Windows Weekly (Audio)

Microsoft released new Windows 11 Experimental builds. A new round of buyout offers has been presented to 25% of Microsoft's global workforce. Microsoft fixed a major Authenticator flaw for Android. And... no major XBOX news?

Windows

Paul has confirmed a theory weʼve discussed about why Microsoft is really improving Windows 11 this year.

Windows Insider Program

Four new builds - Mobile device controls in Quick Settings, native Internet speed test.
Corporate Microsoft offers buyout offers to almost 25 percent of its global workforce.

Hardware

This week in Paulʼs RTX Spark local AI coding fails - plus, the first step is realizing itʼs not you, itʼs the technology. Some advice for using AI.

Software

Microsoft fixes major Authenticator flaw on Android. PowerToys adds two new utilities, so many other updates. The Browser Company announces the inevitable end of Arc browser.

AI

Anthropic files for IPO, warns that its work could end humanity. Canva releases its first AI model, for images. Opera brings local AI to its desktop web browsers with WebAI standard-to-be. Apple is bringing AI assistant to its iWorks apps - Apple copies Microsoft again!

XBOX and Gaming

No real news this week, which is rare, but a few thoughts about the new Call of Duty.

Tips and Picks

Tip of the Week: Yes, the Windows Setup workarounds still work in 26H2. Windows 11 version 26H2 arrived recently and Iʼve now tested the installer on multiple Arm64 and x64 PCs and the local account workarounds we all know and love still work. My advice: Use Rufus to create install media. App pick of the week: Mozilla Firefox With a year or so of major improvements to its web browser, Mozilla has launched a big ad campaign to get Firefox users back. RunAs Radio this week: PostgreSQL with Elizabeth Christensen Brown liquor pick of the week: Vardberg Born

Hosts: Mikah Sargent, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Paul Thurrott gets hands-on with NVIDIA's new RTX Spark AI PCs and reveals why all that power isn't translating into practical results for certain users. Expect strong opinions and a few surprises about the state of local AI on computers. Plus, Tolaria is a free, open source, vibe-coded replacement for Notion that's based on Markdown files. And now it's on mobile too! Llama Windows is also free/open source and natively supports Windows 11 on Arm and RTX Spark. It may be the easiest way to interact with local AI on Windows.

Windows

Microsoft discusses second round of pain points updates for Windows 11, starting with a new Photos app plus the ability to work well with just 8 GB of RAM Six (!) new builds, including two to the Release Preview Channel Microsoft Edge is working towards no-reboot updates Opera Air gets a nice refresh The Proton roadmap is spectacular RTX Spark: HP OmniBook Ultra 16 RTX Spark: Lenovo Pro 9n 15 RTX Spark: ASUS ProArt P16 arrives with 128 GB of RAM

Microsoft 365

OneDrive is getting a Copilot-infused upgrade for files and photos in the AI era

AI/dev

RTX Spark hands-on: Local AI is more frustrating than useful Microsoft is working on a comprehensive strategy to secure AI agents OpenAI releases an AI coding model for Visual Basic, other older programming languages

XBOX and gaming

Report: Project Helix starts with a gaming handheld in 2027, not a console, with a new console in 2028 Microsoft reveals standalone Cloud Gaming costs - 10 hours for $3.99, 25 for $7.99, 50 for $11.99 ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 is here for $1300 and up ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 is here for $1300 and up AMD is bringing FSR Upscaling 4.1 to XBOX consoles, ROG XBOX Ally Final Fantasy VII Remake is the star of the late October Game Pass releases NVIDIA touts games already optimized for RTX Spark XBOX highlights new indie titles coming to PC, console, and Game Pass over the next year EA is shutting down BioWare

Tips and picks

App pick of the week: Tolaria App pick of the week #2: Llama Windows RunAs Radio this week: OWASP Top 10 for Agentic Applications with Will Velida Brown liquor pick of the week: Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Year Old

Hosts: Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell, and Mikah Sargent

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Microsoft's latest Windows event left even diehard enthusiasts scratching their heads, with new AI-powered hardware and "RTX Spark" PCs getting top billing but little clear reason for anyone to buy them. If you're wondering what actually matters in the world of AI PCs. or why no one can explain it, you're not alone.

Windows

We need to talk about last week's Windows event... what the heck was this? Lots of Windows, lots of Surface, a little bit of ecosystem, confusing local AI story, no major new end user features that are unique to RTX Spark, a weird Osborne Effect for RTX Spark, and a stunning lack of self-awareness combine for one of the weirder Microsoft events in memory The RTX Spark era begins this week. How is this different from Copilot+ PC? Patch Tuesday is here and it's a big milestone Minor changes for 24H2, 25H2, 26H2 Big changes for 26H1 This is the first Patch Tuesday for 26H2, the last one for 24H2 (Home, Pro) 1400+ security fixes, a new record(!!) - This is almost 15x the normal number of patches ASUS allows reviewers to show unboxing, so here's the RTX Spark-based ASUS ProArt P16 PC market fell over 20 percent in Q3 as component crisis takes its toll Googlebooks suck, and everyone is finally noticing what I reported last week. But there is another, and it's an unexpected option Tiny11 Builder gets a major update with a WinUI makeover

AI/dev

This has been the most exciting week in AI advances since this era kicked off in February 2023 ArtCraft releases impressive clones of the top 7 Adobe Creative Cloud apps ArtCraft is also working at replacing Microsoft Office, with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint clones so far - Also clones of AutoCAD and Audacity(?)/audio editor Google Playground lets anyone create a game that you can share with anyone Google AI Studio now lets anyone vibe-code Android and web apps, and you will soon be able to put them in the Google Play Store Big changes to Microsoft 365 for consumers - Family/Premium loses 1 TB per user, goes to a single pool of 2 TB, but all users now share the same Copilot rights Apple makes a long-overdue smart home push thanks to Siri AI finally making sense - New HomeView smart display is the star .NET 11 heads to the finish line

XBOX and gaming

XBOX creates an XP division for non-game entertainment. They should have called it XBOX One, cough Asha Sharma creates XBOX LABS team to explore how vibe coding changes gaming Microsoft announces an XBOX Nano Controller Forza Horizon 6 is coming to PS5 in January GTA VI coming to the PC in early 2027 Epic Games vibe-coded its new launcher, and it's available in preview for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Just make it App pick of the week: ArtCraft for the win RunAs Radio this week: Choosing Tools in M365 with Joy Apple Brown liquor pick of the week: Bunnahabhain 12

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Microsoft and NVIDIA's RTX Spark laptops are official, with preorders open and shipping October 16. Prices run from $2,599 (24GB) to $5,899 (128GB, already sold out on Surface). Paul and Leo cover who needs that much RAM, what "hybrid intelligence" means, and why Paul's new Googlebook disappointed him.

Windows

RTX Spark laptops: from $2,599 (24GB), $3,700 (32GB), $5,899 (128GB). Ships Oct 16 Partners: Microsoft, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, MSI. Paul reviews the HP OmniBook Ultra 16 first Surface RTX Spark Dev Box: $6,000+ "Hybrid intelligence": local AI first, cloud when needed Windows Search gets inline AI actions in Insider builds Cloud Rebuild adds better remove and sanitize options Windows app adds Remote PC connections (preview) Intel Wildcat Lake: Paul's test laptop was slow even with 16GB Googlebook first look: Lenovo Googlebook 15 (~$1,100) is missing basics an iPad has Microsoft has tried to kill Windows many times, including the leaked Project Aion

AI/Dev

Microsoft AI ships new voice and transcription models Gemini 4 Argon is announced, but limited to cybersecurity partners Google Docs and Drive add native Markdown C# Dev Kit 11 arrives with .NET 11

Xbox and Gaming

Rockstar corrects reports of exclusive Xbox GTA VI streaming. Launch is Nov 19 Xbox Elite Series 3 controller leaks again, with a built-in screen October Game Pass: Battlefield 6 and more Sony brings QSSR AI upscaling to the standard PS5 Google Playground lets you vibe-code games

Tips and Picks

Tip of the week: Desktop98.com, a Windows 98 simulator in your browser App pick: Gears of War: E-Day (Game Pass Ultimate and PC) Brown liquor pick: 1792 Small Batch bourbon

Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott

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Why does Microsoft keep stumbling with new devices and software design... and what happens when enthusiasts start favoring AI over old-school Office? Paul, Richard, and Leo dig into shifting loyalties and what that means for the future of the desktop. And with the release of 26H2, it's time to update your install and recovery media. The build number is 26300.9457

Windows

Windows 11, version 26H2 is here New features, none unique: Start, Taskbar, Search, etc New defaults for some features: Windows settings backup for commercial customers, etc. The time a UX legend interviewed for a job at Microsoft running Windows UX WSL Containers are generally available in Windows 11 Four new Insider builds, but only Experimental gets anything interesting: Phone companion improvements and Energy recommendations directly in Quick Settings

Software

Microsoft retires the Microsoft 365 Companion apps for Windows 11 that never made sense in the first place Mozilla ships the new Nova UI in Firefox 157

Hardware

Copilot+ PC brand could be on the way out, but it was all over IFA, including on RTX Spark-based PCs Microsoft launches new base Surface Pro and Laptop models with Snapdragon X2 - And a new mouse, for some reason Qualcomm brought (first-gen) Snapdragon X to Googlebook, but it's also bringing X2 to Linux Google quietly reveals that, yes, Chromebooks are on the way out

AI

Microsoft unveils the Copilot "super app" and the notion that this is basically an OS Open releases about 1000 new updates for ChatGPT Claude Sonnet 5.5 joins Opus 5.5 The AI money pit, part 127: Report details Anthropic losses, spending, and revenues. Report also does a bad job at visualizing that information

XBOX and gaming

Disc to digital program is live Minecraft Dungeons is here with a new dimension, and it's coming to Minecraft next year too Microsoft has a new casual mobile game for some reason XBOX now has mythic achievements

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Get the Windows 11 version 26H2 ISO App pick of the week: Opera on desktop and on mobile RunAs Radio this week: AI and Penetration Testing with Paula Januszkiewicz Brown liquor pick of the week: Kilchoman Loch Gorm

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Windows

Week D arrives, and this time we get updates - a preview of Octoberʼs Patch Tuesday 24H2/25H2 Minor update with new Copilot key remaps, Wi-Fi in WRE, more 26H1 Major update that brings all new 26H2 features—Start, Taskbar, Search —to 26H1. Finally.

Windows Insider Program

Four new builds last Friday - Biggest change is Cloud Rebuild in WRE (in Experimental) gaining new capabilities.

Software

30 years ago, Dave Plummer created Task Manager, and now heʼs vibe-coded a modern version that works on Mac and Linux too. Stardock announces a new Windows 11 utility called Snipboard. Clipchamp does AI upscaling to 4K now

Hardware

The Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15p Aura Edition is nearly perfect, with 11 hours of battery life. Googlebook revealed! Questions answered - $899 starting price is much lower than expected. This is Androidʼs Copilot+ PC moment - An AI PC? What a concept!

AI/dev

Microsoft announces a OneDrive + Copilot event in October - Also a separate Copilot event before then. Financial Times reveals internal OpenAI prediction of $278 billion in losses over the next five years. NYT copyright case discovery reveals what Microsoft and OpenAI really think about stealing content. Anthropic merges Cowork into chat, adds Docs and Slides. Google Labs CC turned into Gemini Daily Brief, so now itʼs an AI agent for families. Google opens up its Home smart home ecosystem to other AI assistants. XAML.io is a web-based vibe coding IDE for .NET apps and it looks amazing.

XBOX and Gaming

A big reorg and a small number of layoffs at XBOX sets off a new round of hand wringing.

Tip and Picks

Tip of the week: Get Auto SR on Panther Lake-based laptops Auto SR was designed to make gaming viable on Windows 11 on Arm/Snapdragon X/X2, but now itʼs available on Intel Core Ultra Series 3-based PCs and it is worth experimenting with.

App Pick of the Week: Affinity

Possibly the greatest free app in existence, Affinity just got 60 new features and is even better.

Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott

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Microsoft's record-breaking Patch Tuesday unleashed nearly a thousand fixes, but the bonus story is in the chaos that followed as out-of-band updates and AI-driven bug hunts left admins scrambling to keep up.

Windows

Patch Tuesday was so buggy Microsoft had to release an emergency fix to address all the issues New Release Preview builds for 24H2/25H2 - I guess we're moving past the features that are also in the initial 26H2 release - New Copilot key remapping feature, they will get it right eventually Five builds across Experimental and Beta channels - All over the map as you'd expect Google releases the Gemini app for Windows Adobe released Photoshop and Premiere Elements 2027 AnyType is a top-tier Notion alternative and it's about to get very interesting Microsoft previews an October Windows + Surface event that's clearly all about Nvidia - but is this also tied to 26H2 release? HP announces a new Ryzen-based portable workstation with an interesting detail about unified memory Apple announced iPhone 18 Pros, iPhone Duo, Watch 12 + Ultra 4, AirPods 5, and then released its '27 OS updates - And sure whatever

AI

AI fear-mongering reaches new heights (or new lows): Is this just PR from Big AI to keep the money rolling? Bill Gates says Gates Foundation will donate $1+ billion to solve AI inequality Big AI could solve the PR problems by actually doing something positive for mankind. Just a thought Copilot Work and Copilot Studio get app building capabilities Google will bring MCP to Google Home, in early preview now Mozilla and Mistral partner on Firefox Smart Window AI

XBOX and gaming

Gears of War: E-Day and more is coming to Game Pass in the second half of September XBOX is going to the Tokyo Game Show and a nice surprise for Kojima fans Valve opens up Steam Frame preorders and it's only $1060! Amazon Prime Gaming and Luna are having a pretty g26ood September Apple is reportedly making an iPhone game controller for some reason

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: There's a new MSA bypass for Windows 11 Setup App pick of the week: Google Dreambeans RunAs Radio this week: Patching in 2026 with Susan Bradley Brown liquor pick of the week: Art of the Spirits Honored to Serve

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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With Microsoft shattering records for patched vulnerabilities and AI exposing even more bugs, Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell debate whether this tidal wave of fixes signals progress or just bigger trouble ahead for Windows users. Also, Sonos is back and here's something no one has been able to say for, well, forever: It's new app is great! Plus, Gemini's Daily Brief is surprisingly useful, and it's available for free to everyone in the U.S.

MICROSOFT MAKES MAJOR FINANCIAL REPORTING CHANGE

The canary in the coal mine has finally been rewarded: Microsoft will dramatically change how it reports earnings, effective immediately. The good: Didn't see this coming, Microsoft will allegedly be transparent about Azure revenues every quarter The bad: A simpler structure means more revenues are being hidden and you can only make accurate YOY comparisons dating back two years now The unknown: What this will really look like in practice How is it possible that Paul has been all over this for years and Wall Street has mostly ignored it?

Windows

Patch Tuesday arrives - And, yes, it's basically 26H2 New Start, Taskbar, and Windows Search are generally available Is the "real" 26H2 still on track for October or does it just happen whenever? Microsoft fixed almost 1000 security vulnerabilities this month (974), with 723 of them in Windows and 112 of them critical-severity. It has already released over double the number of security patches this year (2760) as it did in all of 2025 (1139). Five new builds drop just ahead of Patch Tuesday updates with three minor new features Project Zenith is a misguided attempt to make Windows better for developers that shows they've learned nothing Microsoft Edge team promises two contrary improvements: Faster extension approvals, better quality

It came from IFA

Lenovo: Two AMAZING prototype PCs, one of which is imminent as a shipping product. Two killer NVIDIA RTX Spark-based laptops. Colorful laptops and AIO deflate the MacBook Neo balloon nicely. New ThinkCentre desktops and ThinkBook laptops, including a killer AMD-based workstation that can be daisy-chained HP: Three new NVIDIA RTX Spark PCs, one of which is a desktop PC Acer: RTX Spark, gaming handheld, more Key takeaway: NVIDIA RTX Spark is a game-changer

Apps

Vivaldi adds PWA and address bar improvements Yes, Virginia, Brave is still the fastest web browser

AI and dev

Newsday and The Seattle Times sue OpenAI and Microsoft for stealing copyrighted content at scale There's a great new documentary about the making of Visual Studio Code out and it's free This is a modern example of how tech limitations can spur innovation, something that happened a lot in the early home computer era and happens a lot less now .NET 11 heads to release candidate phase ahead of November release

XBOX and gaming

XBOX Cloud Gaming is getting usage caps starting in November and a standalone service is on the way XBOX app is coming to TCL smart TVs XBOX Insiders are testing startup animation choices, Showcase customization, an improved Remote Play experience, background downloads for Cloud Gaming, and more

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Gemini offers a useful and free daily briefing App pick of the week: Sonos RunAs Radio this week: State of WSUS with Adam Brown

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/1000

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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While Microsoft pushes Copilot+ PCs, NVIDIA storms into the Windows ecosystem with AI-focused Spark machines and game-changing specs, igniting new rivalries with Apple and upending expectations for what local hardware can do. Plus, Atari revives 39 Activision classics for a price that will make retro fans blink, while the Sonos saga continues as it pivots to an open AI platform that might finally win back old loyalties. Finally, Paul's Markdown book will be released sometime in the next week.

Windows

The mystery of 26H2 is now less mysterious Last week: Week D came and went without a preview release, triggering speculation Microsoft issues Windows 11 version 26H2 to Release Preview, a first This means a September or October release to stable. Just guessing, but Preview Update in September, general Update in October is most likely Version numbers don't matter much anymore. There are no unique 26H2 features, just a few unique 26H2 presets - These include Point-in-time restore and Memory Integrity Protection being on by default Two 26H1 pre-release builds with little to speak of IFA 2026 is underway in Berlin Acer is first out of the gates with dozens of new PCs, including one based on the NVIDIA RTX Spark EU General Court confirms that Microsoft Edge is not a gatekeeper Visual Studio Code now has a full Markdown Editor experience Brave now offers free email aliases, and will have a premium option soon Firefox for iOS now has integrated ad blocking NVIDIA - $96.2 billion in revenues, up 106 percent YOY Dell - record $47 billion in revenues, but it's all from server/infrastructure HP - $15.7 billion in revenues, up 12.5 percent - $11.8 billion from PCs, vs. $15 billion for all Dell client products

AI/dev

Sony and Warner sue Anthropic for stealing their music Gemini Notebook gets first Expert Intelligence upgrade with integrated e-book support Sonos announces Sonos 27 OS with major AI functionality Microsoft moves WinUI development fully to GitHub ahead of open-sourcing it

XBOX and gaming

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, more coming to Game Pass Every Activision title for the Atari 2600 is being reissued in cartridge form, but it's going to cost you

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Markdown: A Field Guide for Writers App pick of the week: ImageGlass 10 RunAs Radio this week: Reimagining Intranets with Susan Hanley Brown liquor pick of the week: Macaloney's Cath-Nah-Aven

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Microsoft tries to prove Windows on ARM is ready for prime time, but behind the PR push, unresolved questions about compatibility, branding, and a tepid market threaten to derail the company's ambitions. Also, PowerToys 0.101 is here with Windows Hopper and multiple improvements! Plus, Parallels Desktop 27 for Mac launches.

Windows

If a Week D falls in the woods and no one installs it, did a Week D really happen? Theory: This is the big one, with the three big changes Microsoft promised this year. Basically, this is Windows 11 version 26H2 Three new builds across Beta, Experimental, and Experimental (26H1) with a modernized AutoPlay experience and a new "Open apps maximized" accessibility feature Microsoft reminds business customers that Windows on Arm is terrific ahead of Nvidia RTX Spark launch Totally coincidental that this happened on the same day that Apple announced a new Mac Mini with M6 and M5 Pro and Mac Studio with M5 Ultra and M5 Max

Microsoft 365

OneDrive for Mac gets native sync engine Proton Mail gets automatic and customizable category filtering

AI/dev

Bill Gates issues a strong warning on the dangers of AI. And you're not going to believe what number two is WSJ report echoes the complaints that Paul has been making for years. Again Adobe Firefly gets production-quality music, speech, and sound effect generation capabilities Apple Music will start labeling AI-generated music .NET Conf 2026 on track for November with .NET 11

XBOX and gaming

XBOX testing long-awaited disc to digital entitlements The ASUS ROG XBOX Ally X20 is available now for $1299, or in a $2499 bundle Rumor: Microsoft prepping an Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition console for November Update: it's real. The XBOX 25th anniversary collection arrives November 13 Microsoft announces (third party) Designed for XBOX 25th Anniversary Collection of hardware peripherals IKEA has designed some XBOX-influenced furniture and it is amazing Rockstar Games weighs in on leaks asGTA VIreveal arrives (tomorrow) Commodore announcesAlien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection for PC, consoles NVIDIA brings GeForce Now to Firefox

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Expose yourself to other points of view App pick of the week: PowerToys RunAs Radio this week: Security Features of PowerShell 7 with Mike O'Neill Brown liquor pick of the week: SpiceBox Spiced Whisky

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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For years, the checkbox to get a PC out of the Insider Program when that Windows version shipped in stable did absolutely nothing. That's no longer the case.

Windows

A new context menu for File Explorer heads out to Insiders along with five new preview builds There are lots of other like UX changes happening with little communication. Will Microsoft really touch (and update) all the ancient UIs in Windows 11? New Release Preview builds point at next Week D and Patch Tuesday updates: New Taskbar, New Start, new Windows Search, many minor changes throughout

Hardware

Now we know more about Snapdragon C ahead of IFA, where we may see the first laptops Google is holding a PixelBook reviewers event in mid-September You know that Commodore is back, but now the Amiga is back too! Lenovo surges on AI spending, but it's now engaged in financial shenanigans too. More like Spotify than Big Tech, but still bad

AI

Big Tech spending on AI is finally getting more scrutiny from financial/business publications It's happening: Microsoft "pulls a Teams" and will consolidate its Copilot (consumer) and Microsoft 365 Copilot (business apps) into a single app, evolve it in a "super app" OpenAI's new strategy: Get 'em while they're young Mozilla provides a progress report on Smart Window for Firefox, details new AI search partnership Alexa+ is now free on all FireTV devices in the U.S., no Prime required

XBOX

Resonance: A Plague Tale and more are heading to Game Pass during the second half of August XBOX August Update is here with more Achievements details, Game Hubs now support Xbox 360 titles, Game Pass subscribers can now stream a game while it installs in the background XBOX Insiders can now test Home Improvements, local save game management, and profile badges Apple makes major App Store concessions in the EU. But Epic Games says it is not enough. The new Call of Duty has a public beta on Friday, and there will be a single-player episode for the first time

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Yes, Virginia, you canexit the Insider Program now App pick of the week: Brave RunAs Radio this week: Automatic Attack Disruption with Liz Tesch Brown liquor pick of the week: Red Bank Premium Blended

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Microsoft's AI investments reveal a bizarre financial loop where billions pour into infrastructure, yet profits remain elusive. The hosts break down why the industry's most hyped tech might just be a high-stakes game of circular accounting. Plus, a developer has resurrected Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a to run natively on Windows 11! Lastly, Stardock's latest utility replaces Alt + Tab for $7.99.

Windows

25H2: new touchpad gestures, Windows Hello ESS improvements, Widgets improvements, Windows Search improvements, more 26H1: Windows Update calendar-based pausing, Picture Password EOL, Point in time restore, multi-camera support, user folder customization in Setup, etc. Over 420 bug fixes, but that's over 200 less than last month Follow-up on Microsoft's AI spending. It's much worse than we knew - And also much worse than we know now Yes, Microsoft Edge is going all-in on Manifest V3 Proton Drive - Now with a CLI and business features, and it's coming soon to Linux A developer ported Word for Windows 1.1 to x64

AI

Gemini now has one billion users. But how many pay? - Plus the new Pixel phones are one step sideways, one step back OpenAI brings ChatGPT to Linux (!)

Xbox and gaming

A new Xbox Elite Series 3 controller leak shows it will have a mini display Microsoft tests new console features with Xbox Insiders Id Software brings a new episode to Quaketo mark 30th anniversary! Minecraftis coming to Switch 2 Here comes GTA VI A Valve partner was hacked, Steam Machine customers warned Nintendo revenues decline 9.5 percent to ¥518 billion

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: View Git status directly in File Explorer App pick of the week: AltTabby RunAs Radio this week: The Content Management System Landscape with Matt Garrepy Brown liquor pick of the week: Sideshow Lincoln Straight Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Behind the headlines about skyrocketing revenues and AI investments, the actual costs and future risks for Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are shrouded in strategic accounting moves. Plus, Paul finished rewriting and adding new chapters to the Windows 11 Field Guide - mostly just clean-up now, and then whatever new monthly features. Lastly, The Document Foundation issues a friendly reminder about the Office 2021 EOL and how that never happens with their software

Microsoft earnings

Microsoft earnings up 18 percent to $90 billion Analysis: Microsoft finds a new way to not account for AI costs

Windows

Pavan Davuluri says he's "energized" about what's happening to Windows in 2026. OK. But what's really happened so far? When will the biggest changes land? And when, if ever, will you address the real enshittification in Windows 11? Windows Insider Program: Five new builds - New Taskbar comes to Beta channel This leads to questions of timing, and here, WIP is not all that transparent still Another antitrust win: Apple to allow Copy and Paste between Windows and iPhone AMD revenues up 50 percent to $11.5 billion, but it's all AI datacenter Amazon: up 20 percent to $200 billion Apple: up 16 percent to $109 billion

AI

Satya Nadella mentions AI super app again, not clear why anyone cares about this Proton Lumo can do data visualization now

Xbox and gaming

Asha Sharma details the priorities for XBOX in the next year and number 5 will shock you XBOX console prices going up in the EU and UK Thanks, Caption Obvious: Yes, Backward Compatibility on PC will support Xbox 360 games too XBOX plans new FanFest tour dates - there's SO much to celebrate! Gears of War: E-Day leads the charge for new Game Pass titles in August XBOX Insiders is testing new console features XBOX app comes to Hisense and VIDDA TVs EA goes private for $55 billion in cash, but also some debt Sony has sold 95.3 million PS5s Sony responds to concerns about no more discs (with "pffffftttt")

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: It's done! App pick of the week: LibreOffice RunAs Radio this week: Ransomware Readiness with Heather Renze Brown liquor pick of the week: Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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There's been so much drama over what options Microsoft will allow for the Copilot key. But you don't have to wait for a future Windows update; you can remap any key with Microsoft's own Keyboard Manager PowerToy. More people should take advantage of this. Also, Paul just finished his major 2026 rewrite of the Windows 11 Field Guide! Every single chapter was rewritten or consolidated, with several new chapters added. Lastly, the OG Haloremake is a great reminder of how good this series was in the beginning. And it looks and plays terrific.

Windows

Week D updates arrive on time this month Windows Hello ESS support for external fingerprint readers, many small improvements Experimental (Future Platforms) finally gets an update, but it's just the features we saw elsewhere first Several in-box app updates for July, nothing major Microsoft convinces LG to drop the McAfee ads, but HP's Bing ads are A-OK Chris tested Windows 11 with 8GB of RAM and the experience is not great Paul has a Wildcat-based laptop waiting for him in PA Microsoft is testing a "Do nothing" option for the Copilot key Your Windows 11 PC now has a OneDrive Photos app for some reason Opera One gets vertical tabs, deeper Google Lens integration

Earnings

Google/Alphabet - net income of $28 billion on $120 billion in revenues, but negative cash flow for the first time in the company's history Intel - net loss of $11 million, no Foundry customers leaves Wall Street swooning for some reason

AI

Microsoft begins shifting to its own MAI models, but the forward progress is minimal NVIDIA, Microsoft, more team up for AI empire, er, Alliance Anthropic launches Claude Opus 5

Xbox and gaming

Halo: Campaign Evolved is here XBOX went down for the count for most of the day on Monday. But disc-based games still worked XBOX begins testing ad-supported Cloud Gaming Ubisoft game purchases on Xbox now carry over to PC for free Luna comes to Prime Video app

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Remap keys with PowerToys Keyboard Manager App pick of the week:Halo Campaign Evolved Chris's pick of the week: His new newsletter! https://preferences.pcmag.com/PCMag/windows-guide

Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paul Thurrott

Guest: Chris Hoffman

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As the tech world catches its breath from AI whiplash and retro gaming returns to the PC, Microsoft quietly kills underused tools and tries to double down on what actually works. This episode blends the excitement of tech and entertainment (like Xbox classics landing on Windows 11) with a poignant look back at the life and legacy of legendary columnist John C. Dvorak.

Windows

Five new Insider builds released on Monday; the new Start menu comes to the Beta channel Experimental (26H1) a day later with no interesting new features The Whiteboard app is apparently being retired

AI

Microsoft expands partnership with Mistral to improve EU AI infrastructure Copilot for consumers is losing Podcasts and Deep research features soon U.S. judge approves Anthropic $1.5 billion settlement with authors it stole from 1Password partners with Anthropic to make AI access to password-protected websites secure Google renames NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook Google's next big AI models are delayed, but we got Gemini 3.6 Flash, Flash-Lite, and 3.5 Flash Cyber to tide us over

XBOX and gaming

Microsoft brings XBOX Backward Compatibility to PC!! Here comes Halo: Campaign Evolved, along with more Game Pass titles for the end of July Bethesda announcesFallout 3andNew Vegas remasters, andFallout 5 is entering pre-production Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4in Early Access on August 21, Open Beta on August 27 XBOX July update adds support for longer gamertags, new library customization options, and more XBOX teams with Meta to bring Game Pass Starter Edition to Meta Horizon+ subscribers Valve says the component crisis dogging Steam Machine pricing will only get worse

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Windows Package Manager for bulk app installs App (game) of the week: Doom: The Dark Ages RunAs Radio this week: Security Begins at Procurement with Jessie Schofer Brown liquor pick of the week: Loup River Nebraska Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Microsoft's July 2026 Patch Tuesday just shattered records with hundreds of bug fixes, and AI is the force behind the surge. Are we witnessing the beginning of a safer Windows, or is this flood of vulnerabilities the new normal? Plus, Tony Redmond's epic book has a new name (was Office 365 for IT Pros) and is now a bundle of four books.

Windows

Patch Tuesday is here! Point in Time Restore, quieter Widgets, Windows Update improvements, Screen tint, and more The biggest Patch Tuesday in history, by far: a record 570 fixes for security flaws, and a huge 3X increase from the then-record flaws fixed last month. (Some say the number is 622. Math is hard.) And this is on top of 468 Microsoft Edge/Chromium flaws that were fixed by Google this month too. Yikes. Microsoft discusses how it's improving Windows security with AI Windows Insider Program: Improved Windows Search is next on the docket, heading out to Experimental this week. Question: When do these things hit stable? Microsoft releases Snapdragon X2 versions of its Surface for Business Pro and Laptop models

AI

Apple sues OpenAI for stealing trade secrets Surprised there was no talk of "thermonuclear war" OpenAI's response is hilarious, and it is already prepping its first hardware device OpenAI just announced the rumored super app, which is a combination of ChatGPT, Work, Codex, and an in-app web browser, which replaces the standalone Atlas web browser. Also, GPT-5.6. In keeping with recent history, Anthropic announced its in-app web browser for Claude less than 24 hours later Reminder that Microsoft acknowledged that it, too, is working on an AI super app at Build Apple releases public betas of its OS 27 releases and, shocker, Siri is really good Now Spotify has an AI chatbot so I can tell it how much I hate Spotify

Xbox and gaming

Obsidian is working on a new Falloutgame, duh. A quiet time after last week's terribleness

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Microsoft 365 for IT Pros (2027 edition) is here! App pick of the week: MusicBee RunAs Radio this week: Finding Security Vulnerabilities using AI with Sami Laiho Brown liquor pick of the week: Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky Reserve Edition

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Microsoft's latest round of layoffs and game studio shakeups reveal deep cracks in the XBOX business, as years of unprofitability and missed expectations force the company into tough decisions. Are industry icons like Game Pass and big-name studios on borrowed time? Also, Paul's made major progress on the Windows 11 Field Guide updates! Plus, a desktop and mobile web browser that now blocks YouTube ads by default.

Layoffs

Microsoft announces 4800 layoffs, 3200 at XBOX Analysis: What Sharma said and didn't say. Many interesting details revealed here. Many questions unanswered Great outcomes for four studios, id Software reportedly laid off half its staff Interesting alternative analysis: The Game Pass thesis, XBOX can't do everything

Windows

Four new builds yesterday, one major new feature: Cloud restore Microsoft Edge is adding support for Google account sign-ins Opera One adds clipboard attack prevention Google and Samsung have announced new hardware launches, both with new foldables on the way - Apple's first foldable expected in January

AI

Microsoft is reportedly transitioning to its in-house MAI models where possible Latest Corey Doctorow book takes on the future of AI and is surprisingly middle-of-the-road. Unlike his last book, he explains how he handles this and has some ideas for doing so yourself

XBOX and gaming

Gears of War Reloaded,more head to Game Pass The oldest rumor in XBOX history is back, with Microsoft working (again, or as always) on a disc-to-digital program in the wake of the Sony PS5+ physical media announcement Nintendo to end OG Switch sales, make Switch 2 changes in the EU You can play Half-Life 2 in a web browser now

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: All Mint Mobile Plans Are Now Just $15 Per Month App pick of the week: DuckDuckGo browser RunAs Radio this week: Implementing Azure Policies with Barbara Forbes Brown liquor pick of the week: Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Windows 10's Extended Security Update program quietly gets extended for another year for consumers. Microsoft reportedly kills Surface Go products & is now selling 8 GB Surface Pro & Laptop models. And Xbox Series X & S prices are going to go up again.

Windows

Microsoft quietly extends the Windows 10 Extended Security Update program one year to October 2027 for consumers

Windows Insider

Windows Update is transitioning to the new Windows Insider experience by default Plus, five new builds across Beta, Experimental, Beta (26H1), Experimental (26H1), and Experimental (Future Platforms) — new Taskbar size setting is the much-needed new feature

Hardware

Apple raises prices on Macs, iPads, and more, easing pressure on PC makers Microsoft quietly begins selling 8 GB Surface Pro/Laptop models Microsoft reportedly kills Surface Go products right when we need them the most The ASUS Zenbook A16 is nearly perfect, but it's unclear what you get with an X2 Elite Extreme chip

AI

HP partners with OpenAI for its agentic makeover Anthropic seizes on the "good enough" AI movement with Sonnet 5 Proton Lumo 2.0 is here Gemini personalized image creator is available for free in the US Notion blames agentic AI for it killing Notion Mail

Xbox and Gaming
The 2026 Doom and Gloom Watch

Xbox Series X|S prices to go up again, by $150, on August 1 - and the 2 TB X is going away Undead Labs and Arkane Lyon possible victims of pending closures Latest rumor: Microsoft to layoff 2.5 percent of workforce next week - that's 5,500 people, less than expected, but that's because of the earlier voluntary buyouts, which apparently met internal expectations Minecraft Bedrock edition gets closed captions Sony will stop selling PS physical media in 2028

Tips and Picks

Tip of the week: Help or get out of the way People who just complain aren't solving problems, they're just making noise and distracting us from the real problems.

App Pick of the Week: Snapdragon Control Panel

If you have a Windows 11 on Arm PC on Snapdragon X or X2, you need this app to make games run as well as possible. Plus - Settings > System > Display > Graphics for Auto SR and other settings and whatever is in each game

RunAs Radio this week: AI-Accelerated Supply Chain Attacks with Mackenzie Duncan

Brown liquor pick of the week: Rupert's Exceptional Canadian Whisky

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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Windows 12 is stalled and the real reasons go far beyond software. The conversation unpacks how soaring hardware prices, AI chaos, and market confusion have Microsoft in a holding pattern. Also, Paul finally took a sledgehammer to the subscription services he pays for, and more is on the way. Plus, one of Paul's favorite Markdown editors supports authorship on Windows now and an integrated Search/Outline view on Mac, iPad, and iPad.

Windows

Week D is here with a preview of July's Patch Tuesday Point-in-time restore is now generally available in Windows 11, sort of Quieter widgets, which is nice! Plus, Screen tint, Windows Update improvements, more Tied to this, sort of, something wonderful is happening to the Windows 11 Field Guide Five new builds, plus some 26H2 news (and still no news about what 26H1 becomes, see below...) Mostly minor fit-and-finish improvements So... what about Windows 12? The history is interesting, and Copilot+ PC was what Paul originally thought Windows 12 would be. But now we're talking agentic capabilities that will handle local/cloud/hybrid orchestration per last week's discussion, and maybe that will be it. We knew that Surface Laptop and Surface Pro would come in 8 GB configurations. But they're available now with just 256 GB of storage and the prices are $950 and $850 and up, respectively. Plus all the usual Surface limitations, like one color choice. (16 GB is $1150 and $1050, respectively, so $300 more.) Once again, it's time to just get a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x for $850. It has 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage and is awesome. Tim Cook just admitted that Apple will raise hardware prices because of the component crisis. If this is hitting Apple hard, the rest of the industry is screwed.

AI

Cory Doctorow's new book is out and let's just say his new neologism isn't as catchy as enshittification Reverse centaur (groan) Surprisingly centrist view on the pros and cons of AI Highlights the Microsoft financial shenanigans I point out every quarter: Microsoft "invests" $10 billion of "tokens" in OpenAI, but there's no volume discount and Microsoft books the transaction as $10 billion in AI revenues as OpenAI simply uses its infrastructure. It gave $10 billion to OpenAI so that it could spend $10 billion on Azure. Google Home Speaker is the Gemini speaker and it's now shipping to first customers as Google discontinues Nest Audio and Nest Mini speakers. Can we trust this company with hardware? And why are there no Apple or Google home theater setups? Adobe brings its creative agent to Firefly and the biggest apps in Creative Cloud

XBOX & gaming

No movement yet on the massive changes we expect in XBOX soon Microsoft has "dozens" of gaming IP-based movies and TV shows in the works XBOX Insiders can now test updates to Gamertags, Game Hub, and Wish List Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2are being ported to modern PS consoles. Sadly, not remakes or remasters. GTA VI will cost $79.99 and up - Arrives in November, can preorder on June 25 Steam Machine to cost $1049 and up, and that's with no controller

Tips & picks

Tip of the week: How to save $100 a month App pick of the week: iA Writer RunAs Radio this week: Securing Developers with Tanya Janca Brown liquor pick of the week: Glen Breton Rare 10

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/989

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