Mac Studio got its first hardware upgrade with the M2 Max and Ultra chips.  The Mac Studio still starts at $1,999 and can be custom configured up to an M2 Ultra with 24-cores and a 60-core GPU flanked with up to 192GB of ram.  The Mac Studio is still aimed at professional workflows.  The Mac Pro is the first Apple Silicon-based system to feature PCI expansion with eight slots available for custom connectivity.  The Mac Pro starts at $5,999 and is available in both tower and rackmount form factors.

Apple has given its entry into the VR space with the Apple Vision VR Pro headset.  A stand-alone battery-powered unit offering experiences in both work and play.  With a battery life of just two hours according to Apple, we’ll have to wait and see how good these experiences are. Waiting all the way until early 2024 when the headset is supposed to be available for $3,499. Sound pricey? Compared to the Microsoft Halo Lens 2, its right on target, but what audience is Apple aiming for?  We’ll have to wait and see.

The yearly updates to the software stack did remain consistent, it’s all about widgets and sharing with others.  Widgets have been enhanced on the iPad allowing you to interact right from the lock screen.  Widgets have also made their way back to WatchOS, making more information available at a glance.  Apple has done something with macOS  Microsoft has yet to complete with Windows 11, fully customizable widgets on the desktop.  You also have access to the widgets on your phone  from your computer which is a nice touch, leveraging the Apple ecosystem.

Other notable mentions coming this year are the ability to share contact cards just by bringing two Apple devices close together.  A new Check-In service was debuted allowing you to share location, cell signal, timing, and other location information with those close to you.  This could be especially useful on trips if someone doesn’t arrive at a destination on time.  Share Play also received some enhancements, such as any passenger being able to add music to the car playlist.

Those are the highlights for WWDC 2023.  What interests you most?  Are you disappointed that you didn’t see something?  Leave it in the comments, and check out or special OnPodcast WWDC 2023 edition to get our thoughts

The Lenovo T16 series was created to address a core need of the business audience.  The first generation of the T16 Lenovo accomplished those basic needs with a thin, light boardroom-ready laptop with a 16:10 screen, an array of Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a built-in smart card reader, all packed into a thin and light design.

Specifications and Design

Being local to one of Lenovo’s main offices I was introduced to the ThinkPad lineup in the late 1990s when given a tour of the local assembly line.  I was impressed with the build quality then and even more so more than twenty years later. The build quality caught my attention when I pulled the T16 from its packaging.  Lenovo uses an aluminum top and a Polyphenylene sulfide bottom.  These materials help create a design that’s just 0.81 inches thick and weighs just 3.9 pounds.

Lenovo took the build quality one step further and tested the laptop against 12 military-grade certification methods and over 20 procedures.  When reviewing the T16 I made it my daily driver, in a typical workday it traveled, it was taken in and out of different bags, used on various surfaces and after two months of heavy use no scratches or scuffs were made.  If your travel bag has room for the 16-inch screen the T16 should be a joy to take along for any workday.  Being this thin and light doesn’t come without some drawbacks which we will discuss later in the review.  You can see the specifications table below for all the available configuration options.

Product	ThinkPad T16 Gen 1
OS	Up to Windows 11 Pro 64 or Linux
Processor	Up to Core i7-1280P 14(6 P-Core + 8 E-Core), P-core 1.8GHz/ E-Core 1.3GHz
Graphics	Up to NVIDIA GeForce MX550 2GB GDDR6
Memory	Up to 48GB (16GB soldered + 32GB SO-DIMM) DDR4-3200
Display	16” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200), Anti-glare, 45% NTSC, 300 nits 16” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200), Anti-glare, 45% NTSC, 300 nits, Touch 16” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200), Anti-glare, 100% sRGB, 400 nits, Low power, Eyesafe Certified 16” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200), Anti-glare, 100% sRGB, 500 nits, ThinkPad Privacy Guard, Touch 16” WQXGA 16:10 (2560×1600), Anti-glare, 100%sRGB, 400 nits, Eyesafe Certified
Storage	One drive, up to 2TB M.2 2280 SSD
WLAN	Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 + Bluetooth 5.1
Ports	(1) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (1) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Always On) (2) Thunderbolt 4/ USB4 40Gbps (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort 1.4) (1) HDMI, up to 4K/60Hz (1) Ethernet (RJ-45) (1) Headphone/microphone combo jack (3.5mm) Optional Ports: (1) Smart Card Reader (1) Nano-SIM card slot (WWAN support models)
Camera	Up to FHD 1080p + IR Camera with ThinkPad Webcam Privacy Shutter
Keyboard	6-row, spill-resistant, numeric keypad, backlit, optional LED backlight
Navigation	TrackPoint® pointing device and mylar surface multi-touch touchpad (67.6mm x 115mm/ 2.67 x 4.53 inches)
Audio	2 x 2W Stereo speakers, Dolby® Audio
Security	Discrete TPM 2.0, TCG certified, Optional Touch style fingerprint reader in power button (match-on-chip), BIOS Security- Power-on password, supervisor password, system management password, NVMe password, USB FIDO device integration, Firmware Resiliency 3.0
Battery	Up to 86Wh, Supports Rapid Charge (up to 80% in 1 hr) with 135W AC adapter
Mechanical	Starting at 361.9 x 255.5 x 20.5mm (14.25 x 10.06 x 0.81 inches) Starting at 1.769kg (3.9 lbs)
Color/Materials	Storm Grey: Aluminum top, PPS bottom / Thunder Black: PC + 20%CF + 50% GF top, PPS bottom

Experience and Performance

When thinking about the user experience with the T16 we must consider the ideal customer.  The ideal buyer would be a small business or corporation that would likely be buying multiple units.  The look and feel in this scenario has less of an impact than being able to get the job done comfortably for the user. In our testing, this is where the T16 shined its brightest.  Opening the lid, immediately seeing the smile-shaped keys, with the red TrackPoint input system in the middle offers something familiar if you’re a long-time Lenovo user, if not the purpose of the TrackPoint can be a bit confusing, it’s not for everyone.  The ample-sized, easy-click diving board-style trackpad will likely be what most users choose for input.  One thing about the keyboard deck that was a bit disappointing is the fingerprint magnet.  So, if appearance during business interactions matters to you.  Make sure you pack your cleaning cloth.

Once you’ve opened the lid and it’s time to tap the power button and get to work, you’re going to notice something right away, near silence. Lenovo really managed to tune the fan curves down on the T-16, but that doesn’t come without some drawbacks we’ll get to in a minute.  Our model came equipped with the Intel Core-I7 1240P CPU.  The 12^th generation Intel chip is what I like to call a “short sprinter” chip, it’s good for quick office tasks, compiling some code perhaps, but quickly hits its thermal limits with longer tasks under load such as simple 1080P video edits, while the fans did ramp up a bit if you are attempting some multitasking during the render process, you’d certainly see some slowdowns.

While slowdowns are typical when doing any rendering on a machine that doesn’t have a dedicated GPU, I bring this up for a specific reason.  While with most machines’ light multitasking, and rendering is certainly possible, you would observe screen flicker or a moment of the screen turning off and back on.  This would happen using the laptop screen or an external screen.  The T16 would return to normal operations when the intensive task was over. I attributed this to hitting the thermal limits of the machine.  While this doesn’t ruin the experience of using the T16, it is something prospective buyers should keep in mind.

Wrapping it Up

This is the first generation of the T16 lineup, and as expected nothing is perfect the first time.  However, Lenovo did get a lot right in this first generation. The T16 is a lightweight business machine with a 16:10 screen and ample connectivity with multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports. The 135-watt USB-C charger is a little large for a backpack but you can get 80 percent charge in just one hour, so it’s a good tradeoff when zipping between meetings or traveling.  With the proper expectations going in the first-generation T16 is a solid start opening for this lineup.  The entry-level spec of the T-16 starts just below $1200.

Groupy 2 works with both Windows 10 and Windows 11.  Once installed creating groups is as simple as dragging a window onto another window which combines into a single window with tabs in the title bar.  Ungroup the apps by dragging the tab off the group.  The new Groupings feature will allow you to save your group of applications to the taskbar for quick access.  Groupy 2 ships with the ability to design your tabs to match your Windows experience, alongside integration in File Explorer.

Groupy 2 brings a modern, universal tab experience to Windows 10 and 11″ said Brad Sams, Vice President of Stardock Software “Groupy 2 is the easiest way to organize the windows on your desktop. With the new Groupings feature that lets you launch multiple applications with a single click, your workflow will never be the same.

Groupy 2 is now in beta and can be purchased for a limited-time special price of $6.99. For current Object desktop members the beta is free to use and available now in your account.  Learn more, or get your license at Stardock.

You can easily export code to Google Colab with no copy and paste required and get help with your Google Sheets functions as well.  In addition to generating code Bard can explain the code snippets on a line-by-line basis for you.  This will be especially useful for those learning to code or an experienced coder needing a little more help to understand what the code might output.  Bard can even fix the code it generates so if you get a snippet that doesn’t work as intended just tell Bard “This code doesn’t work please fix it”  and Bard can help with the debugging process.  In some cases, Bard can help make your code more efficient.  After the initial output just respond with “Could you please make this code faster?”

It’s important to remember Bard is still in the experimental phase and may produce inaccurate or misleading results.  Always double-check your code against Bard’s responses.  If Bard quotes at length from an existing Open Source case, the case will be cited. For more the latest Bard updates visit the Experimental updates page.

Image Via Google

This would be the first time the Surface Go lineup has been equipped with an ARM-based processor.  The Surface Go 4 is said to be codenamed Tanta and will ship with the Snapdragon 7c Soc in the entry-level model.  This would give the Surface Go 4 a similar performance as previous Intel models, but with better efficiency and battery life.   Remember the Surface Go is the entry-level product in the Surface lineup with the top processor spec being an Intel Core I3.  Using an ARM processor could allow Microsoft to offer a 5G SKU, but there’s been no evidence of that yet.  An Intel version is supposed expected to hang around for those who prefer it.

Alongside the Surface Go 4 Microsoft is said to be working on a new 11-inch Surface Pro.  The 11-inch Surface Pro is codenamed Luxar and is similar in shape and size to the Surface Go.  We would expect the 11-inch Surface Pro to have updated internals and maintain its 120hz display.  Windows 11 was updated with a new tablet mode so it’s no surprise that Microsoft is considering more tablet-like sizes.  Having both 11-inch and 13-inch versions would be similar to what Apple offers with the 11 and 13-inch iPad Pro models.

Both devices are still in the planning stages and it’s unlikely they would ship before the fall and could be pushed back further.  What are your thoughts on a new ARM based Surface Go 4 and Surface Pro 11-inch?

The news comes just days after a Reuters report that Microsoft had offered to change some of its cloud practices for several small European Vendors.  Google believes Microsoft is cherry-picking vendors for its deals in an effort to maintain market dominance, not make genuine changes.  In an interview, late Wednesday Zavery further explained Google’s stance.

Microsoft definitely has a very anti-competitive posture in cloud. They are leveraging a lot of their dominance in the on-premise business as well as Office 365 and Windows to tie Azure and the rest of cloud services and make it hard for customers to have a choice.

When speaking with Reuters Microsoft give reference to a blog post in May of 2022, and a spokesperson shared a statement.

We are committed to the European Cloud Community and their success.

Microsoft introduced changes in October 2022, in response to feedback from European cloud providers.  Zavery still believes Microsoft is offering targeted deals or even buying out smaller vendors and not making deals available to everyone.

Whatever they’re offering, there should be terms across for everybody, not just for one or two they’ve chosen and pick, and that shows you that they have so much market power they can kind of go and do those things individually.

The European Commission has declined to comment.  Microsoft still faces another EU antitrust complaint for CISPE, whose members include Amazon. The trade group has rejected Microsoft’s changes.

Via Windows Central

The Intel NUC 13 Pro offers the size and performance ratio that most modern businesses are looking for.  Certain models feature the Intel vPRO Enterprise for comprehensive security and enterprise-grade stability and hardware management.  Intel NUC 13 Pro Kits and Mini PCs are customer upgradable and repairable, offering a reusable solution for a wide variety of business needs from client, edge, and digital signage computing.

The Intel NUC 13 Pro is customizable and offers “incredible” performance given its small footprint feature up to a Core i7 processor with six performance cores and eight efficient cores.  The NUC 13 Pro Mini PC comes feature packed with all the requirements of most businesses.

Support for multiple monitors using the two HDMI outputs and two Thunderbolt 4 ports allows up to four displays at 4K@60hz.  For those needing a little extra graphical horsepower, the Thunderbolt 4 ports do open up the opportunity for an eGPU expansion.  Three USB 3.2 ports and one USB 2.0 port alongside a 2.5GBps ethernet port round out the wired connectivity.  If wireless connectivity is what you need the NUC 13 Pro is future-proof with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.

The Intel NUC 13 Pro kits and Mini PCs are expected to be available now with prices ranging from $340 to $1,080 depending on configuration options.  The bare bones kit versions allow you to customize memory, storage, and operating system to your needs. Fully equipped Mini PC versions come ready to go out of the box with Windows 11 installed.

In January the company announced an 18,000-person layoff, the largest in company history.  These additional 9,000 layoffs will bring the total to 27,000 job cuts which are about eight percent of the corporate workforce.

“For several years leading up to this one, most of our businesses added a significant amount of headcount,” Jassy wrote. “This made sense given what was happening in our businesses and the economy as a whole. However, given the uncertain economy in which we reside, and the uncertainty that exists in the near future, we have chosen to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount.”

Tech companies are continuing to downsize after the period of pandemic-driven growth.  Amazon is expected to continue hiring in “strategic areas”, Jassy said.  Amazon also told employees they were required to be in the office a minimum of three days a week.  The company’s overall base head count is 1.5 million including warehouse workers, which aren’t part of the cut.  The company has trimmed or eliminated some services such as Scout neighborhood delivery robots, Amazon Primary Care, and some brick-and-mortar stores.

Amazon also announced the closures of Amazon Go convenience stores and is pausing construction on its HQ2 project in Washington D.C.

We are taking off this weekend but will return next week to cover the news. That means you get a break from hearing about AI and company mergers, from us anyway.  We promise to make up for it next week!

Please watch or listen to some of our older podcasts on your normal channels to get Microsoft news and events from OnPodcast.  Oh, one more thing, don’t forget to turn your clocks forward Saturday night for US Daylight Savings Time.

Foundation Models in Azure Machine Learning allows users to fine-tune pre-trained open-source models from Hugging Face throughout Azure ML.  The partnership with Hugging Face was announced last Spring.  Responsible AI Toolbox additions were announced last week. The Responsible Mitigations AI Library and the Fairlearn fairness assessment tool are open-source tools to make the adoption of responsible AI practices easier.

There’s also been new capabilities added in Vision Services and the Florence foundation model in Azure Cognitive Services. With these new capabilities, developers are able to improve content discoverability through automatic captions and video summaries.  Features such as background removal, and retrieval of images are able to be fully automated.  Users can also track movements and analyze environments in real-time.

To learn more check out the Azure Open Source Day Blog.