October 18, 2023

Windows Weekly 851: Between 2 Ferns

2 hours 30 minutes

In this episode of Windows Weekly, Leo, Richard, and Paul discuss the successful acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the questionable success of Windows 11 adoption, new Windows Insider program builds, and updates on AI integration in Microsoft/Google products.

Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard

This came in the wake of the UK CMA accepting the Microsoft concessions

The FTC is still being a sore loser despite facts and logic

No AB titles on Game Pass until 2024, Phil Spencer says

Bethesda's Pete Hines is leaving the company

Windows 11

Microsoft leak reveals that there are 400 million PCs running Windows 11

This tells us a few things. That there are 1 billion PCs still running Windows 10

What did Windows 10 adoption look like at 2 years? What different factors impact both adoption rates? What will happen when Microsoft retires Windows 10 in two years? Why was Microsoft so transparent about Windows 10 adoption and so non-transparent about Windows 11 adoption?

New Beta build landed last Friday with some more interesting news for Europe

Back on October 12, a new Release Preview channel build arrived with a quiet change we never noticed or discussed. There is a new System Components section in Settings > System

New Dev build today: Copilot support for multimon, more File Explorer relability fixes

New Canary build today: Mail and Calendar no longer installed on clean install, Bluetooth LE support for hearing aids, new location functionality

It's official: Windows 7/8 keys can no longer activate Windows 11

There are THREE new Dave Cutler interviews on YouTube!

Microsoft

Microsoft owes $29 billion in back taxes

Google releases new smartphones and all the mainstream press can talk about is faux nonsense worries about photo editing altering reality. Let's be more sophisticated here, please

Microsoft Edge 118 adds an AI-powered Find on Page feature

Google will also indemnify users for AI

Google Search Generative Experience can now generate images

Xbox

More Game Pass titles for October

Microsoft announces new accessibility features for Xbox

Xbox Series S starter bundle is just Xbox Series S + 3 mos of Game Pass

Tips & Picks

App pick of the week: DuckDuckGo browser

App pick of the week: AllDup

RunAs Radio this week: Large Language Models for IT Pros with Seth Juarez

Brown liquor pick of the week: Quinta do Portal 20 year Tawny Port

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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