David and Kareem recap some of the biggest news Microsoft shared and was a part of at CES 2024 that includes, Copilot buttons, Electric Car partnerships, and more.
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MSFT UNBOXED
Friday, May 8, 2026
AI
Google Chrome’s Silent 4GB AI Install Is Exactly Why People Are Tired of AI
Installing a multi‑gigabyte Gemini Nano model on user machines, with no prompt, no opt‑out, and no meaningful transparency about what’s happening behind the scenes
Google Adds More Links and Context to AI Overviews
With this update, AI Mode and AI Overviews start behaving less like sealed summaries and more like guided entry points into the wider web.
Xbox Resets Its Future With Major Leadership Changes
New CEO Asha Sharma has stepped in with a clear message to her teams: the way Xbox works today is not built for the future it wants.
Why Everyday Users Are Ditching AI as Datacenters Explode
The consumer side of AI is not just cooling. It is shrinking and shrinking fast.
Amazon and Google Dominate, Intel and Qualcomm Catch Up in AI-Powered Quarter
AI is no longer the side quest; it is the main storyline.
Legal
Microsoft Q3 FY26 Shows $54.5B Cloud Strength but Ongoing Xbox and Surface Declines
At Microsoft’s scale, triple-digit growth is rare, and Nadella clearly wanted investors to see this as validation that the company’s early and aggressive AI bets are paying off.
OpenAI Turns to AWS Hours After Its Microsoft Reset
Amazon announced that OpenAI’s latest models are coming to Amazon Bedrock, along with Codex and a new set of OpenAI-powered managed agents for enterprise customers.
Slack and Salesforce Hit Microsoft Again Over Teams Bundling
Salesforce and Slack are once again aiming for Microsoft’s habit of bundling Teams with Office,
OpenAI and Microsoft Announce a “Simplified” Partnership
One of the biggest changes is that Microsoft’s once exclusive license to OpenAI’s intellectual property is now non-exclusive,
Snap Cuts 1,000 Jobs and Blames AI For The Shake‑Up
The memo framed the cuts as an “incredibly difficult” but necessary step toward profitability.
Microsoft 365
Microsoft Adds Agentic AI to Outlook’s Email and Calendar
The goal is to reduce the amount of manual oversight required to keep both inboxes and calendars organized.
Microsoft Brings Agentic AI to the Core Office Apps
It’s impressive, and it also arrives at a very convenient moment for a company that recently raised prices on its productivity suite
Microsoft’s Recall Problem Isn’t Just Technical. It’s Trust.
The vault door is titanium, but the wall next to it is drywall.
Microsoft uses its ecosystem to counter MacBook Neo
It's no secret that MacBook Neo has shaken the...
Microsoft’s AI Bill Is Coming Due, and Investors Are Losing Their Patience
Microsoft’s stock is “on track for its worst quarterly performance since the global financial crisis” as concerns mount over its AI spending
Windows
Xbox Mode Is Finally Rolling Out on Windows 11
The goal is simple: make it easier for players to jump into their games without juggling windows or navigating the traditional desktop environment.
Microsoft’s Q3 Earnings Call Shows a Company Trying to Rebuild Trust
Nadella highlighted that the company is finally prioritizing fundamentals, citing recent changes aimed at improving performance and reducing friction.
Microsoft Q3 FY26 Shows $54.5B Cloud Strength but Ongoing Xbox and Surface Declines
At Microsoft’s scale, triple-digit growth is rare, and Nadella clearly wanted investors to see this as validation that the company’s early and aggressive AI bets are paying off.
EP.94 – Microsoft’s Xbox Revival
Get ready to dive into the wild world of tech, where Microsoft is shaking things up, gaming is making a comeback, and AI is causing a ruckus.
New Windows Insider Build Debuts Experimental Channel and Fresh Features
This shift marks a renewed effort to make the program more predictable, more transparent, and more aligned
Reviews
The Best GUNNAR Models for Women: Reviewing Elin, Sofia, and Erika
It is fascinating to see how the brand has evolved from its "gaming" roots into a legitimate fashion statement for women.
Absolum Review: A Roguelite That Understands Real Life
The setup feels like a lost fantasy cartoon from the early nineties, complete with richly inked environments and expressive character animations.
Bose SoundLink Micro 2 Review: Rugged, Clear, and Surprisingly Loud
No one is giving the trophy to a Bluetooth speaker, but watching that tiny blue square help steady a team in the final stretch of preparation said a lot about its real‑world usefulness.
A Dancers Review of Gunnar’s Themed Eyewear Collection
Her favorite part was the case. She said it looks like something her students would immediately try to steal, which is probably true.
Gunnar’s New Fallout Designs Feel Pulled From the Wasteland
These glasses feel like artifacts from the show that somehow slipped into our timeline.
Editorials
Why Everyday Users Are Ditching AI as Datacenters Explode
The consumer side of AI is not just cooling. It is shrinking and shrinking fast.
Microsoft’s AI Pivot From Partner to Proprietor
The practical consequence is simple and expensive. Microsoft is effectively paying for access to the fastest external models while also investing in building its own. That buys optionality, but multiplies cost, complexity, and internal coordination challenges.
Dire Warning: Microsoft’s AI Gambit and the Dawn of Tech’s Next Big Bubble
Deutsche Bank calculates that, without tech-related investment (read: AI and data center spending), the U.S. would already be in a recession in 2025. In other words, AI is currently propping up GDP, just as telecom CapEx did before the dot-com crash.
Initial Hands‑On With The Dell XPS Premium 14 With GeForce RTX 4050
It trades ultralight portability for a more robust build and better performance under load, and Dell’s software lets you tune that balance.
Gaming
Free Play Days is a double header this weekend
Let's jump right in and talk about two great...
Microsoft’s New College Bundle Might Be the PC Market’s Smartest Summer Move
It’s a rare moment where the PC ecosystem is trying to add real value instead of just shouting about specs.
Xbox’s New CEO Ends Copilot on Console to Put Games Back at the Center
This wasn’t about AI. It was about identity. It was about Xbox deciding what it wants to be again.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Marches to macOS this month
One of the most iconic strategy games ever made...
PlayStation’s New DRM Sparks Flashbacks to Xbox One’s Biggest Fail
Now, more than a decade later, Sony seems to be testing a softer version of the very thing it mocked.
Deals
Microsoft’s New College Bundle Might Be the PC Market’s Smartest Summer Move
It’s a rare moment where the PC ecosystem is trying to add real value instead of just shouting about specs.
Bose Levels Up Home Audio with the New Lifestyle Ultra Series
It’s a lineup that feels like Bose reclaiming its place in the living room, not by repeating the past but by modernizing the formula that made the original Lifestyle systems iconic.
The Best GUNNAR Models for Women: Reviewing Elin, Sofia, and Erika
It is fascinating to see how the brand has evolved from its "gaming" roots into a legitimate fashion statement for women.
Valve’s New Steam Controller Is Finally Real
You get dual trackpads for mouse‑like precision, TMR magnetic thumbsticks designed to avoid drift, full gyro support, and four rear grip buttons that give you extra inputs without lifting your thumbs.
Alienware 27 QD‑OLED Monitor Brings Premium Gaming to a Mid‑Range Price
Now packaged for gamers who want flagship performance without the flagship price
Software
Researcher Finds Edge Exposes Saved Passwords at Startup
Not after you log in. Not after you autofill something. Immediately at startup.
Slack and Salesforce Hit Microsoft Again Over Teams Bundling
Salesforce and Slack are once again aiming for Microsoft’s habit of bundling Teams with Office,
OpenAI Chases Smartphone Dreams with Qualcomm and MediaTek
However, this aggressive expansion into hardware suggests a company intent on scaling its physical footprint before its primary software offerings have reached technical or commercial maturity.
Google’s Workspace Intelligence Pushes AI‑Driven Work Forward
Workspace Intelligence is designed to collapse that friction by giving Gemini a unified, real time understanding of your projects, collaborators, and organizational knowledge.
Stardock lauches Connection Explorer 1.0
Stardock has officially released Connection Explorer 1.0, a Windows...
AI
Google Chrome’s Silent 4GB AI Install Is Exactly Why People Are Tired of AI
Installing a multi‑gigabyte Gemini Nano model on user machines, with no prompt, no opt‑out, and no meaningful transparency about what’s happening behind the scenes
Google Adds More Links and Context to AI Overviews
With this update, AI Mode and AI Overviews start behaving less like sealed summaries and more like guided entry points into the wider web.
Xbox Resets Its Future With Major Leadership Changes
New CEO Asha Sharma has stepped in with a clear message to her teams: the way Xbox works today is not built for the future it wants.
Why Everyday Users Are Ditching AI as Datacenters Explode
The consumer side of AI is not just cooling. It is shrinking and shrinking fast.
Amazon and Google Dominate, Intel and Qualcomm Catch Up in AI-Powered Quarter
AI is no longer the side quest; it is the main storyline.
Legal
Microsoft Q3 FY26 Shows $54.5B Cloud Strength but Ongoing Xbox and Surface Declines
At Microsoft’s scale, triple-digit growth is rare, and Nadella clearly wanted investors to see this as validation that the company’s early and aggressive AI bets are paying off.
OpenAI Turns to AWS Hours After Its Microsoft Reset
Amazon announced that OpenAI’s latest models are coming to Amazon Bedrock, along with Codex and a new set of OpenAI-powered managed agents for enterprise customers.
Slack and Salesforce Hit Microsoft Again Over Teams Bundling
Salesforce and Slack are once again aiming for Microsoft’s habit of bundling Teams with Office,
OpenAI and Microsoft Announce a “Simplified” Partnership
One of the biggest changes is that Microsoft’s once exclusive license to OpenAI’s intellectual property is now non-exclusive,
Snap Cuts 1,000 Jobs and Blames AI For The Shake‑Up
The memo framed the cuts as an “incredibly difficult” but necessary step toward profitability.
Microsoft 365
Microsoft Adds Agentic AI to Outlook’s Email and Calendar
The goal is to reduce the amount of manual oversight required to keep both inboxes and calendars organized.
Microsoft Brings Agentic AI to the Core Office Apps
It’s impressive, and it also arrives at a very convenient moment for a company that recently raised prices on its productivity suite
Microsoft’s Recall Problem Isn’t Just Technical. It’s Trust.
The vault door is titanium, but the wall next to it is drywall.
Microsoft uses its ecosystem to counter MacBook Neo
It's no secret that MacBook Neo has shaken the...
Microsoft’s AI Bill Is Coming Due, and Investors Are Losing Their Patience
Microsoft’s stock is “on track for its worst quarterly performance since the global financial crisis” as concerns mount over its AI spending
Windows
Xbox Mode Is Finally Rolling Out on Windows 11
The goal is simple: make it easier for players to jump into their games without juggling windows or navigating the traditional desktop environment.
Microsoft’s Q3 Earnings Call Shows a Company Trying to Rebuild Trust
Nadella highlighted that the company is finally prioritizing fundamentals, citing recent changes aimed at improving performance and reducing friction.
Microsoft Q3 FY26 Shows $54.5B Cloud Strength but Ongoing Xbox and Surface Declines
At Microsoft’s scale, triple-digit growth is rare, and Nadella clearly wanted investors to see this as validation that the company’s early and aggressive AI bets are paying off.
EP.94 – Microsoft’s Xbox Revival
Get ready to dive into the wild world of tech, where Microsoft is shaking things up, gaming is making a comeback, and AI is causing a ruckus.
New Windows Insider Build Debuts Experimental Channel and Fresh Features
This shift marks a renewed effort to make the program more predictable, more transparent, and more aligned
Reviews
The Best GUNNAR Models for Women: Reviewing Elin, Sofia, and Erika
It is fascinating to see how the brand has evolved from its "gaming" roots into a legitimate fashion statement for women.
Absolum Review: A Roguelite That Understands Real Life
The setup feels like a lost fantasy cartoon from the early nineties, complete with richly inked environments and expressive character animations.
Bose SoundLink Micro 2 Review: Rugged, Clear, and Surprisingly Loud
No one is giving the trophy to a Bluetooth speaker, but watching that tiny blue square help steady a team in the final stretch of preparation said a lot about its real‑world usefulness.
A Dancers Review of Gunnar’s Themed Eyewear Collection
Her favorite part was the case. She said it looks like something her students would immediately try to steal, which is probably true.
Gunnar’s New Fallout Designs Feel Pulled From the Wasteland
These glasses feel like artifacts from the show that somehow slipped into our timeline.
Editorials
Why Everyday Users Are Ditching AI as Datacenters Explode
The consumer side of AI is not just cooling. It is shrinking and shrinking fast.
Microsoft’s AI Pivot From Partner to Proprietor
The practical consequence is simple and expensive. Microsoft is effectively paying for access to the fastest external models while also investing in building its own. That buys optionality, but multiplies cost, complexity, and internal coordination challenges.
Dire Warning: Microsoft’s AI Gambit and the Dawn of Tech’s Next Big Bubble
Deutsche Bank calculates that, without tech-related investment (read: AI and data center spending), the U.S. would already be in a recession in 2025. In other words, AI is currently propping up GDP, just as telecom CapEx did before the dot-com crash.
Initial Hands‑On With The Dell XPS Premium 14 With GeForce RTX 4050
It trades ultralight portability for a more robust build and better performance under load, and Dell’s software lets you tune that balance.
Gaming
Free Play Days is a double header this weekend
Let's jump right in and talk about two great...
Microsoft’s New College Bundle Might Be the PC Market’s Smartest Summer Move
It’s a rare moment where the PC ecosystem is trying to add real value instead of just shouting about specs.
Xbox’s New CEO Ends Copilot on Console to Put Games Back at the Center
This wasn’t about AI. It was about identity. It was about Xbox deciding what it wants to be again.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Marches to macOS this month
One of the most iconic strategy games ever made...
PlayStation’s New DRM Sparks Flashbacks to Xbox One’s Biggest Fail
Now, more than a decade later, Sony seems to be testing a softer version of the very thing it mocked.
Deals
Microsoft’s New College Bundle Might Be the PC Market’s Smartest Summer Move
It’s a rare moment where the PC ecosystem is trying to add real value instead of just shouting about specs.
Bose Levels Up Home Audio with the New Lifestyle Ultra Series
It’s a lineup that feels like Bose reclaiming its place in the living room, not by repeating the past but by modernizing the formula that made the original Lifestyle systems iconic.
The Best GUNNAR Models for Women: Reviewing Elin, Sofia, and Erika
It is fascinating to see how the brand has evolved from its "gaming" roots into a legitimate fashion statement for women.
Valve’s New Steam Controller Is Finally Real
You get dual trackpads for mouse‑like precision, TMR magnetic thumbsticks designed to avoid drift, full gyro support, and four rear grip buttons that give you extra inputs without lifting your thumbs.
Alienware 27 QD‑OLED Monitor Brings Premium Gaming to a Mid‑Range Price
Now packaged for gamers who want flagship performance without the flagship price
Software
Researcher Finds Edge Exposes Saved Passwords at Startup
Not after you log in. Not after you autofill something. Immediately at startup.
Slack and Salesforce Hit Microsoft Again Over Teams Bundling
Salesforce and Slack are once again aiming for Microsoft’s habit of bundling Teams with Office,
OpenAI Chases Smartphone Dreams with Qualcomm and MediaTek
However, this aggressive expansion into hardware suggests a company intent on scaling its physical footprint before its primary software offerings have reached technical or commercial maturity.
Google’s Workspace Intelligence Pushes AI‑Driven Work Forward
Workspace Intelligence is designed to collapse that friction by giving Gemini a unified, real time understanding of your projects, collaborators, and organizational knowledge.
Stardock lauches Connection Explorer 1.0
Stardock has officially released Connection Explorer 1.0, a Windows...
MSFT Unboxed
Latest Articles
Free Play Days is a double header this weekend
Let's jump right in and talk about two great...
Microsoft’s New College Bundle Might Be the PC Market’s Smartest Summer Move
It’s a rare moment where the PC ecosystem is trying to add real value instead of just shouting about specs.
Google Chrome’s Silent 4GB AI Install Is Exactly Why People Are Tired of AI
Installing a multi‑gigabyte Gemini Nano model on user machines, with no prompt, no opt‑out, and no meaningful transparency about what’s happening behind the scenes
Most Popular
Microsoft’s New College Bundle Might Be the PC Market’s Smartest Summer Move
It’s a rare moment where the PC ecosystem is trying to add real value instead of just shouting about specs.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Marches to macOS this month
One of the most iconic strategy games ever made...
Xbox Resets Its Future With Major Leadership Changes
New CEO Asha Sharma has stepped in with a clear message to her teams: the way Xbox works today is not built for the future it wants.
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