Microsoft Cracks Down on Windows 11 Piracy; Lenovo Steals the Spotlight at MWC

Last week, Mobile World Congress took the stage, unveiling a bunch of consumer tech that’s got everyone buzzing. Lenovo wowed us with some futuristic concepts, including a solar-powered PC and an 18.1-inch foldable display laptop.

But it wasn’t all concepts and future dreams; some cool stuff is soon hitting the shelves, like the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition.

In other tech news, outside the conference hullabaloo, Microsoft stepped up its game against piracy by making it harder to pirate Windows 11 with the help of its Copilot AI assistant. Additionally, Copilot got a new update for Windows 11 and macOS users.

Speaking of Windows 11 piracy clampdown, Microsoft has made it a bit tougher for those sneaking around licensing requirements. There were murmurs earlier—some found that Microsoft’s Copilot could unwittingly guide you on how to activate Windows 11 without a license. That trick seems to have vanished now, as asking Copilot about activation leads to an interesting pivot in conversation.

“It’s a no-go discussing that,” Copilot responds with courtesy, offering to chat about practically anything else. When pushed about bypassing Windows 11’s licensing, Copilot clarifies it can’t help with that, citing the downsides, from security issues to lack of support from Microsoft. Instead, Copilot nudges users towards legitimate licensing options, hinting at discounts for students or seniors, and even the possibility of exploring alternatives like Linux.

Pirating Windows has been a common affair, but Copilot’s initial assistance on this front was newsworthy—not for aiding piracy, but for the irony of it all.

Back at the Mobile World Congress, Lenovo didn’t just stop with concept PCs; they were daring innovators, presenting the ThinkBook codenamed “Flip” with its impressive 18.1-inch foldable screen. This unique design can flip and turn, ready to share a display or stand tall as needed. It’s hefty, though, which shows that Lenovo might need to balance it out more before this concept becomes a market reality.

Another standout was the Lenovo Yoga Solar PC, integrating solar panels straight into its lid. These panels are quite efficient, offering an hour of playback from just 20 minutes in the sun. Beyond the tech, they add a touch of cool aesthetics—though, of course, that’s subjective!

Lenovo didn’t stop at concepts; they officially announced the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (Gen 10) at MWC. Under the hood, it packs an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H and NVIDIA RTX 5070 GPU, making it a powerhouse for creative tasks. This device boasts a 16-inch screen that’s brighter than most, reaching up to 1,600 nits, and promises an impressive performance range.

There’s been some buzz about the Copilot app updates too. Microsoft unveiled a new version of its Copilot app for Windows 11, built on their native app UI framework. This marks a huge leap from the previous web-view wrapper. The native app promises a smoother, faster experience and had already debuted on Mac before hitting Windows previews.

Moving on to weekly tech chats, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden dish out the latest scoop on the Windows Central Podcast, where they covered Skype’s demise, Lenovo’s intriguing MWC lineup, and the new updates on Microsoft’s Copilot apps. Catch it on YouTube or any podcast platform of choice.

For those interested in hands-on reviews, this week we delved into the latest tech tidbits: testing the lightest, most efficient AI PC yet, a 4K Thunderbolt hub monitor, and a practically perfect monitor arm.

And for the deals hunters, our experts have been scouring the net, finding fantastic discounts on gadgets you’d love to get your hands on—like the WWE 2K25 Deadman Edition, ASUS VivoBook S 15, and the Surface Pro Flex Keyboard. Why pay full price when you can snag a deal, right?