The Full Nerd episode 42: The future of Windows, and is cloud gaming any good?

In this episode of the Full Nerd, PCWorld’s resident expert on all things Microsoft, Mark Hachman, joins Gordon Mah Ung, Brad Chacos, and Adam Patrick Murray to talk about the future of Windows.  

What fresh features are coming in the next big Windows update? When can we expect that update? And hey, what’s up with all those “Polaris” and “Core OS” rumors? Could Microsoft restrict access to traditional desktop software in future versions of Windows? We dig deep into what’s coming to the operating system running on most people’s PCs. 

After that, the gang turns its attention to streaming PC games from the cloud. Brad enthuses about Nvidia’s GeForce Now, the first cloud gaming service he’s tried that hasn’t ended in tears and disappointment. Better yet, it’s free while it’s in beta. Mark describes his time with Parsec and Blade’s Shadow service, the latter of which recently made its U.S. debut for California residents with a steep $50 per month price tag attached. Are any cloud gaming services worth your time with graphics card prices rocketing so high, or should you look at other alternatives to keep gaming? 

Witness it all in the video embedded above. You can also watch The Full Nerd episode 42 on YouTube (toss us a follow while you’re there!) or listen to it on Soundcloud if you prefer the audio alone.  

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Have a PC- or gaming-related question? Email [email protected] and we’ll try to answer it in the next episode. Be sure to follow PCWorld on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch to watch future episodes live and pick our brains in real time!