Microsoft

Microsoft tells Tom’s Hardware:

When Microsoft bundled Copilot into personal and family plans for Microsoft 365 last year, it raised prices for annual subscriptions by up to 45 percent. However, the Australian regulator ACCC alleges it misled consumers by not advertising a less expensive option without Copilot until consumers tried to cancel, reports The Guardian.

It’s tough getting details about one of the tech world’s most complicated relationships, even for investors.

Three weeks ago today, we reported how Microsoft’s prepping a free version of its Xbox cloud gaming service. While quizzing the company about bringing its new Halo remake to rival PlayStation, The New York Times also got “a Microsoft official” to confirm it’s internally testing the free ad-supported service.

That was fast! I slapped down my $29 the day we wrote about Hallmark’s new ornament and it’s already here. Watch when I press the power button — and see how it compares to my Sega Genesis one Hallmark released in 2022! There’s an NES, SNES and OG Xbox too.

Mico is the new face of Microsoft’s Copilot assistant, debuting for users of its voice mode today. If you tap on Mico a bunch of times, an Easter egg appears where it turns into Clippy briefly. “Clippy walked so that we could run,” joked Jacob Andreou, corporate VP of product and growth at Microsoft AI, in an interview with The Verge.

The feature, seen previously in Microsoft’s Designer and Photos apps on desktop and mobile, will start rolling out today to Windows Insiders members in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. You’ll need Paint version 11.2509.441.0 and a Copilot Plus PC with a Snapdragon processor to try it out.

Microsoft thinks the future of Windows involves letting AI take charge. It might be right, but only if you’re willing to embrace a little risk.

At 9am PT / 12pm ET, I’m answering subscriber questions live in the comments on this story, with an Xbox Ally in my left fist and an Xbox Ally X in my right. Ask me anything about the new handhelds, or the future of gaming in general!

While you’ll need a Microsoft PowerToy to do it, you can now automatically switch between light and dark modes on Windows 11 based on a schedule or when the sun rises and sets. The latest Light Switch PowerToy is very similar to the Auto Dark Mode app that’s been around for years, and you can also use it to set whether the shell, apps, or both should switch automatically.

Windows 10 reached end of support today, and now Microsoft appears to be teasing what’s next. “Something big is coming Thursday,” says the official Windows account on X, with some vague clues about your hands and fingers getting some rest. Is it gestures? Voice controls? The return of Clippy? I guess we don’t have long to find out.

The latest Dev Channel Windows 11 Insider Preview Build brings dark mode to Run. Why did it take this long?

Former UK leader Rishi Sunak has taken on a “senior adviser” role at Microsoft and Anthropic, where he’ll deliver “high-level strategic perspectives on macro-economic and geopolitical trends.” It sounds a little less involved than former deputy PM Nick Clegg’s role at Meta, but one more of these and we’ve got a trend.

The No Azure for Apartheid group are at Microsoft’s campus again today, protesting against the company’s continued contracts with the Israeli government after it blocked some cloud and AI services. Scott Sutfin-Glowski, a 13-year Azure software engineer, also sent a resignation email to thousands of Microsoft employees. “I can no longer accept enabling what may be the worst atrocities of our time,” says Sutfin-Glowski.