Can Microsoft Save Windows?

Microsoft has acknowledged that Windows 11 needs significant improvement, launching an internal initiative called K2 to overhaul the operating system. This plan aims to address user dissatisfaction by rebuilding the Start menu in Win UI3, removing ads, and making it up to 60% faster. K2 also includes a complete redesign of the File Explorer, more reliable Windows updates, and debloating the OS for better performance on handheld devices. For gaming, Microsoft is reportedly using Valve's Steam OS as a performance benchmark, suggesting future Xbox consoles might run Windows 11. In the short term, Windows 11 is introducing screen tints to reduce migraines. OpenAI is reportedly developing its own smartphone, collaborating with Qualcomm and MediaTek for processors, and Lux Share for co-design and manufacturing. This would be OpenAI's third hardware product, following Jooni's smart speaker and earbuds. The smartphone's goal is to compete with the iPhone by replacing traditional apps with AI agents. Qualcomm shares saw a 13% jump in pre-market trading after this report. Intel has reportedly canceled its next-generation Celestial discrete gaming GPUs, leaving ARC fans without a successor to the Battle Mage B580. Leaks suggest that the Celestial architecture was canceled long ago, and Intel is redirecting the chip design to Panther Lake laptops and AI data centers, where it can sell high-memory chips for a premium. This leaves Druid as the only potential successor for the B580, though its future is also uncertain. Microsoft is rolling out a feature for Windows Insiders that allows them to pause updates indefinitely in 35-day increments, which can be extended continuously through a new calendar interface. This feature is available to dev and experimental testers. Additionally, Commodore has reversed its policy on locking down third-party firmware for its C64 Ultimate Retro PC, now allowing users to install custom mods at their own risk after community backlash. Meta has signed a deal with Overview Energy to beam solar power from satellites to its AI data centers, becoming the first company to secure a space-based solar agreement. The contract reserves up to 1 gigawatt of capacity, with an orbital demonstration planned for 2028 and commercial delivery by 2030. The conflict in Iran is reportedly disrupting the global supply chain for printed circuit boards (PCBs), leading to a 40% increase in PCB prices between March and April, according to Goldman Sachs. This shortage is due to a military strike on a refinery that produces a significant portion of the world's PPE resin, a key component in PCBs, affecting the entire tech industry. Toyota has unveiled a limited-edition office chair, priced at $3,500, built from an actual Toyota Crown front power seat. It features heating, cooling, power recline, and a repurposed seat belt buckle that functions as a USBC charging port. The chair runs on a built-in battery, is limited to 70 units, and is sold exclusively in Japan. The seat belt itself is non-functional.