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Microsoft invites more people to test very rough Xbox features

You can join the Alpha Skip Ahead ring to live life on the edge.

You've had to be part of a very exclusive club to try Xbox One features in their rawest form -- so exclusive the criteria has been "closely guarded," Microsoft said. Now, though, the company is loosening its restrictions ever so slightly. The Xbox Insider unit is inviting more people to join the Alpha Skip Ahead ring so that it can expand testing for key updates. If you see this before September 23rd at 2:59AM Eastern (11:59PM on September 22nd), you can use the "report a problem" feature in the power menu, choose "add new problem," pick "future build" and then make a case for why you should be included in the Alpha Skip Ahead program.

You'll know if you get in through an Xbox Live message formally inviting you to the test ring.

This isn't for the faint of heart. Alphas are rough by their very nature, and Microsoft warned that the current Alpha Skip Ahead build has bugs that can prevent the home dashboard from loading or prompt you for a passcode even if the feature is turned off. You may only want to sign up if you're determined to try new features and feel that even beta tests are too slow.