Windows 11 
Last week, Build 25197 came to the Dev channel and brings back the tablet-optimized Taskbar 
This week, we got build 25201 with an expanded widgets view that's almost full-screen and ISOs. 
Separately, Dev channel Insiders got two updates: the Calculator app is now ARM64 native, and the Media Player app got a new shortcut so you can edit the current video in Clipchamp. 
Builds 22621.598 and 22622.598 headed to the Beta channel earlier this week, removing the ability to uninstall apps with dependencies. 
Surface 
Google kills Pixelbook as part of a cost-cutting measure. Should Microsoft kill Surface? 
Consider: Google needed to establish Chromebook as a viable laptop alternative. Microsoft did not. 
Microsoft Ignite 
You can now register for Microsoft Ignite, which is happening October 12-14. 
Dev 
You can now install .NET runtimes and SDKs using the Windows Package Manager 
Xbox 
The head of 343 Industries abruptly steps down. Coincidence? 
Sony chief: Microsoft lied about Activision Blizzard and Call of Duty 
Microsoft is experimenting with the Xbox Dashboard 
Discord voice chat is now available on Xbox consoles 
Goldeneye 007, the original console first-person shooter, is coming to Xbox Game Pass 
Tips and picks 
Tip of the week: Remix your Teams ringtone 
App pick of the week: Voxel Doom 
Enterprise pick of the week: Azure Space: The family is expanding 
Enterprise pick No. 2 of the week: PatchTuesday.com 
Beer pick of the week: Grimm Festooning 
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Mary Jo Foley, and Paul Thurrott 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly 
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WW 794: The Faffinator - Notifications rant, Bonnie Ross leaves, Goldeneye 007, listener questions!

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.

Records live every Wednesday at 2:00pm Eastern / 11:00am Pacific / 18:00 UTC.

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Tech News

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News

Backlash against tech criticism, Ralf Groene retires, Hardcore Software 
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell 
For full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/877
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WW 877: The Tiger in the Grass - Backlash against tech criticism, Ralf Groene retires, Hardcore Software

On this episode, Paul shares his thoughts on the Snapdragon X Elite chip with Leo and Richard. Windows 11 24H2, AI, NPUs, and SoCs from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are all on the way this year. But a schedule is finally starting to emerge. And it looks like we'll soon have answers to the questions about how or why AI will matter on PCs. 
Windows, AI, and the future 
Windows 11 version 24H2 - staggered release schedule as discussed last week 
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite-based PCs in May/June - nothing but good news to date, but Paul went hands-on last week. It's the real deal. 
Intel's first-gen Core Ultra chipsets are lackluster, but now we have big promises for Arrow Lake in late 2024 
Microsoft Build 2024 is in mid-May, and now we have a session list with some nice clues. For example, Introducing the Next Generation of Windows on Arm 
Microsoft is expected to unveil 24H2 and new X Elite-based Surface PCs at Build 
Computex and other milestones, and then back-to-school and holiday selling periods 
Windows 11 
Moment 5 arrives in stable with yesterday's Patch Tuesday (which is now called the General Availability channel, by the way). Of course, we still don't have all the features. In particular, waiting on Android phone as a webcam. 
IDC says PC market grew by 1.5 percent in Q1 and acts like it's the turnaround of the century 
Microsoft is manually blocking certain registry keys related to default browsers now: Apple-like non-EU belligerence or pragmatic protection of user choice? Why can't it be both?  
Beta channel (last week) - Copilot actions improvements 
New Store app update improvements performance dramatically 
The Windows 11 de-ensh*ttification experiments continue 
Does Windows 11 Enterprise solve the problem? No. So it's time to move on 
Hardware 
TSMC gets some of that sweet, sweet CHIPS Act money to expand its US operations 
AI 
Three AIs comparison 
Blockbuster report claims OpenAI/Microsoft, Google, and Meta stole content at scale to train AI 
Microsoft opens a new AI hub in London 
Google mulls charging for generative AI in Search 
Spotify lets user create AI playlists using text prompts now 
Brave brings Leo to iOS, so it's on all supported platforms now. And it added Leo to Brave Talk Premium too 
Google rebrands Studio Bot to Gemini in Android Studio, still in preview. This is their GitHub Copilot 
Xbox 
Microsoft rolls out April updates for Xbox consoles, Xbox app on PC 
Xbox reorgs, Kareem Choudhry leaves Microsoft 
A rumored game preservation team is too obvious not to be true 
Tips and Picks 
Tip of the week: Microsoft Store hosts its annual Spring Sale 
App picks of the week: Standard Notes & Beeper 
RunAs Radio this week: Securing AI with Sarah Young 
Brown liquor pick of the week: Dalwhinnie 15 
  
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly 
Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit 
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WW 876: Solder On - Snapdragon X Elite impressions, KB5036893 update, CHIPS & Science Act

Windows 11 version 24H2 is coming and you're not going to believe what happens next... and then again 6 months later 
Microsoft reveals Windows 10 Extended Security Updates pricing 
Paul reinstalled Windows 10 after three years on Windows 11. There's some good and some bad 
Multiple sources have revealed a staggered release schedule for Windows 11 version 24H2 
Insider Builds 
Canary/Dev - Widgets improvements head out to more people 
Canary/Dev (today) - New build today with minor changes, bug fixes (24H2 RTM-ish?). Canary/Dev switch is ending soon 
Microsoft is moving Photos app to Windows App SDK (from UWP, presumably). Paul has theories 
Microsoft will move the Widgets button in Windows 11 if you put the Start button on the left 
Dropbox comes to the Microsoft Store in Windows 11. It only took 12 years 
AI 
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is getting many new features by the end of April 
Copilot for Microsoft 365 picks up priority ChatGPT-4 Turbo and no more conversation limits 
You can use ChatGPT without an account now, asterisk, asterisk 
Amazon concludes its $4 billion investment in Anthropic 
Opera is bringing local LLMs to Opera One web browser 
Google: Just kidding, non-Pro Pixel 8 will get Gemini Nano too, and you can suck on the performance issues 
Is Intel circling the drain? 
Antitrust 
The EU is predictably investigating Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon—for not complying with the DMA. 
Notably absent from that list? Microsoft. Which is unique among Big Tech in that it is being reasonable with DMA compliance and antitrust in general 
Microsoft debundles Teams from Office. Too little too late? 
Microsoft 365 
Microsoft 365 Basic picks up some new features 
A random Microsoft engineer found a backdoor lurking in a Linux utility and might have saved the world 
LinkedIn isn't just getting games, it's getting TikTok-style videos too 
.NET 7 EOL is coming. Is the .NET support schedule too aggressive? 
Xbox 
A MASSIVE LIST OF ACTIVISION GAMES ARE COMING TO GAME PASS! Just kidding, you're getting Shadow of the Tomb Raider, jerks 
Xbox is getting an AI-powered support agent. Huh. Kind of like a personal assistant then. If only they had a name for this thing 
Phil Spencer says he's open to rival games stores on Xbox 
Take-Two is buying (most of) Gearbox for $460 million. A Grand Theft Auto and Duke Nukem cross-over is inevitable  
Rumored white Xbox Series X emerges. White and discless? YOU'RE white and discless! 
Tips & Picks 
Tip of the week: You can still access legacy File Explorers in Windows 11 
App pick of the week: Two for two 
RunAs Radio this week: Microsoft Copilot for Security with George Coldham 
Brown liquor pick of the week: Clonakilty Irish Whiskey 
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly 
Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit 
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WW 875: A Lot of Neil Diamond - Grounding Copilot, Intel Foundry's losses, Andres Freund's heroic save

On Windows Weekly, Moment 5 has arrived as a Preview Update, Windows 10 gets a preview update, and Microsoft announces the Surface Pro 10 & Surface Laptop 6 for Business at a digital event. Designer and Copilot are coming to the Microsoft 365 mobile app. Would Microsoft develop a Windows-based gaming handheld device? And Canva acquires Affinity. 
Windows 
Moment 5 arrives as a Preview Update right on schedule - it's Week D, etc. 
Microsoft previously described this schedule in its DMA compliance documentation, and noted that it would be fully deployed in stable by the end of April. 
Quick raise of hands: Did you think this was already available? You're not alone. But ... you know. Microsoft.  
Oh, and there's a preview update for Windows 10 too. Because come on Microsoft. 
Don't worry, that lock screen nonsense in Windows 10 is coming to Windows 11 too. 
Qualcomm claims that most Windows games will "just work" on its X Elite processor. How? 
Chromium accepts Microsoft commit that will improve Chrome/Chromium text rendering on Windows. 
Google Chrome comes to Windows on Arm, instantly legitimatizing the platform. 
Surface 
Microsoft announces Surface Pro 10, Surface Laptop 6. 
For businesses, only - Intel Core Ultra-based. 
Consumer versions based on X Elite to follow in May, according to reliable rumors. 
It's first "AI PCs," supposedly. But now we know why they are using that terminology, and it's stupid. (Related, Intel has its own definitions for what makes a PC an AI PC.) 
This was billed as an AI event, "the new era of work," but there was NO news for Windows or Copilot. None. 
Why is that? One word: Momentum.  
AI 
In the wake of Microsoft AI reorg (a NeXT-style takeover), a key Microsoft exec says no and steps aside, will likely leave the company  
Microsoft Teams is gaining new AI capabilities because, duh, of course it is 
Designer and Copilot are coming to the Microsoft 365 mobile app - Two more checkmarks for that grid of Copilot capabilities 
Our developer show schedule is complete: Apple to host WWDC 2024 in June, following Google I/O and Build in May 
Samsung spreads Galaxy A1 to more devices starting tomorrow in the US 
Xbox 
It's finally happening: Diablo IV will be the first Activision Blizzard game on Xbox Game Pass when it goes live tomorrow. 
Phil Spencer says Windows is wrong for gaming handhelds, thinks an Xbox would be better. 
Xbox is testing mouse and keyboard support for Cloud Gaming. 
Tips and Picks 
Tip of the week: Arc browser just became more viable on Windows.  
App pick of the week: Affinity Photo 2 
Also: Proton Pass now supports (portable) passkeys. And it's free. 
RunAs Radio this week: GitHub for SysAdmins with April Edwards. 
Brown liquor pick of the week: Stauning Kaos Danish Whisky. 
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly 
Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit 
Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com 
The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.
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WW 874: Dark Satya - Moment 5, Surface Pro 10 & Laptop 6

On this episode, Paul, Richard, and Mikah talk AI developments, Windows 10 (yes, 10), Azure egress, and even VR gaming! Is the new Microsoft AI organization an "acquisition" in disguise? How did NVIDIA's recent GTC keynote go? Plus, why it makes sense for Apple to partner with Google for Gemini on iPhone. 
AI Reorg 
Microsoft has created a new Microsoft AI "organization" that reports directly to Satya Nadella 
Led by former Inflection co-founders and staffed in part by several ex-Inflection employees 
Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, who orchestrated Microsoft's OpenAI partnership, will continue forward in his other role as executive vice president of AI and will remain responsible for Microsoft's overall AI strategy 
Mikhail Parakhin and the entire team responsible for Copilot, Bing, and Edge, plus Misha Bilenko and the GenAI team, will move into Microsoft AI. 
Rajesh Jha will continue as executive vice president of Experiences & Devices and will "partner closely with Mustafa and team" on Copilot for Microsoft 365. 
What does this mean for Windows? (Paul's guess: Not much. Windows is still presumably under Jha) 
Windows 
Windows 10 (Yes, 10, not 11) is getting new Sports, Traffic, and Finance cards on the lock screen for some reason 
No new Insider builds since last week! WHAAAAAT? 
  
Microsoft 365 
No AI for you! Microsoft announces perpetual Office 2024 and Office 2024 LTSC for late 2024 
AI for you! Microsoft 365 web apps now support Copilot Pro users 
Better AI for you! Free Copilot gets ChatGPT-4 Turbo (previously a paid feature) 
Microsoft follows Google and AWS, ends Azure egress fees - the other European Big Tech battleground 
AI 
Apple is almost certainly going to (try to) partner with Google on AI for iPhone 
How the F is Microsoft not part of this?  
Google I/O is set for May 14, Apple WWDC will be in June, both to focus on AI (duh) 
Microsoft to host "AI and Surface event" right before Build 2024 in May 
Nvidia is determined to not just ride the AI wave, but win it 
In the wake of a subtle rebranding, Google is bringing generative AI to Fitbit 
Amazon is bringing generative AI for product pages to sellers 
Xbox 
New games across Game Pass for the second half of March - including, for the first time, an Activision Blizzard title, Diablo IV 
Microsoft is killing the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox... though there is a Rewards tab on your Profile page. 
LinkedIn is experimenting with games because everything has to suck now 
Sony halts PSVR2 production because no one wants to pay $550 for VR on PS5 
Tips and Picks 
Tip of the week: Steam Sale goes through tomorrow (March 21) 
App picks of the week: Stardock ObjectDock 3, Proton Mail native app, Firefox 124 
RunAs Radio this week: From SysAdmin to Platform Engineer with Steve Buchanan 
Brown liquor pick of the week: Bull Run Oregon Single Malt Whiskey 
Hosts: Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, and Mikah Sargent 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly 
Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit 
Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com 
The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.
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WW 794: The Faffinator - Notifications rant, Bonnie Ross leaves, Goldeneye 007, listener questions!

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