The Booty Report

Avast! Ye scallywags at Microsoft be grantin' two Windows 11 apps some fancy new powers - and one be tappin' into the realm o' AI (shiver me timbers!)

2024-02-09

Arrr, me hearties! Windows 11 be givin' Notepad a mighty boost o' AI, but alas! Ye scurvy dogs hopin' fer a true-blue Cowriter shall be left wantin'. Aye, a sad day fer all ye mateys yearnin' fer some fancy scribblin' assistance.

Microsoft is testing some interesting new changes for Windows 11, including updates to the Notepad and Snipping Tool apps. The new version of Notepad will have an 'Explain with Copilot' option, allowing users to select written content and have Copilot explain more about it. This feature is available to testers in the Dev and Canary channels. However, some testers may not see it right away due to a bug with the deployment. The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 is also getting an upgrade, allowing users to annotate screenshots with shapes and arrows.
In other Windows 11 testing news, the Beta channel has a new preview version with a small change for Copilot. The AI icon has been moved to the far right-hand side of the taskbar, above the Copilot panel. This change was made to align the icon with the panel's position. Microsoft also made the Copilot panel larger based on user feedback.
Speculation suggests that the next update for Windows 11, called Moment 5, may allow users to undock Copilot from the right side of the desktop. However, this remains unconfirmed. The integration of Copilot with Notepad is a basic level compared to previous rumors of a fully-featured Cowriter assistant. It's possible that further AI powers could be added to Notepad in the future. However, the idea behind Notepad is to be a lightweight and streamlined app, so extensive AI functions may not be introduced.
Overall, Microsoft's testing of these new changes shows their commitment to enhancing the user experience on Windows 11 and incorporating AI technology into their core apps.

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