Microsoft’s Plan to Fix Windows, OpenAI Phone, Intel Cancels Discrete Gaming GPUs + more!

Duration: 05:51

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:11 Microsoft’s Plan to Fix Windows

1:15 OpenAI Phone

2:08 Intel Reportedly Cancels Discrete Gaming GPUs

3:03 QUICK BITS INTRO

3:11 Microsoft Allows More Control Over Updates

3:37 Commodore Backs Down Over Firmware Lockdown

4:04 Meta’s New Energy Strategy for Data Centers

4:33 Iran War Disrupts PCB Supply Chain

5:06 Toyota’s New Gaming Chair

NEWS SOURCES:

MAINS

CRACK A WINDOW, SOMETHING STINKS IN HERE

Windows has finally admitted that windows 11 sucks and is announcing a plan to fix it - https://www.xda-developers.com/microsoft-finally-agrees-windows-11-has-problems-and-k2-is-its-plan-to-fix-them-claims-report/

Windows K2: Microsoft's major plan to save Windows 11 and win back user trust

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/what-is-windows-k2-everything-you-need-to-know-saving-windows-11

A leaked plan shows intentions to focus on performance improvements for windows - https://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-secret-k2-plan-leaks-could-bring-big-windows-11-performance-upgrade/

Using Valve’s SteamOS as a benchmark - https://thewincentral.com/microsoft-k2-windows-11-performance-overhaul-steamos-benchmark/

Windows 11 adds screen tints to reduce migraines, SURE IT WAS THE BLUE LIGHT CAUSING MIGRAINS NOT EVERY SINGLE PATCH TUESDAY COMING WITH A HUNDRED BUGS THAT BRICKED YOUR MACHINE - https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11s-new-screen-tints-will-reduce-migraines-visual-stress-and-eye-strain-from-long-term-use/

…AND WE ARE CALLING IT Ai PHONE

OpenAI AND Qualcom are reportedly working together to make a phone - https://www.businessinsider.com/qualcomm-stock-price-openai-smartphone-chips-qcom-ming-chi-kuo-2026-4

Report comes from reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo: https://x.com/mingchikuo/status/2048587389791269182

Hoping to compete with the iPhone - https://9to5mac.com/2026/04/27/openai-is-making-its-own-phone-to-compete-with-the-iphone-report/

THE ORB - https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-orb-eye-scanning-startup-billion-user-goal-viability-2025-11

Differentiator is that AI agents will be replacing apps which literally everyone in the world knows is a bad idea

https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/27/openai-could-be-making-a-phone-with-ai-agents-replacing-apps/

In a further departure from reality the expectation is that it will debut in 2028 - https://www.firstpost.com/tech/openais-first-ai-smartphone-may-debut-by-2028-heres-what-to-expect-inside-14004838.html

In further evidence that the stock market is not just irrational but fully psychotic Qualcomm shares jumped 13% in premarket trading on Monday after an analyst said OpenAI was working with the chip designer and Taiwan's MediaTek ​to develop smartphone processors.

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/qualcomm-shares-jump-9-premarket-on-report-of-openai-smartphone-chip-partnership-4637975

DEAD ON ARRIV-ARC

Intel has reportedly cancelled discrete gaming GPUs for the upcoming Xe3P Arc "Celestial" family - gaming GPU remains uncertain even for the next-gen Xe4 "Druid" lineup that lands in 2027

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/intel-has-reportedly-killed-discrete-gaming-gpus-for-the-upcoming-xe3p-arc-celestial-family-gaming-gpu-remains-uncertain-even-for-the-next-gen-xe4-druid-lineup-that-lands-in-2027

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-reportedly-has-no-xe3p-celestial-arc-gaming-gpus-planned-xe4-druid-up-in-the-air

https://www.techpowerup.com/348545/no-new-intel-arc-gaming-gpus-xe3-skipped-xe4-druid-uncertain

Twitter post: https://x.com/jaykihn0/status/2047767543247450622

https://x.com/jaykihn0/status/2047767545097142345

Crescent Island: https://www.extremetech.com/computing/intel-debuts-xe3p-crescent-island-graphics-card-with-160gb-ram-for-ai-inference

Product Roadmap: https://www.techpowerup.com/img/LgDZboHeCKrJ2Tb9.jpg

Visual Compute roadmap: https://www.techpowerup.com/img/HIRhQ6KYBfC6ty6s.jpg

Even Druid is up in the air: https://x.com/jaykihn0/status/2047768912972976518

QUICK BITS

I'LL GIVE YA A MONTH

Windows Insiders can now pause updates indefinitely in 35-day chunks - https://www.techspot.com/news/112184-windows-insiders-can-now-pause-updates-indefinitely-35.html

https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-finally-tackles-frustrating-windows-updates

https://mashable.com/article/windows-forced-update-pause

Screenshot: https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/020L2uNBy4wrUBJv0K7djXp/images-1.fill.size_2000x1232.v1777282446.png

LOAD "BACKPEDAL" ,8 ,1

Commodore backs down over FPGA firmware lockdown after community backlash - (i find it interesting there was backlash over this at all, we reviewed it on shortcircuit) https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/04/we-listened-we-agree-no-fpga-lockdown-commodore-backpedals-on-unofficial-c64-ultimate-firmware

https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/retro-gaming/commodore-backs-down-over-fpga-firmware-lockdown-it-wont-now-try-and-block-third-party-firmware-installs-but-will-stand-firm-against-bricked-modded-units

Twitter post: https://x.com/commodoreofcl/status/2047408512225915090

Short Circuit video 1:33: https://youtu.be/EGv5Ps-DuOM?t=93

BEAM ME UP, ZUCKY

Meta signs a deal to beam solar energy from space to its AI data centres - First company to actually sign up for it

https://thenextweb.com/news/meta-overview-energy-space-solar

https://www.theregister.com/2026/04/27/meta_wants_to_beam_solar/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/meta-partners-with-space-startup-overview-energy-secure-solar-power-data-centers-2026-04-27/

Press release: https://www.overviewenergy.com/updates/overview-and-meta

Gives 1 gigawatt of capacity quote: https://lmg.gg/a4Ddt

MESS-O-POTAMIA

IRAN WAR disrupting PCB supply chain - https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-war-disrupts-the-circuit-board-supply-chain-raises-costs-tech-firms-2026-04-27/

Prices up 40% MoM - https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/pcb-prices-have-risen-by-up-to-40-percent-due-to-war-in-iran-according-to-reuters-industry-sources/

Key Saudi petrochemical plant is supplying 70% of critical board material - https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2026/04/288898/iran-war-drives-pcb-prices-up-40-as-global-tech-supply-chain-strains/

PARK YOUR REAR HERE

Toyota's $3,500 Crown gaming chair with heating, cooling, USB-C seatbelt - https://hothardware.com/news/toyota-unveils-3500-crown-gaming-chair-usbc-seatbelt

https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-chairs/toyota-has-turned-a-car-seat-into-a-gaming-chair-and-its-usd3-500/

Press package PDF: https://www.toyota-boshoku.com/_assets/dl/products/crownseat_catalog.pdf