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In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss Microsoft’s FY25 Q3 earnings, in which Microsoft revealed that it has finally slowed its spending on AI infrastructure.

Whether you’re waiting on a database update, managing system resources, or automating a batch process, there are times when a PowerShell script needs to pause execution before continuing. But not all pauses are created equal—sometimes, you need a simple Enter key prompt, while other times, a precise number of seconds delay is necessary. In this…

Microsoft has launched the Sentinel Solution for Business Applications. This new offering delivers advanced threat detection and monitoring capabilities across Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, and Finance and Operations environments. The Microsoft Sentinel solution for Business Applications allows administrators to analyze audit and activity logs to detect potential security threats and suspicious behavior….

Microsoft has announced plans to significantly expand its data center capacity across Europe over the next two years, reinforcing its long-term investment in the region. Microsoft President Brad Smith also said that Microsoft is prepared to challenge the U.S. government in court, if needed, to safeguard the privacy of its European customers. Earlier this year,…

Microsoft has introduced a new Reject Direct Send feature in public preview for Exchange Online. This new setting should help organizations strengthen protection against unauthorized email traffic. In Exchange Online, the Direct Send feature allows users to send emails directly to their organization’s mailboxes from on-premises devices, applications, or third-party cloud services using their accepted…

Microsoft has officially launched OpenID Connect (OIDC) identity provider support for Entra External ID. This feature allows organizations to seamlessly integrate sign-in and sign-up experiences with external identity providers such as Amazon, Auth0, Okta, personal Microsoft accounts, and Azure AD B2C. What is Microsoft Entra External ID? Microsoft Entra External ID is a solution for…

Use this guide to help you check your current PowerShell version, update PowerShell from one version to another, run two versions side by side in Windows Terminal, and update PowerShell to the latest revisions. Windows PowerShell has been an essential tool in the IT Pro’s toolbelt. PowerShell 5.1 was introduced back in 2016 with Windows…

Microsoft has rolled out a series of enhancements for Intune customers in April 2025. Key updates include custom naming for Android devices, advanced iOS security controls, and a more efficient integration with Apple’s Volume Purchase Program API. Enhanced naming for Android enterprise devices Microsoft has announced that administrators can create custom naming templates for Android…

Microsoft has introduced new AI-powered agents for Security Copilot in public preview at the RSA Conference 2025. The company has started a phased rollout of these new agents to grant early access to select customers. Last year, Microsoft launched Security Copilot to help security professionals with threat hunting, incident response, intelligence gathering, posture management, and…

Microsoft released its annual Work Trend Index Report this week and it concluded: ‘‘The question isn’t if AI will reshape work – it’s how fast we’re willing to move with it’’. And they have data that shows how AI is being used more frequently in organizations. AI might be reshaping the future of work but…

Microsoft will transition its hotpatching feature for Windows Server 2025 to a paid subscription model in July. Organizations aiming to minimize downtime with seamless updates will now need to pay $1.50 per CPU core each month to access hotpatch updates. What is hotpatching and why does it matter? Microsoft first released a hotpatching preview for…

Microsoft has officially started rolling out the controversial Windows Recall feature to all Copilot+ PCs. The latest update also introduces an enhanced AI-powered Windows Search and a new productivity tool called Click to Do. Microsoft originally planned to launch Windows Recall with Copilot+ PCs in June 2024. However, this controversial AI tool was delayed due…