Microsoft Xbox Preview Program Renamed, Opened to All

Microsoft just announced improvements to its Xbox Preview Program. Each month, Redmond pushes out new features to Xbox One owners. But before making their public debut, those programs are tested through preview members who are tasked to try out these things.

This includes fiddling with backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 titles.

Going forward, the most notable change to the program is the transition to a new name—the Xbox Insider Program—meant to reflect an expanded range of service preview opportunities for users, including games, apps, and system updates.
The Xbox Preview Dashboard has also been renamed to become the Xbox Insider Hub. Microsoft confirmed that Hub is a complete rebuild of the Dashboard based on fan feedback.

Other highlights, as outlined via Program Manager, Emily Hanson, include more personalisation, a new user interface, an Xbox Insider profile card, and support for multiple users on a console.

"We're starting to roll these changes out today to a small number of preview members who have provided the most feedback since the inception of the Xbox Preview Program" Hanson shared.

Xbox One consoles in instant-on mode and with the Xbox Preview Dashboard app installed will automatically update overnight. Everyone else can check online for upgrades or wait patiently for access to the new Xbox Insider Hub. Most will see it soon as it should fully roll-out over the next few weeks.

"Our final change, my personal favorite, is that the Xbox Insider Program will soon be open to all Xbox users," Hanson added.

Access to system updates still remains limited to those already participating. Of course, this change means more people will be able to try games, apps, upgrades, and new features, and give feedback directly from their Xbox One.

4 ways The O will remind you of things you need, before you need them

You’ve heard of the Internet Of Things, right? It’s an ugly name for how all your tech gadgets work together. Well, the O is building an Internet Of Reminders. More than just a Bluetooth tracker that allows you to find your wallet once you have already left it at a bar, the O will remind you that you’ve left them behind before get beyond a set range. What’s more, the O will remind you to take things, such as your gym bag, on the day it knows you’ll need them and depending on what the weather will be that day.
If that sounds like an awful lot of nagging, these reminders only take the form of notifications on your iPhone or Android. Better still, you have complete control over them, deciding how often you should be reminded. This does require a certain amount of initial set-up, but registering an item with the O app on your phone only takes a matter of minutes. Of course, for every item in your Internet Of Reminders, you need to have an O tracker attached to it, but these are sold in packs of four for £65/$80 to help keep the cost down. Here’s the four best ways we would use our multi-pack.

1. Find your keys

Using low-energy Bluetooth the O’s app will notify you if you have moved away and left key items behind. Setting the O as essential means that no matter where you are, if you leave the item, you will be notified. When you are alerted you can swipe the alert and press ‘Safe For Now’ and it won’t alert you for a little while. Each pack of Os comes with a rubber keyring or more fashion- forward metal ones are sold separately.

2. Don’t run out of phone battery

You can enable reminders for certain items. If you have an O set to track your charger, for example, and leave the home without it, you will receive an immediate alert to grab your charger if your battery
is below 50 per cent. Alternatively, you could set the O as an ‘essential’ and receive reminders whenever you leave without it.

3. Remember it’s leg day!

You can select which days items need to be tracked, for example if you plan on only going to the gym at weekends you can select on the app to only be reminded on Saturdays. Looking at the app you can see what Os are with you, at home or in a safe place. The case of the O is rounded and lightweight meaning it can fit into most bags without damaging the interior and be unnoticeable.

4. Get reminders before it rains

The app monitors weather forecast each day and if you leave without taking your umbrella, you will be alerted to say that you may need it. If you choose to set the tracker to non-essential then as long as it is somewhere you have selected as ‘safe’ you won’t be alerted when you leave. You can set safe places by connecting to a Wi-Fi network or if there isn’t Wi-Fi available, you can set a specific area on a map.
For more information on The O, visit owithme.com This article first appeared in Gadget issue 14. For the latest tech news and reviews, buy the latest issue of Gadget here or download the digital edition.