Windows Weekly 853: 10/10 for the 404!

Leo, Richard, and Paul discuss the sudden release of Windows 11 version 23H2, Windows 12, Microsoft 365, AI, Xbox, and much more.

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23H2

Surprise! Microsoft delivers the Windows 11 23H2 Update, which upgrades your Windows 11 version 22H2-based PC to version 23H2, much sooner than expected.

• Don’t worry, it’s confusing.
• Technically, Microsoft NEVER delivered the so-called “Fall Update,” since it was only made available in preview form (twice, for some reason). So 23H2 is actually the first public release of those 150+ new features.
• Is 23H2 really out? I don’t see it on any PCs/VMs. Related…
• The Windows 11 Media Creation Tool still installs 22H2. Because Microsoft. Workaround: Use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Which hilariously requires you to install the PC Health Check app.
• We need to discuss Microsoft Teams in Windows 11. And then literally never discuss it again.
• Semi-related: Microsoft is killing the Windows Insider MVP program. What exactly did it even mean to be an “MVP” in the Insider program?

And yes, there’s still an Insider Program

• Dev: From last Friday, adds one new feature, a “Recently added” folder (for apps) in Start (in Recommended)
• Beta, from last Thursday: Two new features (gradual rollout): System components in Settings, Game Bar rebranding. Plus fixes.

Windows 11 now has 26 percent usage share vs. 69 percent for Windows 10

Whatever happened to Windows 12?

There have been overt clues about Windows 12 literally all year, including as recently as last week. But Microsoft has never, not once, uttered this phrase. What’s happening?

Microsoft 365/AI

Today’s the day: Microsoft 365 Copilot arrives for commercial customers on E3 or higher

OG Teams is retiring in March

Microsoft Word turned 40 last week

Related: This was the gateway drug that lured Paul into the Microsoft ecosystem. But it’s showing it’s age. If Microsoft can’t get spell- and grammar-checking right in Word, why will AI work?

Earnings learnings

Amazon just announced their Q3 earnings. Did Azure just make more money than AWS??

Intel stumbles but finally sees an end to the PC sales slide

Surface

iFixit now sells Surface replacement parts. And it is fascinating to see how much more you can replace/repair in newer models compared to the first “repairable” Surface, Surface Pro 7.

Xbox

Microsoft reorgs Xbox in wake of Activision Blizzard acquisition

• … and Chris Capposela is out!?
• On that note, Paul has a very mysterious announcement to make for our holiday show this year!

Xbox October Update arrives with keyboard mapping for Elite Series 2 and Adaptive controllers

There are a lot more titles coming to Xbox Game Pass in early November

Microsoft will now block unofficial controllers on Xbox consoles

Atari acquires Digital Eclipse, the retro game company behind that amazing Karateka interactive documentary.

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Windows 11 Field Guide gets its first 23H2 update

The Windows 11 Field Guide is being updated to support 23H2 for free, and I just delivered the first of those updates via 160 new/updated pages, all-new screenshots, and two new chapters on Copilot and Windows Backup. Future updates will be per-chapter/per-topic and should continue for months. (The website is being updated in tandem.)

App pick of the week: Start11 v2 is here to chase your Start menu nightmares away

Major new release of Start11 adds many improvements to the Windows 11 Start menu and Taskbar. The new Pro mode is fire.

RunAs Radio this week: Green IT with Mike Halsey

https://runasradio.com/Shows/Show/904

Brown liquor pick of the week: Leopold Bros Maryland Rye 100 Proof

https://www.leopoldbros.com/spirits