Microsoft has fixed an issue that left the Smart App Control security feature grayed out and unable to be turned on for some Windows 11 24H2+ devices after installing the October 2026 KB5127648 update. The company says the fix is included in the KB5127936 preview update released October 28, 2026, and devices that already had Smart App Control enabled were never affected. Microsoft also published a registry-edit workaround for enterprise admins who prefer to wait for next month's cumulative update rather than install the preview patch.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-11-02
Google's Android Auto treats apps installed inside a managed Work Profile differently from personal apps, restricting their functionality on the car dashboard. Microsoft confirms Teams calls and meetings don't work through Android Auto when the app sits in a Work Profile, while Google Meet shows active calls but hides upcoming meetings and call history from that profile.
engadget.com
· 2026-11-02
A comparison of current PC component prices found that matching or beating the Xbox Series S's 1080p-1440p gaming performance requires a custom build using only new, currently available parts, since no modern PC hardware directly mirrors the console's older custom chip. The analysis excluded refurbished components due to price volatility and restricted the build to parts obtainable from major retailers today.
engadget.com
· 2026-11-01
A test compared Disk Cleanup, Storage Sense and Microsoft PC Manager on a 1TB C: drive with only about 4 percent free space remaining. Disk Cleanup, unchanged since Windows 98, runs a quick one-off scan for temporary files and caches, while Storage Sense works automatically in the background on a schedule. Microsoft PC Manager, a separate free download, performs a deeper scan and sorts reclaimable files into categories alongside other maintenance features.
engadget.com
· 2026-11-01
CodeAI, formerly Code.org, has named OpenAI the 'Lead Partner' for its 2026 Hour of AI, a successor to its Hour of Code event, with Microsoft listed as a supporter. Microsoft is hosting a November 17th webinar for K-12 teachers to introduce a Minecraft-branded 'Hour of AI' experience, featuring speakers from its AI training and Minecraft Education marketing teams.
news.slashdot.org
· 2026-11-01
Microsoft has filed a patent for an AI system that edits live video and audio in near real time, replacing or removing spoken words while adjusting a speaker's mouth and face to match. The filing, flagged by patent-tracker Patentlyze, describes using AI agents guided by user-set parameters to smooth these edits into live broadcasts or AR presentations.
futurism.com
· 2026-11-01
A report on Microsoft Teams outlines four features within the platform that many of its over 320 million monthly active users may not be aware of, despite having been available for some time. These include tools aimed at keeping meetings on schedule and helping users recover unfinished messages after interruptions. The coverage frames these as practical aids for people working remotely and relying on Teams for daily communication.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-31
Microsoft is encouraging owners of unused Xbox consoles to trade them in through Best Buy rather than let them sit idle. The push comes alongside Microsoft's own trade-in and refurbished-console programs, but this effort specifically highlights Best Buy's retail network.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-31
CNBC found that Microsoft, SpaceX, Meta, Tesla and IBM used the term 'Super Intelligence' or 'SI' instead of 'AI' in earnings-season filings and communications, following Trump's executive order and public push to replace the term in government documents. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella referenced a 'Super Intelligence era' in an annual letter, while one SpaceX filing used 'SI' 85 times.
futurism.com
· 2026-10-30
The Wikimedia Foundation has submitted an amicus brief in The New York Times' copyright lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, proposing a middle ground between the two sides. The brief argues fair use should apply to certain AI training scenarios and retrieval-augmented generation, but not when an LLM reproduces articles verbatim without attribution.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-30
Some employers that cut jobs this year citing AI, including firms in finance, marketing, law and health, have since rehired staff for the same or similar roles after the technology underperformed, according to staffing firm Robert Half. Executives cited AI's need for more human oversight than expected and its inability to replicate institutional knowledge as reasons for reversing the cuts, in a pattern now dubbed the 'AI boomerang.'
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-30
In their latest quarterly reports, Meta, Amazon and Alphabet all disclosed negative free cash flow, with Amazon's outflow reaching $42.4 billion, Alphabet's $9.07 billion, and Meta's $2.12 billion. Microsoft remained cash-flow positive but saw generation fall 27% to $18.63 billion and said it will tap bond markets to fund further AI infrastructure spending.
cnbc.com
· 2026-10-30
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