TOP STORIES #55

You can read the previous week's TOP STORIES #54 here

If colleagues would like to join, they can click here.

It is a fairly slow week, but if you are using Power Apps and Dynamics, please note an update to the saga below.

Hardware

Microsoft Launches Surface Pro 10 and Surface 6 Laptop

Microsoft has launched these premium devices for the enterprise packed with AI features which you can read about there. Here is a video summary of the event.

AMD releases new generation to take on Intel

AMD has announced its 8000 series Ryzen processors to take on Intel. This means we will see up to a tripling in AI performance over what we see today by 2025, so be careful about buying new technology in too much of a hurry. More importantly, if you HAVE to buy, do not lock yourself into a specific CPU model or generation. You can read more here.

Microsoft

CoPilot in Azure SQL preview

Microsoft has announced a preview of CoPilot in Azure SQL databases to translate natural language queries into SQL. Read more here.

The PowerApps and Dynamics Licensing saga continues

Yuu may recall in TOP STORIES #54 I drew attention to a change in PowerApps licensing relating to how you access Dynamics data that could massively increase your licensing costs. It seems that Microsoft is using the March changes to limit Power Apps Subscription rights and subsequently increase costs.

For more detail, I URGE you to read this post from Directions on Microsoft here, and also Tthe post from the Register with some further comments from the DOM analyst they interviewed.

PLEASE heed his guidance.

The financial implications are potentially MASSIVE, so I urge you to contact your First Tech account manager to direct you to the relevant experts so that you can unpack the implications further.

Microsoft AI - a new division

Microsoft has a new division focused on AI and has appointed Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of Google-owned DeepMind to head this division. Read more here. The idea is to consolidate CoPilot, Edge and Bing into this new division.

Office 2024 Preview in April

Microsoft is going to release another version of a perpetual licensed version of Office. This will be supported for 5 years from the release date and will lack many cloud and AI features. You can read more about this here,

Cloud & AI

GPT-4 "sucks", here comes GPT-5

Just when you thought GPT-4 was pretty good, Open AI is saying the next version is going to be released in the next few months and will be materially better - read more here.

CISCO bets on Splunk

CiSCO has splashed out $29 Billion to build on customers insights into companies digital footprints to enhance security. Read more about the acquisition here,

Security

Malware spreading through a new Vulnerability

Yet again, this is a new sophisticated attack that depends on tricking a victim into downloading a file like a "monthly salary report". This triggers a complex injection of malware into the computer. As always you CANNOT EVER LET YOU GUARD down. Read more here,

Fortinet Appliances are still vulnerable Though there is a gradual improvement in patching, many devices are still vulnerable. You can read more about the vulnerability here. If you need assistance, please reach out to your First Tech AM to put you in touch with Fortinet experts to assist further.

What's up at FTG

FTG is offering an M365 CoPilot Readiness Workshop to help you get ready. You can register here.

Movies

Now Playing: Kung Fu Panda 4

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