Microsoft Raised Prices and Delivered Broken Refund Links

    The company issued an apology and offered refunds. The refund process then produced another error when users received broken links, deepening frustration.

    Latest articles

    Microsoft’s ARM-powered PC revolution relies on Prism and less on Snapdragon

    Microsoft continues to put Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips at center stage of its reinvigorated Windows on ARM (WoA) push, however, it's the company's new transition layer that will be the readily tested linchpin to pulling off this much hyped ARM-powered future.

    Qualcomm follows up Copilot + PC coronation with a dedicated Dev Kit

    During Microsoft's BUILD 2024 conference, the company attempted to reassure developers that its new attempt at a Windows on ARM transition would bear quantified...

    Microsoft partners with Khan Academy to put AI in schools

    During BUILD 2024, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella used part of his opening keynote to highlight a multi-faceted partnership to offer aspects of artificial intelligence to K-12 students in the US.

    Azure AI Studio gains new multimodal capabilities following BUILD 2024 announcement

    Part of Microsoft's multi-billion dollar investment into OpenAI includes access to its latest GPT models which now includes GPT-4o that will now be part of Azure AI starting today.

    GitHub Copilot extensions unlock the partner ecosystem

    GitHub is about to unlock a new realm of possibilities in Microsoft's coding ecosystem using Copilot Extensions. Today, GitHub and Copilot are joining...

    Copilot to go from personal assistant to process automation powerhouse

    We already have seen what Microsoft Copilot can do to help individual employees boost productivity and creativity in a time-saving manner. With today's...

    Cloud & Copilot

    MAI‑Image‑1 Challenges DALL·E 3 Inside Bing

    Expect Microsoft to treat model selection as a data problem and a UX problem simultaneously: keep multiple model options available, collect usage signals, and nudge heavy volume toward MAI where the economics and integration benefits are greatest.

    Copilot Vision Expands to All Insider Channels and Enhances Screen-Aware AI

    This update brings Copilot closer to being a truly context-aware assistant that can respond intelligently to what users see on their screens.

    OpenAI’s Corporate Evolution and Microsoft’s Strategic Place Within It

    OpenAI’s shift to a public benefit corporation, backed by Microsoft’s $135 billion stake, redefines their partnership with extended IP rights, Azure commitments, and new flexibility for future AI competition

    Australian Regulator Sues Microsoft Over Copilot-Driven Subscription Surge

    The ACCC claims Microsoft told auto-renewing subscribers they had two options: accept the new AI-enhanced plan at a higher price or cancel their subscription.

    Copilot Replaces Search and Starts the Conversation

    The taskbar gains an opt‑in Ask Copilot button that provides one‑click access to Copilot Voice and Copilot Vision and surfaces lightning‑fast search results in a refreshed design, with apps, files, and settings returning instantly as you type.

    Copilot Voice Hears You and Handles The Busywork

    Mehdi states that the shift to conversational input “will be as transformative as the mouse and keyboard” and that “the magic unlock with Copilot Voice and Copilot Vision is the ease of interaction”.

    MAI-Image-1 Offers a Proof of Concept for Microsoft’s Independent AI Strategy

    The model is presented as the next step in Microsoft AI’s effort to build “AI for everyone,” and the team says MAI-Image-1 is aimed at giving creators fast, flexible, and visually diverse outputs that better match real-world creative workflows.

    Gaming

    Microsoft Uses Its Office Blueprint for Xbox

    Perhaps the most telling moment came when Nadella said gaming’s real competition is short-form video. That is a sobering admission. If Xbox is fighting TikTok for attention, then the battle for console relevance may already be over.

    Microsoft May Finally Drop the Xbox Multiplayer Paywall

    According to reporting from Windows Central’s Jez Corden, the next generation of Xbox could run on full Windows, remove the long-standing online multiplayer fee, and reshape how Microsoft positions its console against PlayStation and PC gaming.

    Microsoft’s Halo Used in ICE Recruitment Meme, Sparking Outrage and Silence

    The company’s intellectual property is being repurposed to support violent or unlawful state actions, and its refusal to intervene only emboldens those who see its silence as tacit approval.

    Microsoft Sends Halo to PlayStation, Signaling the End of Xbox Exclusivity as We Knew It

    Our goal is to reach players wherever they are, and that means embracing multiplatform publishing, even for legacy titles like Halo

    Gadgets

    ROG Ally X Line Offers Console‑Class Frame Rates on the Go

    The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X offer two clear paths into high‑quality handheld PC gaming. The Ally delivers broad capability at a sensible price and the Ally X pushes for sustained, console‑class performance and maximum expandability at a premium.

    From Podcasts to Parties: Why the Bose SoundLink Plus Might Be Your Next Speaker

    What really sold me, though, was its versatility. My workday doesn’t end at the office. The SoundLink Plus travels with me from home to work and even to my wife’s dance studio, where it’s become an unexpected hero in her choreography sessions.

    ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 QOY: Don’t sleep on a Snapdragon

    When you first read the name "ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 QOY," it doesn't offer any clues other than the 16-inch screen about its purpose. Sometimes, when getting an email about a new review unit, the...

    Microsoft 365

    OpenAI Signs $38 Billion AWS Deal While Failing to Prove Real Revenue

    OpenAI inks a massive AWS partnership, but billions in losses raise doubts about whether the AI giant can ever deliver sustainable returns.

    OpenAI’s Corporate Evolution and Microsoft’s Strategic Place Within It

    OpenAI’s shift to a public benefit corporation, backed by Microsoft’s $135 billion stake, redefines their partnership with extended IP rights, Azure commitments, and new flexibility for future AI competition

    Microsoft Edge Adds Passkey Syncing and Simplifies Cross-Device Login

    Microsoft Edge now supports passkey syncing through its built-in password manager, offering a more secure and seamless way to log in across devices.

    Affinity Returns Under Canva: A Free, Unified Creative Suite for a New Era

    Now, with Canva’s backing, Affinity has gone even further by removing the cost entirely.

    Microsoft Simplifies Windows Update Titles and Finally Cuts the Clutter

    Windows updates have traditionally read like a jumble of numbers and acronyms, useful for IT admins, but intimidating for everyday users.

    Copilot Vision Expands to All Insider Channels and Enhances Screen-Aware AI

    This update brings Copilot closer to being a truly context-aware assistant that can respond intelligently to what users see on their screens.

    Microsoft Paint adds Restyle in latest Windows Insider release

    Restyle lets users apply artistic style transformations to images directly within Paint by choosing from a set of presets and letting the AI generate a transformed version that can be added to the canvas, copied, or saved.

    Podcasts

    EP.74 – Amazon cuts deep, Microsoft doubles down, Canva makes a move, and Xbox wants respect

    Microsoft’s FY25 earnings are in, and they’re not just numbers, they’re a narrative. In this episode of MSFT Unboxed, we unpack the cloud-fueled highs, the Xbox subscription whispers from Satya Nadella, and the strategic recalibration of OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft.

    Unboxed POD EP.73 – Xbox Economics, XR Ambitions, and the Cost of Creativity

    Creativity is expensive. Profitability is non-negotiable. In this episode, we unpack the financial and strategic shifts reshaping Microsoft, Xbox, and the broader tech ecosystem. From $2,000 dev kits to $96.5 million CEO paydays, the numbers are rising, but at what cost to innovation?

    Unboxed POD EP:70 – From Surveillance to Silicon, Microsoft’s Boldest Week Yet

    This week, we’re diving into a wave of major moves from Microsoft, Qualcomm, and the Xbox ecosystem that signal a shift in how tech giants are redefining their roles across AI, gaming, and cloud infrastructure.

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    Popular articles

    Microsoft Raised Prices and Delivered Broken Refund Links

    The company issued an apology and offered refunds. The refund process then produced another error when users received broken links, deepening frustration.

    Google Play and YouTube Just Ghosted Movies Anywhere

    No explanation. No apology. Just a quiet severing of one of the last threads holding together the dream of a unified digital movie library.

    TicNote Launches the World’s First Agentic AI Recorder for the Creator Economy

    TicNote is not just an app or a feature, it is a standalone piece of hardware designed to liberate your smartphone from the burden of multitasking.

    Microsoft Store Web Adds Multi‑App Install

    Microsoft’s web Store now lets you pick several apps and create a single installer that launches the Store app to download and install them all in one go. It’s a simple, Ninite‑style convenience feature aimed at saving time when setting up a new PC or reprovisioning a machine.

    MAI‑Image‑1 Challenges DALL·E 3 Inside Bing

    Expect Microsoft to treat model selection as a data problem and a UX problem simultaneously: keep multiple model options available, collect usage signals, and nudge heavy volume toward MAI where the economics and integration benefits are greatest.