Ask Paul: October 4 (Premium)

Hot off this week’s Microsoft event, here’s an epic Ask Paul to celebrate the start of the weekend.

Windows 10X, OS modularity, and you

Dan1986ist asks:

Will Windows 10X running on top WCOS herald a change in how Microsoft and OEMs do Windows 10 on device form factors going forward, if it is successful, or will be another RT or Windows 10 S?

That’s the million-dollar question.

First of all, what’s happening here isn’t all that new, it’s just an evolution of the (NT-based) Windows modularization efforts that Microsoft has been engaged in for almost 25 years. I’m kind of amazed how this is presented as something new fairly regularly (during Longhorn, for example, or during the “One Core” days). But you can go back further than that: Windows CE, from 1995, was such a product.

What is sort-of new this time around is that the modularization is taking place in two different places in the stack, whereas previously Windows was modularized into horizontal slices that each built on top of each other. But with the current modularization effort that resulted in both Windows Core OS (WCOS) and Windows 10X, the architecture is now split vertically as well so that different Windows product editions can, for the first time, support different shells (user interfaces). This architectural diagram, created by Mary Jo Foley and reflecting Microsoft internal documentation, demonstrates what I mean.

What makes this different and better than Windows RT, Windows 10 S/S mode, and Windows 10 on ARM is that the system can run all legacy Windows desktop applications, not none (RT/S mode) or just some (W10 on ARM) of them. Microsoft hasn’t discussed this publicly yet to my knowledge, but it is using a container-based approach, which many theorized was coming, to accomplish this. The result is a lighter core OS—thus explaining the Windows 10 Lite codename—that can run on less expensive hardware.

What’s confusing about Windows 10X is that Microsoft is specifically targeting dual- and folding-screen devices only for some reason. My understanding is that Windows 10X will later be adapted to work on traditional form factors as well and that this platform will become the mainstream Windows version over time. Mary Jo happens to believe that Microsoft will split the platform again vertically, creating yet another Windows experience (or what I called “personality” in What the Heck is Windows 10X?).

The specifics aren’t important. What we see here is a modern take on the Windows platform that could finally move Microsoft and its user base past the messy, insecure, and unreliable Win32/desktop application platform. We’ll see how that pans out.

kshsystems adds:

If the win32 legacy is being containerized, do we know what the modern API is that MS is targeting?

I asked this question to multiple people at Microsoft and was told that the developer story will emerge publicly in the next few weeks. My understanding is that it will continue adding new APIs to the Windows API (Win32), just as it does almost every week already as part of the Windows Insider Program. And that the new Windows 10X features will be accessible to developers who target Win32 (of course) and all currently supported frameworks (which I take to mean WinForms, WPF, and UWP at least, but there are possibly more). There will not be a new app model/API. I’m very interested to see what happens there.

lvthunder also asks:

During the keynote they said these Windows 10x devices are waiting for developers to embrace it. Do you know when they are going to get the API’s and maybe a VM of it to develop with?

I was told it would start happening in the next few weeks. Not sure about the specifics around VMs, etc., sorry.

Travel bucket list

drjohnnyray asks:

Is there a destination in the world you haven’t been to, but would like to go to, and why?

Yes, plenty. Most of my international travel has been to Europe, though I’ve also been to Mexico, Canada, Israel, Morocco, and New Zealand. I would love to visit much of Asia—especially Tokyo/Japan, Vietnam, and China—Australia, and much of South America, especially Buenos Aires/Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. Some day.

The “why” question varies by destination. I’m very interested in other cultures, different foods, and places that are totally different from what I’ve experienced. I feel like travel, especially international travel, is about levels of difficulty and comfort level, and that some places are just harder than others, because of language differences or whatever. So far, we’ve been mostly to places that are low levels of difficulty.

Inside the US, I’m very interested in visiting Kentucky, plus exploring more of places I’ve already been, like Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. And there are plenty of places in Pennsylvania I’ve not visited yet but hope to.

Why Duo?

MattHewitt asks:

Why would anyone want the Duo? I don’t understand the market. Who plunks down $1,200 or more on Microsoft’s experiment when there are plenty of other amazing iOS and Android devices? They couldn’t sell in quantities when they were practically giving Lumias away at $35. Why walk up to the plate if a strikeout is guaranteed? Why risk the Surface brand on this?

Microsoft’s dual-screen smartphone will be a Google Play-compatible alternative to existing and coming dual- and folding-screen smartphones from other companies. Its primary benefit will be integration with the Microsoft stack, which is highly valued by its core business customer base. Microsoft doesn’t have to sell too many of these things to be profitable, since it no longer has the overhead of Nokia’s worldwide operations to worry about. Even if it’s low volume, it can work.

The problem with the Lumias was that each one came with a Nokia tax, and that product line was never going to be profitable, even at a much larger scale. This is completely different.

Newsletter

Oasis asks:

When will there be information on the newsletter signup?

It’s out there, sorry. Stephanie posted this information to the last “From the Editor’s Desk” forum thread, but here you go:

You might not receive the new Premium newsletter if you have unsubscribed from our mailing list in the past. We have created a page here where you can resubscribe here.

Please make sure you read the instructions and follow all the necessary steps. We need you to do this because we take your privacy very seriously.

Panos

harmjr asks:

Was it just me or did at the Microsoft Event Panos seemed like something was wrong. During the showing off of Pro X, Neo and Duo Panos seemed upset or annoyed. I was excited by the announcements but was taken down with his mood. Paul, If this a bit over the line gossip feel free to just say – no comment.

To me he (Panos) freaking ROCK! He has delivered surface events in the past that just seem more upbeat. No I dont want to the guy you all use to make fun of selling rotisserie chickens but come on he seem a bit tapered.

Yes, and I wrote about this in Pumped (Premium). My theory is that he was coming down or off of the flu; he does have school-aged kids, and they’re always sick (all kids, not his kids). That, plus the travel, maybe.

Not sure if I wrote this, but Microsoft also invited “fans” the event specifically so that Panos could have an engaged crowd to interact with. Apparently, he finds it off-putting to look out at a sea of people (reporters, bloggers) hunched over their laptops typing. I have mixed feelings about that, and think any professional speaker, like him, should be able to target the camera and do fine in whatever conditions. It’s not like we were ever hostile.

Someone speculated that he was pissed about the leaks. That’s not the case, and he certainly had a nice surprise for everyone at the end.

Windows 10X retail

harmjr asks:

Do you think Windows 10X will be released – to the public -and can be installed on Surface Pro or other Windows 2 in 1s from yesteryear or even Surface Pro X?

Microsoft says no.

As noted above, I feel that Windows 10X will expand beyond the limited market for dual- and folding-screen devices and this architecture eventually becomes the mainstream version of Windows. Whether that means it will work on older PCs, or will just be included with new PCs is unclear. The world has changed, and you can’t really install iOS or Android on whatever hardware you want. Maybe that is the model Microsoft would like for a modern Windows.

Windows 10X speculation

christian.hvid asks:

I suspect you don’t have much information about Windows 10X yet, so I’m really just asking you to speculate.

I accept this challenge. 🙂

While containerization is certainly a way to prevent legacy Win32 applications from behaving in a way that is harmful to the integrity or stability of the system, there must be a strategy to handle such behavior if and when it occurs. An application container would basically have three ways to react when an application violates whatever rules the system is trying to enforce: a) prevent the behavior outright, thereby potentially stopping the application from doing its job, or b) let it slide, in which case the container serves little purpose, or c) ask the user. I’m afraid Windows 10X will opt for the latter, meaning we’ll be back in the UAC madness of Windows Vista. Or do you think Microsoft has finally figured out how to sandbox Win32 apps in a way that protects the system while not kneecapping the application and not pestering users with questions they cannot possibly answer?

As a few other readers pointed out, using a container-based approach means that “contained” apps are literally isolated from the system and therefore can’t wreak havoc with the PC’s security, reliability, and performance. There are older Microsoft virtualization solutions, like App-V and MED-V that I think provide the model for containers moving forward. That is, the application will believe it has access to the physical hardware, the literal file system and Registry, and so on, but these things will in fact be abstracted from the application and virtualized.

As with the app model/API stuff, this is obviously a key area of investigation and concern going forward. I am very interested to see the details here.

Surface headphones/earbuds for Xbox?

will asks:

Both the Surface Headphones, and the upcoming Surface Buds would be great options for Xbox. With the buds, being able to do simple interactions with the Xbox such as mute, take a screenshot, or something else would be good options. However, neither of them are supported, that I know, from the Xbox side. Any idea why this is the case or if this may change?

This kills me. I don’t understand releasing either product without specific Xbox usage or with separate versions for Xbox specifically. I don’t why this isn’t a thing. I suspect that will change over time.

iPhone 11 Pro Max

madthinus asks:

Have the iPhone 11 Pro tempted you yet to make it your daily driver?

I have written most of my OnePlus 7T review already, and will likely publish it before the end of day on Saturday. Whenever that happens, I will switch over to the iPhone 11 Pro Max full-time. But unless there is an unforeseen miracle with the camera—that is, it is somehow markedly better than that in the Huawei P30 Pro, Google Pixel 3a XL, or the coming Pixel 4 XL—then no, there is no way I’m switching. I really prefer Android to iOS, and not just because of all the additional Microsoft stuff. I just like the platform better.

Don’t get me wrong, if you or anyone else is an iPhone/Apple/iOS fan. I get it. It’s a solid platform with its own benefits. It’s just not for me.

Tech enthusiasm

longhorn asks:

I think the consumer tech revolutions have already happened. You seem still excited about tech. Let me ask you what kind of hardware/devices and software you would like to use that you don’t have today – and why?

I’m excited about technology that can change people’s lives for the better. This takes many forms, from truly transformation technology—the auto captioning functionality in Skype and YouTube that helps my deaf son be more involved with the world around him—to simple day-to-day efficiencies. But most of today’s personal tech today is evolutionary, not revolutionary. And if you’ve been around long enough, like I have, it’s hard to get excited by things that are not exciting. I feel like I get excited by new things less and less these days.

Also does the average person want anything (consumer tech related) that isn’t available today? Nothing tech related seems to make people as happy/distracted as smartphones. It seems tech nirvana has already been reached.

Mostly it’s just about improvements. I often think about how hard and expensive it was to stay connected when we traveled to Europe 15 years ago vs. today. How hard it is to understand how I drove across the country for the first time in 1985, with paper maps instead of Google Maps and constant connectivity.

However, people need to live physical lives and there is only so much room for digital productivity/entertainment/distraction. Maybe the offline lifestyle will become a trend? I feel I often use tech to escape from the real world and I think it’s very common behavior.

There is absolutely push back to this stuff and that, too, occurs on many levels. Our attention spans have declined. People have to be entertained all the time. People stop interacting with each other in person to look at their phones. We need to reach a balance in all of this stuff.

Microsoft SQ-1

Eagle asks:

If it lives up to performance expectations, do you think Microsoft will sell/license the SQ1 processor to other PC makers? Do you think PC makers would be interested in it?

I asked and they said no. Then they said, never say never.

I do think we get into a weird area where Microsoft is giving itself advantages over its PC maker partners and that perhaps the Windows licensing program could be expanded to include Microsoft’s hardware innovations too. Over time, SQ-1 and Microsoft’s other unique hardware components could be as core to the Windows experience as the software.

Put simply, I believe that they should license all of the hardware components they make for their own Surface PCs.

Camera vs. phone cameras

Tiny asks:

Since you can’t seem to find a phone with a good enough camera, have you given any thought to using a dedicated camera. There are a lot of smaller point and shoots that take great pictures. SLR cameras take even better photos.

I think about that, to be honest. But I have found phones with excellent cameras: The Google Pixel 3 series (3, 3 XL, 3a, and 3a XL) and the Huawei Mate 20 Pro (2018) and P30 Pro all have incredible cameras. My favorite so far is the P30 Pro. I have to review phones, so I’m always switching around, and it’s true that most phone cameras do disappoint me. But I wouldn’t choose to use those phones.

More Windows expressions

AnOldAmigaUser asks:

If Windows 10X is a new “expression” of Windows tailored for dual-screen devices, do you see Microsoft offering other “expressions” tailored to other form factors or requirements? I am thinking of a version for laptops for the K12 education market, that could be serviced similarly to Chromebooks. I cannot see Microsoft making gains in education until they can compete on device price and ease of maintenance.

That is certainly a possibility, and the new modular architecture would certainly allow it. That said, I would rather they did not do that on PC-type devices at all. Windows is Windows. Just make Windows for PCs. Those other expressions should be only for non-PC devices that are not Windows, like HoloLens, Surface Hub, Xbox One, and the like.

With the Duo running Android, and Microsoft having started their “Data Dignity” team, do you think that Microsoft may have been able to license Android in such a way that it will not hoover up as much of the user’s digital exhaust? Clearly, they said they were working with Google, and the Google Apps were on the phone, so Google will certainly be getting some information. Just wondering if it could be somewhat less. Microsoft did take the Google tracking out of Chredge.

Microsoft told us that they signed a standard Android licensing contract with Google. They are using the Google Play Store and will preinstall the normal Google apps.

Whether they can do to Android what they did to Chromium with the New Edge—remove invasive Google tracking and anti-privacy functionality—is unclear. But this is the exact right time to test those boundaries, since Google is under regulatory scrutiny around the world and has already been forced to lighten up on Android licensing by the EU. I’ve long dreamed of a true partnership between Microsoft and Google, and who knows? Maybe this is a new start.

Moving on from Windows Mobile

VMax asks:

On Windows Mobile, the device I answered the call on was the device the audio was routed through, e.g. if listening to a podcast via Bluetooth headphones when the phone rings, I could press the headset’s button to talk via the headset, or press the on-screen button to speak into the phone itself. This doesn’t seem to happen on Android, but maybe there’s some kind of hidden setting or an alternate call app (?) that functions similarly?

I’m not aware of a system-level way in Android to dynamically reroute audio from a Bluetooth device to the handset speaker. But individual apps should be able to do this. For example, switch during a phone call from the headset to the built-in speaker/mic. I feel that is part of the Google Phone app, but since I’m not using that (via a Pixel) with a mobile network right now I can’t test it.

Windows Mobile had three settings for caller ID on outgoing calls – show, hide, and contacts only. The latter option is extremely helpful, but doesn’t seem to be available on Android by default. Searching the store turns up a ton of apps that work with caller ID for incoming spam or marketing calls, but that’s not really an issue where I live. I just don’t want to give my number to random people! Do you know of a way around this?

Stock Android lets you block your Caller ID, but it’s global, so it’s either on or off. (It’s in Phone settings.)

Finally, I understand if it’s confidential business info, but if you can tell us, I’m curious – what do the Windows Phone/Mobile visitor stats look like for thurrott.com? Your site must have one of the highest usage shares around, though I’m sure it’s down to small numbers by now.

I had to ask as I don’t ever look at this sort of thing. I will update here when possible.

UPDATE: 224 people visited the site with a Windows phone in August; it was the 8th most common platform used. More people used Android than Windows, which is interesting. Apple iOS, Mac, and Linux round out the top five, and Chrome OS is number six.

In and out of New York

JustMe asks:

You regularly talk about taking the bus into New York (for flights, events, whathaveyou). I am curious if you have the ability to take Amtrak vice the bus, if you have ever done so, and why the bus (my guess is that it has to be something convenience related)? Also, is JFK closer than PHL for you, or do you just prefer JFK?

One of the downsides to our move from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania is that the travel has gotten more complex. In Boston, I always flew JetBlue because Boston was a hub and they have non-stops to everywhere. Plus, JetBlue is incredible. I had status, etc., was often the first person on the plane, and usually sat in the exact same seat no matter the flight. It was excellent.

Ditto for getting to New York: I lived 5 minutes away from an Amtrak station and could take the Acela Express into New York. It was excellent.

Now I live in rural Pennsylvania, near Allentown. This is about a 1 hour and 15-minute drive to Philadelphia, the nearest big city with an airport and an Amtrak station, and that’s with normal traffic. Oftentimes it takes longer.

I can’t use JetBlue anymore: They only fly to two cities non-stop, and I am not laying over anywhere. So that means I have to use different airlines (United, usually, but American and Delta sometimes), and I’ll never have status again. I also have to fly out of other airports a lot, since Philly just doesn’t have as many connections. Newark is an hour and 20 minutes away, with the same traffic caveats. And JFK is 2.5 to 3.5 hours away, depending on traffic, and the roads near there are killer. JFK is the worst, but sometimes I’m forced to use it.

The Amtrak situation is the same problem: It’s 1:20 or more to the station, and then the train trip itself is 1:15 to 1:30 depending on whether it’s an Acela or a normal train. So the total travel time is about 2:30 to 3 hours door to door. And it’s expensive: I just looked at tickets for the end of October and the pricing was $90 to $240 roundtrip, depending on the tickets. The bus is $65 roundtrip and there are more options; a bus leaves NYC every hour in the late afternoon.

Also, the bus terminal is about 8 minutes from my house. So I when I get off the bus, I’m home, not a 90-minute drive away after a long day. I hate the bus, especially when it’s crowded. But it’s much more convenient.

More Duo

WP7Mango asks:

Do you know whether the Surface Duo (phone) actually runs Android as its core OS, or is it running some new version of Windows Core OS with support for the Google Play Store and Android App support?

It’s full Android with the Google Play Store and Google apps.

So good I’d pay for it with my own money

madthinus asks:

What of the Microsoft products they announced are you interested in that you would consider paying for with your own funds.

The 15-inch Surface Laptop 3, hands-down. I will buy one of these with my own money assuming it behaves properly and as expected. I can’t wait.