Translation: Someone at Microsoft is already getting very, very worried about the return on all this investment they've put into generative AI.
Even with dozens of silly integrations like this they'll still make their investment back handily
Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
41–50 of 260 posts
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#42Honestly, my initial reaction to this was my typical jaded, cynical, anti-MS self, but after consideration - and the key fact that they're replacing a key, not adding one necessitating a new layout - I'm honestly okay with this. does anyone use the menu key (the key that allegedly this will replace)? It's certainly one of the first to go in enthusiast keyboards using non standard 100% layouts, As long as it's not som…
> but does anyone use the menu key?
I've never used the menu key. I don't really know what it does (what menu it's supposed to pull up).
I object to software vendors dictating unnecessary features in peripherals their software isn't even going to run on.
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#43What about the MS Office key and Emoji key? Those were definitely added after 1994. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/using-the-office-k...
Also they added a Cortana key a few years ago. It must be in the press release because other media sites are reporting the same thing. Also Microsoft did not invent the Super/Meta key aka Windows key.
As mentioned elsewhere, this key will be required as a part of the standard Windows keyboard layout. This is not true of other recent keys (emoji, office, etc.).
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#44The way Microsoft is pushing AI literally everywhere now feels reminiscent of circa 2001 when literally everything was branded '.NET'. Eventually they scaled it back, but it was complete overkill and diluted what the brand was supposed to represent.
What is Microsoft suppsed to represent? I'm not sure their brand has ever been anything more concrete over its total existence other than BASIC/MS-DOS in the beginning, a few long running products (Windows, Office, Xbox, Azure) and that it is involved with user-facing technology.
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#45> Microsoft is adding a new key to PC keyboards
Not to mine.
> A quick Microsoft demo video shows the Copilot key in between the cluster of arrow keys and the right Alt button, a place where many keyboards usually put a menu button, a right Ctrl key, another Windows key, or something similar
I barely use any of those keys, especially the menu key.
Just Microsoft's marketing department doing what they have alwasy done.
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#46The way Microsoft is pushing AI literally everywhere now feels reminiscent of circa 2001 when literally everything was branded '.NET'. Eventually they scaled it back, but it was complete overkill and diluted what the brand was supposed to represent.
What is Microsoft suppsed to represent? I'm not sure their brand has ever been anything more concrete over its total existence other than BASIC/MS-DOS in the beginning, a few long running products (Windows, Office, Xbox, Azure) and that it is involved with user-facing technology.
The brand in question there was ".NET" not "Microsoft".
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#47Honestly, my initial reaction to this was my typical jaded, cynical, anti-MS self, but after consideration - and the key fact that they're replacing a key, not adding one necessitating a new layout - I'm honestly okay with this. does anyone use the menu key (the key that allegedly this will replace)? It's certainly one of the first to go in enthusiast keyboards using non standard 100% layouts, As long as it's not som…
I use the menu key. And all this new key provides is to open copilot sidebar. That’s all. I expected something like a push to talk conversation agent using the key. It’s not the case. Very underwhelming, IMHO.
EDIT: I actually assumed it would open the sidebar because that’s what I saw on Scott Hanselman’s alternate shortcut trick video. Maybe Microsoft is planning for a push to talk agent. In that case, a dedicated key might be okay.
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#48The way Microsoft is pushing AI literally everywhere now feels reminiscent of circa 2001 when literally everything was branded '.NET'. Eventually they scaled it back, but it was complete overkill and diluted what the brand was supposed to represent.
What is Microsoft suppsed to represent? I'm not sure their brand has ever been anything more concrete over its total existence other than BASIC/MS-DOS in the beginning, a few long running products (Windows, Office, Xbox, Azure) and that it is involved with user-facing technology.
Microsoft represents a solid, stable, enterprise-friendly, conservative, but still somewhat “innovative” (whatever that means) company. Or at least that’s their brand. Given that a huge part of their value is their long term sales relationships, I’d say they are an extremely brand-reliant company.
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#49Honestly, my initial reaction to this was my typical jaded, cynical, anti-MS self, but after consideration - and the key fact that they're replacing a key, not adding one necessitating a new layout - I'm honestly okay with this. does anyone use the menu key (the key that allegedly this will replace)? It's certainly one of the first to go in enthusiast keyboards using non standard 100% layouts, As long as it's not som…
> but does anyone use the menu key? I've never used the menu key. I don't really know what it does (what menu it's supposed to pull up). I object to software vendors dictating unnecessary features in peripherals their software isn't even going to run on.
It's mouse-right click but on the keyboard (context menu). I believe it's an accessibility thing now that I think about it, which might be why MS is saying "maybe" and considering other keys to replace instead - though that's speculation on my part.
Also, unless I misunderstood this, this is only being mandated for hardware that ships with Windows on it (Eg, surface or desktops that come with windows installed), so this is only being mandated for peripherals that their software is going to run on (or on devices those peripherals come with and connect to).
Will Dell be lazy and ship the copilot key on their ubuntu laptops? I'd be damned shocked if they didn't, but that's just them cutting corners/oversight if I understand this correctly? For example, System76 can completely disregard this if they so choose. I'm sure Apple will.
Re: Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards
#50Ah good, I'm sure that will age as well as the Cortana button.