WW 948: Netflix Tears - Windows 11, version 25H2 heads to Release Preview!

Paul Thurrott is in Berlin this week for IFA 2025! With AI models multiplying across devices and Microsoft plotting a post-OpenAI future, Paul and Richard debate whether Copilot and local AI finally hint at what's next for your PC. Paul also reacts to the surprising Google antitrust ruling, questioning whether judges are truly willing to rein in Big Tech or just maintain the status quo. Has the battle for online competition already been lost?

Windows 11

• Four new builds issued in the Insider Program at the same time (rare) • Dev and Beta: New Microsoft 365 text actions in Click to Do, Braille Viewer, more Share changes • Canary: Nothing to see here, move along • The Mobile Plans app you never used in Windows 11 is going away • Windows Backup for Organizations is here • Dolby Vision 2 is on the way • Dell hits record revenues, but not because of PCs - PC revenues $12.5 billion, up 1 percent • HP revenues up 3.1 percent and it is because of PCs - PC revenues $9.9 billion, up 6 percent • Reminder that Lenovo is curiously dominant in this market - PC revenues $13.5 billion, up 18 percent

Antitrust

• Google unexpectedly given a pass on egregious antitrust violations • "We don't do these things because they are hard"

Ensh*ttification

• Amazon begins restricting the ability to share Prime free shipping within a household • This, from the company that makes you pay to remove ads from a video service you're already paying for • YouTube is changing what it means to be in household

This week from the misinformation files

• Microsoft denied that it had anything to do with SSD fails • Google denies that it warned 2.8 billion Gmail users about anything • If it happened online, it must be real

AI

• Microsoft AI releases its first-ever in-house models and one is quite mysterious • Copilot is coming to make your smart TVs dumber • Anthropic will now train Claude on user data unless you opt out • NVIDIA is still doing pretty well financially • The Pixel 10 series phones are all about AI • Camera Coach • It's fascinating to reexamine the initial Pixel launch for its forward-leaning looks at AI, computational photography, and more

Xbox and games

• Xbox August Update brings a few interesting new features • Activision inks deal to make a Call of Duty movie • Hollow Knight: Silksong and more are coming to Game Pass in first half of September

Tips & picks

• Tip of the week • App pick of the week: Vivaldi • RunAs Radio this week: Episode 1000! • Brown liquor pick of the week: Canadian Club 1858 Original

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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