Episode Details

Microsoft's latest Windows event left even diehard enthusiasts scratching their heads, with new AI-powered hardware and "RTX Spark" PCs getting top billing but little clear reason for anyone to buy them. If you're wondering what actually matters in the world of AI PCs. or why no one can explain it, you're not alone.

Windows

• We need to talk about last week's Windows event... what the heck was this?
• Lots of Windows, lots of Surface, a little bit of ecosystem, confusing local AI story, no major new end user features that are unique to RTX Spark, a weird Osborne Effect for RTX Spark, and a stunning lack of self-awareness combine for one of the weirder Microsoft events in memory
• The RTX Spark era begins this week. How is this different from Copilot+ PC?
• Patch Tuesday is here and it's a big milestone
• Minor changes for 24H2, 25H2, 26H2
• Big changes for 26H1
• This is the first Patch Tuesday for 26H2, the last one for 24H2 (Home, Pro)
• 1400+ security fixes, a new record(!!) - This is almost 15x the normal number of patches
• ASUS allows reviewers to show unboxing, so here's the RTX Spark-based ASUS ProArt P16
• PC market fell over 20 percent in Q3 as component crisis takes its toll
• Googlebooks suck, and everyone is finally noticing what I reported last week. But there is another, and it's an unexpected option
• Tiny11 Builder gets a major update with a WinUI makeover

AI/dev

• This has been the most exciting week in AI advances since this era kicked off in February 2023
• ArtCraft releases impressive clones of the top 7 Adobe Creative Cloud apps
• ArtCraft is also working at replacing Microsoft Office, with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint clones so far - Also clones of AutoCAD and Audacity(?)/audio editor
• Google Playground lets anyone create a game that you can share with anyone
• Google AI Studio now lets anyone vibe-code Android and web apps, and you will soon be able to put them in the Google Play Store
• Big changes to Microsoft 365 for consumers - Family/Premium loses 1 TB per user, goes to a single pool of 2 TB, but all users now share the same Copilot rights
• Apple makes a long-overdue smart home push thanks to Siri AI finally making sense - New HomeView smart display is the star
• .NET 11 heads to the finish line

XBOX and gaming

• XBOX creates an XP division for non-game entertainment. They should have called it XBOX One, cough
• Asha Sharma creates XBOX LABS team to explore how vibe coding changes gaming
• Microsoft announces an XBOX Nano Controller
• Forza Horizon 6 is coming to PS5 in January
• GTA VI coming to the PC in early 2027
• Epic Games vibe-coded its new launcher, and it's available in preview for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Just make it
• App pick of the week: ArtCraft for the win
• RunAs Radio this week: Choosing Tools in M365 with Joy Apple
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Bunnahabhain 12

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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