Windows power users have long known the best tools often live outside the commercial software ecosystem, but a recent MakeUseOf roundup highlighting “unbelievably” polished open‑source Windows apps crystallizes just how far free software has come: the list assembles utilities that replace or...
Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, told reporters from his office at the Redmond campus that the company will “investigate and get to the truth” after a Guardian-led investigation alleged that Israel’s Unit 8200 had used Microsoft Azure to store and process vast troves of intercepted Palestinian...
Microsoft’s AI ambitions inside Windows have quietly been given a new label: mounting evidence from Insider builds and system files suggests Microsoft is preparing to promote a unified artificial intelligence umbrella called Windows Intelligence, consolidating generative-AI controls, app...
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ai permissions
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generative ai
group policy
os-level ai
per-app permissions
privacy & security
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recent activity
security
windows 11
windows insider
windows intelligence
Microsoft is rolling generative AI into Phone Link on Windows 11 so the app can suggest three ready-made SMS replies when you get a text — a convenience feature that’s enabled by default, uses a cloud-based “intelligent suggestion model,” and uploads recent conversation text to Microsoft...
accessibility
ai features
cloud ai
cloud processing
data privacy
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insider preview
mdm
phone link
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sms
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windows 11
Much of keeping a Windows PC feeling fast and reliable comes down to discipline—regular cleanups, timely scans, and dependable backups—and automating those chores with the built‑in Windows Task Scheduler is one of the most effective ways to remove the human factor from maintenance and make a...
automation
backups
defender
disk cleanup
event triggers
it administration
logging
mpcmdrun
powershell
robocopy
scheduled tasks
schtasks
security
storage sense
system maintenance
task automation tips
windows task scheduler
windows update
Microsoft and the NFL have quietly but decisively moved a decade‑long sideline relationship into an explicit “AI‑first” operational phase by rolling Microsoft Copilot, Azure AI services, and a refreshed fleet of Surface Copilot+ devices into the league’s Sideline Viewing System, scouting...
ai in sports
azure ai foundry
azure openai
coaching technology
copilot
data governance
fan experience
microsoft
nfl
scouting
security
sideline viewing system
sports analytics
stadium edge
surface copilot+
Windows ships with a competent baseline of tools, but for users who prefer transparency, control, and long-term maintainability, the open-source alternatives on this How‑To Geek roster are worth considering — this article examines the nine apps the original author installs on every fresh Windows...
Microsoft has quietly extended Copilot’s reach deeper into the Azure developer workflow by launching a public preview of the GitHub Copilot for Azure extension for Visual Studio 2022, bringing a curated set of Azure tools—exposed via an Azure Model Context Protocol (MCP) server—directly into...
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devops
github copilot
governance
ide integration
least privilege
mcp
model context protocol
preview
rbac
security
storage
visual studio 2022
zero-setup server
FFmpeg 8.0 lands as a major milestone for open-source media tooling, introducing Vulkan-based video processing, a native AV1 Vulkan encoder, an OpenAI Whisper transcription filter, expanded VVC and ProRes support, and a raft of security and build changes that together reshape how creators...
Microsoft has moved the revamped Message Trace experience in Exchange Online out of preview and into general availability, bringing a faster UI, new PowerShell cmdlets, extended query windows, and new operational constraints that will change how administrators automate and extract trace data...
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data ingestion
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get-messagetracev2
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historical data
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message trace
message-trace
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migration
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new message trace
new-message-trace
powershell
powershell v3
query window
reporting webservice
reporting-webservice
resultsize
security
siem
startingrecipientaddress
tenant throttling
tenant-cap
throttling
time zone
time zones
trace-filtering
Microsoft’s Exchange team has given hybrid administrators a clear-but-urgent migration mandate: switch to the dedicated Exchange hybrid app and update on‑prem servers now, or face temporary disruptions in September and October followed by a permanent enforcement that will stop rich coexistence...
Microsoft’s vision of a future Windows where you “talk to your PC” is less a finished product than an aggressive bet on changing workplace culture — and whether that bet pays off depends as much on human behavior as on silicon and software.
Background: what Microsoft is saying — and what PCWorld...
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voice
windows
workplace culture
Westcon‑Comstor’s new partner summit, staged with Microsoft and billed as a targeted accelerator for cloud, AI and security adoption, signals a deliberate push to convert channel capacity into continent‑scale transformation for African businesses.
Background
Westcon‑Comstor has deep roots as a...
Microsoft 365 Copilot can now tap enterprise file shares without forcing a wholesale migration to the cloud: NetApp’s new connector brings on‑prem and cloud NetApp data into Copilot while preserving item‑level security, offering containerized deployment options, and promising high performance...
Microsoft’s official support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025 — and that deadline turns a decade-old, still‑widely used operating system into a growing security liability unless you act now. 10 has been a workhorse for hundreds of millions of PCs, but when Microsoft stops shipping...
azure virtual desktop
backup
backup strategy
budget procurement
cloud pc
compatibility
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copilot
data protection
device inventory
end of support
end of support 2025
enterprise security
esu
esu expiry
esu program
extended security updates
hardware compatibility
hardware requirements
it audit checklist
it management
it procurement
linux
lob applications
lob apps compatibility
migration plan
migration planning
pc health check
pilot deployment
printer compatibility
ransomware
risk management
secure boot
securitysecurity compliance
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staged refresh
tpm 2.0
upgrade checklist
upgrade vs replacement
vbs
vdi
vdi windows
windows 10
windows 10 end of support
windows 11
windows 11 migration
windows 11 requirements
windows 365
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are no longer just browsers—they’re sprawling platforms where AI, privacy controls, and even gaming features are being used as battlegrounds to win users’ attention and loyalty.
Background / Overview
The modern browser fight is about more than page-load times and...
Microsoft’s iMessage never “magically appears” on Windows by clicking a random link; what’s actually happening is a steady—careful—push from Microsoft to bridge iPhone and Windows workflows, paired with a noisy market of third‑party workarounds and, yes, scams that try to capitalize on user...
airmessage
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imessage
ios
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microsoft
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scams
security
windows 11
windows insider
A compact but consequential update to a popular unofficial Windows 11 installer-bypass tool has landed, and it tightens the project’s shift from a pure “requirements bypass” utility into a fuller Out‑Of‑Box Experience (OOBE) toolkit — complete with a renamed executable, a small search helper...
Microsoft has begun testing a new “My apps” tab inside the Xbox app for Windows 11 that lets Xbox Insiders install, launch and — in some cases — download third‑party apps and rival storefronts from a single, controller‑friendly launcher designed especially for handheld Windows gaming devices...
anti-cheat
app aggregator
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centralized hub
controller first
gog galaxy
handheld gaming
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my apps
pc gaming
pc gaming preview
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security
third-party stores
windows 11
xbox app
xbox insiders
Elon Musk has unveiled Macrohard, a tongue‑in‑cheek name for a very serious ambition: build an AI‑first software company that can simulate and then ship the kinds of products Microsoft dominates today—productivity suites, developer tools, even gaming technologies—using swarms of specialized AI...