Windows Weekly 811

Fungible, rounded corners, Xbox Oreos, the AI wave

•  Microsoft invested $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019
•  Surface Pro X, also from 2019, featured the first-ever NPU in a Surface product
•  Eye contact announced in 2020 - requires NPU
•  Windows Studio Effects announced at hybrid work event in April 2021 - adds Voice clarity, Voice focus, Automatic framing, Portrait blur, and Background blur to Eye contact
•  Windows Dev Kit 2023 (Volterra) arrives in late 2022 with NPU
•  Did Microsoft just soft announce Windows 12? Panos Panay awkwardly joins Lisa Su at AMD announcement at CES. Still, this is potentially huge
•  Let’s not forget VALL-E
•  Now, Microsoft is reportedly seeking to expand its OpenAI partnership with $10 billion investment, could lead to 49 percent ownership stake

Windows 7 + Windows 8.1 are on a farm chasing rabbits

• Microsoft issues the final Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 7 and 8.1. They’re dead, Jim. And … oddly, Microsoft added Secure Boot to Windows 7 at the last second
• Windows 7 was beloved, Windows 8 was reviled, both were horribly misunderstood

More Windows

• First Windows Insider builds of 2023 reveal more UI tinkering
• Android 13 comes to WSA in the Insider Program 
• Preliminary results (from IDC) confirm what we knew about the PC industry in 2022

Surface + devices

• After claiming that Surface Duo remained important, rumors of major Surface Duo developments, um, surface - Microsoft to move to folding display design, could add standalone phone
• And let’s not forget this little patent from 2017!
• Microsoft launches shared device mode for frontline workers

Microsoft

• Microsoft announces Microsoft 365 Basic - what used to be called OneDrive 100 GB Standalone plan
• Microsoft acquires Fungible for $190 million (estimated)
• There’s a Microsoft education event coming in February

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Install Windows Subsystem for Android correctly
• App pick of the week: BitWarden
• Enterprise pick of the week: Local Administrator Password Solution V2
• Bourbon pick of the week: Angel’s Envy

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Links

• Maybe AI is the Next Wave (Premium)
• Report: Microsoft is Considering $10 Billion Investment in ChatGPT Creator
• Microsoft Releases Windows Patch Tuesday Updates for January
• It Was the Best of Times, and Then It Was the Worst of Times (Premium)
• Microsoft Announces Reimagine Education Event on February 9
• Microsoft 365 is Adding a New $1.99/Month Basic Tier
• Microsoft Acquires Fungible to Improve Datacenter Efficiency
• Microsoft Launches Shared Device Mode for its Mobile Productivity Apps
• Microsoft Patents a Phone with Foldable Screen
• Report: Microsoft is Working on Surface Duo 3 With Foldable Screen
• Microsoft Says Surface Duo Remains “Important” Despite Dwindling Stocks
• PC Shipments Continued to Slump During the Holiday Quarter with Recovery Now Looking like 2024, According to IDC Tracker
• Android 13 Comes to WSA in the Windows Insider Program
• Microsoft Releases the First Windows 11 Insider Builds for 2023
• Microsoft Revises Its Response to the FTC
• Xbox Game Pass Gets Monster Hunter Rise and Persona Games in January
• Oreo’s Special Edition Xbox Cookies Let You Unlock Game Skins and More
• Microsoft Launches  Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 Bundle
• Microsoft Takes New Steps to Make Xbox Consoles Save More Power
• 30 Million (Premium)
• Windows 11 Field Guide Progress Report #6: Lots of New Content
• bitwarden