WW 999: Physical Goods - Acer SFF RTX Spark Desktop Design Showcased at IFA 2026

While Microsoft pushes Copilot+ PCs, NVIDIA storms into the Windows ecosystem with AI-focused Spark machines and game-changing specs, igniting new rivalries with Apple and upending expectations for what local hardware can do. Plus, Atari revives 39 Activision classics for a price that will make retro fans blink, while the Sonos saga continues as it pivots to an open AI platform that might finally win back old loyalties. Finally, Paul's Markdown book will be released sometime in the next week.

Windows

• The mystery of 26H2 is now less mysterious
• Last week: Week D came and went without a preview release, triggering speculation
• Microsoft issues Windows 11 version 26H2 to Release Preview, a first
• This means a September or October release to stable. Just guessing, but Preview Update in September, general Update in October is most likely
• Version numbers don't matter much anymore. There are no unique 26H2 features, just a few unique 26H2 presets - These include Point-in-time restore and Memory Integrity Protection being on by default
• Two 26H1 pre-release builds with little to speak of
• IFA 2026 is underway in Berlin
• Acer is first out of the gates with dozens of new PCs, including one based on the NVIDIA RTX Spark
• EU General Court confirms that Microsoft Edge is not a gatekeeper
• Visual Studio Code now has a full Markdown Editor experience
• Brave now offers free email aliases, and will have a premium option soon
• Firefox for iOS now has integrated ad blocking
• NVIDIA - $96.2 billion in revenues, up 106 percent YOY
• Dell - record $47 billion in revenues, but it's all from server/infrastructure
• HP - $15.7 billion in revenues, up 12.5 percent - $11.8 billion from PCs, vs. $15 billion for all Dell client products

AI/dev

• Sony and Warner sue Anthropic for stealing their music
• Gemini Notebook gets first Expert Intelligence upgrade with integrated e-book support
• Sonos announces Sonos 27 OS with major AI functionality
• Microsoft moves WinUI development fully to GitHub ahead of open-sourcing it

XBOX and gaming

• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, more coming to Game Pass
• Every Activision title for the Atari 2600 is being reissued in cartridge form, but it's going to cost you

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Markdown: A Field Guide for Writers
• App pick of the week: ImageGlass 10
• RunAs Radio this week: Reimagining Intranets with Susan Hanley
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Macaloney's Cath-Nah-Aven

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

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