Microsoft Copilot's recall feature

2025-08-23T09:34:37Z

Backlight2560: Added system requirements, added more information to the first paragraph.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Microsoft
|StartDate=2024-06
|Status=Active
|Product=Microsoft Copilot
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Privacy
|Description=Microsoft Recall collects screenshots of the user's computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI.
}}{{Stub}}
Recall is a feature of [[Windows 11]] that records the user's activity using snapshots and allows users to retrace their previous activity., using Copilot, [[Microsoft]]'s AI assistant. It takes screenshots of the user's desktop every few seconds to be used by Copilot. It was initially impossible to remove from your computer and its screenshots were unencrypted.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=2024-09-27 |title=Microsoft’s more secure Windows Recall feature can also be uninstalled by users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/27/24255721/microsoft-windows-recall-ai-security-improvements-overhaul-uninstall |url-status=live |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Retrace your steps with Recall - Microsoft Support |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/retrace-your-steps-with-recall-aa03f8a0-a78b-4b3e-b0a1-2eb8ac48701c |access-date=2025-08-23}}</ref>

==Background==
In 2024, Microsoft unveiled Recall for Copilot+ PCs,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-01-25 |title=Competitive Processes, Anticompetitive Practices And Consumer Harm In The Software Industry: An Analysis Of The Inadequacies Of The Microsoft-Department Of Justice Proposed Final Judgment |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-processes-anticompetitive-practices-and-consumer-harm-software-industry-analysis |url-status=live |website=DOJ}}</ref> marketed as a way for users to search through what they have done on their computer by recording their screen. This sparked controversy,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Darren |date=2024-05-23 |title=Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature for Windows 11 could already be in legal hot water |url=https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-for-windows-11-could-already-be-in-legal-hot-water |url-status=live |website=Techradar}}</ref> especially among security experts<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hassan |first=Nilhad |title=Privacy and security risks surrounding Microsoft Recall |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall |url-status=live}}</ref> who worried about the security of screenshots, since it could easily document private information like social-security numbers, bank-account information, and passwords, as well as user browsing behavior.

===System requirements for Recall:===

*A Copilot+ PC that meets Microsoft's Secure-core standard
*40 TOPS NPU
*16 GB of RAM
*256 GB of storage capacity with 50 GB of free storage
*Device Encryption or Bitlocker needs to be enabled
*Users need to enroll into Windows Hello Sign-in Security with at least one biometric sign-in option enabled<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Microsoft]]

Thinkpad X1 Carbon

2025-08-22T19:07:20Z

Backlight2560: Cleaned up the article, added short description of the product. Removed things that do not fit this wiki (Fan noise, Heat and Performance sections).

{{Incomplete}}

The Lenovo X1 Carbon is a laptop series made by [[Lenovo]] advertised as portable, thin, durable while offering "full PC power and functionality".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Compare Different ThinkPad Models {{!}} Lenovo Egypt |url=https://www.lenovo.com/eg/en/faqs/laptop-faqs/best-thinkpad-for-you/ |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>

This article outlines the various anti-consumer measures used in the Lenovo X1 Carbon series of laptops. Some concepts may overlap with [[Lenovo]]'s general practices, a Chinese-American multinational technology company.

===Hardware-vendor lockout (BIOS whitelist)===
Most models of the Lenovo X1 Carbon will fail to post if the user changes their WWAN broadband card to a WWAN card that is not on the Lenovo Vendor Whitelist.<ref name=":1">[https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/ThinkPad_mobile_Internet "ThinkPad mobile Internet"] - wiki.archlinux.org</ref> If a user intends to use a WWAN card manufactured by another company, which are typically cheaper than the Lenovo factory-installed WWAN cards, the computer will not boot until the user removes the card. Evasion of these whitelists has been outlined in the Arch Linux wiki,<ref name=":1" /> but success is very limited.

====Resulting cost for the consumer====
Lenovo currently charges $298 USD to install a Quectel RM520N-GL 5G Sub6 from the factory.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Lenovo store screenshot.png|thumb|right| Pricing options for WWAN card (Lenovo X1 Carbon gen2) <ref name=":0"> [[:File:Lenovo store screenshot.png|Screenshot or pricing options for WWAN card of Lenovo Laptop]]</ref>]]

Some used options of similar modems can, at the time of writing, be purchased for $150 USD.<ref>[https://www.ebay.com/itm/296886818084 "Quectel RM520N-GL"] - ebay.com - 17 Jan 2025 - Archived Page: https://archive.is/IkmZV</ref> 4G modems can be purchased for less.<ref>[https://www.ebay.com/itm/196914042141 "NEW Dell V8KN6 Sierra Wireless AirPrime EM7455 DW5811e LTE 4G WWAN Card"] - ebay.com - 17 Jan 2025 - Archived Page: https://archive.is/uSubr</ref>

==Hardware==
==Thinkpad X1 Carbon sub series==

=== '''Repairability and upgradability''' ===
The 10th gen Lenovo X1 Carbon uses soldered RAM<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iliev |first=Alex |date=14 Oct 2022 |title= |url=https://laptopmedia.com/highlights/inside-lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-10th-gen-disassembly-and-upgrade-options/}}</ref> which makes upgrading it impossible. The display and the bezels of the LCD are glued together, making replacing just the LCD without replacing the entire lid complicated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SOLVED: How to replace the LCD screen without replacing the whole lid? - Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 10th Gen - iFixit |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/772580/How+to+replace+the+LCD+screen+without+replacing+the+whole+lid |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Lenovo X1 Carbon]]

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Microsoft Copilot's recall feature

Thinkpad X1 Carbon