Newsletter Archives

• Is Recall in your future?

  Posted on December 9, 2024 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Don’t panic.

  Microsoft Recall, the new Microsoft technology that records what you are doing on a Windows 11 PC so you can review (“recall”) past actions in the future, is very much in beta right now and not coming to a computer near you.

  Importantly, Recall has a high bar as far as system requirements are concerned. First, a Copilot+PC is required. For some time, the only processors that could provide the necessary power were Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series, Arm-based processors with the Hexagon neural processing unit. (If you want to learn more about NPUs, see IBM’s article What is a neural processing unit (NPU)?) On December 6, Microsoft announced Windows Insider preview build versions for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, a signal that a wider variety of hardware will soon be available.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.50.0, 2024-12-09).

  On Security AMD, Copilot, Copilot+ PCs, Intel, Newsletters, Qualcomm, Recall, Secured-core Standard

• MS-DEFCON 4: Holiday patching

  Posted on November 26, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.48.1 • 2024-11-26

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Thanksgiving in America is a mere two days away. I often use the holiday to multitask while the turkey is roasting.

  One task for you is applying updates. I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4; other than my recommendation to avoid Windows 11 24H2 for now, patching should be safe.

  Thanksgiving signals the approaching end of year. For both home and office, it’s a great time to reflect on the challenges of the past year and develop a technology plan for the upcoming year. In my case, I’ll be looking at retiring some devices that I no longer need or use, upgrading some existing equipment, replacing aging devices with new ones, and looking for simplifications wherever I can find them.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.48.1, 2024-11-26).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Copilot+ PCs, CVE-2024-44308, CVE-2024-44309, Email, iOS, KB5046613, KB5046633, KB5046714, macOS Sequoia, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, Recall, Windows Server 2022

• What isn’t coming to your computer or phone

  Posted on November 4, 2024 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley • Comment about this article

  Just because features such as Microsoft Recall and Apple Intelligence are available does not mean you’ll be forced to use them.

  If you remember, Microsoft Recall is a technology that allows users to go back to a point in time and review what they were doing and which webpages they were viewing. Originally planning to release it in June, Microsoft pulled the plug and went back to the drawing board because of strong customer pushback with respect to security.

  Microsoft won’t be rolling out Recall to test on the insider versions of Windows until December. Originally it was supposed to roll out with Windows 11 24H2.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.45.0, 2024-11-04).

  Patch Watch Apple Intelligence, Copilot+ PCs, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Recall, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• Core Ultra Series 2 desktop processors

  Posted on October 14, 2024 at 02:43 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  INTEL

  

  By Will Fastie

  Once again, new naming conventions make understanding Intel’s processors confusing.

  Late last week, Intel announced a series of new Core Ultra processors for desktop computers. These are designated “S” models. A month ago, Intel announced Core Ultra processors for laptops, designated “V.”

  At least for the moment, this is all very confusing. My big takeaway is that the V models are optimized for AI in the most popular form factor, laptops. The S models are optimized for the desktop gaming market. These initial S models do not perform as well for AI.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.42.0, 2024-10-14).

  Intel AI, Copilot+ PCs, Core Ultra, Intel Processors, Newsletters, NPUs, Performance, TSMC

• Understanding Qualcomm Snapdragon X

  Posted on September 30, 2024 at 02:41 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  SILICON

  

  By Will Fastie

  Qualcomm is not accustomed to speaking directly to consumers, making technical details difficult to find.

  Nevertheless, Qualcomm is now anxious to capture the hearts and minds of end users because its newest generation of processor, the Snapdragon X, is finding its way into many Copilot+ PCs.

  Here are a few technical details to help you through this year’s holiday buying season.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.40.0, 2024-09-30).

  Silicon Copilot+ PCs, Newsletters, Performance, Qualcomm, Snapdragon X Elite, Snapdragon X Plus, Specifications

• Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs don’t play nice with games

  Posted on September 16, 2024 at 02:44 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Microsoft is wreaking havoc in the virtual worlds of billion-dollar online gaming companies, with incompatibilities in its new Copilot+ machines.

  These much-hyped PCs feature a new processor based on power-efficient Arm chips from Qualcomm. Redmond’s shift to non-Intel silicon gives the new Windows 11 PCs a modicum of built-in artificial intelligence and other features. No access to a central AI server is needed. (See Microsoft’s introduction of the new devices.)

  But almost half of the more than 1,300 video games tested by an independent third party are running slowly, subjecting users to stuttering game play, or refusing to run at all. The worst incompatibilities affect the biggest names in multiplayer environments.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.38.0, 2024-09-16).

  Public Defender AI, Compatibility, Copilot+ PCs, Games, Neural Processing Units, Newsletters, NPUs, Qualcomm, Snapdragon X Elite

• ARM is really important for Windows 11

  Posted on July 22, 2024 at 02:43 CDT by Mary Branscombe • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Mary Branscombe

  Microsoft is pushing people to Windows 11 to get AI features. Today, that means Windows 11 on ARM — even though the AI isn’t ready yet.

  When Microsoft announced the generative AI features in Windows 11 that Satya Nadella claimed would change the whole PC experience, the first thing that struck me about Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs was how very far Windows on ARM has come. The new flagship devices that will run controversial, premium new Windows features such as Recall — and are supposed to make us think of Microsoft as “the AI company” rather than “the Windows company” — are, at least initially, powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors. Those are ARM architectures.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.30.0, 2024-07-22).

  Windows 11 AI, ARM, Copilot+ PCs, Intel, Newsletters, Qualcomm, Snapdragon X Elite, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• Whom can you trust with your data?

  Posted on June 24, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.26 • 2024-06-24

  Look for our BONUS issue on July 1, 2024!

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Taming that technology

  Two years ago, we added a tagline to our logo: “Tame Your Tech.” My idea was that you must be in control of the technology that surrounds you, and that we’re here to help.

  But lately, I’ve been feeling as if I ought to add yet another tagline: “Whom should you trust with your technology?”

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.26.0, 2024-06-24).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  On Security Apple, Copilot+ PCs, Hardware, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Recall