Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott is an award-winning technology journalist and blogger with 30 years of industry experience and the author of 30 books. He is the owner of Thurrott.com and the host of three tech podcasts: Windows Weekly with Leo Laporte and Richard Campbell, Hands-On Windows, and First Ring Daily with Brad Sams. He was formerly the senior technology analyst at Windows IT Pro and the creator of the SuperSite for Windows from 1999 to 2014 and the Major Domo of Thurrott.com while at BWW Media Group from 2015 to 2023. You can reach Paul via email, Twitter or Mastodon.

Paul Thurrott’s Recent Posts

X-Cuses: iPhone X Facial Recognition Will Not Meet Expectations

X-Cuses: iPhone X Facial Recognition Will Not Meet Expectations

In an astonishing turn of events, Apple has secretly told the press that iPhone X…

Amazon May Have Just Cracked the Smart Home Nut
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Amazon May Have Just Cracked the Smart Home Nut (Premium)

In characteristic fashion, the e-tailer is offering unique benefits that play to the strength of…

Mozilla Embraces Progressive Web Apps

Mozilla today said that it will embrace Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), starting on Android.

Google Home and Assistant Pick Up Over 50 Activities for Kids

A promised collection of children-oriented games, activities, and stories for Google Home and Google Assistant…

Original Xbox Games Arrive on Xbox One

Original Xbox Games Arrive on Xbox One

As promised, you can now access the first 13 original Xbox titles to be added…

Microsoft Holds a Halloween Games Sale

Microsoft Holds a Halloween Games Sale

In celebration of Halloween, Microsoft's annual "Xbox Shocktober" sale is back.

Microsoft Announces a Global Launch for Xbox One X

Microsoft will launch the Xbox One X globally with both live and virtual events on…

Amazon Launches New Kindle App on Mobile

Amazon Launches New Kindle App on Mobile

Amazon today announced a major update to its Kindle app for Android and iOS.

Microsoft Explains its Rollout Strategy for the Fall Creators Update

Microsoft Explains its Rollout Strategy for the Fall Creators Update

Microsoft today explained that it will be rolling out the Fall Creators Update in phases,…

Immersive Reader Features are Coming to Word for iPad

Immersive Reader Features are Coming to Word for iPad

Microsoft revealed today that it is adding immersive reader features like Read Aloud and Text…

Microsoft is Integrating Mixer Broadcasting into Minecraft

Microsoft is Integrating Mixer Broadcasting into Minecraft

Minecraft is being updated to include integrated Mixer game broadcasting capabilities, first on Windows 10…

SmartDeploy: PC Deployment Made Simple

SmartDeploy: PC Deployment Made Simple

SmartDeploy offers a simple and scalable image-based PC deployment solution for organizations of all sizes.

It's finally happening: The first 13 original Xbox games will be made available on Xbox One via Backward Compatibility starting tomorrow. Instead of just announcing the news, Microsoft instead allowed a single video game publication, IGN, to reveal the information exclusively, which I feel is unfair. But here are the details: 13 games. Microsoft is releasing 13 original Xbox games to Xbox One Backward Compatibility: BLACK, BloodRayne 2, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Dead to Rights, Fuzion Frenzy, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, The King of Fighters Neowave, Ninja Gaiden Black, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Psychonauts, Red Faction II, Sid Meier’s Pirates!, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. I actually owned at least half of those back in the day. Enhanced for Xbox One. Each of these games is "enhanced for Xbox One" (not to be confused for "Enhanced for Xbox One X"), meaning that each plays in 1080p and offers higher and/or smoother frame rates than was the case on the original console. Your discs will still work. If you still have any of these games on disc, you can insert them into your Xbox One and it will just work. Ditto for digital purchases. Multiplayer works across platforms. You can play multiplayer games with these titles across console types, but only in System Link mode. The online multiplayer servers for original Xbox games were shut down long ago, apparently. You can buy them all now. Each of the games is available for purchase now from the Microsoft Store digitally for $9.99. I actually purchased Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge over the weekend in anticipation of this move. (You can use the links above.) You can start playing tomorrow. The first original Xbox games arrive via Xbox One Backward Compatibility tomorrow, October 24. Good stuff.

First Original Xbox Games for Xbox One Arrive Tomorrow

The first 13 original Xbox games will be made available on Xbox One via Backward…

Google, We Have a Pixel Problem
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Google, We Have a Pixel Problem (Premium)

It's like watching a horror movie that unfolds in slow motion.

Google Brings Speedy Online Checkout to PC and Mobile

Google Brings Speedy Online Payments to PC and Mobile

Google today launched Google Payments, a new online checkout service for PC and mobile.

Microsoft Discusses a Years-Long Effort to Set Halo: MCC Right

Microsoft Discusses a Years-Long Effort to Set Halo: MCC Right

Stung by its abysmal launch in 2014, Microsoft has been working for years to fix…

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