Month: April 2017

Bad news if you think Microsoft would soon change its stance about emulators on its Xbox One system.

Microsoft has officially begun encouraging Windows 10 users to download and install the Creators Edition patch, and that has been met with an update to the Windows Store's rules. Among other policy changes is one that went into effect almost immediately: a ban on emulators.

An affected developer was notified of the change on Tuesday when its product, Universal Emulator, was delisted from the Windows Store. While no proof of a letter or notice from Microsoft was published, the developers at NESBox linked to relevant changes in the Windows Store application rules, dated March 29, which now include this line: "Apps that emulate a game system are not allowed on any device family."

This list of general Windows Store rules, written for developers, received a massive update to its "Gaming and Xbox" requirements; these used to contain only one sentence, and it referred hopeful Windows Store game developers to the ID@Xbox program. That existing program requires pre-approval by Microsoft, but developers will soon be able to publish their games directly to both Xbox and Windows 10 marketplaces by paying a one-time fee of $100 or less as part of the Xbox Live Creators Program. (The biggest catch is that these games must run in Universal Windows Platform [UWP] mode.)

(credit: Adam Fagen)

More than 8,000 Massachusetts residents who want to drive for ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft won't be allowed to, because they didn't pass a new background check system that operates in that state.

Most were rejected because they had suspended licenses or hadn't been driving for long enough to qualify, according to a report on the matter in The Boston Globe. But some had committed serious crimes, including violent crimes and sexual crimes. Others had convictions for drunk driving or reckless driving.

The checks came about because Massachusetts passed a new law regulating ride-sharing companies, which required a background check run by the state government, in addition to the companies' own background checks. The state checks began in January, and the results were announced yesterday. Out of the 70,789 drivers who went through the state application process, 8,206 were rejected.

Enlarge / Forklifts outfitted with Plug Power hydrogen fuel cells. (credit: Plug Power)

On Wednesday, hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power announced that Amazon would be changing its electric forklifts to hydrogen fuel cell-powered ones at 11 of its fulfillment centers. According to Reuters, Amazon secured the right to buy up to 23 percent of the company as well, which would make the online retailer one of the largest shareholders in the fuel cell company.

Plug Power said in a press release that Amazon would be spending about $70 million in 2017 to purchase Plug Power’s GenKey systems, which include fuel cells for forklifts, stationary fuel cells for backup power, hydrogen fueling infrastructure and fuel, as well as customer support.

Hydrogen fuel cells are seen as interesting alternatives to batteries because batteries can take a long time to recharge, whereas fuel cells are simply refilled, like filling up the gas tank in a car. There’s also no real waste or emissions associated with using hydrogen to power a vehicle, besides harmless H₂O. But there are downsides, too. Making hydrogen often relies on burning greenhouse gases, so critics say it’s not truly a carbon-neutral fuel. And transporting hydrogen is more difficult than transporting, say, gasoline, as it often needs to be compressed or kept at very cold temperatures.

Enlarge / This option is the best way of transitioning out of the Insider Program. (credit: Microsoft)

The "official" release of the Windows 10 Creators Update, version 1703, won't come until Patch Tuesday on April 11, but if you want to upgrade now—and don't want to enroll your system in the potentially unstable Windows Insider Program—you can now do so.

The Windows 10 Update Assistant will upgrade any Windows 10 Home or Pro system to the Creators Update; you'll need to grab the latest version of the Assistant and then run it, but it should be straightforward enough. If you're upgrading more than one machine or want to perform a clean install, the Media Creation Tool, available from the same link, is the better bet; the Media Creation Tool can fetch an ISO to burn a DVD or create a bootable USB drive, and that can be used for bare metal installs.

The Creators Update itself is build 15063.0, but there will be a small Cumulative Update delivered on April 11. Previews of this patch have been rolled out to insiders, with the fast ring Insiders on 15063.14 and slow ring Insiders on 15063.13. Using the Update Assistant or Media Creation Tool appears to also update to 15063.13. This situation may well change by the actual release day next week.