Windows Weekly 860

On the last episode of 2023, Richard Campbell, Paul Thurrott, and Leo Laporte are joined by a lovely guest to look back (and look ahead) on Microsoft's progress and accomplishments. Between a Teams milestone, Meteor Lake chipset's release, AI music creation in Copilot, Bobby Kotick's upcoming exit, and Microsoft's Countdown Sale, there's plenty of news left to digest at the end of this eventful year! Happy holidays, dozers! 

Windows 11/Microsoft 365

• Microsoft will FINALLY fix the dumbest File Explorer bug of all - no, not that File Explorer bug
• Microsoft is suddenly deprecating tons of Windows features
• Windows Insider: Windows 11 Beta build 22635.2915 is the last Insider build of 2023. Nothing major: Voice access supports multiple displays, Windows 365 Boot and Windows 365 Switch from last week’s Dev build, Notepad update with Notepad an “Edit with Notepad” item in the File Explorer context menu, and a character count display
• Microsoft Teams now has 320 million users, 2,000 apps in the Teams store, and over 145,000 custom line-of-business (LOB) apps built by enterprises

AI

• Microsoft partners with Suno to bring music creation to Copilot - OH AND THERE ARE PLUG-INS THERE NOW TOO
• A few insider notes about this generation of Intel chips
• Intel’s Core Ultra chipset is coming to Chromebooks too

Look back/Look Ahead

• What’s left to say Copilots? There are lots (at least announced) and even more are coming
• Is 2024 going to be the year of the AI PC? Or is this just another fad/bubble
• “Windows 12” or whatever the vNext is called: Huzzah!
• Ready or not, the new Outlook for Windows and new Teams are coming
• How will Activision Blizzard impact Xbox?

Antitrust

• Activision Blizzard settles 2021 class action lawsuit that triggered the acquisition by Microsoft
• Bobby Kotick on the outs Dec 29
• In wake of antitrust loss, Google also settles Play Store suit, will pay $700 million to victims
• Adobe bails on Figma. Just kidding!

Xbox

• Leak shows that Sony is very worried about Xbox now
• Sony has sold 50 million PS5s, has outsold Xbox 3-to-1 in 2023
• Google extends Stadia controller conversion timeline

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Microsoft’s Countdown sale brings big discounts to Xbox, Surface, more
• App pick of the week: MediaSorter
• RunAs Radio this week: Azure Arc Guest Configuration with Jodi Boone
• Enterprise pick of the week: Directions on Microsoft’s got some (free) resources worth checking out
• Brown liquor pick of the week: The Spirit of Scotland 46 & Monkey Shoulder
• Beer pick of the week: Back Home Beer Yalda Queen
   

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The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

• Transcripts: Windows Weekly 860 Transcript

Links

• Christmas With You (AI song, upbeat)
• Microsoft Will Soon Fix the Dumbest File Explorer Bug of All
• Microsoft is Suddenly Deprecating a Lot of Windows Features
• Windows 11 Beta Build 22635.2915 is Out With Voice Access Improvements
• Year in review: How Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Teams, and our partners built a stronger ecosystem
• Microsoft Partners with Suno to Bring Music Creation to Copilot
• Intel Launches its First “Meteor Lake” Core Ultra Mobile CPUs
• ASUS Announces the First Meteor Lake-Based Chromebook Plus
• A Few Quick Notes About Meteor Lake
• Activision Blizzard Settles 2021 Class Action Lawsuit
• Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to Leave the Company on December 29
• Adobe Gives Up on its $20 Billion Acquisition of Figma
• Google to Pay $700 Million to Settle Play Store Antitrust Lawsuit
• Hackers Leak Sony’s Game Roadmap and Concerns About Microsoft’s Activision Acquisition
• Sony Has Now Sold 50 Million PlayStation 5 Consoles Since Launch
• Google Extends Deadline to Activate Bluetooth on its Stadia Controller
• Microsoft’s Countdown Sale Kicks Off With Big Xbox and Surface Discounts
• Digital Decluttering: Photo Collection Consolidated Through 2012 (Premium)
• Mozilla Brings Over 500 Extensions to Firefox on Android
• DuckDuckGo App Tracking Protection for Android is Now Available
• Azure Arc Guest Configuration with Jodi Boone
• Early Intelligence on Microsoft Enterprise Technologies from the Desk of Mary Jo Foley.
• Back Home Beer - "Yalda Queen" Gose w/ Pomegranate & Sea Salt (12oz can)
• The Spirit of Scotland 46
• MONKEY SHOULDER