Windows Weekly 679

• The drama of the week: Microsoft is closing its retail stores
• Perhaps overdue, but shocking nonetheless: Microsoft is closing all of its retail stores
• Related: A look back at the 2012 opening of the first Boston-based Microsoft Store

 

• The drama of last week: Apple, the morning (OK, week) after
• Two developments of interest to the Microsoft community
• As expected, the first Apple Silicon developer device destroys Surface Pro X in benchmarks, no matter how you look at it
• Apple is reportedly thinking about bringing a Continuum-like feature to the iPhone where it could run macOS and be connected to a keyboard, mouse, and display.
• A more reasoned assessment about the impact of Apple's moves on Windows

 

• Windows 10 version 2004 is off to a slightly faster start than 1903.
• And now (finally) SL3 and SP7 can get 2004. Yay? (But not SL1 and SL2. Boo!)
• Windows 10 Pro no longer has deferral capabilities
• Except that it sort of still does. Here's what changed.
• That shift from rings to channels just happened
• Microsoft to expand automatic Edge rollout to education then businesses
• Microsoft announces new digital skills initiative
• Related: Teams is getting a new learning app
• Big changes coming to OneDrive for consumers and businesses
• It's July, so Xbox Games with Gold and Game Pass subscribers have new games on the way
• Mixer co-founder is OK with closure
• Xbox Game Bar is now extensible

 

• Tip of the week: Download this tool, just in case: Windows File Recovery is a command-line tool you'll want to download just in case.
• App pick of the week: Amazon Prime for Windows 10. I don't often get to recommend Store apps.
• Also: Power Apps and Power Automate. You need to look at these M365 commercial features.
• Enterprise pick of the week: Your Office 365 IT pro bible has gotten a feature update. Tony's Redmond's 7th edition (2021) of Office 365 for IT Pros is now available. https://gumroad.com/l/O365IT/windowsweekly
• Enterprise pick No. 2 of the week: STOCKHISTORY. Pulling stock prices directly into Excel has been a top request for a while. It's almost here in the form of STOCKHISTORY. And perfect timing, given Microsoft's stock price has been at an all-time high lately.
• Beer pick of the week: Victory Prima Pils.

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

Check out Mary Jo's blog at AllAboutMicrosoft.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

Links

• Microsoft is closing its physical retail stores
• Throwback: Microsoft Store (Premium)
• First Apple Silicon Benchmarks Destroy Surface Pro X
• The Grass Is Always Greener (Premium)
• Windows 10 Version 2004 Makes Its First Usage Share Appearance
• Microsoft removes the Windows 10 2004 block on Surface devices
• Microsoft removes manual deferrals from Windows Update by IT pros 'to prevent confusion'
• Windows 10 Pro Users Can No Longer Defer Windows Updates
• Windows Insider Switches to Channels Today
• Microsoft to start rolling out automatically its new Edge browser to some education and business users
• Microsoft launches digital skills initiative to help those hit by the COVID-19 economy
• Microsoft to add a new learning app to Teams
• Microsoft Improves OneDrive for Consumers and Businesses
• Here are the Games with Gold for July
• Here are the First Xbox Game Pass Titles for July
• Mixer Co-Founder: Microsoft Was Right to Shut Down Service
• Xbox Game Bar Update Gets a Widget Store, New Widgets
• Microsoft Releases Windows File Recovery Tool
• Amazon Brings a Prime Video App to the Microsoft Store
• Master 365: Getting Started with Power Apps (Premium)
• Master 365: Getting Started with Power Automate (Premium)
• Office 365 for IT Pros (2021 Edition): The Best Guide to Mastering Microsoft's Cloud Office System
• Announcing STOCKHISTORY
• Beer of the week