These Microsoft 365 companion apps are getting retired after just one year
Apps Microsoft's Calendar, People, and Files companion apps for Windows 11 are being retired roughly a year after they first shipped.
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Features
The Division 2: Echoes of Central Park is going to be dark, terrifying, and brilliant
Gaming The curtain has been pulled back on The Division 2 Echoes of Central Park and this latest expansion has a darker, more mysterious tone to previous content, and it's looking incredible.
Call of Duty needs to be broken up for the good of everyone
Gaming Instead of shovelling everything into a yearly release, it's time to break some of the experiences out to exist for longer.
Eastern lore might save this upcoming Diablo rival
GAMING Tarae: The Unbound is a dark fantasy ARPG coming in 2027, based heavily in Eastern folklore
Windows Wrap: Microsoft has two weeks to stop its Surface event from being an embarrassment
Surface Microsoft's upcoming Surface event risks falling flat unless the company moves past local AI hype to embrace what made Surface special.
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On This Day: Xbox’s 2015 “games everywhere” strategy revisited
On this Day A look back at Xbox’s 2015 “games everywhere” vision — the moment Phil Spencer sketched out a future that Asha Sharma is now fully realizing 11 years later.
Moonraker turns 10 and still looks ahead of its time
Flashback A decade later, Microsoft’s unreleased Moonraker smartwatch still feels like a glimpse into an alternate timeline.
Looking back at 2016’s “I love you, Xbox” — and how much (and little) has changed
Flashback Looking back at the 2016 editorial that captured Xbox’s growing pains and predicted the decade ahead.
Revisiting the LG Lancet, 11 years later
Flashback A look back at the LG Lancet and the era when Windows Phone 8.1 defined Microsoft’s mobile peak.
Windows & Software
How to upscale videos to 4K with Clipchamp
Apps Clipchamp can now upscale low-resolution videos to 4K locally using AI, making old or low-quality footage look clearer.
New Windows 11 feature cuts screen glare without altering photos or videos
Windows 11 Windows 11's new Magnifier contrast theme reduces screen glare while leaving your photos, videos, and media untouched. The feature is in testing now among Windows Insiders.
Windows Wrap: Microsoft has two weeks to stop its Surface event from being an embarrassment
Surface Microsoft's upcoming Surface event risks falling flat unless the company moves past local AI hype to embrace what made Surface special.
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PC Hardware
AI comes to Surface Ink: Microsoft’s new Canvas transforms handwriting into a smarter workflow
Surface Microsoft's new Ink Canvas app brings AI-powered inking and brainstorming tools to Surface devices and other supported Windows PCs.
After years of silence, Microsoft adds basic features to Mixed Reality
Windows 11 A new Mixed Reality Link update lets users pass built-in mic and camera feeds directly to Windows 11.
ASUS ships the first Snapdragon X2 Elite mini PC
Mini PCs The Ascent QN10 is the first mini PC built around Snapdragon X2 Elite, pairing an 80 TOPS NPU with a compact 0.7‑liter chassis for local AI workloads.
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Apple definitely snuck a Microsoft Easter egg into its iPhone Duo reveal
Surface Apple's iPhone Duo video features a real 2018 Surface Magazine article during its split-screen demo, likely poking fun at Microsoft's foldable history.
Deals
These discounted Dell 'Plus' laptops focus on productivity in Windows
Deals Dell's 14 Plus and 16 Plus deliver clean, no‑nonsense designs, strong Intel Core Ultra performance, long battery life, and QHD+ displays built for productivity.
Play games at 120FPS with this RTX 5070 gaming laptop that's now 18% off
Deals The ASUS ROG Strix G16 gaming laptop is on sale at an 18% discount, giving folks craving an RTX 5070 graphics card more value for strong performances
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Alienware slices $1,000 off its RTX 5070 gaming PC with 32GB of RAM
Deals Dell is offering a huge $1,000 discount on the Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop, which offers premium-quality performance for both gaming and productivity.
Labor Day has brought this expensive workhorse laptop's steep price down to under $700
Deals A big Labor Day discount turns this 16‑inch Ryzen AI laptop into a standout performance deal.
Handheld Gaming PCs
As the Steam Deck loses its affordable appeal, the XBOX Ally could be an unexpected handheld gaming champion
PC Gaming Steam Deck prices climb while the ROG Xbox Ally holds steady, potentially becoming 2026's best‑value handheld gaming PC if it continues the trend.
Gaming
The Division 2: Echoes of Central Park is going to be dark, terrifying, and brilliant
Gaming The curtain has been pulled back on The Division 2 Echoes of Central Park and this latest expansion has a darker, more mysterious tone to previous content, and it's looking incredible.
Mythic Achievement details surface in the latest version of the Xbox app
News Xbox players have wanted something to chase like PlayStation's Platinums forever, and we're finally getting it.
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Call of Duty needs to be broken up for the good of everyone
Gaming Instead of shovelling everything into a yearly release, it's time to break some of the experiences out to exist for longer.
Artificial Intelligence
Copilot on Windows 11 will soon open links inside the app instead of launching a browser
Apps Copilot for Windows 11 will soon feature a built-in browser, changing how users interact with links inside the app.
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Grok is coming to Copilot, minus the snark
Apps Microsoft is bringing xAI's Grok models to Copilot across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Here is what subprocessor integration means for IT admins and users.
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Gemini app arrives on Windows 11, but it clashes with Copilot
App You can now summon Gemini on your computer by pressing Alt + Space.
Microsoft EVP begs employees to stop sending him "AI slop." 🤔
AI Microsoft EVP overseeing Office and LinkedIn Ryan Roslansky posts an oddly oblivious self-own. The company flooding the internet with AI slop has started to realize how dumb its technology actually is in most scenarios.
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Microsoft
Microsoft Teams will soon support two users sharing screens simultaneously
Apps Microsoft Teams will soon support simultaneous screen sharing, making side-by-side comparison and multi-presenter meetings better.
"Data centres have become integral to our lives" — Microsoft plans to push ahead with data center despite protests
Windows 11 Microsoft says the UK needs more data centers as Slough residents question the impact of the proposed site.
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Join Daniel and Zac on September 10 at 2PM ET for the LIVE Windows Central Podcast.
LIVE Join Daniel, Jez, and Zac on August 21 at 1PM ET for the LIVE Windows Central Podcast.
Windows 11 desktop backgrounds are now being used as ad space
Windows 11 Microsoft swapped Bing Wallpaper backgrounds for a fullscreen movie promo, putting promotional text directly on Windows 11 desktops.
Peripherals & Accessories
Review: The Reclusa X Mini 65% is Razer’s best budget play in years at just $49.99
REVIEW Razer's new hot-swappable Reclusa X Mini 65% isn't packed with premium bells and whistles, but at $49.99 it delivers one of the most satisfying typing experiences in the company's keyboard lineup.
