Windows Weekly 949: How Do I Get Back to Windows 7?

Leo, Richard, and Paul discuss Patch Tuesday, Microsoft RTO, Intel, 6502 BASIC, a Visual Studio preview, AI, Xbox and games, and much more.

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Windows 11

Patch Tuesday arrives, and it’s a big one

• Several new features for all Windows 11 users
• A few new features for Copilot+ PCs
• Last CU before 25H2?

Windows Insider

• New Canary build with new features we’ve seen before
• Copilot+ PCs bring Windows Studio Effects to secondary cameras in Dev and Beta

Hardware

• 40-year Intel vet is now in charge of its PC chips business
  • I am not going to be silent about the problems with Lunar Lake. OK, I’ve never been silent.
• All three of Lenovo’s IFA concepts are amazing, should become shipping products – This kind of experimentation is important, and healthy

Apps

• Atlassian buys The Browser Company and I think they’re going to ruin the Dia browser

Microsoft

Microsoft orders employees back to the office three days per week Microsoft accused of “gross cybersecurity negligence,” which may be the dumbest story of the year

Dev

Microsoft open sources 6502 BASIC

First Visual Studio 2026 preview is now available

Individual developers can now register for the Microsoft Store for free – 250 million users, etc.

Mobile

Google ships Android 16 QPR1 with Material 3 Expressive on Pixel, plus September Pixel Drop

Apple announces new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods Pro. But also the schedule for 26 OS releases

Which begs for a comparison of OS updating styles and how that impacts hardware upgrades

• Apple – some new hw, some unique new features
• Google – tons of new features every quarter, unique new features head to older devices in time
• Microsoft – spastic and chaotic, what upgrades? Phones are every 3.5 years, PCs are … when?

AI

Microsoft to pay almost $20 billion for third-party AI infrastructure

Microsoft may turn to Anthropic for Office apps, report claims

Anthropic settles with book authors – and then a judge rejects the settlement

• Hilariously, Apple is being sued for the same thing

Google details what you get with all Gemini tiers – we need this for all AI services

Firefox will use Apple Intelligence on iPhones with iOS 26

Xbox and games

Lenovo Legion Go 2 is coming in October and it’s getting new Xbox Ally OS in early 2026

• Plus other new Lenovo gaming PCs

Xbox to announce games at Tokyo Game Show on September 25

Xbox Cloud Gaming is coming to select cars for some reason

PlayStation 6 will be modular

Tips and picks

Tips of the week

Something to read

iWar: Fortnite, Elon Musk, Spotify, WeChat, and Laying Siege to Apple’s Empire by Wall Street Journal columnist Tim Higgins arrives next week

Something to watch

New Dave Plumber interview on YouTube

Something to get for free

Microsoft 365 is free for US Students – Good for one year

Something to plan for

Proton now offers emergency access on its accounts

App pick!

The Windows 11 25H2 ISO is here!

RunAs Radio this week: Training for AI with Stephanie Donahue

https://runasradio.com/Shows/Show/1001

Brown liquor pick of the week: Boplass 8 Single Grain Whisky

https://boplaas.co.za/product/boplaas-single-grain-8-yo-whisky-tawny-cask-finish/