Microsoft
Microsoft Quietly Removes 32GB RAM Recommendation for Windows 11 Amid Memory Shortage
Microsoft has silently deleted support pages that recommended 32GB of RAM for an ideal Windows 11 experience, as RAM prices spike and the company shifts to promoting 8GB configurations instead.
3 outletsbusinessMicrosoft Denies Viral Claim That Windows 11 Secretly Spies on Users Every 15 Minutes
A viral social media post accused Microsoft of quietly adding a background service to Windows 11 that tracks users and reports data every 15 minutes. Microsoft says the service is a longstanding diagnostic tool, not new spyware, and that data is only sent if users opt in.
2 outletsbusinessMicrosoft Office Professional 2021 Lifetime License on Sale for $32.97 Through Aug. 9
A one-time-purchase license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is being offered at $32.97, down from an MSRP of $219.99, through August 9, giving users an alternative to Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
2 outletsbusinessXbox's Disc-to-Digital Rollout Leaks as Industry Weighs Digital-Only Future
A leaked Microsoft roadmap points to an August 2026 launch for Xbox's Disc to Digital feature, letting players convert physical game discs into permanent digital licenses. The reveal comes amid broader industry tension, with Sony defending its move to end PS5 disc manufacturing and mixed signals over whether Xbox's next-gen console will keep disc support.
4 outletsbusinessMicrosoft Hikes Xbox Prices by Up to £170/€200 in UK and Europe, Citing Memory Shortages
Following earlier U.S. price increases of up to $150, Microsoft is raising Xbox Series S and Series X prices across the UK and Europe by as much as £170 or €200, starting August 1, as component shortages tied to the AI-driven RAM and SSD boom continue to push up console costs.
2 outletsbusinessMicrosoft Reveals Steep Xbox Series X/S Price Hikes in UK and Europe
Microsoft has confirmed new Xbox Series X and Series S prices for the UK and Europe, with increases of up to 49 percent following the August 1st global price rise it first announced in June.
2 outletsbusinessXbox Raises Console Prices in Europe and UK as Microsoft Pushes for Profitability by 2027
Microsoft has begun rolling out steep price increases on Xbox Series S and X consoles across Europe and the UK, part of a broader push by CEO Satya Nadella to return the Xbox division to growth after a quarter of declining revenue.
4 outletsbusinessReport Finds Many PS5 and Xbox Series X Physical Games Don't Fully Work Without a Download
A study by game-preservation group Does It Play finds that a significant share of physical PS5 and Xbox Series X games require a download to function properly or avoid game-breaking bugs, raising concerns about game preservation as Sony prepares to end physical disc production in 2028.
2 outletsbusinessDouble Fine Lays Off 23 Staff Weeks After Xbox Spinoff
Psychonauts 2 developer Double Fine has cut 23 employees—about a quarter of its roughly 90-person staff—just weeks after Xbox released it back into independence, with founder Tim Schafer citing the studio's survival as the reason.
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