Windows Weekly (Audio)

With Windows 10's end-of-life looming, Paul and Leo dissect the real risks, questionable hardware requirements, and whether dumping old PCs in landfills is an acceptable trade-off for modern security. Plus, why is Apple finally buying up touchscreen displays for MacBooks after years of resistance, and what could that mean for the future of both Mac and Windows hardware? Windows Consumer Reports asks Microsoft to continue Windows 10 support Reminder: Windows 11 25H2 ISOs are available... x64 only, in Insider Preview. Arm version is from Dev channel and is a VHDX Dev (25H2) and Beta (24H2) - Copilot prompt in Click to Do, Prompt recommendations in Start, controller navigation for gaming handhelds, SCOOBE, agents in the Store, more Release Preview (24H2 AND 25H2) - Click to Do table detection, action tags, and Summarize improvements; agent in Settings improvements, Hardware indicator improvements, more Quick Machine Recovery is a solid addition to your recovery toolbox Microsoft releases Windows 365 Cloud Apps in Preview A MacBook with a touch screen? Oh the irony Microsoft 365 Microsoft finally settles Teams antitrust case with EU and you're not going to believe what happens next Microsoft 365 desktop apps (i.e. "Office") gets Copilot chat even for free - Web grounded? That's ungrounded, right? Microsoft 365 commercial pulls in previously separate sales, service, and financial services Outlook Lite is heading off to a farm to chase rabbits No more Office file editing in Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iPhone and iPad AI OpenAI and Microsoft hint at another major restructuring of their partnership Auto AI model selection comes to Visual Studio Code. Your orchestration is showing Visual Studio 2026 on .NET Rocks and the recent news about configuring GitHub Copilot in VS 20xx. Hardware October is going to be a big month for new hardware Apple rumored for October Google Home on October 1 with Gemini Amazon devices (September 30, close enough) Where are the next-gen PC chips? Xbox & games Third-party store integration comes to Xbox app on Windows Microsoft kicks off another big half month for Xbox Game Pass Epic Games can't stop beating Google in court Tips & Picks Tip of the week: Improve Windows 11 security App pick of the week: Google app for Windows Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott 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 shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: uscloud.com helixsleep.com/twit

Windows 11's latest Patch Tuesday unveils exciting features, including enhancements for Copilot+ PCs. Intel sees new leadership while being critiqued for product reliability. The podcast dives into Atlassian's browser acquisition stirring debate on compatibility. Microsoft’s return-to-office policy raises eyebrows, alongside discussions on cybersecurity concerns. Visual Studio 2026 is highlighted for its new UI and AI capabilities, and the conversation touches on emerging gaming handhelds and the future of portable gaming.

Paul Thurrott is in Berlin this week for IFA 2025! With AI models multiplying across devices and Microsoft plotting a post-OpenAI future, Paul and Richard debate whether Copilot and local AI finally hint at what's next for your PC. Paul also reacts to the surprising Google antitrust ruling, questioning whether judges are truly willing to rein in Big Tech or just maintain the status quo. Has the battle for online competition already been lost? Windows 11 Four new builds issued in the Insider Program at the same time (rare) Dev and Beta: New Microsoft 365 text actions in Click to Do, Braille Viewer, more Share changes Canary: Nothing to see here, move along The Mobile Plans app you never used in Windows 11 is going away Windows Backup for Organizations is here Dolby Vision 2 is on the way Dell hits record revenues, but not because of PCs - PC revenues $12.5 billion, up 1 percent HP revenues up 3.1 percent and it is because of PCs - PC revenues $9.9 billion, up 6 percent Reminder that Lenovo is curiously dominant in this market - PC revenues $13.5 billion, up 18 percent Antitrust Google unexpectedly given a pass on egregious antitrust violations "We don't do these things because they are hard" Ensh*ttification Amazon begins restricting the ability to share Prime free shipping within a household This, from the company that makes you pay to remove ads from a video service you're already paying for YouTube is changing what it means to be in household This week from the misinformation files Microsoft denied that it had anything to do with SSD fails Google denies that it warned 2.8 billion Gmail users about anything If it happened online, it must be real AI Microsoft AI releases its first-ever in-house models and one is quite mysterious Copilot is coming to make your smart TVs dumber Anthropic will now train Claude on user data unless you opt out NVIDIA is still doing pretty well financially The Pixel 10 series phones are all about AI Camera Coach It's fascinating to reexamine the initial Pixel launch for its forward-leaning looks at AI, computational photography, and more Xbox and games Xbox August Update brings a few interesting new features Activision inks deal to make a Call of Duty movie Hollow Knight: Silksong and more are coming to Game Pass in first half of September Tips & picks Tip of the week App pick of the week: Vivaldi RunAs Radio this week: Episode 1000! Brown liquor pick of the week: Canadian Club 1858 Original 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 shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: uscloud.com threatlocker.com/twit 1password.com/windowsweekly

Chris Hoffman, a freelance tech writer and creator of the Windows Read Me newsletter, dives into Microsoft's recent protests at Building 34, highlighting employee activism against the company's technological ties to geopolitical conflicts. They explore advancements in AI image editing with Google's Gemini and the nostalgic remastering of Gears of War. The discussion also touches on the complexities of Windows user access features, Bluetooth audio improvements, and the challenges Microsoft faces in a rapidly evolving tech landscape and employee expectations.

Dive into the jestful world of tech as the hosts mock Google's Pixel 10 launch and its celebrity-centric approach. They analyze Lenovo's remarkable 22% earnings increase amidst shifting PC market dynamics. Explore AI's transformative role in Windows, showcasing new features and the balance between innovation and privacy. Gaming enthusiasts will enjoy insights from Microsoft's Gamescom 2025 showcase, packed with thrilling announcements and the future of Xbox. A playful mix of tech updates, anecdotes, and the intertwining of whiskey production with data management adds flavor to the conversation.

Discover the latest updates from Patch Tuesday, with exciting news about AI features and classic games making a comeback in stunning remastered versions. Dive into discussions on Windows 11's new functionalities and the challenges of integrating AI into everyday life. Explore the complex dynamics of browser technologies and a bold $34.5 billion bid for Chrome. Enjoy light-hearted anecdotes about libraries' valuable resources and the industry's nostalgia for gaming classics, while reflecting on GitHub's leadership changes and their implications in an evolving tech landscape.

Microsoft has reached a staggering $4 trillion valuation as it navigates a complex landscape of tech industry dynamics, substantial AI investments, and staffing changes. Their revenue figures show remarkable growth, sparking discussions on the implications of substantial layoffs despite profits. Insights into Windows' future reveal a focus on security and AI integration, while the gaming industry sees Xbox thriving amidst nostalgic reflections. Plus, humorous anecdotes about whiskey tasting and travel adventures add lighthearted moments to the tech-heavy conversation.

Ten years ago yesterday, Microsoft released Windows 10, fixing the issues with Windows 8.x and giving Windows 7 users a solid upgrade. One historical curiosity: It was the first Windows release without a major launch event. In other news, Microsoft publishes a Nadella email to the troops about the layoffs, but he never really addresses the layoffs.Windows 10 turns 10 The Bad: Its legacy is mixed, as this is when the enshittification of Windows began, really Windows as a Service Ads, crapware, and telemetry — plus some made-up privacy issues Terry Myerson gaff about one billion users Universal apps/One Windows was a bust, with Windows Phone and HoloLens failures Windows 10's launch was a missed opportunity to make the Store matter The Good: Windows Subsystem for Linux was huge WinGet was also huge, but is underappreciated and underutilized to this day It did reverse the mistakes of Windows 8, and in time it got more stable as Microsoft figured out WaaS (and then went on to abuse it) Oh, and the Windows 10 Field Guide is free to celebrate the anniversary Windows 11 Microsoft is using Rust for Surface drivers, and it wants all Windows drivers to switch to Rust too The Link to Windows app is getting a nice upgrade on Android Dev (25H2) and Beta (24H2): Settings agent for x86, SCOOBE changes, Click to Do improvements, Windows Search improvements Canary: Just a couple of bug fixes (Actually, two builds, one today also with no features) Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, and Media Encoder are Now Native on Windows 11 on Arm in beta Opera files antitrust case against Microsoft in Brazil for Windows 11/Edge behaviors Another app blocking Recall in a slow-drop of negative Recall-related AI privacy news for Microsoft. Rant: More importantly, Recall is boring and not useful given the hype around it. Intel earnings are flat, but more layoffs are on the way Lenovo rollable laptop in action! (ThinkBook Plus Gen 6) Lenovo makes a lot of weird laptops now (like the dual-screen Yoga Book 9i Paul reviewed last year) — apparently they didn't get the message after Microsoft cancelled the Surface Neo and Windows 10X. Does the average modern Windows laptop really need a touchscreen? Is this a relic of the Windows 8 era? AI & Microsoft 365 Perplexity Comet is real and it shows the way forward for AI web browsers Coincidentally, Microsoft suddenly launches Copilot mode for Microsoft Edge. (But I've played with Copilot Mode, and it's no Comet or Dia.) Copilot is getting real-time expressions. It's the return of Clippy! Microsoft's long-term Copilot plans are a lot wilder than you might expect Google earned $96.4 billion in one quarter. This shows that it has not been impacted by other AIs yet Xbox & gaming Xbox is coming to Gamerscom in Germany in August, and it's bringing the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds The July Xbox Update is here and it's all about the PC Paul reviewed the Lenovo Legion Go S, and the Windows experience was so bad. Also, PC OEMs are having trouble competing with the Steam Deck's pricing on gaming handhelds. Tips & picks Tips of the week: Chris and Paul are partnering on his new newsletter App pick of the week: Perplexity Pro Beer pick of the week: Alesong Rhino Suit These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/943 Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott Guest: Chris Hoffman Sponsor: cachefly.com/twit

Microsoft finally kills Movies & TV show service in the Microsoft Store. This was the final vestigial minder of Zune that remained. There was Groove Video and Xbox Video, too. Microsoft previously killed eBook (2019) and music (2017) sales. At this point, you would have to be insane to buy content from Microsoft, sorry... but you can get to some of your content on other services via Movies Anywhere - and use the Movies & TV app for now in Windows, which is no longer bundled. Windows 11 It's Week D and you can't tell your Copilot+ PC features from your Windows 11 features without a scorecard A peek at next month's Patch Tuesday - Also, preview updates for 23H2, Windows 10 Copilot+ PCs only: Settings agent, Click to Do improvements, Photo relight in Photos app, Sticker generator and Object select in Paint Everyone: Copilot Vision (U.S. only) in Copilot, Edge Game Assist, Quick Machine Recovery Microsoft explains how PC transfer feature will work in Windows Backup later this year Describe image action for Click to Do (for AMD/Intel), image descriptions in Narrator (AMD/Intel), performance log improvements (!), Click to Do search bar test, Lock screen improvements, privacy improvements head to Dev and Beta channels Bug fixes in Canary, back to the usual waste of time Brave will automatically block Recall WhatsApp is going PWA, killing UWP app Focusrite finally releases drivers for Windows 11 on Arm/Snapdragon X, removing the final major compatibility issue on that platform Linux (sort of) crosses the 5 percent usage milestone Surface/Copilot+ PC Copilot+ PC is a failure as a brand because Microsoft focused on negligible on-device AI features It should have pushed reliability, performance, efficiency and battery life All Copilot+ PC features should come to at least those with GPUs, but really all customers Microsoft failed at AI, and failed with consumers, and so now it's going to tell us what consumers want from AI - a comedy Microsoft announces Surface Laptop for Business with 5G but the real "with" is Intel Inside Intel layoffs are even worse than expected and more are coming Microsoft has a problem and it starts with "C" and ends with "opilot" Microsoft SharePoint has a notably bad security flaw DuckDuckGo adds some neat customization features to Duck.ai and DuckDuckGo lets you hide all AI from search Xbox and gaming The Xbox platform unification continues: Xbox now testing cross-device play history - Not just console games on console, PC games on PC Just kidding! The Outer Worlds will cost $69.99, not $79.99 Tips & Picks Tip of the week: You hate Big Tech, but who can you trust? App pick of the week: Proton Lumo RunAs Radio this week: Copilot Studio with April Dunnam Brown liquor pick of the week: Benromach 10 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 shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit 1password.com/windowsweekly

Microsoft just made a major change to the Windows 11 install media, and you're not going to believe what happens next! Plus, the AI spelling and grammar checking app/service that Paul relies on. And yes, he does pay for it. Windows 11 Copilot Vision gets full Desktop support, Voice integration across all Insider channels Click to Do gets a "Describe image" action, Administrator protection, App permission dialog changes in Dev (25H2) and Beta (24H2) Canary finally gets the features everyone else has had for a while now Also, Microsoft quietly killed the simplified date/time in the Windows 11 Taskbar because no one liked it PC sales grew 5 percent in Q2 but there is a BIG caveat Semi-related: Google is "combining" ChromeOS and Android ChromeOS will build on Android going forward, smart Even less related: HMD quietly pulls Nokia out of the U.S. market, the dream is over Microsoft 365, AI Microsoft layoffs directly attributed to AI Microsoft scuttled OpenAI's acquisition of Windsurf and all hell broke loose Google snapped up key execs and engineers and licensed Windsurf for $2.4 billion All's well that ends well: Cognition acquires Windsurf Microsoft keeps changing the terms of the deal: Microsoft 365 apps will be updated on Windows 10 only through August 2026 Microsoft 365 Copilot is finally getting a Memory OpenAI is going to war with Microsoft and the world It's working on a web browser It's also working on an office productivity suite of sorts Google NotebookLM gets curated featured notebooks. This is emerging as one of the more useful AI tools Xbox and Gaming Xbox app for Windows 11 gets "Stream your own game" functionality Grounded 2, more coming to Game Pass in second half of July Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to the Mac for some reason Tips & Picks Tip of the week: Save big on PCs, go refurbished App pick of the week: LanguageTool for Desktop RunAs Radio this week: Fabric in 2025 with Arun Ulag Brown liquor pick of the week: Slane Triple Casked Blend 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 shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/twit bitwarden.com/twit uscloud.com