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Windows Central Podcast

Your weekly source for the best stories and insights from the world of Windows, Windows Mobile, Surface, HoloLens, and Xbox. Hosted by Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden.
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Now displaying: 2020
Dec 24, 2020

Zac and Dan sit down for one more podcast episode in 2021. They begin with an analysis of rumors that Microsoft is creating their own Arm chips for servers and Surface devices. Also on the docket is the near and longer term future of Surface Duo, the greatness of TikTok, and a new beta of the Edge browser.

Cyberpunk 2077 continues to generate controversy, especially on consoles. Dan review the HP EliteBook x360 G7, and Zac reports on what we can expect from Windows 10 in the first half of 2021. All that, plus their things of the week!

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Dec 14, 2020

It's a super-sized episode this week as Daniel and Zac talk about x64 emulation for Windows 10 on ARM, and the possible roadmap for Windows 10 and Surface products in 2021.

They also check in on Surface Duo after 3 months of use, HP's Reverb G2 VR headset, and the release of Cyberpunk 2077. Our very own Jez Corden says it may be one of the best video games ever made!

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Nov 30, 2020

We've got an incredibly packed episode for you this week! Daniel just took delivery of a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, and Zac reports on what to expect for Windows 10 in 2021. They also discuss Android apps coming to Windows 10 along with Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4 rumors.

All that, plus Edge news, PS5 vs Xbox Series X performance, and more.

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Nov 23, 2020

Xbox Series S and Surface Duo are among the year's best inventions, according to TIME. Daniel and Zac talk about what makes them great products. Microsoft Teams for personal use is rolling out to the web and desktop.

Intel is developing a reference design 15" laptop for release in 2021, the guys have a hands-on look at xCloud streaming on Windows 10, and Daniel has more to say on Apple Silicon.

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Nov 8, 2020

Zac and Daniel have a look at Microsoft's rumored 'Cloud PC' service, and what might tech might included in Surface Pro 8.

Razer continues to evolve their product line. They've got a $500 gaming chair that Daniel has had a chance to review. Plus, the company has introduced Razer Book 13, which is their first non-gaming laptop.

SwiftKey works across both displays on Surface Duo, and good deals abound on the device. They finish out the show with our reviews of Xbox Series X and Series S.

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Nov 2, 2020

Zac and Daniel look at the future of Windows 10 and discuss the imminent launch of Xbox Series X. Microsoft continues to deliver strong revenue and profitability. That makes Wall Street happy, but their success also fuels product development for enthusiasts like us.

Additionally, Daniel reviews the updated Surface Pro X and shares a new chapter in his Twitter tech-support nightmare.

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Oct 26, 2020

Zac and Dan share the top 5 new features in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, and talk about a temporary $200 discount on Surface Duo.

The Xbox Media Remotes will work with Xbox Series X and Series S thanks to IR receivers in the next-gen consoles. They also discuss product roadmap issues that are affecting Intel's bottom line, but the company is likely to remain a major power in the computer industry.

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Oct 19, 2020

Surface Pro X with the new SQ2 processor is here, and it's the most platinum platinum computer Microsoft has ever made. Dan and Zac review Surface Laptop Go and talk about a new Windows 10 build for Insiders, plus using Bing on Xbox.

They also evaluate Apple's lineup of iPhone 12 models and how they stack up for Microsoft users. Finally, they introduce a new segment called "Thing of the Week"!

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Oct 11, 2020

Dan and Zac talk about the Windows 10X out-of-box experience, which may be coming to Windows 10, and there's an update to Edge that adds a price checker for online shopping.

The Surface Duo October update corrects many initial issues with the device and represents the first in a long road of future improvements. The guys also touch briefly on Microsoft's new Xbox marketing campaign.

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Sep 28, 2020

Dan and Zac cover some of the most interesting announcements from Ignite. The 85-inch Surface Hub 2S is coming in January 2021. Edge is on the way for Linux users, and Microsoft Teams continues to grow as a platform for remote workers.

Alleged source code for Windows XP has leaked — hopefully you've upgraded by now! They also review the Windows 10 October 2020 Update along with a look at what's to come in 2021.

In the gaming realm, the guys talk about Xbox preorders and Microsoft's purchase of Zenimax for $7.5 billion dollars. And check out their Surface Duo tips!

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Sep 21, 2020

Michael Fisher aka "Mr. Mobile" joins Daniel and Zac to offer his impressions of Surface Duo. Zac shares the history of Andromeda — the initiative that ultimately led to creation of Surface Duo.

They also touch on Windows 10 20H2, a roundup of Surface laptop rumors, and the value of PS5 vs. Xbox.

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Sep 13, 2020

This week, Dan provides his full review of Surface Duo. He and Zac also discuss the recently unveiled Xbox pricing. It appears Microsoft will "win" this generation of consoles from a price and value standpoint.

Zac also reports on a new midrange Surface laptop (codenamed Sparti) that may arrive in time for the Holiday shopping season.

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Sep 7, 2020

Some Microsoft product code names have leaked — Zac and Daniel talk about what upcoming devices a few of them might be. Qualcomm has an update to the Snapdragon 8cx line coming late this year.

There are plenty of other product announcements this week. Intel have announced their 11th-gen processors, while NVIDIA unveiled a family of RTX 3000-series GPUs.

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Aug 30, 2020

Dan has a Surface Duo in hand and provides his impressions of the hardware while carefully skirting questions about software as he continues testing the new device. He and Zac also talk about Windows 10 20H2 build 19042.487 rolling out to the Beta and Release Channels.

It's possible that the Microsoft purchase of TikTok could be happening VERY soon. Plus, the new Xbox dashboard finally gets it right.

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Aug 17, 2020

Surface Duo has been fully unveiled and is now available for pre-order! Daniel and Zac are joined by another Dan — Android Central's Executive Editor Daniel Bader. They cover all the bases of the new device, including pricing and why Microsoft chose Android for the operating system instead of a Windows variant. As we've said many times already, Surface Duo is a product for Microsoft fans and hardcore users of the ecosystem. Don't overthink it, just tune in!

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Aug 10, 2020

It's been a busy week for Microsoft, and thus for Daniel and Zac as well! Significant organizational changes are happening for the Windows and Azure teams. Meanwhile, Satya Nadella works to acquire TikTok in the midst of very mixed signals from President Trump.

Microsoft and Apple are at odds over xCloud game streaming and what Microsoft claims are unfair App Store policies. But Microsoft is finding a not-so-strange bedfellow in the form of Samsung with regard to app integrations and a mutual love of foldable devices.

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Aug 3, 2020

Microsoft is making more cuts to Cortana as its functionality is removed from Android, iOS, Invoke, and more. All signs point to the week of August 24 for the release of Surface Duo.

Windows 10 preview build 20175 is available in the Insider Dev Channel. Daniel and Zac also discuss how 2020 has been AMD's time to shine vs. Intel, and they wrap up this week's show with a brief chat about Microsoft's efforts to purchase the US portion of TikTok. Note: This episode was recorded on Friday July 31 before the additional crazy TikTok news over the weekend.

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Jul 20, 2020

Daniel and Zac chat about the recent Twitter hack and Daniel's inability to access his account in the fallout. Surface Duo has been pushed back but is still supposed to ship earlier than expected.

They also catch up on development of Windows 10X, the launch of Project xCloud, and some changes to Windows 10 build 20170 for Insiders in the Dev Channel.

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Jul 13, 2020

Zac and Daniel talk about the apparent internal disconnect within Microsoft when it comes to reliably bringing Windows 10 updates to the Surface product line. There are new updates to Teams that can help make online meetings more tolerable.

They also discuss positioning and expectations for the upcoming Surface Duo — Microsoft didn't set out to make an Android phone. They set out to make a Surface phone that happens to run Android.

An Xbox event is set for July 23 where we expect to see more titles announced and hopefully more in-game footage. The Amazon Prime Video app is out now for Windows 10, and the guys round out the show with some chat about new laptops.

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Jul 6, 2020

There's a new developer build of Windows 10 available, which features significant changes to the Start menu. Daniel and Zac have the details on that as well as the Arm-based Lenovo Flex 5G.

Speaking of Arm processors, they compare Apple's efforts with their own designs with Microsoft's SQ1. The guys also talk about Xbox Series S Lockhart rumors and even touch on wearable computing with devices like the Oura Ring and Google's acquisition of North.

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Jun 28, 2020

Zac and Daniel are joined in the first segment of this week's episode by Adam Levenson of Waves Audio to discuss the speaker technology found in Dell's new XPS 15 and XPS 17 laptops.

From there, the guys mourn the closing of Mixer and all of Microsoft's retail stores. They also touch on the decline of Windows 10 stability and Apple's move to ARM-based processors.

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