Tablets today are as versatile as ever. Traditionally known for their portability, big displays, and long battery life, now you can find tablets that are as powerful as top-of-the-line laptops.
Microsoft expects the trends to continue into the following quarter
The big picture: Some analysts predicted the Xbox Series X would outsell the PlayStation 5 in 2020. Instead, Sony's console has likely sold more than double the Xbox Series S and X. The situation is so dire that Microsoft hasn't disclosed precise unit sales in over a year and has begun releasing its games on competing consoles. The company's latest earnings call certainly won't improve investor outlook concerning the future of Xbox hardware.
A hot potato: While still working with CrowdStrike to bring millions of botched PCs back online, Microsoft is also thinking about the future of Windows. The platform must evolve and innovate, enhancing resilience against the next faulty update coming from a third-party company.
Users using BitLocker encryption should keep their recovery keys handy
Facepalm: Windows users who have encrypted their PCs with BitLocker might have trouble rebooting after installing a July OS update. Microsoft instructs those impacted to refer to the standard BitLocker recovery procedure. The issue is one of many that have hit the operating system in recent weeks, including the CrowdStrike disaster that caused BSODs across the globe.
We're already seeing some interesting shifts and redefined comparisons in the Copilot+ PC era
Something to look forward to: Even though it's only been two months since they were first announced and just a month since they've shipped, Copilot+ PCs are already having a noticeable impact on the PC market. Major OEMs like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Microsoft's Surface group have released slick new NPU-accelerated "AI PCs." Other vendors such as Samsung, Acer, and Asus have also joined with impressive new devices.
Remember that blue-to-black gradient? Here's how it came to be
In context: If you were a Windows user in the '90s, you're likely to be intimately familiar with the iconic Start Menu that shipped with Windows NT. That signature vertical banner proclaiming "Windows NT Workstation," or whichever variant you were running, is an image seared into the minds of many PC users from the era, and we have programmer Dave Plummer to thank for bringing the branding element to life.
