Windows Weekly (Video)

WW 887: You're Drinking Wood! - Copilot+ PC impressions, Windows Hello ESS, Teams vs EU

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We're one week into the Copilot+ PC, and the feedback is positive with caution! Key takeaways so far: Much improved performance and reliability, AI features mostly stink, but there is still uncertainty each time you install/do anything.

Windows 11

  • Week D arrives with preview updates for Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2 only
  • The second Patch Tuesday in a row with no 24H2 update (on the day)
  • This preview update adds 24H2 features to 22H2/23H2 as predicted
  • Beta channel (last week): Bizarre Start menu extension for Phone Link users
  • Release preview channel (last week): The 22H2/23H2 builds and features that shipped to stable as a preview update on Tuesday
  • Canary channel (last week): After pausing the previous build (hint: Recall code), new build arrives with drag-and-drop address bar in File Explorer, notification tweaks

    • Copilot+ PC

    • Paul finally got a Copilot+ PC to test, a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x 14"
    • App compatibility scorecard: Excellent, but with familiar Arm uncertainties
    • Hardware compatibility: Excellent, but with the same person-by-person caveat
    • Gaming: Lots of fiddling, but if you can find a compatible game, some great perf and visual quality. Still better than the Mac, and better than any x64 Ultrabook. But not a gaming PC. No Xbox Game Pass support?? COME ON
    • In-box AI capabilities: With Recall out, there's almost nothing to see here
    • Plus, Intel and AMD are gunning for Qualcomm
    • iFixit reports that Surface Laptop 7/Pro 11 repairability is "astonishingly" good. Granted, the bar was low
    • Microsoft brings Surface Flex Keyboard to Surface Pro 8, 9, and 11
    • Microsoft releases recovery images for Surface Pro 11/Laptop 7
    • Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-In Security (ESS) is one of several Copilot+ PC protections that rendered those security researcher complaints about Recall moot. But Paul now has two PCs that use this feature, and it's even more impressive than you think
    • The Windows 11 decoder ring

      • Antitrust

      • As expected, the European Commission announced preliminary charges against Microsoft for Office/Teams bundling
      • This is antitrust, not DMA (like Apple)
      • The EU has not explained WHAT Microsoft can do to fix this (unlike with Apple)
      • This is based on a complaint from Slack, which was created 7 years after Microsoft first offered this type of app/service

        • Xbox

        -Hot off a terrific Xbox Games Showcase event, Xbox promises its "biggest-ever" booth at Gamescom 2024 (which is now the biggest trade show in Europe, apparently)
        -Microsoft details how Auto SR and Prism work in WOA11 to make gaming both possible and decent
        -Steam Deck LCD models are on sale

        Tips and Picks

        -App pick of the week #1: New browser upgrades
        -App pick of the week: Proton Drive
        -RunAs Radio this week: The Hard Part of Machine Learning with Lynn Langit
        -Brown liquor pick of the week: Cragganmore 12

        Hosts: Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, and Mikah Sargent

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