click Settings (gear) button.
3. Click the Game DVR tab.

4. Under "Game Clips," you can use the Maximum recording time drop-down menu to select the time length:

   • 30 minutes.
   • 1 hour.
   • 2 hours.

Once you adjust your settings, the next time you're playing a game and you use the Windows key + G keyboard shortcut to open the Game bar and click the Record button, the screen recording will stop and save the clip automatically at the new time specified.

While background recording is a great feature to have in Windows 10, you should also consider that it requires additional system resources to record, which can affect gaming performance. It's recommended to use background recording only if you have a capable machine.

If you also want to capture videos with the highest quality, in this guide we explain how to record at 60 frames per second with 192kbps audio quality.

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

Buying a used phone can be a heck of a deal, but you need to know what to look out for.

When it's time to upgrade a phone, most of us go to our carriers to see the deals they have to offer. But you also shouldn't forget to shop around the bustling used smartphone market. You can find your next great phone at a discounted price by buying used, but we've got some tips to consider before hopping on Craigslist and buying the first phone that pops up.

Always inspect the phone in person if possible

Honest folks will properly photograph and report any and all damage on the phone in their online ad, but if you're buying a used phone from a local seller you'll want to do a full inspection before sealing the deal. If you're planning to meet up in public (always choose a public location for in-person meetups), be sure to take the time to look over the device thoroughly.

Look for all signs of wear but especially any dents along the side or chips in the screen. Since it's very likely the phone will not be under warranty, you don't want to end up buying a phone that's on its last legs or the verge of some serious issues. Also always make sure the phone powers on properly and that it doesn't have any security locks — a telltale sign that someone's trying to sell you a stolen phone.

It's increasingly uncommon with the latest smartphones, but if you're able to open up the back panel and inspect the internals you should absolutely do so. Look out for any signs of water damage, indicated by a sticker on or near the battery that will turn pink or red if it's been exposed to moisture. Again, this will only work with older phones that actually let you get to the battery pack, like the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Look beyond Craigslist and eBay

While you might instinctively search Craigslist or other local swap sites for used phones being sold in your city, or eBay to try and snag an excellent deal, there's an inherent risk involved with both services, and you might get ripped off.

That's why you should check out the reputable phone reselling sites out there, which act as third-party intermediaries between sellers and the buyers while also verifying the condition and value of the phone. You've got two main options to choose from.

Gazelle sells certified pre-owned devices that go through a rigorous inspection process to check for any functionality or cosmetic issues. Gazelle also ensures that all devices are reset prior to shipment and include a USB charger and charging cable for your phone. With unlocked phones, as well as models locked to specific carriers available, you can save some money and get a new (to you) phone at a steep discount.

Swappa is the other site worthy of your attention. Swappa relies on PayPal for all transactions, allowing you to pay the seller directly while keeping you protected by PayPal's outstanding buyer protection policy. Swappa offers more comprehensive information about the market prices for phones, too, so you can see how the average price has fallen over time.

No matter which service you go with, make sure you've done your research and know exactly what you're buying.

It pays to be patient

If you're in no immediate hurry to buy a used phone, it might be well worth waiting for the next big phone launch before buying a phone. Consider that the average price of a used Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge on Swappa has dropped by around $100 since March 2017 — the Galaxy S8 was released in April, so you can see how the trend works.

The lesson here is to be strategic. Wait for the next big phone release and watch the market for a flood of last year's devices. There are used Windows phones to be found, but with only rumors of a new Surface phone at this point, you'll want to watch to see how the market reacts to the next big releases for Android and iOS — the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone 8, respectively.

Be aware of carrier locks

Typically, you're going to find the better deals on a phone that are locked to a specific carrier. That is fine, as long as you buy the right phone for your carrier. While certified sellers will absolutely include whether a phone is carrier locked in the posting title or description, Chuck from across town might be oblivious to this and think he's selling an unlocked phone when it's actually locked to AT&T.

To save yourself a headache, if you're buying in person try inserting your SIM card in the phone and powering it on. If you get any network lock notifications, that's an immediate red flag, especially if it was advertised as being unlocked.

Alternatively, with sites like Swappa or Gazelle you're typically going to pay a premium for an unlocked phone, so if you can find the phone you want that's available on the carrier you're with, go for it. If you have no intentions of switching carriers anytime soon, you can save some serious cash.

Use some of your savings to protect your purchase

Around these parts, we always recommend getting a case or screen protector for your new phone. This advice goes double when you're buying a used phone because you can't be too sure what hell a phone may have gone through before it got into your hands.

I've had phones take a drop and appear to be fine, only to have the screen crack weeks or months later because the structural integrity of the phone had been somewhat compromised. The thing is, you just never know for sure with a used phone so it's best to err on the side of caution. Besides, you're already going to be saving a ton of money by buying used, what's $10 or $20 for some accessories that will extend the life of your phone?

Your tips

Have you bought used phones before? What was your experience like? Do you have any tips to add? If so, share them in the comments.

If you're looking for something fresh, The Long Dark might be just what the doctor ordered.

The Long Dark is a hardcore first-person survival title from Hinterland Games, currently available on Xbox One and Steam. After a long period in Game Preview, it's finally here, and it's full of great content, is a wonderfully challenging and beautiful game. It's among my personal favorites on the console right now.

If you're looking for something new and challenging, here's how to start your love affair with The Long Dark.

What is The Long Dark?

The Long Dark is first and foremost an explorative survival adventure, featuring deep gameplay systems that'll have you hooked for weeks, if you go in with the right state of mind.

The Long Dark puts you in control of the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, following a global geomagnetic disaster. The details of exactly what went wrong are scant, but you'll find out the truth in the game's episodic story mode, currently dubbed 'Wintermute.'

In The Long Dark, animals are unnaturally aggressive, abnormally harsh blizzards ravage the land, and the only humans you will find are frozen corpses. The sandbox mode offers varying levels of difficulty and a range of large maps crammed with opportunities for exploration.

Quick Facts

• The Long Dark features large sandbox areas that are connected. More are being added as time goes by.
• It has a deep crafting system that is very demanding, but very rewarding.
• It has dynamic day, night and weather cycles, and they all play an important part in survival.
• You can leave feedback on the game at www.HinterlandForums.com.
• The game also has a friendly community on reddit.

Finding that single crucial rifle round, a box of matches or the final component for a complex crafting schematic makes The Long Dark a persistently rewarding experience, and it's available for a reasonable price on both Steam and Xbox One. I'd argue it's among the best $20 you can spend on Xbox One right now.

• Buy The Long Dark on Xbox One (Free Trial)

Vital Information

Before jumping into the challenging sandbox mode, it's probably best that you head into the game's story mode first. Wintermute will introduce you to game mechanics one by one, serving as a narrative-driven tutorial before going head first into the long dark of The Long Dark.

Playing on survival mode's Voyager (normal) difficulty, you will find that the first few nights are the hardest. Supplies are low, and you might appear a significant distance from any form of shelter. The first thing you need to do is learn the controls. Learning what you can do at the outset is very important. You can view the controls by going to the options menu. Most of my notes will refer to the Xbox One version in this guide, but you can customize keyboard controls at will on the PC version.

Next, prioritize your vital stats. The Long Dark has a minimalist UI to maximize immersion. You can view your statistics at any time by pressing the Menu button.

Note: All vital stats decrease both in real time and when you take actions that speed up the passage of time. When you break down a log for wood, for example, it will usually tell you how long it will take, and how many calories your action will burn. This won't account for changes in the weather, however. I've nearly frozen to death because I underestimated how fast my temperature would drop while harvesting a deer carcass.

Here are your vital statistics that you need to manage. We'll get into how to keep them at safe levels in the next section.

• Condition: Think of your condition as your hit points. When it reaches 0 percent, it's game over. And in The Long Dark, death is permanent.
• Temperature: This is arguably the most important stat to manage, as it will deplete your condition faster than other statistics. The time of day, weather, wind speed and being wet can all affect your temperature. We'll get into how to stay warm in the next section.
• Fatigue: While being tired won't impact your condition as harshly as being freezing cold, you can collapse as a result of fatigue, which is something you do not want to occur. Particularly outdoors.
• Thirst: This is another stat that is particularly dangerous to ignore, but relatively easy to maintain. Drinking safe water often is crucial.
• Hunger: You can get away with being hungry for quite a long time, but it's still important to keep those calories topped off.

The First Night

You can spawn randomly anywhere on the region you select when you create your new sandbox. Part of the fun of The Long Dark is exploring, discovering new locations, and finding those crucial items you need, so I won't give you too many pointers.

The first thing you should do is check your current status. If you're in the middle of a blizzard, getting into shelter as soon as possible is a priority. You can't make fires in the middle of a blizzard, because the wind will be too high. If the weather and "feels like" temperature isn't too low, there's not as much reason to panic.

Presuming you start at Mystery Lake, which is where all beginners should start, there are various cabins and other interior locations you can use as a "base" shelter while you gather enough materials to move forward. Getting to the lake the region is named after can be a chore, however, particularly in the first couple of nights. Mystery Lake is a large frozen water mass, complete with a visitor's center and tourist cabins. You'll recognise it from the game's title screen. The location is hard to describe because there are no maps, and indeed, Mystery Lake isn't the only base you can find, far from it. Exploration is key, but managing the risk of doing so is also important.

• Gather sticks. You will start with the means to start a fire, which includes both tinder, matches and fuel. Sticks can be found all over the ground, typically near trees. Sticks and branches respawn over time, particularly after heavy winds and blizzards. Remember that breaking down larger sticks will burn calories, so be careful. You can also create tinder from sticks in the inventory screen.

• Create fires using the radial menu. You can place them anywhere on the ground near you on flat terrain. Use fires to build up warmth to survive outdoors on your way to a more permanent shelter.

• Boil water by selecting the fire. Boiled water is safe to drink, and it's super important to have a consistent clean water supply as you travel. You can also use fires to cook food once you get it.

• Don't worry too much about food. You can survive hunger for a longer amount of time than other stats, although it will compound how fast your condition decreases. Mystery Lake's most abundant source of easy food is cat-tail plants, which grow near frozen rivers and lakes. Human dwellings tend to have tins, chocolate bars and other sources of calories, until you find the means to hunt animals.
• Place a bedroll to sleep. You can sleep outdoors on a bedroll, but beds indoors are obviously the better option.

• Check your inventory. On Voyager difficulty, you will start with some rudimentary supplies. Most items can also be broken down to create other crafting materials.

• Check your clothing. You can equip two layers of clothing to enhance your ability to withstand the cold. This makes exploration gradually easier, giving you the ability to withstand low temperatures and the game's wind chill factor.

• Explore. Don't be afraid to explore, even if it means dropping your condition levels to do it. New locations will have important items like guns, bullets, hatchets, tin openers, and various other valuable gizmos for surviving at higher levels.

• Experiment! You can interact with the game's world in many intuitive ways. Once you gain a hatchet, you will be able to break furniture down into reclaimed wood or cut up carcasses for meat, leather and entrails. Dropping items like hides and guts indoors allows you to dry them out, which is necessary for certain crafting recipes, such as a hunting bow.

• Use the game's notebook The Long Dark's radial menu also offers a journal, which allows you to make notes. This can be useful for keeping track of stored items, the locations of crafting tables, and more.

The Long Dark's primary hazard is the environment itself, which mercilessly tries to kill you with its onslaught of wind and ice. But there are also dangerous animals to be aware of.

Wolves

Wolves seem to be the most abundant animal threat in the game. Wolves like to attack from behind. Sometimes you can simply outrun them, and then turn and face them down while backing away. You can use light sources, like flares or firebrands to frighten them away too. If you're using a weapon, aiming it at the wolf will generally prompt them to attack, so you'd better land your shot! Wolf meat can be eaten, and their hides can be used to craft powerful clothing.

If you get bitten by a wolf, you can generally fight it off. If you have a weapon like a hatchet, you can even injure them in the process, which often leads to them bleeding out and dying later on. Headshots are a guaranteed kill on wolves, while other shots will cause them to flee and bleed out. They also leave a blood trail, so you can track them down. Wolf bites need to be healed via the first-aid radial menu option. Bandages and disinfectant will heal you fully. If you get infected, you will need antibiotics and bedrest to survive. Wolf attacks will also damage your clothing.

Bears

Avoid bears, at all costs. Being hit by a bear will take 75 percent off of your current condition, and will one-hit kill you if you're already struggling. Bears will also shred your clothes, leaving you exposed to the cold. Bears appear in both the day and the night.

Bears can take way more punishment than wolves, but a headshot with a rifle will put them down, too. Bears will also bleed out over time if you injure them enough. Like wolf attacks, bear attacks need to be healed with bandages and disinfectant, and you'll also end up spending a lot of cloth and leather to repair any damage to your clothing.

If you do have to get in range of a bear for whatever reason, you should begin backing away. Bears will curiously saunter towards you, and eventually rear up on their hind legs and charge. If they see you aim a weapon, they will also charge, and you will probably die. Bears roam around an area for a few in-game hours and then move on.

Have fun!

The Long Dark is an incredibly deep game, and discovering how it all works is part of the fun. These pointers should help you get started without ruining the experience of discovery. The game is designed for multiple playthroughs, giving you information on how well you survived each time.

The Long Dark has regular Xbox achievements, but also has feats for achieving certain goals (viewable via the menu), which can provide passive bonuses on new playthroughs. This can be handy as you attempt the higher, more punishing difficulties, including the brutally challenging Interloper mode.

If you're a fan of survival adventures, The Long Dark is among the best on Steam and certainly on Xbox One. I cannot recommend it enough.

• Buy The Long Dark on Xbox One (Free Trial)

How can I stay private online?

The internet is a big, wonderful place full of knowledge and humor, and it's used every day by billions of people. Just like many of the best things in life, there are people out there who'd like nothing more than to take advantage of it. The right to privacy is one of the fundamental aspects of our culture, but it's threatened every time you go online. To help protect yourself and your privacy in the cyber world, follow these six tips.

Invest in a VPN

If you're serious about placing a blanket of protection over your internet activity, a VPN should be one of your first stops along the way to privacy. It works like this: data you send over the internet is moved from your PC to a VPN server through an encrypted tunnel. Once it arrives at the VPN server, it's then sent out into the open internet, but under a different — usually shared — IP address.

If you're often using open Wi-Fi connections in coffee shops, hotels, or hostels, a VPN is pretty much required. Even if you're using your home network, it's not a bad idea in the current internet landscape to have a VPN at your disposal. Check out our roundup of the best VPN services to get an idea of where to start.

See the best VPN services for 2017

Don't advertently share private information online

Yes, it might be fun to let your friends know what you were up to last weekend, but letting too much information go can be risky. Even with all privacy settings at maximum, social networking sites are like a sieve, and you should treat anything you put online as if everyone is able to see it. Forever.

Another smart private practice when it comes to social media is disabling the location service. For example, Snapchat's "Snap Map" feature, when enabled, shows your live location when the app is open. Call me a curmudgeon, but that's a little scary. Pay attention to how much information is being shared within social media, and you'll have a much easier time holding on to your privacy.

Encrypt your data before uploading it to the cloud

If you absolutely have to use a cloud storage service, be sure to take encryption into your own hands. While most cloud services encrypt your data while it's in transit, resting storage is often lax on the security. All it takes is a hack to get in a backdoor and see everything you've uploaded in an unencrypted state.

To help with this issue, there are third-party services, like AxCrypt and Folder Lock, that allow you to encrypt your data yourself — with the only key in your hand — before it's uploaded to the cloud.

How to encrypt data before storing it in the cloud (and why you should)

Consider using a different search engine

Big search engines, like Google and Bing, keep a record of everything you search in order to build a profile. While that profile might rest mostly dormant for now, you never know when all that information — no doubt a lot of it private — will be dredged up.

Don't want an interested party knowing that you searched up some very private medical terms in the past? Consider using an alternate search engine at least part of the time. DuckDuckGo immediately comes to mind, as they've gained recognition for keeping no tabs on what you search for.

Use two-factor authentication whenever possible

Although you often hear the words "Don't use the same password twice," the reality is that many people do exactly this. Why is it risky? While most high-profile sites might have adequate protection in place to protect your information, using the same password on a less-than-reputable site could lead to it getting out. In that case, it's easy to get into your bank, your email, and whatever else you've signed up for with the same email and password.

Even if you do use different passwords for most services, setting up two-factor authentication is not a bad idea. When logging into a service, you'll usually also be asked to prove you're you with some other method, whether it's a text message sent straight to your phone containing a secondary code or an email with a secure link. Without access to the secondary method, a potential hacker will be stopped cold in their tracks.

Disable your webcam

Pretty much every PC and phone made in the last few years comes with at least one built-in camera, and the reality is they're pretty easy to turn on from somewhere else. Many people will grab a small piece of paper or sticky-tack and place it over their webcam, but others will take matters a step further and disable their webcam through their PC's settings. However, the same rule applies to microphones: the only true way to disable a webcam is to physically unplug it.

Also, be sure to keep track of what other smart devices have microphones and cameras in them and do your best to disable them as well (if they're not needed). Does your Smart TV have a microphone in it? Do you ever use it? If not, look into disabling it.

How to disable your laptop's webcam and microphone

More privacy resources

• How to ensure your data in the cloud stays secure
• Do you really need a VPN?
• 5 uses for a VPN you didn't know about

This kitty's got some claws.

The latest DLC character for Marvel Heroes Omega, the free to play superhero MMO for Xbox One, is the Black Cat – a dark-suited female thief and occasional love interest of Spider-Man. Learn her moves and background details in his handy guide.

See Marvel Heroes Omega on the Xbox StoreSee the Black Cat Pack on the Xbox Store

Meet the Black Cat

In Marvel comics, the Black Cat is the alter ego of Felicia Hardy, daughter of a world-renowned cat burglar. First appearing in Amazing Spider-Man #194 in 1979, the Black Cat is basically Marvel's answer to DC's Catwoman.

After enduring a personal tragedy, Felicia decided to follow her father's footsteps and become a thief known as the Black Cat. As the Black Cat, she soon ran afoul of Spider-Man. The two instantly experienced a romantic connection. Throughout the years, they've dated on and off again. More recently, Felicia has developed a vendetta against Spider-Man and returned to a life of crime.

Felicia initially had no powers other than martial arts and athletic training, but eventually gained the ability to create bad-luck fields for her opponents, as well as upgrading her suit with cybernetic enhancements. Her gloves have retractable claws and grappling hook launchers that she uses to swing from building to building.

Black Cat appears in various cartoons and games. Although the actual Black Cat has yet to appear in a movie, Felicia Hardy played a small role in Sony's disastrous Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Traits and travel power

Felicia has three traits:

• Bad Luck: A critical hit chance boost.
• Cat Suit: Boosts dodge and deflect ratings.
• Nine Lives: Whenever Black Cat's life runs out, she recovers nine percent of her life instead of respawning. She can do this nine times within 90 seconds, making her harder to kill than other heroes.

She also has a useful travel power.

Travel power: Black Cat uses her grappling hooks to swing around above the ground.

Powers

The Black Cat's powers fall into two categories: "Claws and Whips" and "Traps". You'll want to decide how to balance and prioritize these two sets, because you can only equip a total of eight powers on the console versions of the game.

Claws and Whips

Quick Getaway: Movement, Stealth, Dash

Black Cat's initial movement power also bestows two seconds of stealth. This can be useful for other powers and traits that require stealth.

Cat's Claws: Melee, Claw

The basic attack, this consumes no spirit and has no cooldown. You'll probably want to keep it equipped throughout the game.

Deep Cuts: Melee, Claw

A basic slashing move that has no cooldown but consumes spirit. Combining it with the Foe Fillet power doubles its critical hit chance, so consider them pairing up.

Claws Out: Melee, Movement, Bleeding, Claw

Black Cat spins forward, damaging any enemies she passes through. This is a spirit-consuming alternative to Quick Getaway. If you're not playing a stealth-focused build, you might pick Claws Out as your primary movement power.

Master Thief: Stealth, Crowd Control

Drop a smoke bomb and become invisible for five seconds. The bomb stuns enemies for two seconds, and Felicia has a chance to steal valuables (which sell for credits) while she's invisible. A great power even if you're not focusing on stealth.

Foe Fillet: Melee, Claw

Launch a series of five high-damage slashes. You can't move or change your aim after activating this power, so choose your target carefully. Because of the cooldown and limited range, I'd only equip this power if you're also using Deep Cuts.

Land on Your Feet: Melee, Bleeding, Gadget, Leap, Movement

Black Cat jumps in the air and spins her grappling hook in a circle as she comes down. The grappling hook damages enemies and can cause bleeding. Because there's no cooldown, this can be a useful way to briefly avoid danger while performing some crowd control.

Cat Nap: Melee, Claw

Felicia must be stealthed or invisible to use this ability, limiting its usefulness. She delivers two slashes which have a wide radius and deal more damage to foes who have already lost life. If you're rocking a stealth build, you might choose this as your high-damage melee attack.

Cat Scratch Fever: Signature, Melee, Claw

Black Cat's Signature move has her jump and slash all around within a circular radius, delivering a total of twenty hits. This move is great for crowd control, and you can further enhance it with a hero talent upon reaching level 50.

Traps

Explosive Trap: Ranged, Trap, Gadget

Throw a bomb that explodes after a moment, damaging any foes within its radius. Black Cat can carry two of each bomb variety at a time. Having used both bombs, they'll replenish after a four-second cooldown.

Gas Trap: Ranged, Trap, Gadget, Poison

These bombs unleash a green gas cloud that damages and weakens the enemies that touch it. It's an important part of Black Cat's arsenal.

Whip Crack: Melee, gadget

A basic whip attack that consumes spirit but has no cooldown, so you can spam it several times. The whip does extra damage while traps are on cooldown, so definitely pair it with a trap-heavy build.

Grappling Whip: Melee, Gadget

Black Cat swings her whip around in a circle. It can hit multiple enemies, causing bleeding. A fine option if you need an area-of-effect attack.

C'mere Kitty: Melee, Gadget, Crowd Control

Spin the whip in a circle, causing damage, and pull a single enemy towards you for follow-up attacks. Because of the cooldown, this might not be a better option than Grappling Whip.

Sticky Trap: Ranged, Trap, Crowd Control, Gadget

Throw a bomb that causes most regular enemies to become immobilized for one second. It also increases their vulnerability. The immobilization is not effective on bosses and large enemies, but it's still good for the debuff alone.

Put 'em Down: Melee, Bleeding, Gadget

Requires stealth or invisibility, limiting its usefulness. Black Cat swings her whip twice in a circle, inflicting bleeding on anyone in its radius.

Taser Trap: Ranged, Trap, Gadget, Electric

Unlike other traps, you must throw both of the taser traps in your stock before it will work. The two traps will create an electrical field, damaging enemies that pass through it. The taser trap lasts for ten seconds and can provide some serious crowd control.

Is the Black Cat a steal?

Black Cat is currently exclusive to the Black Cat Pack DLC, which costs $19.99. This DLC includes:

• Black Cat character.
• Pop Star costume: In an alternate universe, Felicia Hardy was lead singer for the Black Cats.
• Two XP boosts: A $2 value.
• Two Marvelous Loot Boxes: A $5 value.

Black Cat's pricing is the same as most other single-character DLC packs, such as Spider-Man and Deadpool. The letdown, at least for me, is her alternate costume. I would've preferred a more traditional look, such as her Ultimate universe costume.

Because of the loot boxes and XP boosts, you could think of Black Cat as costing $13 – the same price that most high-value characters sell for in premium currency. Twenty bucks is certainly a lot to drop on just one character, particularly one who doesn't have the recognizability of Spider-Man or Deadpool. But Black Cat has the useful Nine Lives trait, a good travel power, and lots of fun combat skills.

Big fans of the character will certainly enjoy playing as her in Marvel Heroes Omega. If you're not as keen on the kitty, you can always wait for a sale or for her to become purchasable in-game after her DLC exclusivity expires.

See Marvel Heroes Omega on the Xbox StoreSee the Black Cat Pack on the Xbox Store

You can keep your PC more secure by removing administrator privileges from your account but still be able to perform admin tasks on Windows 10. Here's how.

On Windows 10, users with administrator privileges have complete control over the OS and their apps have unrestricted access to the computer. Although you may proactively keep up with system and antivirus updates, follow the best security practices, and be careful using the internet and checking email attachments, there is still a chance that malicious programs, such as malware, could gain access to your device.

Running as administrator, an exploit can more easily gain control of your system. It can install rootkits, keyloggers, and other suspect services without you knowing. A malicious program can also modify and delete files, and even prevent devices from booting. However, using a user account with fewer privileges can block most attacks.

Although it's usually recommended to use a standard user account for nontechnical users, in general, it's also good practice to make everyone (including you) use a limited account to make your device more secure. Then when it becomes necessary to perform a task that requires elevation, you can set a separate account to use the "Run as administrator" option.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to use your computer without administrator privileges to protect your system from malicious programs and accidental changes, while still remaining in control.

• How to create a new administrator account on Windows 10
• How to change your account type on Windows 10
• How to go back to the previous settings

How to create a new administrator account on Windows 10

In order to make your account more restricted but still make sure it is possible to perform administrative tasks, you need to configure a separate account that will only be used to authorize tasks that require elevation.

One way you can do this is by creating a new local account using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other people.

4. Under "Other People," click the Add someone else to this PC option.

5. Click the I don't have this person's sign-in information link.

   • Note: Typically, you'd want to create a new Windows 10 account using a Microsoft account, but in this case it's not a requirement because the account will only be used for administrative tasks.

6. Click the Add a user without a Microsoft account link.

7. Type the username and password you want to use. For example, admin or root.

8. Click Next.

9. Select the newly created account, and click Change account type.

10. In the "Account type" drop-down menu, select Administrator.

11. Click OK.

Once you've completed these steps, the last thing left to do is to change your account type to a Standard User account.

How to change your account type on Windows 10

In Windows 10, an Administrator account is a member of the Administrators and Users groups, which means that to make the account a Standard User, you only need to remove your account from the Administrators group.

You can sign-in to the newly created account to change your account type to Standard User using the Settings app, but you can also use the Computer Management console, and simply remove the account from the Administrators group.

To switch your account type to a Standard User, do the following:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Computer Management and click the result to open the console.

3. Browse the following path:

   System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users

4. Double-click your Windows 10 account — the one you want to switch to a Standard User account.

5. Click on Member Of tab.
6. Select Administrators from the list.

7. Click the Remove button.

8. Click Apply.
9. Click OK.
10. Sign out and sign back in to apply the changes.

After completing these steps, your account will have fewer privileges and apps won't be allowed to make system changes, making your system more secure against malware.

When the time comes that you need to perform a task that requires administrator rights, you can always right-click the app and use the Run as Administrator option with the credential of the administrator account. Or you can temporarily sign into the administrator account to make system changes, and then sign back into your personal account.

If you want, it's also possible to keep the new account hidden from the lock screen.

How to go back to the previous settings

If you no longer want to use a Standard User account, you can quickly roll back the changes using these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Computer Management.
3. Right-click the result, and select Run as administrator.

4. Browse the following path:

   System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users

5. Double-click your account.

6. Click on Member Of tab.

7. Click the Add button.

8. Type administrators in the object field.
9. Click the Check Names button.

10. Click OK.

11. Click Apply.
12. Click OK again.
13. Sign out and sign back in to apply the changes.
14. Open Settings.
15. Click on Accounts.
16. Click on Family & other people.
17. Under "Other people," select the administrator account you created earlier.

18. Click the Remove button.

19. Click the Delete account and data button.

You'll find that using this approach is similar to using the User Account Control with its highest level, but switching to a more restrictive account can make your computer even less vulnerable to malicious programs.

Remember that sometimes depending on the environment and apps requirements, it's not always possible to use a more restricted account. However, whenever possible, if you're just using the device to create and consume content, you should consider making the switch.

While this guide is focused on Windows 10, the same concept can also be applied to Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and previous versions.

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

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is already one of the biggest hits of 2017, Here's everything you can expect from its Xbox One release, which is expected this fall.

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds was an overnight hit, taking the PC gaming community by storm with its survival-shooter gameplay. After millions of copies sold, the game is now on its way to Microsoft's gaming ecosystem, with an exclusive Xbox One launch this fall. With the new 4K-ready Xbox One X looming, the game is shaping up to be a major blockbuster for 2017.

But what is PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds? And why should you care? Here's everything you can expect from the game's Xbox One release.

5 tips and tricks for staying alive in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds for PC

What is PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds?

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (often shortened to Battlegrounds, or PUBG) is a "last-man standing" multiplayer shooter, pitting up to 100 players against one another in an expansive open world. Taking strong influence from "Battle Royale" and arena survival games, players must gather supplies, converge upon a single location and fend off hostile players.

After being dropped in from a cargo plane via parachute, players land in Battlegrounds' world with no equipment. From there, it's key to quickly search for weapons, ammunition, attachments and more, while watching out for enemies in the vicinity.

Over time, the playable area will begin to shrink, forcing players to move to increasingly smaller pieces of the map. Ultimately, players will be forced into combat, leading to only a single player remaining at the end of the round.

Variations on this core concept are also available, with support for larger teams of players.

Why is PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds so popular?

After its release on PC earlier this year, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds managed to gain an unprecedented wave of traction. Attracting millions of players since launch, and with thousands still jumping on daily, the game's growth doesn't look to be slowing anytime soon.

So, what exactly sparked its popularity? While it's impossible to pin success on just a single factor, the game's appeal mostly comes from the overall cohesion of the package. With previous work on similar titles, Creative Director at Bluehole, Brendan Greene, has applied his experience with the survival genre to deliver an unmatched level of balancing and depth.

While previous survival games offered the same appealing premise, the popularity of the title continues to draw more people. For many, this is their first time experiencing the genre, and the underlying hardcore mechanics are an interesting change of pace from your average multiplayer shooter. At this point, the franchise name alone is able to drive sales, which should also extend to the upcoming Xbox One release.

Will there be differences between the Xbox One and PC versions?

With significantly less flexibility in terms of raw processing power, many have understandably expressed concerns about how the game's scale will translate to console. However, since the announcement for Xbox One, the studio behind PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has been keen to stress that gameplay should be similar, if not identical on console. Based on early reports, it appears a passable frame rate is being achieved with a little optimization, even when connected to 100-player servers.

Anticto, a small developer based out of Girona, Spain, is currently handling the Xbox One port. Bluehole is still established as the team behind core game development and PC updates, while progress on the Xbox One release is outsourced almost entirely to the Spanish developer. Although having an entirely separate studio raises some concerns, it's now common in the industry to have multiple teams contributing to a single project.

Greene has also discussed his intentions to maintain periodic patches on Xbox One, as seen on PC. It appears the regular monthly updates should be present, with close to feature parity between the two platforms. Although it's safe to assume PC will get many updates early, it's encouraging to see the developer already commit to consistent console support.

When the game officially launches, outside of Xbox Game Preview, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds will also take advantage of the Xbox ecosystem. Xbox achievements, Xbox Live multiplayer integration, and the platform's social elements should all make an appearance in the final product – as expected from any ID@Xbox title. Mention of integration for Microsoft's Mixer live streaming platform has also been discussed, although no further details have been provided.

How does PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds play with a controller?

One of the biggest challenges when transitioning over to console from PC can be creating a control scheme, with two vastly different input methods used on the platforms. As discussed during an interview between Greene and GameSpot, Microsoft's ID@Xbox program is lending a hand in porting process to ensure best layout for an Xbox One controller.

We know it's important to get a really good solid control, especially for a shooter, you need good movement controls and stuff like that. I'm working with these guys (ID@Xbox) and they have the experience with doing it for many other games.

Not only does a gamepad have fewer buttons – converting mouse aiming over to a joystick can define the feel of any shooter. Aim assist is one of the main techniques used to aid stick aiming, by implementing a discreet lock-on for targets. Greene has expressed plans to offer some sort of aim assist, although the specifics are currently undecided.

Will PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds offer cross-platform multiplayer?

With various gaming ecosystems becoming more integrated than ever, the idea of cross-platform multiplayer doesn't seem too crazy. Especially on Xbox One and Windows 10, where Microsoft is heavily pushing its "Play Anywhere" program, blurring the lines between platforms isn't entirely out of the question.

Speaking to VG247, the game's Executive Producer Chang Han Kim expressed the studio's interest in such a feature, provided it's implemented correctly:

Cross network play between the PC and the console is definitely something we want to do down the road, and we don't anticipate we'll have any technical issues with that.

However, being a hugely competitive title, a stigma still surrounds cross-play and the variation between input methods. Using a mouse provides more precise aiming than a console joystick, and while a handicap can be put in place, this opens a whole new dilemma to consider. While we can't expect such functionality at launch, the developers are still showing interest in implementing cross-play at a later date.

How will PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds perform on Xbox One?

Up until this point, a majority of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' console marketing has focused on the Xbox One X version of the game. Offering a significant bump in available resources, the game is set to achieve 4K resolution, alongside High Dynamic Range (HDR).

According to Eurogamer, it's also been revealed that with only a little optimization, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is currently achieving 30 frames per second (FPS) on the Xbox One X, when handling 100-man servers.

However, with no exclusives on Xbox One X to maintain forward compatibility, the game will also have to run on Xbox One in some capacity. Exactly how well the game will run is yet to be determined, though we may find out more in the months ahead of launch. A resolution at 1080p or below can be expected, and HDR for Xbox One S consoles hasn't been ruled out.

The PC version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds isn't known for its optimization, so it will be interesting to see how the experience transitions to fixed console hardware. While it's entirely possible that the game will hit 60 FPS on Xbox One, at this point, 30 FPS at 4K resolution looks more likely. Alternatively, checkerboard rendering may be used to obtain a higher framerate.

When will PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds be available on Xbox One?

Right now, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available exclusively on PC, via Steam's Early Access program. The Xbox One version of the game is slated for release sometime this year as a "console launch exclusive," meaning the game will be tied to the platform for its initial debut. However, this doesn't rule out an expansion to other platforms after release – potentially sometime in 2018.

When the game releases for Xbox One, players will first be able to purchase a version via "Xbox Game Preview," which provides an in-progress package, close to the final product. As with all games debuted through this program, a free trial will be available.

It's currently unknown when PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds will be released in Xbox Game Preview, outside of the release window of fall 2017. It would make sense for the game to be released around November when Microsoft's next flagship console should hit store shelves.

For those looking to play the full release with additional features and polish, you can expect to wait until sometime in 2018, for the official release.

Further reading

• Playerunknown's Battlegrounds for PC preview: This new battle royale deserves your attention
• 5 tips and tricks for staying alive in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds for PC

How do I properly use Ghostery in Edge? (And why should I?)

Every time you browse the internet, there is an enormous network of trackers watching what you do and connecting it back and forth across cyberspace. These trackers know your browsing habits, they often share that information with interested parties, and they make your browsing experience worse by slowing down web pages and cluttering everything up. Here's why you might want to use Ghostery and how to use Ghostery in Microsoft Edge.

What is Ghostery?

Ghostery is designed to block trackers, effectively speeding up your browsing experience and cutting down on targeted ads. You can see, in real time, how many trackers are attempting to snoop on you, offering up a sometimes frightening look at what's behind the scenes.

You might be thinking that Ghostery is similar to blocking cookies, and you're not wrong. However, Ghostery takes things a step further and doesn't actually let your browser communicate with a specific web server. Every time a request goes out, Ghostery analyzes it and compares it to a huge list of known trackers, and if a match is confirmed, the request is blocked.

How is Ghostery different from an ad blocker?

Whereas many ad blockers have a simple on/off switch when it comes to blocking, Ghostery is a bit different; you get to choose specific things to block. Many people don't mind supporting their favorite websites through ad revenue and affiliate links, and with Ghostery, that doesn't mean you have to completely disable all blocking.

Some of the worst-offending trackers can sneak in while your guard (read ad blocker) is down, but Ghostery does a bang-up job of keeping them at bay. You can even see in real time what's being blocked, and if you recognize a tracker you'd like to let by, you can with just a couple of clicks.

How does Ghostery work?

Each time you load a web page, you'll see a list of trackers populate. Each tracker is analyzed and sorted into one of eight categories.

• Advertising
• Site Analytics
• Customer Interaction
• Social Media
• Essential
• Audio/Video Player
• Adult Advertising
• Comments

It's clear that some trackers are a lot worse than others. Hate those auto-playing video ads? You can block those. Don't use social media and don't need the page to load all those share buttons? Those can be gone too. Don't mind letting some non-nefarious ads through to support a site you love? That can be done as well, all through Ghostery's settings.

Is Ghostery watching what you do?

Ghostery makes it clear that they're collecting data, but they also make it clear that they respect anonymity. Check out the FAQ section on their website for more information about what Ghostery collects and how they keep data anonymous.

What is the Human Web and what data is collected through it?

How to set up Ghostery in Microsoft Edge

Before anything else, we have to get Ghostery working with Edge.

1. Navigate to the Ghostery Store page.
2. Click Get the app.

3. Click Install.

4. Click Launch.

5. Click Turn it on.

A new web page will open in Edge and you'll be asked whether or not you'd like to share anonymous data with Ghostery. The choice is yours. You'll eventually arrive at the Create An Account window.

Again, the choice is yours whether or not you want to create an account, but if you do, you can sync settings across browsers and devices.

1. Click Create Account.

2. Type an email address. You can add a first and last name, but they're not mandatory.

3. Type a password and hit Enter on your keyboard.

4. Click Continue.

An email should appear at the address you used for the Ghostery account. You can use it to verify your account.

How to add a Ghostery button to the Edge address bar

For quick access to Ghostery, you can add a button to the address bar.

1. Launch Edge from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.
2. Click the Settings and more button near the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click Extensions.

4. Click Ghostery.

5. Click the switch below Show button next to the address bar so that it turns blue (On).

You'll now see a Ghostery button near the top-right corner of the window.

How to manage general Ghostery settings

1. Launch Edge from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.
2. Click the Settings and more button near the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click Extensions.

4. Click Ghostery.

5. Click Options. A web page will open, and from here you can manage general settings. By default, they're set up pretty well, but you can make small tweaks as you see fit after using it Ghostery for awhile.

How to whitelist and blacklist websites

Have a website you love and trust? You can add it to a whitelist that won't be subject to the same Ghostery blocking as every other site. You can also add sites to a blacklist where everything will be blocked, no matter your other settings.

1. Launch Edge from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.
2. Click the Settings and more button near the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click Extensions.

4. Click Ghostery.

5. Click Options.

6. Click Trusted Sites.

7. Type the URL of the website you want to whitelist.

8. Click the Add button in the field. It looks like a green plus sign.

9. Click Restricted Sites.

10. Type the URL of the website you want to blacklist.

11. Click the Add button in the field. It looks like a green plus sign.

How to block entire categories of trackers in Ghostery

Ghostery divides trackers into eight categories. Each category can be blocked entirely.

1. Launch Edge from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.
2. Click the Settings and more button near the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click Extensions.

4. Click Ghostery.

5. Click Options.

6. Click Blocking Options. Here you'll see the eight different categories of trackers.

7. Click a category to expand and reveal individual trackers.

8. Click the checkbox next to any individual tracker to block it.

9. Click the checkbox next to the category head to block all trackers in that category.

Once blocked, no tracker from the category will show up, unless you've added a site to a whitelist.

How to block individual trackers on a web page

Each time you load a web page, Ghostery will populate a list of trackers in real time. A small overlay will appear in the bottom-right corner of the window to remind you that it's working, but you can get more information by clicking the Ghostery button in Edge's address bar.

Here you'll sometimes see a small, yellow icon next to trackers. These icons denote either a slow tracker that's dragging things down (snail), a non-secure tracker that could be a risk (shark fin), and broken pages that simply aren't working properly (explosion).

Here's how to block individual trackers on a certain web page. If a site is especially problematic, you can quickly add the site to the blacklist, or you can simply block all trackers.

1. Navigate to a web page. You'll see Ghostery populate a list of trackers.
2. Click the Ghostery button in the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click the checkbox next to any trackers that are causing problems or that you'd simply like to block. In this case, I blocked a tracker that was non-secure and a tracker that was slowing things down.

4. Click the checkbox next to Block All to block all trackers on a specific website.

5. Click the Restrict Site button to add the site to the blacklist.

How to sync your Ghostery settings across devices

If you've built up a decent amount of Ghostery filtering on, say, your desktop PC, you likely also want that exact same filtering on your laptop. As long as you created an account during initial setup, you can just install Ghostery on your laptop and log in. All the same filtering will be applied.

Didn't create an account? No problem. Using the Edge browser containing all of your filtering settings, follow these steps.

1. Launch Edge from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.
2. Click the Settings and more button near the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click Extensions.

4. Click Ghostery.

5. Click Options.

6. Click Create Account in the top-right corner of the window.

7. Type an email address.

8. Type a password.

9. Click Create An Account.

You'll receive an email at the address you used, asking you to verify by clicking a button. That's it! You're all set up. Next time you use Edge on another device, just log in with the same credentials during setup.

How to turn off and uninstall Ghostery

Don't want Ghostery anymore? Here's how to turn it off and uninstall it.

1. Launch Edge from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.

2. Click the Settings and more button near the top-right corner of the window.

3. Click Extensions.

4. Click Ghostery.

5. Click the switch below Ghostery. This turns Ghostery off.

6. Click Uninstall. This completely removes the Ghostery extension from Edge.

More Edge resources

Be sure to have a look at our Microsoft Edge Ultimate Guide for way more information about the browser.

See our Microsoft Edge Ultimate Guide

Buying a used phone doesn't have to be overly complicated or stressful.

The used phone market is an iceberg; you can only see the tip sticking out of the water, but it goes far deeper than you can imagine. This bears out in a recent Deloitte report that claims the used phone market grew to 120 million units in 2016, generating $17 billion for their owners. That number is only going to get bigger faster: IDC believes that by 2020, over 220 million used devices will be sold or traded annually.

That's a lot of gear, and similar to how a new car loses its value once it's driven off the lot, phones immediately become cheaper once they're removed from the plastic wrap. For a seller — even one who treats his or her phone with the utmost care — that can be problematic. For a buyer, though, that becomes an opportunity to pick up a gently-used device for a great deal.

Things to consider before you buy a used phone

We've written of the most important considerations you need to take into account when buying a new phone — do a visual inspection if possible; always purchase from a reputable seller; be patient; be aware of carrier locks or other roadblocks; look into insurance, especially if the phone is out of warranty — but there are a few other things to think about.

The first is what kind of used phone you're looking to buy:

• A used phone purchased directly from a seller (Craigslist).
• A used phone purchased through an intermediary that has verified its condition (Gazelle).
• A refurbished phone that has been through a "touch up" directly from the manufacturer or a partner (Samsung).

Know what kind of used phone buying experience you want before you start shopping around.

You can probably get the best deal buying directly from someone else because there is no intermediary taking a fee, but you also run the risk of the phone having issues that the naked eye can't see. If you know exactly what you want and know what to look for, you're probably going to be comfortable buying a used phone from a direct marketplace like Craiglist, Swappa or one of many buy or sell forums.

If you don't want to take any chances with the quality, but still don't mind a bit of wear and tear, buying through an intermediary marketplace like Gazelle could work really well. The phones often come with (admittedly limited) warranties and money-back guarantees which, as a buyer, offer considerably more peace of mind than the average "meet up at the nearby 7-Eleven and hand over a wad of cash" type deal.

Finally, buying a certified refurbished phone is your safest bet, but it comes with the least discount over a new product. Both Samsung and Apple sell refurbished phones directly on their websites, and though the savings are not substantial, they're at least guaranteed to work. For example, Samsung sells an AT&T-locked 32GB Galaxy S6 for $399. The same phone can be had for between $239 and $309 at Gazelle, which inspects but doesn't refurbish the products, and between $130 and $225 at Swappa, which merely connects buyers and sellers. But Samsung sells its refurbished models with a 12-month warranty, a charger and cable, and brand new headphones. Gazelle throws in a charger but no headphones, and Swappa just ensures a clean exchange (for a small fee).

The best places to buy a used phone

There are innumerable places to buy a used phone on the internet, and depending on your country, this list may not be as applicable (though we tried to highlight international marketplaces as much as possible).

Craigslist

Craigslist tends to set up those "meet up at the nearby 7-Eleven and hand over a wad of cash" type phone deals, which can be hit-or-miss depending on how adept you are at identifying scams — of which there are many.

The main things Craigslist has going for it are size and scale — it's practically everywhere, and has communities for almost every city in the world. You will be able to find a used phone on Craigslist. That's not the problem; the problem is sifting through the thousands of listings to find something worth pursuing and ensuring that the phone you decide on does not have underlying damage or, worse, that its IMEI (a unique number that helps identify individual devices) hasn't been blocked due to theft.

• Good — Good prices, excellent availability, and plenty of choices, with the option of buying local to check condition
• Bad — Hard to verify sellers or the quality of the phones

Learn more at Craigslist

eBay

eBay is enormous, and today continues to be one of the top places to purchase a used phone. It has the advantages of Craigslist, scale, with few of the disadvantages, especially since it uses PayPal to ensure that payments can be recalled should there be a problem.

For buyers, eBay has a robust filtering system, allowing you to search for exactly what you want, with filters for price and carrier — even color. Of course, eBay still has its roots as an auction house, and that is how some used phones are still sold, but far more of them are sold at set prices. eBay charges sellers, not buyers, to host their listings, so all you need to do is find the right listing and you're off to the races.

eBay's best feature is its Money Back Guarantee which, combined with the extensive seller profiles, makes it easy to buy with confidence. If there's an issue with the device, or the shipment, you can apply to get your money back and, within reason, eBay will either cancel the PayPal transaction or, if it's already gone through, refund you. Seller profiles let you filter potential purchases based on trusted sellers that have been around the block once, 10, or 10,000 times.

• Good — Lots of selection with verifiable sellers with a money back guarantee.
• Bad — Potentially high cost of shipping, and you won't be able to see the device before buying

Learn more at eBay

Swappa

Swappa began its life as a small Android-based phone buying and selling community, but it's since expanded to include all mobile devices, such as tablets, Chromebooks and MacBooks.

Swappa works on a set fee structure that's very different than most other platforms, and this is important: the buyer pays the fee. Most will pay under $20 for the privilege, and all payments are done over PayPal, which is incredibly convenient and secure. Why is a buyer fee better for both buyers and sellers? Because it encourages sellers to list their products on Swappa, adding inventory to a service that relies heavily on participation.

Swappa does not physically inspect devices, but it does do a few things to make sure the buyer is getting what he or she pays for. All listings are verified by a human, who ensures that the IMEI is valid and can be activated. All listings must have good quality photos that clearly show any damage, and the quality (fair, good or excellent) should match the photos. The cost of shipping is included in the price of the listing, which should prevent post-sale price gouging. And because Swappa uses PayPal, all listings are protected, so if a device doesn't arrive as advertised, buyers have recourse to get their money back.

Finally, Swappa's prices tend to be lower than many curated services since, aside from the flat fee, the seller sets the price.

• Good — Plenty of listings with clear quality guidelines and good prices
• Bad — Buyer pays fee, no warranty or accessories

Learn more at Swappa

Gazelle

Gazelle buys phones from sellers and resells some of them on its website just like a regular e-commerce store (the rest are either recycled or sold to third parties). The advantage is that once Gazelle receives the device, it performs a so-called "30-point inspection process" to ensure that it is in working order and puts a SIM card in it to make sure it can properly connect to a network.

As a buyer, that means you may pay slightly more than Swappa for the equivalent model, but you get a phone that is guaranteed to work, either unlocked on a number of carriers or the one that it is advertised to be locked to, and there is a 30-day return policy if you're not completely satisfied.

Gazelle also offers financing options, which allows it to compete with carriers by offering flexible payment plans that don't require a lot of money up front. At the same time, Gazelle doesn't accept every type of Android phone because its inspection system is only optimized for a handful of models — all popular Galaxys are accepted, but it only recently started buying (and selling) the Google Pixel — which ensures a higher-quality buying experience.

• Good — Seamless buying experience with plenty of choice, all phones come with a charger and are guaranteed to work, 30-day money back return policy
• Bad — Doesn't sell every type of phone, could be more expensive than other options

Learn more at Gazelle

Glyde

Glyde has an interesting business model, somewhere between Swappa and Gazelle. Like Swappa, it's a user-to-user e-commerce portal. But, like Gazelle, it asserts some control over the potential exchange by forcing the seller to use its secure shipping container, and it doesn't release payment to the seller until the buyer receives it. It also promises to refund a disappointed buyer within 72-hours.

All phones, from iPhones to Galaxys to Windows phones, are available to purchase on Glyde, and buyers pay no additional fee beyond what is shown on the site.

• Good — Lots of choice and buyers have leverage if unhappy with a sale
• Bad — Phones are not inspected beforehand so what you see may not be what you get

Learn more at Glyde

Your choices

What are your favorite places to buy used phones? Let us know in the comments.

If you're unable to set up OneDrive in a different location, it's likely that the drive is using an unsupported file system, and here are the steps to get around this problem.

On Windows 10, the OneDrive desktop client recently received an update that suddenly drops support for older file systems, including FAT32 and exFAT, and even the newer ReFS (Resilient File System). As a result, if you now try to use a storage using an unsupported file system, you'll end up getting a "Your OneDrive folder can't be created in the location you selected" or "Drive must be formatted with the NTFS system to work with OneDrive" message.

According to Microsoft, the sync client was never actually designed to support other files systems other than NTFS. Instead, it was a "bug" that permitted users to set up OneDrive on drives formatted with another file system, and now the company simply fixed the issue.

If you want to use OneDrive on an SD card, USB flash drive, or external hard drive, but it's using an unsupported file system, there are different ways to convert to NTFS, even without having to move the files around. (Though, it's always recommended to keep an up to date backup of your files before making system changes.)

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to overcome the file system limitation using OneDrive so that you can use an alternative location to store synced files.

• How to convert a drive to NTFS using Command Prompt
• How to convert drive using exFAT or FAT32 to NTFS using Format utility

How to convert a drive to NTFS using Command Prompt

If you're trying to set up OneDrive on a storage that already has a lot of files, you can use the Convert built-in command line tool to convert the file system from FAT32 to NTFS without having to move the files around.

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and select Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command and press Enter:

   convert DRIVE-LETTER: /FS:NTFS

   Important: In the command change DRIVE-LETTER for the letter of the drive you want to convert.

Once you've completed the steps, the drive will be converted to NTFS without destroying the files already stored in the drive, and then you can go through the OneDrive setup again.

The only thing you need to remember with this process is that after making the conversion, you can't go back to FAT32.

Converting drive using exFAT or ReFS to NTFS

If you're using exFAT or ReFS, you can't use the Convert command. In this case, you'll need to backup your data, use the steps below to reformat, and then restore the data.

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and select Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command and press Enter:

   format DRIVE-LETTER: /FS:NTFS /Q /V:DRIVE-NAME

   Important: In the command change DRIVE-LETTER for the letter of the drive you want to convert, and change DRIVE-NAME with the label you want. You can quickly figure this out on the This PC section on File Explorer.

After you've completed the steps, the process will delete everything and convert the drive to NTFS. Then you should be able to run the OneDrive setup again without issues.

How to convert drive using exFAT or FAT32 to NTFS using Format utility

If using Command Line is a bit challenging, or the drive doesn't have a lot of data, you can temporarily copy the data to another location, and reformat the drive using the Format utility.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on This PC.

3. Under "Devices and drives," right-click the drive you want to use with OneDrive, and select Format.

4. Using the "File system" drop-down menu, select NTFS.

5. Check the Quick Format option.

6. Click the Start button.

After the process is complete, you can restore any data, and then you can try to go through the OneDrive setup again, and this time, you should not see any warning messages.

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

Want to add USB-C to your existing desktop PC? It's neither expensive nor very difficult.

We're not talking about adding a dongle or a USB powered hub here, but actually adding USB-C hardware to your rig. This particular method won't work for all PCs, but assuming you have a spare PCIe slot on your motherboard you should be good to go. A lot of modern motherboards already have USB-C pre-installed, but older ones and a lot of pre-built PCs won't.

That's because for the purposes of this guide we're adding a PCIe card to a desktop PC that has a single USB Type-A 3.1 port and a USB-C 3.1 port on it. There will be different cards to choose from, but we're using this Dodocool card picked up from Amazon for $22.

Besides an empty PCIe slot in your PC, you'll also need an SATA power cable for it if you're going to be connecting high-powered devices. The PCIe lane will provide enough for lesser devices like thumb drives, but by hooking up the card to your external power supply you'll have more freedom of use. For this, you'll need to find an unused connector coming out of your power supply.

To prepare your PC first shut it down and unplug the power. Then take off whatever side panel(s) your particular case has. You'll also need to remove one of the rear panels on the case by the PCIe slots, so go ahead and take out the one relevant to the slot you're using.

In terms of installation there's only one way you can put it into the slot, otherwise, the back plate would be inside the PC! Line up the card over the notch in the motherboard and gently push it in. If you're using the SATA power connection, you'll now need to hook up one of the unused connectors coming from your power supply.

You may now need to install some drivers, probably from a disc included in the box. Chances are you won't since Windows usually plays ball. In our case, it's just plug and play.

Obviously, besides the new future-proof connector, the big draw to USB-C, in this case, is USB 3.1 data transfer speeds. USB-C itself doesn't equal faster data transfer since it could be hooked up to USB 3.0. Our particular card can handle 10Gbps data transfer between it and USB 3.1 compatible devices, but you won't be able to use both slots for this at once.

That's all down to the controller of this particular card. Others may vary, but this one it seems can only use 1 PCIe 3.0 lane at once, so you can only get super fast data speeds from one port at a time.

In any case, adding a PCIe USB-C card to your PC is both simple to do and inexpensive, with the added bonus of opening up some faster ports thanks to USB 3.1. Not all PCs will be able to take advantage since you need a vacant PCIe slot to be able to do this, but if you do, it's about 10 minutes of time and around $20 to make a useful, future-proofed upgrade.

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Get to know the entire Destiny 2 armory – here's every weapon announced so far, ahead of its September release.

Although bearing similarities to its predecessor, Destiny 2 brings a lot of content for both veterans and newcomers to the franchise. Destiny has excelled at delivering robust gameplay as its core focus – mostly due to its strong shooter mechanics. Destiny 2 brings a whole new arsenal of weapons to explore, with each class bringing its own unique style of combat. Here's everything we know so far about the guns of Destiny 2.

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How Destiny 2's weapons work

Destiny 2 inherits a majority of its mechanics from the first game, sorting each of its weapons into distinct classes. Each of these weapon types is associated with a few defining traits, which are generally seen across every firearm within the class. As of launch, we know of 13 unique weapon classes.

• Scout Rifles
• Auto Rifles
• Pulse Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Hand Cannons
• Sidearms
• Shotguns
• Trace Rifles
• Fusion Rifles
• Sniper Rifles
• Rocket Launchers
• Grenade Launchers
• Swords

The inventory system has also seen some changes – the biggest of these being a new approach to how weapons are equipped. In the legacy version of Destiny, weapon classes were assigned to one of three weapon slots, which restricted both weapon combinations, and the type of ammunition that could be used. Now, most weapons are sorted by whether they carry an energy type, while all heavy firearms are situated in their own dedicated slot. Here's a breakdown of the three weapon slots, and the weapons that can be contained inside them.

• Kinetic: This weapon slot houses a majority of standard weapon types, provided they don't have an associated Energy type. These perform like the Primary weapon slot in the original Destiny, taking white ammunition. Scout Rifles, Auto Rifles, Pulse Rifles, Submachine Guns, Hand Cannons and Sidearms are all confirmed to be usable in this slot.
• Energy: Although similar to the Kinetic weapon slot on terms of compatible weapon classes, all items must bear some type of Energy type. Most weapons that deal Arc, Solar or Void damage must be used as your Energy weapon, and take green ammunition. Scout Rifles, Auto Rifles, Pulse Rifles, Submachine Guns, Hand Cannons and Sidearms are all confirmed to be usable in this slot.
• Power: This slot is reserved for heavy weapon types which aren't usable in the other slots. Whether Kinetic or Energy-based, all weapons under certain classes must be used as Power weapons, taking purple ammunition. Shotguns, Fusion Rifles, Sniper Rifles, Rocket Launchers, Grenade Launchers, and Swords are all confirmed to occupy this slot.

All of Destiny 2's weapons are all sorted by rarity levels. Although this doesn't affect how weapons handle, rarity is often indicative of their performance on the field. And while rarity generally doesn't dictate how weapons are equipped, only one weapon of Exotic rarity can be equipped at a time.

• Learn everything you need to know about Destiny 2's Exotic weapons

Auto Rifles

Auto Rifles are a fully automatic solution, sporting a fast fire rate to deliver consistent damage. However, this often results in strong recoil, which can be hard to control over distances. This class of weapon is usually best suited for close range as a result, with some weapons stretching to medium ranges.

• Sweet Business (Exotic)
• Scathelocke (Legendary)
• Deathstalker-4AU (Legendary, Solar)

Pulse Rifles

Pulse Rifles deliver damage in set bursts – usually three rounds per trigger pull. Although a burst can maintain better stability than over longer ranges, they fail to deliver the accuracy of Scout Rifles. While an adaptable rifle, these weapons are best used at medium ranges.

• Nightshade (Legendary)
• Nergal PR4 (Legendary, Void)

Submachine Guns

Submachine guns are a new weapon class in Destiny 2, often delivering unrivaled fire rates for a fully automatic weapon. With less stopping power per round, these firearms often have more controllable recoil too, although range suffers. As a result, submachine guns should be used strictly in close quarters situations.

• Riskrunner (Exotic, Arc)
• The Showrunner (Legendary)
• Red Mamba-3MG (Legendary, Arc)
• Phosphorus MG4 (Legendary, Solar)

Scout Rifles

Scout Rifles are a primary weapon in Destiny 2, which can fall into either the Kinetic or Energy slots. These semi-automatic rifles pack high impact and accuracy – frequently excelling and medium to long range. Due to the low fire rate, recoil is rarely an issue with this class of firearm.

• Does Not Compute (Legendary)
• Black Scorpion-4SR (Legendary, Arc)

Hand Cannons

Hand Cannons are the classic revolver-style pistol of Destiny, delivering heavy damage in exchange for a shorter range. However, these weapons are unrivaled for precision at close range, sometimes offering easy headshot kills against mobs.

• Sunshot (Exotic, Solar)
• Better Devils (Legendary)
• Minuet-42 (Legendary, Solar)

Sidearms

Sidearms provide a high rate of fire, but struggle with both range and stopping power. While these can be a valid tool against lower level enemies, sidearms traditionally struggle to deliver steady damage in most situations.

• The Needle (Legendary)
• Urchin-3SI (Legendary, Solar)

Trace Rifles

Trace Rifles appear to be a laser-based weapon making their first appearance in Destiny 2, dealing damage via a consistent beam of energy. This weapon archetype was announced as a part of a pre-order bonus, showcasing just a single Arc-based Exotic variant of this weapon class. It's currently unclear whether these rifles are classified as traditional or power weapons.

• Coldheart (Exotic, Arc)

Shotguns

As seen in most video games, shotguns deliver a heavy, forceful blow at close range, firing multiple projectiles in a spread. The traits of shotguns can vary but commonly provide high damage, with a relatively low number of shots between reloads.

• Retrofuturist (Legendary, Void)

Fusion Rifles

Fusion Rifles offer a unique style of play through a shotgun-style energy blast. These medium range weapons must be charged up before firing, and deliver damage in a single burst. The traits of these rifles can vary from model to model, but generally include deliver heavy damage and sizeable charge-up period.

• Main Ingredient (Legendary, Arc)
• Tarantula-3FR (Legendary, Arc)

Sniper Rifles

Sniper Rifles are on one of the few long-range weapons available in Destiny, providing access to high-zoom scopes and unmatched stability. These weapons are also unbeaten at dealing precision damage, provided you're able to keep your distance from the target.

• Copperhead-4SN (Legendary, Solar)
• Borealis (Exotic, Solar, Void, Arc – PlayStation exclusive)

Rocket Launchers

Rocket Launchers deal heavy explosive damage through a slow-moving projectile. Upon impact, shots fired from this weapon deliver damage across a wide radius, potentially throwing enemies back in the process. Although damage can spread over a wider distance than most weapons, landing a direct hit provides optimal damage.

• Morrigan-D (Legendary, Arc)

Grenade Launchers

Grenade Launchers are making their debut in Destiny 2 as a new explosive Power weapon. As the name suggests, these fire a small clip of grenades, which can be rebounded off terrain to hit targets. Only one, of assumedly multiple grenade launchers, has been announced so far.

• Acantha-D (Legendary, Solar)

Further reading

• Everything we know so far about Destiny 2
• Destiny 2 Exotic weapons guide
• 4 things we loved about Destiny 2's beta – and 2 things we hate

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