In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we look at the CrowdStrike outage fallout, a lot of new Windows 11 preview builds, fresh non-security updates for Windows 10 and 11, some keyboard and GPU reviews, plenty of gaming news, and more.
Table of contents:
Windows 11 and 10
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.
As sleepless IT admins continue to deal with the recent CrowdStrike outage, Microsoft and CrowdStrike continue releasing new tools and guidance to help fix the situation. CrowdStrike released detailed guides, and Microsoft outed an updated tool with new methods to resuscitate knocked-out computers. Sadly, the problem caused an influx of malware disguised as recovery utilities and recovery manuals, so beware.
Besides offering guidance and even a brief analysis of what happened, CrowdStrike issued ... $10 Uber Eats gift cards to the affected customers. We are not sure what to say about this one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Microsoft, on the other hand, published a blog post where it highlighted the importance of "change and innovation in resiliency" after what happened with CrowdStrike.
Speaking of Windows and security, a Microsoft spokesperson recently blamed the EU, calling it the reason why Microsoft cannot lock down and secure its operating system. Windows is allegedly not as secure as it could be because Microsoft is forced to give developers the same OS access as it has.
Windows 10 users received a new non-security update. KB5040525 arrived in the form of build number 19045.4717 with different updates and changes to improve the overall experience. As for Windows 11 users, they have got KB5040527. And if you prefer not to download previews of cumulative updates, think twice because this time, the update has some much-needed improvements for the Start menu and File Explorer.
Also, there was an update for OOBE in Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 24H2.
Also, Microsoft confirmed a bug with Windows 11 and 10 PCs booting into BitLocker recovery after applying some of the recent updates. While Microsoft is investigating the root of the problem, the company suggests typing your BitLocker key and booting it as usual.
Apple recently approved the first PC emulator in the App Store. Naturally, users are already trying to install Windows 11 on Apple devices. Thanks to the tiny11 project, you can now run Windows 11 on the iPhone 15 Pro. Of course, it is barely usable, so do not expect to turn your iPad Pro or iPhone into a Windows 11 tablet any time soon.
Another piece of Windows trivia and whackery from this week is this project attempting to convert Windows 10 into an extremely similar Windows 7 replica. Some users just won"t let Windows 7 die, so they go above and beyond to preserve its beautiful aesthetics in modern Windows versions.
Here is what Microsoft Released this week for testing in the Windows Insider Program:
| Windows 11 | Windows 10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Canary Channel | 26257 | Not Applicable |
| Dev Channel | 26120.1330 | Not Applicable |
| Beta Channel | 22635.3936 22635.4000 | - |
| Release Preview Channel | - |
Build 26257, which was released this week in the Canary Channel, introduced new mouse settings, File Explorer improvements (you can now duplicate tabs), some networking changes, and more. There are also a lot of new features and improvements in build 26100.1297 (Release Preview).
However, probably the biggest announcement in the Windows Insider program this week was a new feature in File Explorer that now lets you wirelessly browse your phone"s file system without using any cables. It now neatly integrates into File Explorer and shows up right under the "This PC" section in the side pane.
By the way, Microsoft quietly turned off the recently introduced simplified tray area in Windows 11 preview builds. The company said it temporarily disabled the new feature to fix a bunch of technical issues.
Updates are available
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.
As usual, this week brought a bunch of browser updates, namely changes in their development plans. Microsoft, for one, decided to give systems without SSE3 support a little more time. Initially, the company planned to ditch SSE3-less processors in Edge 126, but now, that is scheduled for Edge 128.
Also, Edge received its weekly feature update for testing in the Dev Channel under version 128.0.2730.0. As for customers in the Stable Channel, they have been updated to version 127. It contains plenty of security improvements, some policy changes, bug fixes, and more.
Next, Google decided to do a U-turn and continue supporting third-party cookies in the Chrome browser. Instead of phasing out third-party cookies, Google now wants to introduce "a new experience" that would let people "make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing" and have the ability to change it at any time.
Third, Mozilla issued a bug-fixing update for Firefox 128. Version 128.0.2 arrived with various improvements, including fixes for visual glitches on Windows PCs powered by ARM processors, such as the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. Firefox 128.0.3 followed shortly with three more fixes.
Fourth, we have the Arc Browser, a new player on the market. Its developer, The Browser Company, announced a public preview of the browser, giving everyone a chance to sign up for the program and access new features early. Developers also confirmed that Arc is getting a native ad-blocker, tracking prevention capabilities, and the ability to dismiss cookie banners automatically.
Moving to other apps and services, we have Logitech"s Options app, which will soon be retired in favor of the Options+ app, the more modern variant with broader device support and some interesting features, including generative AI integration. However, there is no information on when exactly Logitech plans to discontinue the old Options app.
There is a new update for VirtualBox users, namely for those not scared of pre-release software. VirtualBox 7.1 Beta 1 is now available with a reworked UI, new features, ARM virtualization for Linux, IPv6 for NAT, and more.
Following the recent Azure Lab Services shutdown, Microsoft decided to retire another Azure-based feature. This time, Virtual Network Injection for Azure Data Explorer customers is getting the axe.
Some interesting updates happened in Bing, Microsoft"s ill-fated search engine. For one, it now mixes search results with AI-generated answers. Also, it lost access to Reddit after the platform shut the door for companies not paying it to scrub its multitude of data.
Microsoft 365 Insiders received a bunch of updates this week. On Mac, Excel users can try a new way to refresh data. Also, Microsoft added more features to Copilot in Planner preview release for Teams and made it much easier to edit tables in Word documents on the web.
Other notable updates include the following:
- Microsoft Reflect app is now available for download in the Microsoft Store.
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Microsoft Copilot Dashboard is now rolling out to Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscribers.
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Microsoft Copilot for Sales added new ways to share info from Outlook to Teams.
- There is a new app that promises to optimize processor performance when overheating.
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Microsoft SharePoint users can access a new content pane for their pages and news creations.
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Microsoft announced a new partnership with Lumen to help expand its network capacity.
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Microsoft now allows developers to fine-tune Phi-3-mini and Phi-3-medium models.
And here are the newest drivers and firmware updates released this week:
- The Surface Studio 2+ received camera and security fixes.
- AMD Chipset Software 6.07.22.037 with bug fixes and some new drivers.
Finally, here is this week"s Microsoft 365 Roadmap Weekly, which is full of new features that are coming soon to Outlook on various platforms.
Reviews are in
Here are the software and hardware we reviewed this week.
Robbie Khan is back with another accessory review. This time, he tried out the Melgeek Made68 gaming keyboard with exclusive magnetic hall-effect switches. This keyboard has some neat switches, very capable software, a premium build, and great features. However, its keycaps are not illuminated, and the keyboard is only available in one layout and size. Check out the complete review here.
That was not the only keyboard reviewed this week. We also published a review of the Ducky Zero 6108, an interesting keyboard with some strong sides and a bunch of odd weaknesses.
Finally, Steven Parker put the Radeon RX 7800 XT against the GeForce RTX 4070 to see which card can deliver better performance for roughly a similar amount of money.
On the gaming side
Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.
This week"s gaming section kicks off with a reminder that the Xbox 360 Marketplace is closing on July 29. Therefore, act fast if there are some games you want to buy for the legendary console from two decades ago.
A new report emerged about Microsoft working on another Game Pass tier. This time, the company explored a possible cloud-only plan, which would be significantly cheaper than the current $19.99 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Sadly, the details about cloud-only Game Pass are very scarce at the moment.
On the PC side of the gaming world, Valve announced a big rework of how Steam serves game demos to customers. Now, developers can list demos as separate products with their dedicated listings, reviews, and more. Gamers will also receive a notification if a game on their wishlists now has a free demo.
Remember the Deadpool-inspired butt controller? Now, there is another one, this time in yellow, made after Wolverine. Sadly, this sick-ass gamepad is not available for purchase. You can only win it as part of the latest Xbox Sweepstakes.
On July 23, Microsoft confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is coming to Xbox Game Pass. On the next day, July 24, the game arrived in the catalog, giving subscribers free access to the popular first-person shooter from Activision. You can now go to the Microsoft Store and download the game to your console or PC.
State of Decay, another Microsoft-owned title, received a new content update this week. Update 37 brings a Red Cross-themed mission, a bunch of new items, and various improvements for other aspects of the game, such as flashlights.
The next is Microsoft Flight Simulator, everyone"s favorite airplane game. Its latest update delivered rework, improvements, and a whole bunch of details for multiple cities in the UK and Ireland, namely Bristol, Brighton, Greater London, Heathrow, Cork, Dublin, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and more. There are 79 new points of interest and five new hand-crafted airports to check out. The update is available for free for all users, including Game Pass subscribers. You can get it from the in-game marketplace.
Halo Infinite is getting a new old game mode. On July 30, the game will get an update with the so-called VIP mode. This mode comes from the classic Halo 3 game, where teams of four players have a VIP they have to protect at all costs while also attempting to eliminate the other team"s VIP. The update will also let Forge editors add announcers to maps.
Sea of Thieves received its Season 13 update with a fire-breathing ship equipped with 10 cannons, new Skeleton Camps, and some new cosmetic rewards. You can now play the Season 3 updates on all supported platforms, including PlayStation 5.
If you are eagerly waiting for the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, bad news: the game was delayed again. The good news is that it was delayed not for very long. It is now scheduled for public release in November 2024. Before that, developers will hold a Developer Deep Dive event where you can expect to hear a lot about the upcoming game.
Finally, Nvidia expanded the list of playable games on its GeForce NOW streaming service with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, F1 Manager 2024, Gang Beast, and six more games. Check them out here.
Deals and freebies
Now to that part where you add free games to your library or waste spend money on discounted titles. The Epic Games Store is giving away FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch. It is available for free until the next Thursday when another free game will replace it.
If you want more, there is always something to check out in our weekly Weekend PC Game Deals series that gathers dozens of PC game discounts and specials in one place.
Other gaming news include the following:
- Ubisoft"s pirate game Skull and Bones is coming to Steam in August.
- Blizzard"s World of Warcraft team has voted to unionize and join Bethesda Game Studios.
- Xbox Insiders can access the New World: Aeternum Closed Beta for free until July 31.
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard won"t require EA App on Steam.
- "DLC-sized" Fallout: London mod for Fallout 4 is now available on GOG.
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Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns DLC launches Sept. 24 with a new story, fighters and Animalities.
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