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Windows

Microsoft declares 2025 the "year of the Windows 11 PC refresh."
As likely as "year of the Linux desktop"
The theory: Windows 10 EOL, AI PCs, lingering security fears from CrowdStrike
The issue: Windows 10 has 63 usage share right now. At this point in time, Windows 7 had only 25 percent usage share (and was in second place, not first)
Intel joins in on this fever dream but we've stopped listening
More interesting: AMD is kicking ass and taking names. And we thought the existing chips were good (they are). Related to this, PC makers are embracing AMD like never before. Check out HP's workstations (including laptops)
Microsoft is blocking the 24H2 update on PCs with Auto HDR enabled
New Canary and Beta builds ring in the New Year
Not that it matters, but Windows 11 almost had Vista Ultimate Extras-like dynamic wallpapers
Dell kills XPS and all its other PC brands because Dell is stupid and doesn't know what it had

Arm & PCs

Qualcomm defeated Arm Holdings in licensing dispute court case. And, yes, it won big time, contrary to Arm's nonsense
Qualcomm announces an even lower-end Snapdragon X chip for $600 PCs, so ASUS announces an $1100 laptop that uses it
Snapdragon Dev Kit update
Part 2 of Paul's history of Windows on Arm is up
New Arm PCs announced, including desktops. Ahead of CES, Geekom jumped the gun and said it was coming out with a Snapdragon X-based NUC. Lenovo has a NUC/SFF
NVIDIA and MediaTek confirm partnership on Arm chips for PCs

Microsoft 365

First, GitHub Copilot, but now Microsoft 365 Copilot will allegedly stop using OpenAI exclusively
Microsoft reveals (confirms) it will spend $80 billion on AI infrastructure in FY 2025 as it suckles up to Trump like the rest of the tech industry
Microsoft and OpenAI allegedly tied AGI milestone to profits, not intelligence

Xbox & Gaming

Microsoft discusses a console-like experience for Windows handheld gaming. Tied to that, a new generation of handheld gaming PCs is on the way
Xbox Game Pass says Happy New Year with a full slate of Activision Blizzard titles. Just kidding
NVIDIA announces new graphics cards for PCs
No one wants this, but Xbox is coming to LG smart TVs
Xbox Rewards shuffles the deck chairs, hopes no one notices it's worse now

Tips & Picks

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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WW 914: Something Weird From the Closet - Snapdragon X, Dell kills XPS, Qualcomm beats Arm 02:44:52 Share

Windows Weekly (Audio)