Windows Weekly 947: Hallucinated Clown Shoes
Date: August 27, 2025
Hosts: Paul Thurrott, Chris Hoffman (filling in for Richard Campbell)
Main Theme: Deep-dive into current Microsoft news, AI trends, Windows security, protests at Microsoft, platform developments, and the ever-evolving landscape of tech user experience.
Episode Overview
This week’s Windows Weekly features Paul Thurrott and Chris Hoffman, with Chris filling in for Richard Campbell. The duo explores dramatic on-campus protests at Microsoft’s headquarters, Microsoft’s responses to employee activism, updates in Windows 11 such as enhanced continuity and UAC (User Account Control) changes, the shifting AI landscape, Copilot Plus PCs, app modernization, and a touch of fun with Xbox and newsletter talk. The episode is rich with candid reflections, debates, and wry commentary on the current state and future direction of Microsoft and wider tech topics.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Newsletters and the Evolution of Personal Tech Media
[00:38 - 04:53]
- The hosts discuss the shift from blogs, to YouTube channels, to the current era of newsletters as the primary means of direct tech communication.
- Chris Hoffman introduces his new "Windows Readme" newsletter, highlighting the value of having one’s own “direct channel” to their audience, free of ads and outside control.
- Paul muses about reluctance to maintain his own newsletter, joking about starting “The Laporte Report.”
- Key Point: Newsletters are now a core component of personal branding and tech commentary.
"I sort of view it like a website—a blog that gives you a website."
– Chris Hoffman, [04:18]
2. Microsoft Campus Protests and Employee Activism
[04:54 - 18:39]
- In-depth coverage of ongoing, increasingly disruptive protests by Microsoft employees (and ex-employees) over the company’s Azure cloud business with Israel amid ongoing Middle East conflict.
- Chris gives a first-person account: protests have become more frequent, occupying significant MSFT spaces, even reaching Building 34 where top executives like Satya Nadella and Brad Smith are located.
- Discussion about employee rights, company policies on protests, Microsoft’s efforts to investigate claims, and the company’s official response: tolerant but firm, allowing protests until they break the law.
- A nuanced debate about responsibility, complicity, the difference between internal and external activism, and how tech companies navigate global politics.
"Microsoft is the type of company that would actually be okay with this type of thing if it was done within the confines of the rules."
– Chris Hoffman, [06:36]
"They allow that. It's fine. This is not a problem... As soon as the law gets broken, they have to step in. And I think that's not inappropriate."
– Paul Thurrott, [15:55]
3. Windows 11: Cross-Device Continuity & Feature Bloat
[19:02 - 28:49]
- Discussion of new continuity features in Windows 11 such as cross-device handoff starting with OneDrive and now Spotify, drawn on Apple's "handoff" ecosystem as inspiration.
- Critique: Many Windows features designed for developers or as “bullet points” rarely get mainstream adoption and often end up scrapped.
- Windows Share menu’s confusing state, and bloat from AI-powered right-click menu features.
- "Why can’t Microsoft keep things simple and consistent?" juxtaposed with Apple’s ecosystem lock-in, which users ultimately find convenient.
"They want app developers to use this stuff, but nobody does. Right? And so the first couple that have appeared... Microsoft did those."
– Chris Hoffman, [20:39]
"It's that cross device thing on the Mac... that's so special and so amazing. And it also locks you in, right?... It's awesome. It's convenient."
– Chris Hoffman, [25:31]
4. Copilot Plus PCs and Local AI: Hype Versus Reality
[28:54 - 48:56]
- Reviewing the gradual rollout of "semantic search" in Windows 11, now in File Explorer, Start, and the reimagined Copilot app—new local AI features that promise contextual, natural language search.
- Confusion abounds over Copilot Plus PC hardware dependencies: Where is the support for desktops and GPUs? Why is Microsoft making features exclusive to devices with Qualcomm/MPU when most users have powerful PCs?
- Paul and Chris express skepticism over the artificial limitations and marketing spin around “AI PCs,” the copious branding confusion (Copilot Plus, AI PC, Evo, etc.), and hardware manufacturers’ lag in NPU integration.
- Widespread agreement: AI features will eventually reach all capable hardware; today’s vendor lock-in is more about marketing and industry dynamics than technical necessity.
"There's no technical reason why this can't happen. And we keep waiting for that day where they finally say, look, we're opening it up to everybody, right?"
– Chris Hoffman, [34:41]
"AI PC would have been the better thing to call Copilot Plus PC, right?"
– Chris Hoffman, [41:18]
5. Local AI, NPUs, and the Illusion of "AI" Hardware
[48:56 - 54:06]
- Highly critical look at the current utility of NPUs (neural processing units) in most PCs: Outside a handful of niche local AI features, most users see no day-to-day benefit.
- Local AI models lag far behind cloud-based image or text generation in quality and capacity. Even local-generation features (e.g., for image creation in Windows Photos) require a Microsoft account and cloud verification, undermining the privacy and performance claims.
- The logic of adding increasingly complex (and sometimes unnecessary) hardware is linked more to press releases and market hype than user benefit.
"Most people—if you're using a chatbot, it's running in the cloud... You have a computer with a good NPU, you're not using it, which is absolutely true."
– Chris Hoffman, [46:23], [46:34]
"Local AI is really cool in theory... but even that is going to be..."
– Chris Hoffman, [46:34]
6. ARM Windows, Competition, and the Value Proposition
[50:00 - 51:56]
- Ongoing struggles with ARM-based Windows laptops: pricing, performance, hardware diversity, and competition from Apple MacBooks.
- "Crappy old Mac" (M1) is still a more attractive value than most new Windows-on-ARM laptops in the mainstream market.
- Hopes expressed for future competition as Nvidia and other new entrants develop ARM chips.
7. Windows UAC "Revamp" & Security Feature Frustrations
[57:11 - 72:03]
- Microsoft’s latest Windows security push introduces a new “administrator protection” mode that amplifies UAC prompts, relying on Windows Hello for confirmation.
- Although this technically makes running as admin much safer, it’s highly disruptive and, in practice, unnecessarily slows common tasks, especially for developers.
- The hosts break down the eternal trade-off: Security features that are too annoying will be disabled by users.
- Sandbox models, app containerization, and aspirations for more robust security met with wall of user resistance and legacy compatibility issues.
"If you as a concerned user said, 'I'm going to do the right thing,' [By enabling all optional security features]... Two days later: Something just doesn't work right. You don't know why."
– Chris Hoffman, [70:23]
8. Bluetooth Audio Finally Gets Good on Windows
[72:31 - 76:34]
- Major improvement: Windows adds long-requested support for modern Bluetooth audio profiles (A2DP) for stereo and higher-quality audio in headsets, impacting gaming, calls, and media.
- Still, Bluetooth hardware and software support remains a sprawling, confusing mess.
"This honestly is huge news. Like, I remember... I started using the microphone with it and the quality went off a cliff."
– Richard Campbell, [74:02]
9. Virtualization: Parallels Desktop 26
[76:51 - 78:46]
- Parallels Desktop 26 arrives with minor updates, focuses on macOS 26 compatibility, but also drops support for Bluetooth passthrough—requiring dongles for certain use-cases.
- Frustration with annual paid upgrade cycles but admiration for Parallels' overall features.
10. The Coming Deluge of AI, AI Search, and Content Authenticity
[80:28 - 84:51]
- Chris and Paul discuss the encroachment of generative AI across the web, predicting a resurgence in “artisanal, human” content like newsletters.
- Chris promotes his "WindowsReadMe" as an antidote to clickbait, SEO-optimized slop, and soulless AI-generated articles.
"The internet shouldn't just be pages and pages of other people's AI generated content... This is artisanal, handmade Chris Hoffman content."
– Richard Campbell, [81:09]
11. Microsoft 365 & AutoSave Change
[88:02 - 93:03]
- MS Word, PowerPoint, and soon Excel will allow default auto-save to any cloud provider—not just OneDrive. Possibly spurred by regulatory scrutiny, this change adds long-requested flexibility.
- OneNote UWP app's formal end-of-support marks another step away from Microsoft’s store app ambitions.
12. AI Indies & Industry Moves: Perplexity, Gemini, Proton Lumo
[93:03 - 108:00]
- Apple reportedly eyeing AI companies; Google’s Gemini expanding into private cloud partnerships with Apple for Siri.
- Perplexity launches an affordable plan; Anthropic adds secure browser extensions in limited release, emphasizing privacy and security.
- Notable AI developments in audio and video summarization (Notebook LM) and expanding language support for AI features.
- Proton enters the AI chat market with privacy-centric models, targeting Europe and open standards.
13. Rant: The Perpetual AI Hype Cycle
[108:02 - 117:00]
- Critique of “AI will replace everything” hyperbole: real-world use cases are nuanced. Grand pronouncements about keyboards/mice disappearing in five years echo past “touch everywhere” predictions that fizzled.
- The AI narrative doesn’t match how most people work. New modalities like voice should be additive, not replacements.
"It's not literally that voice is going to replace keyboard and mouse... It's something that will be there when you need it."
– Chris Hoffman, [110:08]
14. Developer Corner: GitHub Copilot, Modernizing APIs, and the State of Native Apps
[119:27 - 128:23]
- Copilot in Visual Studio receives tuning controls to make AI code-completion less intrusive.
- Microsoft’s Windows App SDK moves to open source, but desktop app development is now mostly about web or cross-platform code.
- Native, Windows-only apps are increasingly rare outside games and browsers.
"Most people... have a legacy app. They want to modernize... If you have the greatest idea for a new app, and you only want it to run on Windows—said nobody ever."
– Chris Hoffman, [125:55]
15. Xbox: Game Pass/Cloud Streaming Evolution & Fortnite-ification
[128:28 - 137:28]
- Xbox now testing cloud streaming for PC games and integration of multiple game store libraries.
- Rant: The proliferation of “crossover skins”—from Terminator to Beavis & Butthead—in Call of Duty, and backlash from players who want military shooters, not meme-fueled chaos.
- Analysis of game monetization, industry patterns, and the lasting impact of Nintendo-originated 30% fee on games and app stores.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On newsletter culture
“It used to be a YouTube channel. Before that, it was a blog. Before that, you worked at a publication or were a book author... it’s the new way to reach people.”
—Chris Hoffman, [01:52]
On Microsoft protests
“Microsoft is the type of company that would actually be okay with this type of thing if it was done within the confines of the rules.”
—Chris Hoffman, [06:36]
On Copilot Plus PC confusion
"There's no technical reason why this can't happen. We're just waiting for that day where they say, look, we're opening it up to everybody."
—Chris Hoffman, [34:41]
On local vs cloud AI
"Local AI is really cool in theory because you have privacy advantages. You can run your own model... but even that is going to be..."
—Chris Hoffman, [46:23]
On user frustrations with security
"You find yourself in this weird position of recommending to normal people, maybe this awesome advanced security feature—that would really secure you forever—you shouldn't use. It's like telling someone not to wear a seatbelt."
—Chris Hoffman, [68:06]
On “AI PCs”
“2024 was the year of the AI PC! Like, how many people are even using the NPUs on their laptops for anything?”
—Richard Campbell, [43:32]
On the evolution of Windows development
"If you have the greatest idea for a new app, and you only want it to run on Windows—said nobody ever. So that's just not going to happen."
—Chris Hoffman, [125:55]
On the over-the-top Call of Duty skins
"He walks around mumbling to himself... What are you doing here? It's ridiculous!"
—Chris Hoffman, [134:19]
Important Timestamps
- 00:38 – Newsletters and direct communication channels.
- 04:54 – Microsoft protests overview.
- 10:00 – What the protesters want & MSFT’s response.
- 19:02 – Windows cross-device continuity & developer features.
- 28:54 – AI semantic search rollout & Copilot Plus PC confusion.
- 34:41 – Does local AI need exclusive hardware?
- 48:56 – Local AI vs cloud AI image/text generation, "AI PCs" market.
- 57:11 – UAC revamp & user disruption.
- 72:31 – Bluetooth stereo support finally lands in Windows.
- 76:51 – Parallels Desktop 26 review.
- 88:02 – Microsoft 365, AutoSave decoupled from OneDrive.
- 119:27 – GitHub Copilot tuning, Windows App SDK, state of Windows-native apps.
- 128:28 – Xbox cloud streaming advances.
- 134:19 – Call of Duty “Fortnite-ification.”
- 141:41 – The 30% fee legacy and antitrust implications.
Fun & Personal
- Chris’s "WindowsReadMe" newsletter launches.
- Extended debate on platform user experience versus “marketing garbage.”
- Paul's love/hate with Call of Duty (and Xbox Game Pass tiers).
- Frustration (and nostalgia) for Windows geek culture—newsletter, de-bloating, ASCII art.
Picks & Final Notes
- Gemini image generation (Nano Banana): Notably improved, impresses with realistic composite images and new creative power ([152:10]).
- Nvidia Broadcast App: If you have an Nvidia GPU, you can enable high-quality AI webcam/voice effects even if you don’t have a Copilot Plus PC ([166:14]).
- Quick Tip: You can uninstall OneDrive in Windows directly from Control Panel—no PowerShell or scripts needed ([157:32]).
Closing Thoughts
Windows Weekly 947 delivers both critical analysis and light-hearted banter, balancing deep dives on protest politics and platform futures with sharp takes on AI hype, product bloat, gaming industry absurdities, and a rallying cry for genuine, human-created content in an age increasingly flooded by algorithmic slop.
"We'll see you next time—bye bye all you winners and dozers, take care." – Paul Thurrott [173:10]