Windows Weekly 997: Bear Swamp & The Boathouse

Leo, Richard, and Paul discuss a new context menu for File Explorer, new Insider builds, Snapdragon C specs, the Amiga, AI, XBOX, and more.

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Windows

Windows Insider Program

• A new context menu for File Explorer heads out to Insiders along with five new preview builds
  • There are lots of other like UX changes happening with little communication. Will Microsoft really touch (and update) all the ancient UIs in Windows 11?
• New Release Preview builds point at next Week D and Patch Tuesday updates: New Taskbar, New Start, new Windows Search, many minor changes throughout

Hardware

• Now we know more about Snapdragon C ahead of IFA, where we may see the first laptops
• Google is holding a PixelBook reviewers event in mid-September
• Sort of: You know that Commodore is back, but now the Amiga is back too!

More earnings

• Lenovo surges on AI spending, but it’s now engaged in financial shenanigans too. More like Spotify than Big Tech but still bad

AI

Big Tech spending on AI is finally getting more scrutiny from financial/business publications

It’s happening: Microsoft “pulls a Teams” and will consolidate its Copilot (consumer) and Microsoft 365 Copilot (business apps) into a single app, evolve it into a “super app”

OpenAI’s new strategy: Get ‘em while they’re young

Mozilla provides a progress report on Smart Window for Firefox, details new AI search partnership

Alexa+ is now free on all Fire TV devices in the U.S., no Prime required

XBOX and gaming

Resonance: A Plague Tale and more are heading to Game Pass during second half of August

XBOX August Update is here with more Achievements details, Game Hubs now support Xbox 360 titles, Game Pass subscribers can now stream a game while it installs in the background

• Related: XBOX Insiders can now test Home Improvements, local save game management, and profile badges

Apple makes major App Store concessions in the EU. But Epic Games says it is not enough.

The new Call of Duty has a public beta on Friday and there will be a single player episode for the first time

Tips and picks

Tip of the week: Yes, Virginia, you can exit the Insider Program now

For years, the checkbox to get a PC out of the Insider Program when that Windows version shipped in stable did absolutely nothing. That’s no longer the case.

App pick of the week: Brave

Brave is one of my top browser picks and it now has improved GPU fingerprinting blocking

RunAs Radio this week: Automatic Attack Disruption with Liz Tesch

https://runasradio.com/Shows/Show/1050

Brown liquor pick of the week: Red Bank Premium Blended

https://redbankwhisky.com/