Jun 30, 2024 04:00 EDT
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In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we look at Windows 11 struggling with its latest update, Windows 10 getting at least five years of extra support after October 2025, big gaming sales, fresh preview builds to try, app updates, hardware reviews, and a lot more.
Table of contents:
Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft’s latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.
This week’s Windows section kicks off with some non-security updates for Windows 10 and 11. The latter received KB5039302. It is full of interesting new features that are rolling out gradually to users who are willing to install optional updates. Interestingly, soon after the release, Microsoft was forced to pause the rollout as KB5039302 was causing severe issues with users’ PCs and infinite restarts. Luckily, the update is once again available for download, but there is another known bug you should beware of.
According to the official documentation, KB5039302 breaks the taskbar on systems with Windows N editions (those without the Windows Media Player app and some other components). Microsoft is working on resolving the problem as soon as possible.
Windows 10, on the other hand, received KB5039299, which fixed a bunch of bugs, including the one breaking jump lists.
Windows 10 will reach its end of life in less than two years, and analysts predict that the event will trigger a tidal wave of PC upgrades. Some of the users upgrading from Windows 10 will choose Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs with ARM processors, which earned some praise for their repairability. iFixit took those computers apart and discovered that modern Surface devices are now much more repair-friendly. Getting inside is now much easier; each component is labeled with convenient QR codes and additional information, plus users have access to the official guides and parts.
Overall, both the Surface Laptop 7 and the Surface Pro 11 scored 8 out of 10 on iFixit’s repairability scale.
But if you are a Windows 10 user and you do not plan to switch from the beloved OS, you will be glad to know that 0patch will offer at least five years of additional support for Windows 10. The service won’t be free, but it will provide you with a bunch of conveniences and a much longer support period compared to Microsoft’s Extended Security Update program.
Going back to Surface, remember the Surface Duo, the quirky dual-screen Android smartphone that failed? The device pretty much died after its second generation, but a recent Microsoft patent might be a glimpse of what the next-gen could have looked like.
Finally, Microsoft announced that WSUS driver synchronization will be deprecated in April 2025. IT admins should already start planning to upgrade to newer systems.
Windows Insider Program
Here is what Microsoft Released this week for testing in the Windows Insider Program:
Windows Server also received a new build under version 26244. However, the release notes only contain one small change. As for the Dev Channel, although there were no new builds this week, Microsoft started enabling quite a lot of new features for those on build 26120.961 (KB5038575). They include accessibility improvements, some reworked UIs, Start menu changes, fresh emoji, and more.
This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.
Files, a popular third-party file manager for Windows 10 and 11, received a big update this week. Version 3.5 is now available for download with UI improvements (more rounded corners) and a bunch of small conveniences, such as a network drive widget, improved tooltips, and more.
Do you remember Project Natick from 2016? Eight years ago, Microsoft decided to sink a few servers to see if keeping them under the water was a viable alternative to standard data centers. Despite positive results, Microsoft quietly discontinued the underwater server project and decided not to proceed with building subsea data centers.
On the odd side, users discovered that a single line in a text file could trip Microsoft Defender and cause a false positive. Moral of the story: do not create text files with a “This content is no longer available” string if you do not want your antivirus to panic.
Speaking of text files, we published a short guide for those missing the good old WordPad. As expected, it is very easy to bring the removed app back to Windows 11 version 24H2. All you need is a bunch of files from a pre-24H2 installation.
If you noticed that your desktop is full of random shortcuts after a clean Windows 11 installation, that is because the OS is now enabling folder backup without asking or notifying users during the initial setup. Check out this article to learn how to deal with that.
Mozilla released a small bug-fixing update for Firefox. Version 127.0.2 resolved problems with YouTube video playback and misbehaving private mode on Windows. Microsoft Edge also got some updates. Version 128 is now available for testing in the Dev Channel, and its public release is scheduled for late August 2024. The Stable release received some fixes for bugs causing crashes and security patches.
Other notable updates include the following:
The EU believes Microsoft has breached antitrust rules with its Teams bundles.
Microsoft revealed that more emails were accessed by Russia-based hackers.
Logitech has updated its Options+ software with new accessory support and Perplexity AI.
Surface Laptop Go 2 received new firmware with connectivity and audio fixes.
Microsoft added even more functions for syncing up Forms data to Excel spreadsheets.
And here are the newest drivers released this week:
Finally, here is the latest edition of Microsoft 365 Roadmap Weekly, a series where we track new features and changes that are coming soon to Microsoft’s productivity apps. The latest additions include folder pinning in the new Outlook for Windows, PDF support in Word for iOS, new Copilot features for Excel, and more.
Here are the hardware and software we reviewed this week.
Robbie Khan reviewed the Turtle Beach Burst II Air, a wireless gaming mouse that boasts incredibly low weight. Besides being lighter than a Mars bar, it offers excellent software, on-device storage for customization, great optical switches, and 50/50 weight distribution. However, there are some downsides, such as questionable side grips, poor DPI switch placement, and more. Check out the full review here.
The Burst Air II was not the only mouse Robbie reviewed this week. Check out his other review, this time of the Endorfy Liv Plus Wireless: a multi-device gaming mouse with a bunch of neat tricks up its sleeve.
Steven Parker reviewed the Beelink EQ13: a budget low-power mini-computer with the Intel Alder Lake N200 processor. This inexpensive small form factor computer offers solid connectivity, great power efficiency, and the ability to expand its storage with another SSD. A $259 computer cannot be perfect, though, so find out more in the review here.
Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.
Playground Games will soon delist Forza Horizon 4 from digital stores on Xbox and PC. The studio announced that due to license agreements, it is forced to take the game down on December 15, 2024. Fortunately, you have plenty of time to secure the game in your collection. And the best part is you can do that with a massive 80% discount. And it seems like a lot of people are taking their chance as the game spiked to over 70,000 concurrent players on Steam.
By the way, if you are an Xbox Game Pass subscriber who purchased one of the Horizon 4 DLCs, you will get the game from Microsoft for free so that you can keep it in your library. Neat.
Valve unveiled a bunch of updates for its PC gaming platform. Steam users can now try a new built-in system for recording and editing game footage. Called Steam Game Recording, it is now available in Beta. Also, the company shared some details about controller usage on the platform.
Nvidia has added a bunch of new games for GeForce NOW users. You can NOW play Resident Evil Village, Drug Dealer Simulator 2, and Beyond Good & Evil—20th Anniversary Edition.
Deals and freebies
The Epic Games Store is giving away Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition. You can grab that title for free until the next Thursday. If that is not enough, you better click that Steam icon on your desktop, as the platform is currently offering a massive wave of discounts as part of its annual Summer Sale. It will last until July 11, 10 AM Pacific Time. As usual, you can find more deals in our weekly Weekend PC Game Deals series.
Other gaming stories include the following:
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