Solder On - Snapdragon X Elite impressions, KB5036893 update, CHIPS & Science Act

On this episode, Paul shares his thoughts on the Snapdragon X Elite chip with Leo and Richard. Windows 11 24H2, AI, NPUs, and SoCs from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are all on the way this year. But a schedule is finally starting to emerge. And it looks like we’ll soon have answers to the questions about how or why AI will matter on PCs.
Windows, AI, and the future
• Windows 11 version 24H2 - staggered release schedule as discussed last week
• Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite-based PCs in May/June - nothing but good news to date, but Paul went hands-on last week. It’s the real deal.
• Intel’s first-gen Core Ultra chipsets are lackluster, but now we have big promises for Arrow Lake in late 2024
• Microsoft Build 2024 is in mid-May, and now we have a session list with some nice clues. For example, Introducing the Next Generation of Windows on Arm
• Microsoft is expected to unveil 24H2 and new X Elite-based Surface PCs at Build
• Computex and other milestones, and then back-to-school and holiday selling periods
Windows 11
• Moment 5 arrives in stable with yesterday’s Patch Tuesday (which is now called the General Availability channel, by the way). Of course, we still don’t have all the features. In particular, waiting on Android phone as a webcam.
• IDC says PC market grew by 1.5 percent in Q1 and acts like it’s the turnaround of the century
• Microsoft is manually blocking certain registry keys related to default browsers now: Apple-like non-EU belligerence or pragmatic protection of user choice? Why can’t it be both?
• Beta channel (last week) - Copilot actions improvements
• New Store app update improvements performance dramatically
• The Windows 11 de-ensh*ttification experiments continue
• Does Windows 11 Enterprise solve the problem? No. So it’s time to move on
Hardware
• TSMC gets some of that sweet, sweet CHIPS Act money to expand its US operations
AI
• Three AIs comparison
• Blockbuster report claims OpenAI/Microsoft, Google, and Meta stole content at scale to train AI
• Microsoft opens a new AI hub in London
• Google mulls charging for generative AI in Search
• Spotify lets user create AI playlists using text prompts now
• Brave brings Leo to iOS, so it’s on all supported platforms now. And it added Leo to Brave Talk Premium too
• Google rebrands Studio Bot to Gemini in Android Studio, still in preview. This is their GitHub Copilot
Xbox
• Microsoft rolls out April updates for Xbox consoles, Xbox app on PC
• Xbox reorgs, Kareem Choudhry leaves Microsoft
• A rumored game preservation team is too obvious not to be true
Tips and Picks
• Tip of the week: Microsoft Store hosts its annual Spring Sale
• App picks of the week: Standard Notes & Beeper
• RunAs Radio this week: Securing AI with Sarah Young
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Dalwhinnie 15
Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell
Windows Weekly episode 876
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TWiT.tv is a technology podcasting network located in the San Francisco Bay Area with the #1 ranked technology podcast This Week in Tech hosted by Leo Laporte. Every week we produce dozens of hours of content on a variety of programs including Tech News Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, This Week in Google, Windows Weekly, Security Now, and more.