Articles about Xbox One S

It’s been 20 years since Microsoft unveiled the original Xbox which, incidentally, is the only model of the company’s games console I’ve ever owned.

Although I’m a PlayStation gamer, I’m also interested in consoles of the past, and for that reason I’ve spent an enjoyable hour exploring Microsoft's new Xbox Museum. This site lets you discover the history of the brand and also the history of Halo, Microsoft's most famous gaming series.

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Kodi started life as XBMC (XBox Media Center) and was designed to run on Microsoft's original Xbox. The software has since then enjoyed a meteoric -- and somewhat controversial -- rise, and is now available for most platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux.

In 2010 the team announced that it would no longer be developing for Xbox, but finally relented and reintroduced an Xbox build three years ago. However, although Kodi 19 Matrix was released on most platforms in February, a lack of testing options meant it once again wasn't available for the Xbox. With the release of Kodi 19.1 that finally changes.

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The original Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X are great video game consoles. Hell, they really aren't even just gaming machines, but full media devices, designed to be the focal point of your media consumption. They don't only play games, but movies, TV shows, music, and more. With the exception of the puzzling "All-Digital" variant, they all play Blu-ray discs too.

With all of that said, gaming is the primary function of any Xbox, and these days, that largely means playing multiplayer titles online. Don't get me wrong, offline play has its place, but it is far more fun to compete against other humans. One of the most fun aspects of online multiplayer is using a headset to speak with either teammates or opponents.

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Download-only gaming for home consoles is certainly the future. It is definitely not the present, however. I can envision all next-generation game consoles being produced without any optical drive or card slot, but to do that with a current-gen system would be asinine. And so, Microsoft has done it.

Yes, the worst kept secret in the video game community is officially announced today. As the leaks suggested, Microsoft unveiled the "Xbox One S All-Digital Edition." What does "all-digital" mean? Well, apparently, the Windows-maker thought optical discs were analog, as this branding simply means the Blu-ray drive has been removed. Yeah, the name sort of makes no sense. In other words, Microsoft hopes you will be crazy enough to buy download-only games at the tail end of the Xbox One's life. You won't fall for that trickery, will you?

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The future of the Xbox console certainly appears to be a disc-less one. German website WinFuture has obtained images and details of the console which could be officially revealed in the coming days.

The name has already been spotted on packaging, so we can be fairly sure that it is the final name. As the moniker suggests, the Xbox One S All Digital eschews discs in favor of game downloads -- the packaging itself proclaims "disc-free gaming". The box also reveals some details about the hardware specs of the Xbox One S All Digital.

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Special edition video game controllers aren't very special anymore. Look, they are still cool, but there are so many different styles and colors being released, it can be hard to get excited each time one is announced. Microsoft even offers the ability to create a custom controller with its neat Xbox Design Lab.

With all of that said, I find myself smitten with a new Xbox One controller. Called "Sport Red Special Edition," it should not surprise you to know it is red. It isn't merely a red paint job, however -- it has different shades of red for the thumb sticks and buttons. The D-pad is a metallic red, and the face features a beautiful design of black crossing lines that create a series of triangles. It's definitely a stunner.

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I vividly remember the first time I witnessed a video game controller with an alternative color. My father took me to the mall to buy Nintendo 64. I was a huge Mario fan back then -- I still I am -- and Super Mario 64 had me wanting the console badly. The salesman suggested a second controller, which was a must for playing with friends back then -- online multiplayer wasn't an option for N64. That's when I saw it -- a green controller. Oh my goodness. They came in colors other than gray?! I had to have it.

In the grand scheme of things, the color of a controller doesn't really matter. I mean, it does not affect gameplay. Still, it’s fun to choose a color and make the controller your own. Microsoft is no stranger to controller colors -- it releases many special edition options. Not to mention, the company also offers the ability to create a custom design using Xbox Design Lab. Its latest such controller is called "Sport White Special Edition." As you can see, it is mostly white, but it features a mint color on the rear. There are also cool line patterns on the front.

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Here at BetaNews, our 20th birthday cerebration is in full swing. We have several amazing giveaways running, including the Linksys Velop Dual-Band Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System. But what if you don't need or want a mesh networking solution? What if you are a gamer that just wants a single router?

Enter the Linksys WRT32XB. Yes, we are giving away this hardcore Xbox One-optimized gaming router. Don't own Microsoft's gaming console? Don't worry. It will still function perfectly fine as a router for all of your non-gaming needs too. In other words, Xbox or not, you should enter the giveaway, as this router is a beast.

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If you own an Xbox One, you know there are a lot of games available for the console. Hell, there are almost too many from which to choose -- a good problem, I suppose. Let's not forget all the DLC too! I personally feel overwhelmed by the number of games being announced these days, but I digress.

While the Xbox One consoles come with a good amount of drive space (500GB or 1TB), it can fill up very quickly. Thankfully, you can easily expand the storage using an external USB drive. For the best performance, a USB solid state drive is preferable to a mechanical hard drive. Today, Seagate announces the terribly named "Game Drive for Xbox SSD" which is, as you can guess, an external SSD for Xbox One. Of course, it will work with a PC too.

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If you are a PC gamer, there are many ways to gain an edge -- such as upgrading components and accessories. A new GPU and mouse, for instance, can make a big difference. With console gaming you are much more limited -- you can't upgrade the CPU, GPU, or RAM. Some argue that is a good thing, as it levels the playing field, while others say a lack of upgradeability is a negative.

If you are an Xbox One gamer, however, there is a new piece of hardware that could give you an edge when playing online -- the Linksys WRT32XB 802.11ac wireless router. If you aren't familiar, this is a variant of the company's WRT32X gaming router where the firmware has been optimized for Xbox One (plus PCs using Killer networking). Linksys says it can detect Xbox traffic and reduce peak ping by up to 65 percent, and ultimately, reduce lag. If you are dubious of that claim, please know that Microsoft has certified this router as a part of the "Designed for Xbox" program. Today, the Linksys WRT32XB finally becomes available for purchase.

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As the maker of Windows, Office, and Xbox, Microsoft is undoubtedly against software piracy. When people pirate its games and other software, it arguably takes money out of the company’s pockets.

Believe it or not though, Microsoft is actually promoting piracy! No, not software piracy, but traditional piracy, like with actual pirates. Well, the historical/make-believe type at least. You know, peg legs, eye patches, parrots and such. You see, today it announces the Xbox One S Sea Of Thieves Bundle.

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The video game "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" (better known as "PUBG") is wildly popular. With all of the buzz around this title, I decided to buy the PC version last year. You know what? I think the game sucks. Maybe I am just bad at it, but here's my impression of the game -- you parachute into a war zone, and after about 30 seconds, you die. The end. I find it frustratingly short, and quite frankly, the fun just isn't there. Maybe it is because of cheating, but I seem to just instantly die. I'll stick to Mario on Switch...

But OK, if you actually enjoy PUBG like most people seemingly do, Microsoft has a new Xbox One S bundle that might excite you -- if you don't already own the console, that is. The Xbox One S PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Bundle comes with the 1TB "S" game system, the full PUBG game, and more.

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Kodi started life as XBMC (XBox Media Center) and was designed to run on Microsoft's original Xbox. The software has since then enjoyed a meteoric -- and somewhat controversial -- rise, and is now available for most platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux.

One platform it was missing from was the latest generation of Microsoft's console, the Xbox One, but that oversight has finally been corrected. You can, from today, install Kodi on both that console and the Xbox One S. Although there is a catch.

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If you are a console gamer, Microsoft has a lot to offer with Xbox One right now. Of course, those that can afford it should pick up the godly Xbox One X -- a true 4K gaming machine. Don't have $500 to spend on an Xbox? Don't worry -- the Xbox One S can play the exact same games -- albeit at 1080p. With that said, the "S" variant can play 4K Blu-ray movies, however -- all at a fraction of the cost of the Xbox One X.

Today, Microsoft makes that price difference even more substantial. You see, for a mere $199, you can get an Xbox One S bundled with a free game! In other words, it costs less than half of an Xbox One X and comes with a game -- how can you beat that?

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If there is someone in your life that loves technology, and you want to get them a really great Christmas gift, look no further than the Microsoft Store. Seriously folks, if you want to delight someone special, just get them an Xbox One or Surface. If Microsoft's Surface-branded computers are too expensive, there are plenty of other Windows 10 devices from which to choose too.

Understandably, buying such extravagant gifts might be a hardship financially, so if you have been waiting for the best time to make that purchase, please know that now is when you should finally pull the trigger. You see, Microsoft's Black Friday 2017 has gone live a day early! Yes, you can score a great deal on Surface, Xbox, and Windows 10 devices right now. Here's the details, y'all.

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