Windows Weekly (Audio)

By TWiTNews Technology Tech News

Windows Weekly (Audio) episodes

June 03WW 986: Liminal AI - RTX Spark, Project Solara, Scout, & Much More!
Build 2026 is underway in San Francisco this week, and it started with a big, overly-long keynote as always. And Computex is this week, too. There's a lot going on, and some of it is fascinating. Plus, WWDC is next week because you cannot relax. Also, Microsoft GA's WinApp CLI, announces the Windows Platform Skills plug-in for native app creation, and you're not going to believe what Paul did next. OK, you will believe it
Build + Computex = OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD
NVIDIA finally announces Arm-based N1X as the RTX Spark

RTX Spark is an Arm-based portable workstation chip for Windows 11

Microsoft announces Surface Laptop Ultra - It and other RTX Spark-based PCs will appear in late 2026

Some of this leaked earlier, including a lower-end N1 chipset

Microsoft continues to optimize and evolve Windows 11 for developers

Windows Developer Configuration, Windows Developer Skills + WinApp CLI, Terminal, more Linux, and more on-device ("unmetered") AI - Tied to this, Copilot+ PC features are coming to more PCs, with CPU/GPU support - this, plus the RTX Spark stuff hints at answers to some obvious questions but there's nothing concrete from Microsoft

Microsoft Edge is getting three new on-AI features

Scout is a personal work agent powered by OpenClaw

GitHub Copilot app arrives on desktop for your agentic coding and management needs

Microsoft AI announces seven new foundation models

Stevie Bathiche is back, baby! And he's talking about those AI app structures and how they've led to Project Solara
Windows
Microsoft discusses the progress it's made on Windows 11 pain points

You can now test the new Start menu in Experimental - Paul did so along with the new Taskbar

Qualcomm announces low-cost Snapdragon C for $300+ PCs to take on MacBook Neo

And Acer is the first to announce a Snapdragon C laptop

New Surface Pro with Snapdragon X2 leaks for June release (!)

Dell XPS 13 is coming soon with Intel Wildcat (also to take on MacBook Neo)

Dell revenues are through the roof, but not because of PCs

HP revenues are up, and it is because of PCs
AI and dev
Anthropic gets a new valuation exceeding OpenAI and then it files for an IPO

OpenAI adjusts GPT5.5-Instant for less sucking-up and releases computer use in Codex on Windows

Flutter takes the lead on Flutter desktop development
XBOX and gaming
Asha Sharma says you can't please everyone and then immediately jumps the shark trying to please everyone

XBOX delays Fable reboot because of GTA VI

New titles coming to Game Pass in early June across platforms

XBOX starts early testing of new console features

ASUS announces ROG Xbox Ally X20 with OLED display and XReal R1 glasses

Intel announces Arc G-series for gaming handhelds

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 is next and it's the COD we've been begging for
Tips and picks
Tip of the week: Now you can vibe code a native Windows app from the CLI

App pick of the week: iA Writer

RunAs Radio this week: Data API Builder and SQL MVP with Jerry Nixon

Brown liquor pick of the week: Old Malt Casking of Longmorn 20

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/986

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell
Sponsors:
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2 hr 32 min
May 27WW 985: Putting the Mental in Experimental - Some Linux Learnings for the Windows User
Paul has been testing various Linux distributions and other Windows alternatives for months as part of a Switcher series. The zen of Linux can mostly apply to Windows, too: Install and manage software with package managers, and embrace the command line, especially. And if you're going to use a local account, at least be smart about it. Also, Vivaldi 8.0 looks awesome and appears to deliver what Firefox is promising with its Nova UI. Plus, Discord has a native app for Windows 11 on Arm now.
Windows
Week D arrives with a surprise: 24H2/26H1 are aligned and getting the same new features

Shared audio with BT LE, multi-app camera support, many improvements - but the big deal may be the performance and reliability improvements across the board

This is the next Patch Tuesday, today

Friday builds - new accessibility features in Experimental and Beta, more

Microsoft CMO Yusuf Mehdi to leave company after an astonishing 35-year run - started in Windows, but with IE, Bing & MSN, Interactive Entertainment (Xbox), Windows and Devices, and then a SLT position before the end. Incredible run. Paul has three milestones and one throughline to share.

Lenovo revenues surge 27 percent to $21.6 billion

NVIDIA revenues really surged 85 percent to $81.6 billion
AI/dev
Google adds Google Drive sync to NotebookLM, and moves preferred sources into AI Mode and AI Overviews

Saying no to AI: DuckDuckGo usage surges in the wake of Google I/O's AI tsunami

OpenAI releases ChatGPT plugin for PowerPoint

.NET MAUI to get Material You support for Android in .NET 10

Follow-up on last week's vibe coding adventures: Paul talked about this last week, but a lot has happened since then. The Android app creation capability in Google AI Studio is live. A few thoughts on vibe coding with Android Studio, Claude Code, and more
Xbox and gaming
XBOX—and, yes, it's XBOX now—has an official merchandise store to go alongside all its other official merchandise stores

The Steam Deck is back in stock! Also, it's 40 percent more expensive
Tips & picks
Tip of the week: Understanding the zen of Linux can help a Windows user too

App pick of the week: A grab-bag of apps for Windows

RunAs Radio this week: Team Productivity using Loop with Karinne Bessette

Brown liquor pick of the week: John Sleeman & Sons Rye Whisky

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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2 hr 36 min
May 20WW 984: For Entertainment Purposes Only - Price Shock With Surface Laptops?!
Windows Insider Program
Release Preview channel updates (including 26H1 for the first time? - A preview of the June Patch Tuesday updates - Shared audio, NPU usage in

Task Manager, multi-app camera support, Magnifier improvements.

Taskbar updates come to Insiders! Also in Canary, weʼre throwing them a bone this time.
Enshittification remedies all around
Microsoft just held a WinHEC for the first time since 2018 and thereʼs a new Windows Driver Initiative!

Microsoft will soon let us remap Copilot key to Right Ctrl, which is what it was in the first place.

A Linux privacy nut YouTuber confuses privacy and security and doesnʼt understand Windows 11 so...

... Paul wrote a complete guide to the local account de-Microsoft experience in Windows 11

Microsoft Edge will stop loading all passwords into clear text on startup like a big boy browser.
Hardware
Paul came home to an ASUS Zenbook A16 and ohmygodohmygodohmygod
Surface
Microsoft finally revs Surface Laptop and Surface Pro for Business, with Intel chips and VERY high prices.

Snapdragon X2 variants in late 2026 because of supply issues wa-waa-waaaaa.
AI
MDASH is Microsoftʼs answer to Anthropic Mythos, in-house only.

Elon Musk and Sam Altman are both terrible but a jury decided against Muskʼs frivolous lawsuit.

OpenAI and Apple might head to court over Siri promises

OpenAI Codex is on mobile via the ChatGPT app

Google unleashes an AI tsunami at Google IO this week. A few relevant takeaways:
Overview of the major announcements
Google advances Android as a developer platform

Chrome is turning into a proactive assistant

Google AI subscriptions are an incredible value

Related: The Gemini Intelligence feature for Googlebooks and more has steep hardware requirements - 12 GB of RAM, flagship SoC So Pixel 10 series/Galaxy S26 series and newer only etc.

Just a reminder that Microsoft makes a Linux distribution ... for Azure specifically
More dev
WWDC schedule is up for June 8 opening day

Build 2026 kicks off June 2 in SFO

After another boring .NET 11 preview release, we finally get our first look at a major change: MAUI is switching from the Mono runtime to the CoreCLR runtime.

And we should pause for a moment to remember S "Soma" Somasegar, who sadly passed away this week.
Xbox and Gaming
Next Xbox Elite controller leaks and it is glorious
Related: An Xbox Cloud-Connected controller leaks too and it is less than glorious.
Forza Horizon 6 is here, and itʼs on Game Pass on Day One.
Be sure to read Laurentʼs detailed review.
Haters gonna keep hating: Fans want Xbox exclusives because their heads are still in the sand.
Sony is allegedly returning to this model for single player experiences

Related: Sony raises prices on PS Plus

Fortnite comes back to the Apple App Store worldwide *excluding Australia for some reason.
Tips and Picks
Tip of the week: Google AI Studio.

Vibe-code your next app with this incredible free tool.

Related: A look at Markdown editors.
App pick of the week: DeskScapes 2026
Stardock DeskScapes 2026 is normally $9.99 but it will cost just $6.99 during the launch period.

Also: Firefox 151 is a big update on desktop and mobile, the latter gets the AI kill switch

RunAs Radio this week: UEFI Secure Boot with Richard Hicks

Brown liquor pick of the week: Daftmill Winter Batch Release

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/984

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell
Sponsors:
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2 hr 45 min
May 13WW 983: Puts the Buh in Benelux - Can Googlebooks Challenge Existing Laptops?
It's not just Recall: Security vulnerabilities that require you to sign into an account on your PC are not necessarily vulnerabilities. Also, Windows 11 gets its first big feature updates in this week's Patch Tuesday releases. Snapseed 4.0 comes to Android/iOS, and Claude FM is great for relaxing or getting coding/work done. Plus, the Helium browser has emerged as a favorite with 2 notable caveats: No online settings sync and no mobile client.
Windows
25H2/24H2: Xbox Mode, Agents on the Taskbar, more

26H1: Smart App Control improvements, other things we saw previously (26H1 is like the stable version of Canary, it seems)

Microsoft used a new Mythos-like model called MDASH to find vulnerabilities this month, so expect the numbers of fixed bugs to jump in coming months

A low-latency profile for Windows will let it optimize for app/UI launch performance just like mobile platforms already do

New builds across most channels with two major changes: Touchpad improvements in Experimental and free upgrade path to Pro for education users in Experimental Beta.
A new threat emerges
Google announces Googlebook, an Android-based laptop platform with Google Intelligence

Some morning-after thoughts, including Microsoft promising AI and that Copilot will be the new Start, while Google delivers AI and is remaking the laptop as an intelligent device
AI
Microsoft Edge gets big AI and productivity updates on desktop and mobile

An Anthropic engineer argues that AI should use HTML for output, not Markdown. He's right.

About that 4 GB Gemini Nano model that Chrome secretly downloads

OpenAI brings Codex to Google Chrome
Security
A Bitlocker concern emerges

Microsoft Edge loads all saved passwords into plain text when it launches, Microsoft says this is as intended

Mozilla patched 423 vulnerabilities in Firefox during April, most courtesy of Anthropic Mythos

465 million Amazon customers have enrolled in passkeys
Xbox & gaming
Xbox Insider Program: New build for console with previously announced new boot animation, tiered Gamerscore badges, new filters in Game Library

Forza Horizon 6 leaks on Steam, those who play it early will be banned until the sun swallows the earth

Discord Nitro now has an Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition perk

Mojang will host a special MINECRAFT LIVE event on May 30

Sony sold just 1.5 million PS5s in most recent quarter, its lowest number yet

Nintendo sold just 2.49 million Switch 2s in quarter, lowers annual estimates

Supreme Court gives Apple the 🖕 so Epic v. Apple will head to remedy phase
Tips & picks
Tip of the week: A web browser is the 1st step for anyone looking to escape Big Tech

App pick of the week: Helium

RunAs Radio this week: Production LLMs with Vaishnavi Gudur

Brown liquor pick of the week: Gouden Carolus Port Oak

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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2 hr 18 min
May 06WW 982: Don't Lick the Manta Rays - Breaking Down Microsoft's Earnings
Microsoft's earnings report went out last week, and the company spent a lot on AI in the quarter. Microsoft updates its customers on what it's done to address Windows 11 problems. And Xbox kills Copilot plans for the console.
Microsoft Earnings
Microsoft announced that it earned a net income of $31.8 billion on revenues of $82.9 billion in the previous quarter.

Windows: 1.6 billion monthly active devices, a focus on quality after years of enshittification - but revenues from PC makers were down 2 percent YOY.

Microsoft Edge "has taken share for 20 consecutive quarters," which isn't supported by the evidence.

Bing "monthly active users reached one billion for the first time," raising questions about how Microsoft defines the term "user."

Xbox: "The team is recommitting to our core fans and players, and shaping the future of play," new records for monthly active Xbox users and game streaming hours.

AI: Capex spending in the quarter was $32 billion, down from previous quarter as previously described, but up 49 percent YOY.
More earnings
Apple, Google/Alphabet, and Amazon.

AMD - Up because of AI datacenter.

Qualcomm - Plus, Intel just hired away a key Qualcomm exec.
Windows
Microsoft shares an update about what it's done to address Windows 11 pain points so far.

Marcus Ash is one of the good guys.

Some of this is happening in Insider, some is rolling out to retail.

Windows Insider Program and Windows Update improvements we discussed last week - two primary channels in WIP now.

Simplifying AI experiences - fewer Copilot icons (Notepad, etc.).

File Explorer improvements - performance, fewer hangs, better polish and consistency.

Widgets - Feed will be off by default, fewer interruptions, no hover activate.

System performance - Smaller memory footprint, more aggressive RAM restoration, and more.

Soon: Taskbar updates, Start updates, and more to share at Build in June.

Week D update arrives with a peek at May's Patch Tuesday.

Major: Xbox Mode, AI agents on the Taskbar are the first two big features of 2026.

Minor: Also adds File Explorer improvements, new haptic feedback effects, touch keyboard improvements, and more.

Shocking new report that Microsoft Edge is incredibly insecure should surprise no one.
AI
Microsoft Agent 365 Platform is out of preview, supports local AI agents and Copilot Cowork Agent arrives on mobile with plugin support.

Microsoft launches a Legal AI Agent in Word.

Apple's plan to open up to multiple third-party AIs is a good one.

Canonical's plan to add AI to Ubuntu is also good, but you're never going to believe what happened next.
Xbox and Gaming
Asha Sharma reorgs Xbox, kills Copilot on the console.

Forza Horizon 6, more coming to Game Pass in May.

Xbox April Update is out with updates for all platforms.

Next Call of Duty will not ship on Xbox One, PS4.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is coming to the Mac for some reason.

And finally, with the Supreme Court refusing to block the implementation of the ruling in Epic v. Apple, Microsoft's Xbox game store for mobile is one step closer to happening.
Tips and picks
Tip of the week: Embrace inconvenience.

App pick of the week: Windows Defender.

RunAs Radio this week: Securing Active Directory with Spencer Alessi.

Brown liquor pick of the week: Stalk & Barrel Whisky.

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/982

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell
Sponsors:
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2 hr 47 min
April 29WW 981: Semi-Sophisticated - Microsoft Releases Source Code For 86-DOS 1.00
This episode dives into early MS-DOS/PC-DOS source code, Snapdragon X2 gaming, and the "We are Xbox" messaging. Plus, Paul details 2 big changes in the Windows Insider Program. The latest PowerToys adds 2 useful new utilities and many improvements. And a TWiT listener asked about buying Windows 11 on Arm to virtualize it on a Mac. You're not going to believe what happened next.
Windows
Microsoft announces big changes to Windows Update

Microsoft announces Windows Insider Program changes, with Experimental channel

Hands-on with both predictably shows some nice improvements

Hands-on with Snapdragon X2 gaming - more wins, but still some losses

Microsoft open sources some of the earliest MS-DOS source code and related materials

Intel loses $3.7 billion and Wall Street could not be happier. WTF is happening - Paul has a theory and its called collusion
AI
Microsoft and OpenAI revise partnership again and wait for it...

OpenAI immediately signs on with AWS

Microsoft 365 Copilot subscribers get Word, Excel, and PowerPoint agentic AI features

Copilot in Outlook can manage your inbox and calendar, but seriously stop using Outloook

GitHub Copilot's switch to usage-based billing starts June 1

OpenAI is reportedly working on a phone because of course it is

Adobe Firefly AI Assistant is now available in preview

And then Anthropic goes deeper into the creator market
Xbox and gaming
Microsoft Gaming is being (re)rebranded to Xbox!

New Xbox leadership can't stop explaining its plans and it's glorious

Microsoft still plans a mobile game store, waiting on Apple to stop being so f'ing terrible

Valve's Steam Controller will cost $99 and launches next week
Tips and picks
Tip of the week: Windows licenses, $, and you

App pick of the week: PowerToys 0.99

RunAs Radio this week: M365 Copilot vs Claude Cowork with Sharon Weaver

Brown liquor pick of the week: Reifel Rye

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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2 hr 44 min
April 22WW 980: Running Outta Tolkiens - Hands-On With 2 Snapdragon X2 Laptops!
AI is democratizing the making of things, from bespoke/custom apps to websites, designs of all kinds, and everything else you might imagine. It's a new world, and it's time to create. Plus, Helium is a new Chromium-based web browser that's completely open source, lightweight, secure, and private. There's a native version for Windows 11 on Arm, too. Also, Firefox 150 arrives with over 270 security fixes!
Windows 11
Reports of a Recall security vulnerability are, once again, bogus, Microsoft says

New builds on all channels, still on the old system

Xbox Mode is now available in all channels

Release Preview shows us the May Patch Tuesday updates: Xbox Mode, File Explorer improvements, Haptic improvements, Drop Tray renaming, Agents on the Taskbar

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x - Snapdragon X2 Elite, 14-inch display impressions

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x - Snapdragon X2 Plus, 15.3-inch display impressions
Microsoft 365, Surface, more
OneDrive now supports Markdown natively

New Surface PCs with Intel chips coming soon

Microsoft is making changes to its Rewards program
AI
GitHub Copilot moves to token-based billing in a sign of the true cost of AI

Claude Design democratizes visual design on the heels of Claude Opus 4.7

OpenAI Codex moves into productivity

OpenAI releases ChatGPT Images 2.0

Chrome AI Mode gets a big update

Mozilla announces Thunderbolt, sovereign AI for businesses

Google brings vibe coding to Android apps with Android CLI
Xbox and gaming
Microsoft drops Xbox Game Pass prices (!), but also drops Call of Duty from Day One

Plus, Xbox teases a Game Pass Discord perk

More Game Pass titles for April: Kiln, Vampire Crawlers, more

Xbox April Update is here with that Quick Resume feature we all want

There's an ID@Xbox event on April 23 to highlight indie games

Xbox is selling Forza Horizon 6 limited edition controller and headsets

Starfield is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2

A Call of Duty movie will finally arrive in 2028

Try out the Modern Warfare remake on Game Pass, it's a reminder of COD's gritty past

PS5 Digital is down to its $399 launch price temporarily
Tips and picks
Tip of the week: Just make it

App pick of the week: Helium

RunAs Radio this week: The Life and Death of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit with Michael Niehaus

Brown liquor pick of the week: Ned Australian Whisky

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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2 hr 44 min
April 15WW 979: The Nespresso of the PC World - Simplifying the Windows Insider Program
With Microsoft finally doing right by Windows 11 and the Windows Insider Program, it's time to start testing and provide some feedback. And then we'll see if we can really trust these people. Also, Stardock's Connection Explorer 1.0 is here! And if you want one of macOS's dumbest features on Windows 11, you can get it now.
Windows
Yesterday was Patch Tuesday - Another month in paradise

26H1 - Eh, 24H2/25H2 - Narrator, File Explorer, display, Pen settings, WRE, Remote Desktop improvements

Microsoft reveals how it will simplify the Windows Insider Program

Two top-level channels, but really three

A way to enable all features in new builds, finally, and easy channel switching. But there are complexities, of course

New builds for Canary, Beta, and Dev - Two for Canary, but nothing new, Beta and Dev get Storage, networking, Windows Security, and Feedback Hub improvements

The first Snapdragon X2-based PC is out, and Paul has that waiting in PA, and two more PCs are coming to Mexico

PC sales were somehow up 2.5 percent in Q1, but the rest of 2026 will be a bloodbath

Also, smartphone sales are doing even worse

NVIDIA reportedly wants to buy Dell or HP ahead of a big PC chipset push. Interesting
Surface/Microsoft 365
Microsoft is forced to hike Surface prices dramatically

Microsoft reportedly kills Surface Hub

Microsoft College Offer: 12 months of Microsoft 365 Premium, 12 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a custom Xbox controller when students in the U.S. purchase a PC
AI/Dev
Microsoft AI releases a faster and more efficient image model

Amazon CEO tries to explain the AI spending

Google app for Windows rolls out worldwide, but the Mac gets a Gemini app

Claude for Microsoft Word arrives in Beta

Claude for Desktop gets a major redesign for multiple AI agents

Microsoft's reported plans to charge for AI agents

.NET 11 Preview 3 arrives right on schedule, but there's nothing to see here

Build session catalog is up - joking, but the new Windows native app strategy should just be vibe coding

Google I/O registration is open, and you are never going to believe what the main topics will be - number five will shock you
Xbox & gaming
New Xbox CEO says Game Pass is too expensive, also that the sky is blue

Xbox will show off the next Metro game soon

Starfield for PS5 is getting a fix

Amazon Luna is stripping down to the basics e.g. "pulling a Stadia"
Tips & picks
Tip of the week: It's time to get involved

App pick of the week: Stardock Connection Explorer

RunAs Radio this week: Internal Corporate Communications in 2026 with Emily Mancini

Brown liquor pick of the week: ScapeGrace Vanguard

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!

Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit
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2 hr 36 min
April 08WW 978: Pre-Peated - "Copilot Is for Entertainment Purposes Only"
Julia Liuson is leaving Microsoft. Liuson joined Microsoft in 1992, the same year as CEO Satya Nadella (she worked on Access at first). She helped build the first version of Visual Studio and was the first female corporate vice president at Microsoft. Liuson has been president of Microsoft's Developer Division since 2021. Also, curious about life on the other side of the fence? Paul has a tip for finding games that are optimized for Linux. Plus, Chrome joins the 21st century with vertical tabs and a real reading view. Just be sure to install those anti-tracking extensions.
Windows
Microsoft promises more native apps for Windows 11, but... which apps? New apps? Replacements for existing apps?

Thanks for making us revisit the web app vs. native app thing yet again, Microsoft

Windows 11 version 25H2 is now being pushed to all compatible PCs

Compatibility milestone, not a big deal because 24H2/25H2 features are identical, same underlying codebase - but some will complain that Microsoft is "forcing" 25H2 on them

Secure Boot certificate notifications are now available so you can see where your PC is at

Another month, another emergency Windows Update patch

New Dev/Beta builds add Xbox Mode, new haptic effects, etc., plus a new Canary build with features we've seen before

Microsoft is taking the Insider Program on the road

Component shortages trigger another Raspberry Pi price hike, but also a promise for the future

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor will be available from leading retailers starting Apr. 22 with a retail price of $899
AI
Microsoft's terms of service for Copilot say it's for entertainment purposes only. Yes, really.

Microsoft AI releases new foundational models for transcription, voice, and images

Word on iPhone gets Copilot co-create capabilities - used to be AI Mode, you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription

Anthropic has hired away a key AI executive from Microsoft, and what he has to say about the opportunity is interesting

Anthropic brings Computer Use to Windows

Google: Seriously, we are not training AI with your Gmail

Google AI Pro plans now offer 5 TB of cloud storage, yikes
Xbox & gaming
Xbox is refreshing the look of achievements on the console

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, more coming to Game Pass this month

Was this the best COD ever? In search of greatness

Also: Forza Horizon 6 launches May 19 and will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, and playable day one with Xbox Game Pass

Xbox will hold FanFest events around the world
Tips & picks
Tip of the week: So you want to try gaming on Linux

App pick of the week: Google Chrome

RunAs Radio this week: Securing AI Agents with Niall Merrigan

Brown liquor pick of the week: Corowa Peated Single Barrel 521

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!

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2 hr 20 min
April 01WW 977: Moonshine University - The Push for Building 100% Native Windows Apps
Microsoft's AI ambitions overflowed into GitHub, sparking backlash when ads appeared in pull requests and raising new concerns about where your code is really going. GitHub is going to automatically use your data to train AI, so Paul tells how to opt-out if you don't want that. Plus, there's a new Microsoft 365 alternative in town, and this one is from a little tech company you can trust.
Windows
Week D updates go live last Thursday - Smart App Control, many other minor changes

And here we go again: Microsoft issues emergency patch for March Week D optional update

Microsoft says it will replace web-based in-box apps and experiences with native apps ... somehow

Four builds across three channels - Canary with opt-in gets a huge Windows Console upgrade, Dev/Beta get Administrator Protection (again), more

AMD has a new flagship gaming processor
AI/Dev
Microsoft Research AI has a new Critique feature that uses ChatGPT and Claude together in an unholy Frankenstein's monster of orchestration

A week of Siri AI rumors/leaks - This is Apple's version of Microsoft trying to buy TikTok

Google makes it easier to switch to Gemini - This is like Mac vs. PC, but for AI

Mozilla's approach to AI in Firefox is both right and correct

The plan to the save the open web from Big Tech

The future of Firefox includes a Smart Window mode that works like Private window but for AI

SwiftUI SDK for Android is now available
Xbox and gaming
New Xbox chief seeks to reset Xbox brand image - reminder, that's not the same as changing anything

Xbox announces 14 Day One Game Pass titles coming soon

Xbox Games Showcase 2026 and Gears of War E-Day Direct are coming in June

Sony to raise PS5 prices soon

Nintendo to raise prices for physical Switch 2 games soon
Tips & picks
Tip of the week: Opt-out of training AI on GitHub

App pick of the week: Proton Workspace with Meet

RunAs Radio this week: My Home Lab

Brown liquor pick of the week: Jeptha Creed Six Year Old Wheated Bourbon

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!

Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit
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2 hr 16 min

About Windows Weekly (Audio)

From the publisher's feed

Windows Weekly is about more than Windows. Veteran Microsoft insiders Paul Thurrott and Richard Campbell join Leo for a deep dive into the most valuable company in the world. From consumer to enterprise, AI to Xbox, Windows Weekly is the only Microsoft podcast you'll ever need.

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