In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we take a look at another no-build week, the death of the Windows Subsystem for Android, the upcoming Surface/Windows/Copilot event, new controllers, all sorts of Windows updates, and more.
Content:
- News about Windows 11
- Updates are available
- Gaming news
- A blast from Microsoft’s past
- A random fact about Microsoft
Windows 11
Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft’s latest operating system in the stable channel and build preview: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting discoveries and more. And of course, you might find a word or two about older but still supported versions.
This week’s Windows 11 section kicks off with some big news. Out of the blue, Microsoft announced the end of the Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon App Store for Windows 11. You can no longer access it to download new Android apps. Existing applications will continue to work for another year. Amazon has already published a detailed FAQ page and will email you with more information shortly.
Last week, Microsoft began rolling out a new feature update for Windows 11. Codenamed “Moment 5,” it adds several improvements and minor changes to the operating system. If you don’t want to wait until it automatically appears on your system, check out this guide that explains how to install Windows 11 “Moment 5” and get its features right away.
Later this year, Microsoft will release the “2024 Update” with a number of new features and AI improvements. One of these features is reportedly the so-called “AI Explorer”. It will use on-device processing to enable you to find applications, files, messages and other items related to your request.
Most of the AI features will work best on a new generation of Windows 11 PCs called “AI PCs,” and Microsoft is preparing to ship its first AI PCs later this month. According to a new report, the software giant will unveil the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 on March 21. Note the OLED display in the Surface Pro 10 and the ARM processor in the Surface Laptop 6.
Shortly after the leak, Microsoft confirmed the event, saying it will showcase “the latest in scaling AI in your environment with Copilot, Windows and Surface.”
Some Copilot changes do not require a special event. This week, Microsoft quietly started spamming the Windows 11 lock screen with Copilot QR code ads. However, the experiment backfired and Microsoft quickly pulled the controversial ad, claiming it was aimed at “educated users” about Copilot. Of course, of course, Microsoft.
If you often work with large folders containing hundreds of files, you know how File Explorer grinds to a halt trying to analyze everything. Fortunately, there is a solution to this abomination. Users have found that a single registry change can make Windows treat each folder as a folder with various files and no longer suffer from hideous performance issues.
Microsoft has released an update for error 0x80070643 in KB5034441 and KB5034440 and a revised PowerShell script for the patch. The company also released KB5001716 to help users migrate from soon-to-be-unsupported versions of Windows to newer releases. If that update fails, see this article for possible solutions.
Finally, here’s a fun experiment that shows how powerful backward compatibility is and a detailed dissection of Windows 11’s OOBE and its secrets.
Windows Insider Program
Here’s everything Microsoft announced for Windows Insiders this week:
This week has been pretty light in the Windows Insider program. Hopefully the next one will be packed with features and updates.
Updates are available
This section covers software, firmware, and other significant updates (released and coming soon) that bring new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.
PowerToys has received a major update with new features for the Keyboard Manager, a redesign of the Color Picker, and tons of changes and improvements to existing tools.
Microsoft also announced new privacy-preserving ad APIs for the Edge browser in an effort to phase out third-party cookies and cross-site tracking. The proposal offers an alternative solution that provides more privacy while still allowing customized ads.
In addition to adding features to existing products, Microsoft sometimes takes them away. In addition to the Windows subsystem for Linux, which was doomed from the start, Microsoft turned off the OneDrive feature that allowed users to upload files from a URL.
Microsoft also released more details about the recent breach, claiming that a Russian hacking group gained access to some of its source code repositories.
Aside from the nasty ad on the lock screen, there were other developments on the Copilot side. Microsoft is now giving more Copilot Pro users access to the recently announced GPT Builder, and Copilot for Microsoft 365 is coming on April 1st. We also have a few updates on the Microsoft Designer debacle, with a whistleblower raising even more concerns about the company’s Designer AI image generator. In addition, the latter now blocks even more specific words and requests.
Other updates released this week include the following:
And here are the new drivers:
On the gaming side
Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, free games, deals, discounts and more.
This week Microsoft held its promised Xbox Partner Showcase event, where multiple third-party studios revealed new details about their upcoming titles. There have been plenty of announcements and trailers, so check out our detailed review.
Microsoft has announced a new custom Xbox Series X console in collaboration with Nickelodeon and Best Buy. The SpongeBob inspired console comes with a special edition controller featuring SpongeBob’s underwater friends: Squidward, Gary and Mr. Krabs. Also includes a copy Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2.
Plus, there’s a new custom Xbox controller for fans Turn out universe. Xbox Design Lab now lets you add Turn out-themed faceplates featuring the Vault-Tec logo and the iconic Vault Boy.
Speaking of gamepads, Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring can try out new firmware that addresses “unexpected disconnection” when using a wired headset. You can update your controller using the Xbox Accessories app.
Hello infinite got a new “Operation” update called Cyber Cyber Showdown III. It adds new armor cosmetics, a multiplayer map, and six new community-made Forge maps for the Husky Raid game mode.
If you want to play Horizon Forbidden West check your computer for newly released system requirements. The game arrives on March 21st, and it’s pretty demanding if you want to play it on higher specs. However, the minimum requirements include fairly weak and old hardware, so most users should be able to run the game.
Here are the latest additions to the Game Pass catalog. Control Ultimate Edition it goes back to the subscription, plus you can play MLB The Show 24, Lightyear Frontier, No More Heroes 3, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, and more.
By the way, Game Pass titles, as well as other games you own in the Microsoft Store, are now available on Boosteroid, a cloud gaming service from Ukraine. The first series of games includes Deathloop, Dishonored 2, Gears 5, Pentiment, and others.
Boosteroid competes with Nvidia’s GeForce NOW service, which now supports Day Passes, a new method for accessing premium tiers for 24 hours. Priority pass costs $3.99 and Ultimate pass costs $7.99.
Offers and freebies
This week’s Weekend PC Game Deals feature discounts on some classic Electronic Arts titles, a Humble Bundle featuring games with female protagonists, Astro duel 2, a free gift from the Epic Games Store and more.
The reviews are in
These are the hardware and software reviews we’ve published this week
Robbie Khan reviews the PB Tails Crush, a metal wireless controller inspired by a vintage Porsche sports car. This interesting looking gamepad has solid performance, excellent ergonomics, solid triggers and sticks and much more. However, there are also some issues with RGB lights, no gyroscope support in Windows, and more. Check out the full review here.
Robbie’s second device reviewed this week was the Baseus Blade2, a power bank in an unconventional form. If you like unusual gadgets, check out the review here.
Christopher White reviews the new Synology BeeStation, a personal cloud for backing up photos from family devices and more. It is characterized by a simple installation process, small footprint, quiet operation and easy file sharing.
A blast from Microsoft’s past
John Callaham’s weekly “Look Back” series takes a look back in time, detailing the company’s products, partnerships, mishaps and successes from years ago.
This week’s blast from the past is also about Microsoft’s Simulator series of games. Last week we covered a number of fights Microsoft Flight Simulator spin-off, and this time look back at Microsoft Train Simulator and how it has influenced a number of non-Microsoft games where you control different trains around the world.
Another blast from Microsoft’s past comes from Dave Plummer, a longtime Microsoft veteran. This week, Dave published a lengthy post on X with the story of how his side project ended up as native ZIP support in Windows 95 and a red Corvette. There are also some details on why the current implementation of ZIP lags behind third-party alternatives.
A random fact about Microsoft
And here’s some random trivia about the company, Windows, and other Microsoft stuff.
2024 is a leap year, so here’s an interesting fact about a Microsoft product that isn’t doing well because there’s one more day in the year. The original Zune 30, which was released in November 2006, froze on December 31, 2008 because it couldn’t handle the last day of a leap year. A corrupt MC13783 PMIC processor driver was the culprit, and since the Zune 30 was the only device in the family to use it, subsequent Zune models handled leap years well.
The solution to the problem was as ridiculous as the bug itself: drain the battery to zero until it dies and charge the device on January 1, 2009. People called it the Z2K bug.
Interestingly, even newer Microsoft products have problems with dates. For example, as users have discovered, 32-bit Windows 10 completely crashes when you set the system date to 2038, which, to be fair, isn’t that far away. Since Windows 10 is the dominant desktop OS, you can bet there will be users running it in 2038, so Microsoft better fix this.
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