Windows Insider Program

Release Preview channel updates (including 26H1 for the first time? - A preview of the June Patch Tuesday updates - Shared audio, NPU usage in
Task Manager, multi-app camera support, Magnifier improvements.
Taskbar updates come to Insiders! Also in Canary, weʼre throwing them a bone this time.

Enshittification remedies all around

Microsoft just held a WinHEC for the first time since 2018 and thereʼs a new Windows Driver Initiative!
Microsoft will soon let us remap Copilot key to Right Ctrl, which is what it was in the first place.
A Linux privacy nut YouTuber confuses privacy and security and doesnʼt understand Windows 11 so...
... Paul wrote a complete guide to the local account de-Microsoft experience in Windows 11
Microsoft Edge will stop loading all passwords into clear text on startup like a big boy browser.

Hardware

Surface

Microsoft finally revs Surface Laptop and Surface Pro for Business, with Intel chips and VERY high prices.
Snapdragon X2 variants in late 2026 because of supply issues wa-waa-waaaaa.

AI

MDASH is Microsoftʼs answer to Anthropic Mythos, in-house only.
Elon Musk and Sam Altman are both terrible but a jury decided against Muskʼs frivolous lawsuit.
OpenAI and Apple might head to court over Siri promises
OpenAI Codex is on mobile via the ChatGPT app
Google unleashes an AI tsunami at Google IO this week. A few relevant takeaways:
Overview of the major announcements
- Google advances Android as a developer platform
- Chrome is turning into a proactive assistant
- Google AI subscriptions are an incredible value
- Related: The Gemini Intelligence feature for Googlebooks and more has steep hardware requirements - 12 GB of RAM, flagship SoC So Pixel 10 series/Galaxy S26 series and newer only etc.
Just a reminder that Microsoft makes a Linux distribution ... for Azure specifically
More dev
- WWDC schedule is up for June 8 opening day
- Build 2026 kicks off June 2 in SFO
- After another boring .NET 11 preview release, we finally get our first look at a major change: MAUI is switching from the Mono runtime to the CoreCLR runtime.
- And we should pause for a moment to remember S "Soma" Somasegar, who sadly passed away this week.

Xbox and Gaming

Next Xbox Elite controller leaks and it is glorious
- Related: An Xbox Cloud-Connected controller leaks too and it is less than glorious.
Forza Horizon 6 is here, and itʼs on Game Pass on Day One.
- Be sure to read Laurentʼs detailed review.
Haters gonna keep hating: Fans want Xbox exclusives because their heads are still in the sand.
- Sony is allegedly returning to this model for single player experiences
- Related: Sony raises prices on PS Plus
Fortnite comes back to the Apple App Store worldwide *excluding Australia for some reason.

Tips and Picks

App pick of the week: DeskScapes 2026

Stardock DeskScapes 2026 is normally $9.99 but it will cost just $6.99 during the launch period.
Also: Firefox 151 is a big update on desktop and mobile, the latter gets the AI kill switch
RunAs Radio this week: UEFI Secure Boot with Richard Hicks
Brown liquor pick of the week: Daftmill Winter Batch Release

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/984

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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WW 984: For Entertainment Purposes Only - Price Shock With Surface Laptops?!

Windows Weekly (Audio)