Windows Weekly 681

• Microsoft releases a CU for Windows 10 version 20H2. Right. It's "done."
• Meanwhile, let's check in on 2004. New and fixed bug list updated
• New Dev Channel (Fast Ring) build has fixes, sound setting tweaks
• The Passing of Wintel? Jean-Louis Gassée makes one big mistake in his push for ARM on the desktop.
• Related: ARM pricing is going up
• It turns out most Surface PCs are still blocked from getting Windows 10 version 2004
• Semi-related: Thanks to COVID stay-at-home orders, PC sales grew 7.1 percent in Q2
• Microsoft announces 3 million features for four different versions of Outlook
• Microsoft is retiring OneDrive Fetch
• Microsoft and Citrix expand their partnership. But what's really new here?
• Here comes Microsoft Consulting (and some layoffs)
• Microsoft spins off creepy chatbot
• Microsoft talks up Xbox Series X storage tech

 

• Tip of the week: A workaround for OneDrive Fetch. A lot of people are outraged by Microsoft killing OneDrive Fetch. But it's not that big a deal if you know about another OneDrive feature.
• App pick of the week: Stardock Curtains. It's like Windowblinds on steroids, for Windows 10. Plus: Don't forget, Halo 3 is out on PC! And: Microsoft Launcher v6 is a big upgrade
• Enterprise pick of the week: Microsoft Inspire is next week. Microsoft's annual partner show is next week. There's usually some decent tech news unveiled at Inspire, along with strategy updates. It starts Tuesday with partner program announcements. Nadella, Smith, Julia White, Jared Spataro, and other product folks are speaking Wed. The keynotes seem to be open to anyone to stream: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-US/inspire/
• Codename pick of the week: Portmeirion. Project Portmeirion aims to explore hardware-software co-design for security in the Azure general-purpose compute stack. (thanks, Walking Cat). It's part of Microsoft's confidential computing push. And Portmeirion is a village in Wales, for those wondering.
• Beer pick of the week: The Bruery The Brite: Hibiscus Lime. A fun pink sour that's only 75 cals. It's a sour blonde ale that almost doesn't taste like a beer at all. It's from the excellent folks at The Bruery Terreux in Anaheim: https://www.thebruery.com/beer/brite-hibiscus-lime

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Links

• Windows 10 Version 20H2 Inches Towards Completion
• Windows 10, version 2004 and Windows Server, version 2004
• Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20170
• The Passing of Wintel? (Premium)
• Exclusive: Arm raises prices on chip technology for some customers, sources say
• Microsoft has not unblocked the Windows 10 2004 update for Surface devices, after all
• PC Sales Rose 7.1 Percent in the Second Quarter
• Microsoft continues work to bring different versions of Outlook to parity
• Microsoft is Retiring OneDrive File Fetching
• Arm-based Macs: Smart move for Apple, but irrelevant to the future of Windows PCs
• Microsoft's new Microsoft Consulting Services unit to launch July 14
• Microsoft to spin off its Xiaoice chatbot work into an independent company
• Microsoft Highlights Storage Advances in Xbox Series X
• Life After Fetch (Premium)
• Stardock Curtains is Now Available
• Halo 3 is Now Available on PC
• Microsoft Inspire is next week
• Portmeirion
• Bruery The Brite: Hibiscus Lime