WW 874: Dark Satya - Moment 5, Surface Pro 10 & Laptop 6

03/27/24 • 126 min

1 Listener

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.

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.

Sponsors:

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.

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.

Sponsors:

Previous Episode

WW 873: Amino Man! - Microsoft AI's leadership, Azure's free egress, Office 2024

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

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.

Sponsors:

Next Episode

WW 875: A Lot of Neil Diamond - Grounding Copilot, Intel Foundry's losses, Andres Freund's heroic save

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

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