Windows Weekly 948: "Netflix Tears"
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)
Host: Leo Laporte
Guests: Paul Thurrott, Richard Campbell
Date: September 3, 2025
Episode Overview
In this engaging, wide-ranging episode, Leo Laporte is joined by Paul Thurrott (reporting from Berlin during IFA) and Richard Campbell (returned from a Canadian fishing trip). The trio discuss recent developments in the Windows Insider builds, Microsoft and PC industry earnings, the continuing challenges of cross-device file sharing, the state of streaming services and subscription "enshittification," new AI moves from Microsoft, the judge's much-anticipated and controversial decision in the Google antitrust case, and more. As always, the show closes with app and whiskey picks, including a deep-dive into Canadian Club.
Key Discussions & Insights
1. Live Updates from IFA Berlin
- [02:18–04:00]
- Paul Thurrott shares that while the main IFA event hasn't started, PC and chip announcements happen at CES and IFA—major annual milestones for the industry.
- IFA: increasingly relevant for PC makers; major announcements are expected.
"There are two big milestones in the year for chipsets that go into PCs and PCs…CES and IFA are those two." — Paul Thurrott [03:37]
2. Windows Insider Program: A Flood of Builds
- [04:20–13:15]
- Microsoft issued four distinct Insider builds (Release Preview, Beta, Dev, Canary) to different channels.
- 25H2 is a "minor update," mostly an enablement package—contrasted with major under-the-hood changes in 24H2.
- Notable new features:
- [11:00] Click-to-do (Copilot++): Screen recognition for converting tables to Excel, "Persona cards" for identifying contacts, improved Braille viewer.
- [17:00] Windows Share now finds compatible store apps—a good idea, but underused.
"People got burned on 24H2 because it changed so much. It just lights up the ticket system." — Richard Campbell [07:49]
3. The Neverending Saga of Windows File/Content Sharing
- [17:56–26:58]
- File and content sharing features on Windows still lag behind the seamless experience on Apple ecosystems (Airdrop), with Nearby Share often slow or buggy.
- Cross-ecosystem environments (e.g., Android+PC+Apple) remain a pain point for users.
"No Airdrop on Windows…they do have Nearby Share…not as seamless. Possibly still transferring 35 minutes later." — Paul Thurrott [22:31]
4. Fragmented Messaging and Ecosystem Woes
- [27:05–31:40]
- The proliferation of messaging apps and lack of interoperability remains "unsolved"—even Google’s efforts (Allo, Duo, RCS) have failed to create a universal standard.
- User frustration with platform-locked features and the lack of a genuine cross-platform solution.
"In technology, any sentence that begins with 'I just wanna' is doomed to disappointment and sadness." — Leo Laporte [30:29]
5. Obscure Windows Apps: Mobile Plans & Windows Backup
- [34:39–43:26]
- Mobile Plans app to be discontinued as Windows migrates to built-in eSIM management.
- Windows Backup app, now rolled out more broadly (including to organizations), is still confusing, backing up some but not all settings, and used mainly for consumer and SMB migration.
"Some subset that no one will ever document of Windows settings and preferences…" — Paul Thurrott [41:00]
6. PC Industry Earnings: Up, Up, Up
- [53:18–56:56]
- Lenovo, Dell, and HP all reported growth, with Lenovo having a record quarter (PC business up 18%). Dell’s main growth comes from servers and AI, while HP’s PC division is healthier despite slow printer sales.
"None of them had a down note per se about PCs…which is honestly, for this kind of business, is pretty solid." — Paul Thurrott [55:33]
7. Google Antitrust Ruling: Bark Worse Than Bite
- [62:29–77:00]
- Judge Mehta ruled Google a monopoly but imposed minimal remedies, declining to force sales of Chrome or Android or to end default search deals—against DOJ recommendations.
- Paul’s strong critique: The remedies do not address the illegalities previously found, and Google essentially “won.”
"What you've done is wasted years, found legally that this company is abusing a monopoly…What are we going to do about it? Nothing." — Paul Thurrott [65:53]
- Richard suggests possible outside (political) pressure; Leo wonders if Mehta saw all remedies as too harmful to the broader ecosystem, but Paul counters this lets illegal behavior persist.
8. Subscription ‘Enshittification’ and Netflix Tears
- [81:34–90:45]
- Discussion on streaming services consistently raising prices, shrinking benefits (ads on Prime Video unless extra paid), and introducing enforcement (e.g., Netflix household restrictions, YouTube family plan location checks).
- The panel expresses fatigue and starts to see a trend where people rotate services monthly or drop them entirely.
"A healthy relationship is one where you feel like you’re getting something in return…most of our relationships with these online services…are unhealthy." — Paul Thurrott [88:27]
9. Tech Misinformation (SSD Bricking, Gmail Security)
- [90:52–96:42]
- Stories about Windows updates bricking SSDs and a Gmail "security disaster" were widely reported, but largely baseless; both Microsoft and Google had to issue denials.
- Discussion about how single anecdotal reports can snowball and generate fake tech panic.
"I don't understand how you get from 'I saw it online' to 'I published a story about it,' but that's what happens." — Paul Thurrott [95:47]
10. AI at Microsoft: The MAI Model Debuts
- [99:25–108:19]
- Microsoft AI announces its first in-house models—MAI Voice 1 (voice generation/recognition) and MAI One (general foundation model preview).
- Speculation that Microsoft, wary of OpenAI reliance, is doubling down on custom, specialized models for specific Copilot scenarios, moving towards a model orchestration approach.
"There’s going to be a lot of these 'mini' models…An orchestrator that you can’t see." — Richard Campbell [106:04]
- Naming convention: MAI (Microsoft AI) models, e.g., "Maivoice1".
11. PC Master Race & Xbox News
- [128:09–138:00]
- Xbox launches new August update: cross-device play histories, wider PC game store integration, Xbox Gaming Copilot (AI assistant) beta, improved controller navigation, more retro and cloud streaming titles.
- Paramount working on a Call of Duty movie—panel is skeptical about video games translating well to film.
12. App & Whiskey Picks
App Pick
- [150:29–153:46]
Vivaldi Browser:- Focus: "AI-free" browsing—no integrated AI features, customizable, privacy-focused.
"They're not denying AI. They're just saying it doesn’t have to be part of the browser." — Paul Thurrott
Tip
- [147:47]
- Rotate your streaming subscriptions: Only pay for one or two per month and "catch up" on content, rather than stacking up auto-renewing charges.
Whiskey Pick: Canadian Club 1858
- [158:09–171:46]
- An American-Canadian classic—budget-friendly, best with a splash of soda, a staple dram for generations (with deep lore tied to Detroit, Prohibition, and Mad Men).
"Not only did I come to party, I came to party hard." — Richard Campbell
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “In technology, any sentence that begins with ‘I just wanna’ is doomed to disappointment and sadness.” — Leo Laporte [30:29]
- “It’s a win-win for everyone except the consumer.” — Paul Thurrott on Dolby Vision 2 and hardware feature creep [50:47]
- "What you've done is wasted years, found legally that this company is abusing a monopoly…What are we going to do about it? Nothing." — Paul Thurrott on Google antitrust ruling [65:53] // More notable moments are included within the sections above.
Additional Timestamps for Key Segments
- 02:18 — IFA and PC industry event cycles
- 04:20 — Four new Windows Insider builds
- 17:56 — Windows Share and file sharing woes
- 29:54 — Messaging app fatigue
- 34:39 — Obscure Windows apps: Mobile Plans, Windows Backup
- 53:18 — PC industry earnings
- 62:29 — Google antitrust ruling
- 81:34 — Streaming subscription “enshittification”
- 99:25 — Microsoft’s custom AI models
- 128:09 — Xbox and PC gaming news
- 150:29 — App pick: Vivaldi Browser
- 158:09 — Whiskey pick: Canadian Club 1858
Tone & Style
The episode stays true to the familiar "Windows Weekly" mix: relaxed, occasionally irreverent, and deeply informed, with plenty of personal anecdotes, geeky tangents, and a candor that gives voice to both excitement about tech progress and its many frustrations.
For New Listeners
This episode is a classic Windows Weekly—a must-listen if you want a pulse-check on the current state of Microsoft, Windows, and the broader tech ecosystem. It spotlights the ongoing challenges of the “modern” computing era, including cross-platform headaches, subscription "creep," tech misinformation, and the tension between user needs and corporate priorities. There's plenty for both IT professionals and tech enthusiasts alike.
Compiled by: Windows Weekly Podcast Summarizer