Microsoft's new OS is rolling out in phases, but you don't have to wait. With Windows 11 Installation Assistant, you can get the operating system today.

Windows 11 started to roll out to eligible devices last month, as Microsoft launched its new operating system on Oct. 5. Everyone using Windows 10 can upgrade for free if they have a compatible computer, but a lot of people are still waiting for the opportunity. Microsoft is rolling out the OS in phases, so your system might not prompt you to upgrade just yet -- in fact, you might not find it even if you tell your computer to check for updates. An August blog post from Microsoft said the company expects "all eligible devices to be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022." Don't want to wait until next year? Read on to find out how the Windows 11 Installation Assistant is your shortcut to Windows 11.

If you're not in a rush, the Windows 11 update will be pushed to your device at some point in the coming months when Microsoft's data indicates the upgrade is ready for that device. When the new OS is available to you, the upgrade process will feel similar to a normal Windows 10 update, as long as your device is compatible and meets the minimum requirements needed. (And even if it doesn't, Microsoft will offer a workaround, but in that case your Windows 11 installation won't be supported by the company.) Read more: Windows 11 review: Familiar but fresh But you still have the option to manually download Windows 11 and check out its new features, such as widgets, snap layouts, virtual desktops and the new Microsoft Store. We'll tell you how below. Before your download, here's everything you need to know about Microsoft's new software.

To see if your current Windows 10 PC is eligible for the free upgrade to Windows 11, you can check in a few different ways. And if you buy a new PC, that computer will also be eligible for the free upgrade. If you haven't updated to Windows 10 yet, don't worry -- there's a trick for downloading Windows 10 free that still works. Now would be a good time to make the switch so you can prepare your machine for the Windows 11 upgrade. That trick will be the same one you use if you want to manually upgrade an older machine to Windows 11, though Microsoft doesn't encourage doing this as it may not be eligible for the same updates.

No matter if you're using Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Safari, here's how to boost your privacy online.

Privacy is now a priority among browser-makers, but they may not go as far as you want in fighting pervasive ad industry trackers on the web. Here's how you can crank up your privacy settings to outsmart that online tracking. Problems like Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal have elevated privacy protection on Silicon Valley's priority list by showing how companies compile reams of data as you traverse the internet. Their goal? To build a richly detailed user profile so you can become the target of more accurate, clickable and thus profitable advertisements. Apple and Google are in a war for the web, with Google pushing aggressively for an interactive web to rival native apps and Apple moving more slowly -- partly out of concern new features will worsen security and be annoying to use. Privacy adds another dimension to the competition and to your browser decision.

Apple has made privacy a top priority in all its products, including Safari. For startup Brave, privacy is a core goal, and Mozilla and Microsoft are touting privacy as a way to differentiate their browsers from Google Chrome. It's later to the game, but Chrome engineers are building a "privacy sandbox" despite Google's reliance on ad revenue.

For all of the browsers listed here, you can give yourself a privacy boost by changing the default search engine. For instance, try DuckDuckGo. Although its search results may not be as useful or deep as Google's, DuckDuckGo is a longtime favorite among the privacy-minded for its refusal to track user searches.

Other universal options that boost privacy include disabling your browser's location tracking and search engine autocomplete features, turning off password autofills, and regularly deleting your browsing history. If you want to take your privacy to the next level, consider trying one of the virtual private networks CNET has reviewed that work with all browsers. (You can also check out our roundup of browser-based VPNs to try.)

These premium game consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, are still evolving -- and hard to find.

It's been one year since the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X went on sale (Nov. 12 and Nov. 10, respectively). I went back to my original Day One reviews of the PS5 and Series X to see how those initial impressions have held up over the past 12 months. What I found was that some things have changed, as one would expect from an always-online platform built around downloadable content. On the Xbox side, the entire platform is now much more centered around the Xbox Game Pass service, which has since added features like cloud gaming.

One of the PS5's changes this past year was a hardware revamp that shifted internal components around, subbing in a smaller heat sink and redesigned fans -- perhaps to make manufacturing easier or less costly. But one thing that definitely hasn't changed is that both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X remain almost impossible to find. The same is also true for the less expensive Xbox Series S variant.

Demand, not supply
Demand outstripping supply is to be expected when a new game console arrives, and I've seen it happen with every console launch I've covered, going all the way back to the Sega Dreamcast. But that overwhelming demand, plus pandemic-fueled supply chain and shipping issues and a worldwide chip shortage affecting all types of technology, has led to a perfect storm of sold out consoles. Even one year later, restocks at online stores are gone in fractions of a second, and some people have made a career out of tracking down where to find one. Most of the attention goes towards the shortage of PS5 consoles, but the situation is similar for the Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as the new OLED version of the Nintendo Switch.

More space for more games
Both consoles have also attempted to address internal storage issues. With 1TB of space in the Xbox Series X and about 800GB in the PS5, gamers could very quickly hit those limits, with many games taking around 50GB of your console's space and some coming in at 80GB or higher. Each console tackled this problem in a different way, and neither solution is perfect. The Xbox Series X and Series S allow non-Series X games (from the Xbox One and Xbox 360, and so on) to be played from a standard external solid-state drive hooked up via USB-A. Modern Series X games could be stored on the external drive, but you'd have to transfer them back to the internal drive for play. Why make something universal when you can make it proprietary? Microsoft also created a custom plug-in storage drive that fits into a special port on the back of the system. Technically it's an external drive, but it behaves like an internal one, and you can both store and play any Series X game on it. So far Seagate is the only company making these drives, and the first version was a $219 1TB drive. If that feels expensive, that's what happens when you have a proprietary device with no competition. The situation hasn't changed much in the past year, but Seagate now makes 512GB ($139) and 2TB ($399) drives, so you at least have a few options. Even though I think it's too proprietary and too expensive, I have the 1TB Seagate drive, and it works great.

Year One
At the end of Year One, both game consoles have retreated a little further into their respective corners, and they feel less similar than they did at this time in 2020. The Xbox Series X and Series S have leaned heavily into the $15 monthly Game Pass Ultimate service, which threatens to be a bigger brand than the Xbox console itself some day. Many of the biggest Xbox games like Halo, Forza or Sea of Thieves are all included in the subscription, along with a growing and rotating library of PC games -- and the ability to play cloud-based versions of some games on nearly any device. It also includes a cross-membership for the EA Play subscription service and a back catalog of great Bethesda games.

Microsoft is emailing 50,000 virtual gift cards to random customers just in time for holiday shopping.

Microsoft appears to be in a festive mood this holiday season. The tech giant is emailing 50,000 random US customers virtual gift cards to the Microsoft Store. Half of the selected customers will get a $100 virtual gift card to the Microsoft Store, while the other half will receive $10 e-cards. Recipients will be able to redeem their gift card on Microsoft Store through Dec. 31 and spend it within 90 days of redemption, according to a Microsoft spokesperson. The promotion was earlier reported by The Verge.

You might want to take a look at your spam folder to make sure you don't accidentally miss out on the promotion. The Microsoft Store sells Surface-branded tablets, laptops and accessories along with other Windows PCs. It also offers Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, gaming headsets and individual digital Xbox games. Microsoft enthusiasts might also want to keep an eye out for its Black Friday deals throughout the holiday season.