WW 986: Liminal AI - RTX Spark, Project Solara, Scout, & Much More!

Build 2026 is underway in San Francisco this week, and it started with a big, overly-long keynote as always. And Computex is this week, too. There's a lot going on, and some of it is fascinating. Plus, WWDC is next week because you cannot relax. Also, Microsoft GA's WinApp CLI, announces the Windows Platform Skills plug-in for native app creation, and you're not going to believe what Paul did next. OK, you will believe it

Build + Computex = OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD

• NVIDIA finally announces Arm-based N1X as the RTX Spark
• RTX Spark is an Arm-based portable workstation chip for Windows 11
• Microsoft announces Surface Laptop Ultra - It and other RTX Spark-based PCs will appear in late 2026
• Some of this leaked earlier, including a lower-end N1 chipset
• Microsoft continues to optimize and evolve Windows 11 for developers
• Windows Developer Configuration, Windows Developer Skills + WinApp CLI, Terminal, more Linux, and more on-device ("unmetered") AI - Tied to this, Copilot+ PC features are coming to more PCs, with CPU/GPU support - this, plus the RTX Spark stuff hints at answers to some obvious questions but there's nothing concrete from Microsoft
• Microsoft Edge is getting three new on-AI features
• Scout is a personal work agent powered by OpenClaw
• GitHub Copilot app arrives on desktop for your agentic coding and management needs
• Microsoft AI announces seven new foundation models
• Stevie Bathiche is back, baby! And he's talking about those AI app structures and how they've led to Project Solara

Windows

• Microsoft discusses the progress it's made on Windows 11 pain points
• You can now test the new Start menu in Experimental - Paul did so along with the new Taskbar
• Qualcomm announces low-cost Snapdragon C for $300+ PCs to take on MacBook Neo
• And Acer is the first to announce a Snapdragon C laptop
• New Surface Pro with Snapdragon X2 leaks for June release (!)
• Dell XPS 13 is coming soon with Intel Wildcat (also to take on MacBook Neo)
• Dell revenues are through the roof, but not because of PCs
• HP revenues are up, and it is because of PCs

AI and dev

• Anthropic gets a new valuation exceeding OpenAI and then it files for an IPO
• OpenAI adjusts GPT5.5-Instant for less sucking-up and releases computer use in Codex on Windows
• Flutter takes the lead on Flutter desktop development

XBOX and gaming

• Asha Sharma says you can't please everyone and then immediately jumps the shark trying to please everyone
• XBOX delays Fable reboot because of GTA VI
• New titles coming to Game Pass in early June across platforms
• XBOX starts early testing of new console features
• ASUS announces ROG Xbox Ally X20 with OLED display and XReal R1 glasses
• Intel announces Arc G-series for gaming handhelds
• Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 is next and it's the COD we've been begging for

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Now you can vibe code a native Windows app from the CLI
• App pick of the week: iA Writer
• RunAs Radio this week: Data API Builder and SQL MVP with Jerry Nixon
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Old Malt Casking of Longmorn 20

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/986

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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