Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott is an award-winning technology journalist and blogger with 30 years of industry experience and the author of 30 books. He is the owner of Thurrott.com and the host of three tech podcasts: Windows Weekly with Leo Laporte and Richard Campbell, Hands-On Windows, and First Ring Daily with Brad Sams. He was formerly the senior technology analyst at Windows IT Pro and the creator of the SuperSite for Windows from 1999 to 2014 and the Major Domo of Thurrott.com while at BWW Media Group from 2015 to 2023. You can reach Paul via email, Twitter or Mastodon.

Paul Thurrott’s Recent Posts

New Skip Ahead Build Delivers Sets Improvements

New Skip Ahead Build Delivers Sets Improvements

A new Windows 10 Insider Preview build for Skip Ahead delivers a number of improvements…

Microsoft Announces a $5 Billion Investment in IoT

Microsoft Announces a $5 Billion Investment in IoT

Microsoft announced today that it will invest $5 billion in Internet of Things (IoT) research…

Report: Future iPhones to Feature Curved Displays, Touchless Controls

A new report says that Apple will follow Samsung by offering curved displays and touchless…

Apple Music Picks Up Music Video Support on Android

Apple Music Picks Up Music Video Support on Android

Apple quietly updated its Apple Music app on Android this week to add support for…

No, Google isn't running its operations on 100 percent renewable energy. But the firm has reached a major milestone in renewable energy purchasing. "Google’s total purchase of energy from sources like wind and solar [in 2017] exceeded the amount of electricity used by our operations around the world, including offices and data centers," Google's Urs Hölzle writes. "For every kilowatt hour of electricity we consumed, we purchased a kilowatt hour of renewable energy from a wind or solar farm that was built specifically for Google. This makes us the first public Cloud, and company of our size, to have achieved this feat." To be clear, Google has not powered its operations solely with 100 percent renewable energy: Such a feat, it says, is impossible. Instead, it is matching its energy consumption with purchased renewable energy which it returns to a power grid somewhere. "That renewable energy may be produced in a different place, or at a different time, from where we’re running our data centers and offices," Hölzle claims. "What’s important to us is that we are adding new clean energy sources to the electrical system, and that we’re buying that renewable energy in the same amount as what we’re consuming, globally and on an annual basis." Google began purchasing renewable energy in 2010. And in December 2016, the firm announced that it intended to achieve 100 percent renewable energy matching for its global operations in 2017. This achievement is impressive, and it dwarfs similar efforts by companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook, each of which also maintains massive datacenters around the globe. Microsoft, in particular, has improved its consumption of renewable energy over the past year, but it still trails Amazon and isn't in the same league as Google.

Google Hits a Major Renewable Energy Milestone

No, Google isn't running its operations on 100 percent renewable energy. But the firm has…

The Way Forward
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The Way Forward? (Premium)

Today, I'd like to stop worrying about what happened and think about what things might…

Amazon Claims "Tens of Millions" of Streaming Music Subscribers

Amazon Claims “Tens of Millions” of Streaming Music Subscribers

Retailer says that Amazon Music Unlimited is now the third-largest streaming music service behind Spotify…

Windows, Diminished
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Windows, Diminished (Premium)

Everyone seems to have a theory about what Microsoft could have done to stave off…

Google Pixel 2 XL, Round Two

Google Pixel 2 XL, Round Two

Five months ago, I paid $1000 for a Google Pixel 2 XL, and I've been…

Here Comes Windows 10 Version 1803

Here Comes Windows 10 Version 1803

This month, Microsoft will begin deploying its fifth feature update for Windows 10, updating the…

It's Time to Discuss the Notch. Again
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It’s Time to Discuss the Notch. Again (Premium)

The next OnePlus handset will include a notch that intrudes into the display. Is this…

Games with Gold Springs Into April

Games with Gold Springs Into April

It's April 1 and---no fooling---time for another month of free Xbox games for those with…

Windows 10 Version 1803 RTM Heads to the Slow Ring

Windows 10 Version 1803 RTM Heads to the Slow Ring

This is the clearest sign yet that Windows 10 version 1803---also called Redstone 4 and…

HP Envy x2 (Qualcomm) Review Check-In: Connectivity

HP Envy x2 (Qualcomm) Review Check-In: Connectivity

Always-on connectivity is one the key stated advantages of Windows 10 on ARM and the…

The Future of Windows?
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The Future of Windows? (Premium)

Let's take a moment to consider what this week's changes mean for Windows and for…

Terry
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Terry (Premium)

I want to address today's news about Terry Myerson in a way that is unique,…

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