Helix, Xbox Mode, and Executive Shakeups

David and Nilay bought new computers this week, as the MacBook Neo turned out to be a surprisingly great cheap Apple laptop. The hosts discuss their experiences with the machines, from the processor to the keyboard to the mess that is MacOS Tahoe. After that, they talk about the future of Xbox, Project Helix, and what it might mean for every gaming PC to become an Xbox... and for the Xbox to become a gaming PC. Finally, in the lightning round, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the latest on Paramount and Warner Bros, Grammarly's sloppelgangers, and more.

Further reading:

• MacBook Neo review: the Mac for the masses 

•  Asus chief says Macbook Neo's affordable pricing came as a shock to the entire PC market — compares $599 notebook to a tablet and content-consumption device

• The MacBook Neo is surprisingly easy to disassemble and repair.

• From 2007: Ballmer Laughs at iPhone

• Apple Studio Display XDR review: a great, but expensive, pro option

• The iPhone 17E is good, but you probably shouldn’t buy it 

• iPad Air review 2026: the M4 and other chip bumps make a difference 

• Apple is going high-end with new ‘Ultra’ products next 

• iPhone Fold rumor: iPad-like multitasking, but no iPad apps and no Face ID 

• Microsoft’s next Xbox, Project Helix, won’t reach alpha until 2027 

• Microsoft’s ‘Xbox mode’ is coming to every Windows 11 PC 

• Microsoft says you should build next-gen Xbox games by building them for PC. 

• FCC chair blasts Amazon after it criticizes SpaceX megaconstellation

• Brendan Carr on X

• FCC chief tells CNBC WBD-Paramount merger deal is ‘cleaner’ than Netflix’s, will be approved ‘quickly’

• Grammarly is using our identities without permission 

• Grammarly is turning off the expert review AI feature that stole our identities 

• Grammarly will keep using authors’ identities without permission unless they opt out 

• The Live Nation settlement has industry insiders baffled

• Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus review: This again 

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