Microsoft has acknowledged that its October 2026 Windows Server security updates are causing some on-premises Exchange servers to fail at delivering mail or authenticating Outlook on the web users. Affected systems can show a MapiExceptionMdbOffline error and Event ID 1006, traced to a new default cap on simultaneous Endpoint Mapper lookup calls that proves too low for Exchange under heavy load. Microsoft says the problem stems from the Windows Server update itself, not the separate Exchange security patches, and is advising admins to raise a registry limit rather than uninstall updates.
A planned UK data center has been pushed back into the 2030s due to delays connecting to the power grid, and Microsoft has withdrawn from the project as a result. The delay reflects broader infrastructure bottlenecks facing large-scale computing buildouts in the UK.
Companies including Meta and Microsoft are scaling back plans to replace staff with AI agents after finding employees were producing low-quality, AI-generated content rather than real productivity gains, according to Reuters and the Guardian. Microsoft executive Ryan Roslansky publicly criticized the rise of what he called AI-generated 'workslop' inside his own company, and a September Ernst & Young survey found 36 percent of senior AI executives at firms with over $1 billion in revenue reported a serious AI-related incident.
Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University's Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science have launched the Preceptorship for AI-accelerated Software Engineering (PRAISE) program. It lets early-career Microsoft software engineers take CMU online courses in software engineering and AI while receiving structured mentorship from senior engineers at the company. One participant, Jace Watson, takes the courses remotely from Seattle while working full-time at Microsoft.
Tom's Hardware tested MOZA's AY210 Force Feedback Base paired with the MFY Yoke in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, evaluating build quality, force feedback, and control precision across various flight scenarios. The reviewer found the setup delivers strong immersion and solid construction, though the elevator axis can feel stiff unless properly configured, and the bundle carries a premium price tag.
Microsoft now primarily sells Office through its Microsoft 365 subscription rather than one-time purchases, with a standalone license available for $180 but limited to one PC. The Family subscription plan includes 1TB of cloud storage per user, but Microsoft has added AI features to its plans and raised prices without an option to opt out of AI tools.
A CNET writer detailed switching from Microsoft 365 to LibreOffice, a free and open-source office suite developed by The Document Foundation since 2010. The suite includes six applications—Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base and Math—that mirror Microsoft's Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Access, and it runs on Windows, MacOS and Linux.
ConnectWise shut down customer access to its Cloud Backup service, formerly SkyKick Cloud Backup, after attackers gained access to application identities used to connect to Microsoft 365 tenants. Microsoft confirmed unauthorized authentication attempts from an IP address on October 15, while security firm Huntress identified at least 162 compromised tenants in its own environment. ConnectWise says it has found no evidence that customer backup data itself was accessed, and existing backups remain intact.
Ben Chisell, CEO of London payments firm Paysend, said he only gives AI tools to employees who have already proven strong performance, rather than rolling access out to the whole company. He said this approach has helped Paysend get roughly 25% more engineering output from the same team size, while warning that AI can amplify bad habits like laziness and poor judgment if given to underperformers.
Microsoft has expanded Microsoft Defender, its anti-malware and endpoint security product, to support major Linux distributions for enterprise use. The Linux version includes a next-generation antivirus engine, vulnerability management, device inventory, and threat-hunting tools, mirroring capabilities already available on Windows.
Microsoft is reworking parts of Windows 11 to reduce how much memory and processing power the operating system consumes, specifically targeting lower-end machines with 8GB of RAM. The changes aim to make the OS run more efficiently on hardware that has struggled under Windows 11's current resource demands.
The first reviews of Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra have begun appearing, framing the device as a high-end competitor to Apple's MacBook Pro. Reviewers reportedly describe the laptop as promising but note its high price point as a key consideration for buyers.
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