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Posts tagged "finally"

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Using Gmail on iPhone should now finally be a lot easier
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Google has unveiled a number of updates and upgrades for Apple devices, including a selection of new tools for Google Meet and Gmail on iPhone and iPad.

The new Google Workspace additions include a homescreen widget for Gmail, which means users will be quickly able to view, edit and reply to emails when on the move.

Rolling out now having first been announced back in November 2021, Gmail version 6.0.211226 now includes a new “Email updates” widget that gives speedy access to your messages without needing to open up the full app – useful if you're dashing to a meeting or hopping on a train. 

Gmail on the go

Google notes that the new widget will give users access to the senders and subject lines of your most recent emails right on your Home Screen.

It joins the existing “Quick email actions” homescreen item, and will also allow users the option to compose new messages immediately – and even be available in dark mode.

The other significant addition is picture-in-picture mode for Google Meet, allowing users to have multiple apps open and displaying when on a video conferencing call, which could be extremely useful for workplace users.

Going forward, iPhone and iPad users can dial in to a meeting on their device, but also be able to forward an email, share a document or just do some extra research whilst the call is continuing. Navigating outside of Google Meet will minimize the app, which can be resized or moved around the Home Screen however you like. 

“If you use Google apps to get work done on your iPhone or iPad, we’re making some improvements to help you stay organized and productive,” Luke Wroblewski, Director, iOS at Google, wrote in a blog post.

“We hope you enjoy these new features…and that they help make it easier to get your work done on iOS devices.”

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Twitter finally lets you save your Spaces to use as a podcast
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If you regularly host a Twitter Spaces room, but were frustrated that you couldn’t save it for future use, Twitter has good news for you.

Back in 2020, Twitter announced the Spaces feature, where you could chat to others about any topic in a virtual room while your followers could listen in, similar to a live podcast. It’s available to use on iOS and Android where you can access it through the navigation bar, or at the top of the app if a follower is hosting one (access to Spaces when using Twitter in a web browser is still in development).

But once you were done hosting a Spaces room, there was no way to save the chat as a file and upload it to a podcast feed for those who may have missed out on the discussion.

However, there will soon be a ‘Record Spaces’ option when you’re about to chat. Once you’re finished with the Space, Twitter will hold it for 30 days, or you can download it as an audio file, which opens up many possibilities.

Analysis: One more step for Twitter Podcasts

Having a local audio file is the natural next step for Spaces. With apps such as Clubhouse offering similar features but having fallen into obscurity recently, Twitter has an opportunity to make its own mark in distributing Spaces as podcasts.

While the company has been testing Ticketed Spaces, which is a way of paying for access to Spaces in order to listen or to add to the conversation, exporting Spaces to an audio file can make the process of creating a podcast much easier for new users.

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Spaces offer an easy way for a discussion to be held about a certain topic, without having to set up Skype or Zoom, though you would still need to use another program to record the conversation. Spaces can cut these steps further now, with the offering of recording, but it also lowers the barrier for anyone on the social media platform to try their hand at podcasting about their favorite topic.

Users can become speakers and leaders of their own Twitter Spaces. They can be inspired to host their own Spaces to talk about other topics that they’re passionate about while meeting new followers who share the same interest.

This alone gives Twitter a big opportunity and could open up a new avenue to make Spaces a great platform for its own curated podcast library. But for many users, it could also go some way towards making the platform fun – and genuinely useful – once again.

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Microsoft Teams is finally fixing this super annoying flaw
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Being plagued by annoying notifications pings whilst on a call may soon finally be at an end for users of Microsoft Teams.

The company has confirmed that it will soon allow users to mute notifications whilst they are in a video conferencing meeting or don't want to be disturbed.

This should mean an end to distracting notifications or alerts when you’re in the middle of an important meeting, particularly as more and more businesses embrace hybrid working.

No more notifications

“The current experience of receiving notifications during meetings is highly distracting and there is no easy way to turn off these notifications making it highly painful for users,” Microsoft's Joao Ferreira wrote in an M365 admin post announcing the news.

“This feature will introduce a setting to help the user turn OFF notifications during meetings.”

In order to activate the setting, users need to click on the ellipsis next to their Microsoft Teams profile picture, then select global settings -> Notifications -> Meetings. Doing so will turn off notifications for all meetings.

Microsoft Teams mute notifications

(Image credit: Microsoft)

If users want to allow certain notifications to come through, say if they are expecting an important email or alert, users can turn notifications on or off for a per meeting basis through the setting provided in the meeting tray.

By allowing users to specify which types of alerts they receive, the latest Teams update should help address common remote working issues that have been increasingly facing workers across the world. 

Ferreira noted that the feature is set to begin rolling out in early February, with most users set to have it ready by mid-March 2022. It will be available worldwide to all Microsoft Teams users across desktop and web.

News of the feature first emerged back in November 2021, with Microsoft Teams enjoying a raft of useful updates since then. This includes the addition of chat bubbles so that users wouldn't miss private messages sent during a video call, both 1:1 or as part of a group call.

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Windows 11 drive slowdown bug is finally fixed (but apparently not for everyone)
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Windows 11 has received a new cumulative update which applies some important fixes, including patching up some File Explorer problems, and tackling the big SSD and hard drive slowdown bugbear which has been looming over the OS for a long time now (at least, in theory the patch deals with it – more on that later).

Update KB5008215 has been released for Patch Tuesday and brings with it the new emoji previously seen in testing (including Clippy replacing the paperclip), along with a whole bunch of bug fixes, most of which were already present in November’s preview update.

That includes solutions for Bluetooth audio volume problems, and various glitches with File Explorer such as it crashing after closing a window, and problems with displaying shortcut menus.

The big fix, though, is the cure for the gremlin causing sluggish drive speeds for some users. As Microsoft notes, the patch “addresses an issue that affects the performance of all disks (NVMe, SSD, hard disk) on Windows 11 by performing unnecessary actions each time a write operation occurs”.

Those write slowdowns can cut drive speeds in half, or worse, going by previous reports, so this is a major spanner in the storage works, and it’s good to see the fix go live.

Windows Latest reports that the cumulative update fixes these drive-related problems in its experience, but on a cautionary note, we have seen a few reports on the likes of Reddit from users who say their drive is still slower than it should be under Windows 11, even after applying KB5008215. There are also satisfied users commenting on those threads, too, saying their performance has been improved after the update.

Analysis: New patch is a positive step forward, but there are still concerns here

The fix for the driver issue is obviously an important one, as the performance reduction is huge in some reported cases, which hardly puts the new operating system in a good light. While this patch seems to fix things for a good number of Windows 11 users affected by sluggish drive performance, there are folks out there reporting that it didn’t do them any good; and that must remain a concern.

The drive slowdown bug is an issue which has been around for a good while now, indeed it surfaced a few months ago before Windows 11 was even released, and this – plus some scattered reports of it still not being cured now, with the fix applied – clearly point to it being a seriously thorny problem.

Hopefully Microsoft will be able to finalize any fresh tweaks that need to be done soon enough, but given that the holidays are almost here, the software giant won’t be putting out a preview update late in December. In other words, it won’t be until January that we see any further movement on this issue.

Obviously it’s also useful to see some File Explorer issues cleared up as well, but it’s another point of concern exactly how much has gone wrong with these fundamental building blocks of the desktop on Windows 11, all adding to the perception of the OS having been released a bit too early.

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Your Microsoft Teams calls are finally getting this essential security boost
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Protecting your Microsoft Teams calls and messages will soon be easier than ever thanks to a new update coming to the service.

After months of planning, Microsoft has revealed that end-to-end encryption (E2EE) is finally set to launch for its video conferencing software soon.

This should make it harder for outside forces such as hackers or fraudsters to gain access to Microsoft Teams and the chats within, hopefully keeping private or valuable information being discussed safe.

Teams security

According to an entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap, full E2EE will be coming to Teams calling by March 2022.

“End-to-end encryption is the encryption of information at its origin and decryption at its intended destination without the ability for intermediate nodes to decrypt,” the company noted. 

“End-to-end encryption would be an optional mode of real-time media collaboration where one-to-one Teams calls between two parties would be end-to-end encrypted.”

The update is classified as general availability, meaning it should be on offer to all Microsoft Teams users across desktop and mobile – including both Android and iOS.

Microsoft revealed back in October 2021 that it was trialling E2EE in Teams as it looks to boost security for its video call platform.

Rival Zoom was forced to up its security protections after several high-profile “Zoom-bombing” incidents saw outside parties able to gatecrash what should have been private calls.

The update will mean that Teams users will soon see an encryption indicator in the upper left corner of the software which shows that their calls are encrypted. Microsoft Teams will also display a security code for the call which both parties can verify on their respective ends.

However it seems that some Microsoft Teams features, recording, live caption and transcription, Call park, Call Merge, Call Companion, Call transfer and the ability to add a participant to make a one-to-one call a group call won't be available when E2EE is enabled.

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Google Docs is finally solving this major editing pain
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Google is currently working on a new update for its office software that will make customizing tables in Google Docs more intuitive and easier to do.

While Google Workspace includes its own spreadsheet software in Sheets, many people prefer to use Docs to add inline tables to their documents.

According to a new post in the Google Workspace blog, the search giant is adding several new ways to customize tables in Google Docs to give users more ways to present information to their readers. 

This new update is rolling out now and will be available to all Google Workspace customers as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers and even those with personal Google Accounts.

Customizing and editing tables in Docs

First off, Google is adding a new sidebar to Docs to make it easier for users to manage a table's rows, columns, alignment and other properties. Just like when editing an image in Docs, all of these edits are “reflected in your document in real time”.

At the same time, the company is adding a new, intuitive button for creating new rows or columns in a table that will appear as an overlay as you hover over a table in Docs.

When it comes to pages, Google Docs users can now pin a table header row to repeat on each page to make it easier to see column headers for long tables while navigating a document as well as designate that a row should not be split across pages.

Finally, Google is making it possible to sort the rows of a table in either an ascending or descending order. However, any pinned table headers will still remain at the top of your tables.

Now that Google is making it easier to use tables in Docs, we'll likely see more users incorporating them into their documents to present information as opposed to linking to a separate spreadsheet in Sheets.

We've also rounded up the best free office software and best online collaboration tools

Via 9To5Google

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Instagram could finally be fixing its biggest annoyance
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After five years, Instagram is looking at bringing back the chronological feed, instead of one that sorts images by your interests in random order.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri was talking to the American Senate committee about child abuse on social media, mainly due to the whistleblower papers that were leaked by Frances Haugen.

Since 2016, users have had to scroll through their feed on Instagram, which shows posts in an order that’s been calculated by an algorithm. This generates a feed based on the content you’ve been looking at, what you’ve been commenting on, and who you’ve been following.

It’s why you will occasionally see a ‘Suggested feed’ of photos and profiles you don’t follow. However, many just want a feed of who they’re following and nothing more.

When will it arrive?

Mosseri’s confirmation of the chronological feed returning will be of big relief to some users. Many are still annoyed by not having control over what they see when they launch Instagram, instead of being brought to a feed that will show photos and videos from a few days ago.

It’s a feature that’s been long-requested, so now that there’s confirmation, many users wanted to find out when it would be arriving. But it looks as though it won’t be anytime soon.

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With no more news about the feature until early next year, we’ll have to make do with the algorithmic feed for now, as we have done for five years.

Analysis: Was there any need for it to go in the first place?

Instagram has been working on several features requested by its users. Recent examples have been the ability to post from a web browser or switching to a dark mode theme, which have been well-received.

However, not being able to control what you see on your feed has been frustrating for years, ever since it changed in 2016. Many users want to scroll through a feed from newest to oldest, and social media rivals like Twitter gives users the option for this, as does Facebook.

It can be argued that a chronological feed is more important for Instagram users, as photos and videos capture a moment in time. With the run-up to Christmas, you want to see the latest content from who you’re following, not a random photo from Halloween in your feed when you open the app.

It’s a welcome change of mind regardless, but there should have been an option for both in the beginning. However, let’s hope it appears sooner rather than later in 2022.

Via The Verge

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Editing Microsoft Excel files online could finally get a lot simpler
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Editing spreadsheets on the go or at work should soon be easier than ever thanks to a significant update to the web version of Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft has revealed a number of spreadsheet softwareupgrades that it says will help close the gap with its desktop-based sibling, including better support for larger files, as well as those with legacy features.

“We are excited to share that you can now open and edit more files on the web and complete your job anywhere, in the browser of your choice,” Microsoft noted in an Excel blog post announcing the news.

Excel for Web upgrade

Going forward, Microsoft Excel for the Web will now allow users to open and edit large files from SharePoint up to 100MB in size. This will expand possible files to thousands of rows of data, and means users will not have to switch to the Desktop version of Excel to finish work.

Users can also now edit files containing what Microsoft calls Legacy Art objects and SmartArt objects – including the likes of Form Controls, ActiveX Controls, Camera Tools, and OLE objects. The company says this will allow users to access and interact with any such workbooks but not with the objects themselves. 

Elsewhere, users can now also access password-protected workbooks on Excel for the Web, meaning there's no need to switch back to a desktop in order to open & interact with secured files. Similarly, users can now also edit files which are protected for editing using a password to modify, meaning you'll be able to access and interact with different types of protected workbooks on the browser itself. 

That's not all, as Microsoft also noted that more features will also be added soon, including support for Microsoft 365 subscribers to edit large files up to 100 MB from OneDrive, and further support for editing workbooks with legacy shared features and data wizard connections.

The news comes shortly after Microsoft revealed it will be bringing support for smoother scrolling to the Excel Desktop app, hopefully resulting in a much better user experience.

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Zoom is finally adding this essential feature on Windows and macOS
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The days of having to update your video conferencing software before joining a call are over as Zoom has announced that its bringing automatic updates to its Windows and macOS clients.

Not only do updates provide new features and functionality but they are also used to patch software bugs and other vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers to launch cyberattacks and infect your devices with malware.

Just like with other software companies, Zoom routinely releases updates for its desktop clients and mobile apps. However, not all of these updates are installed by end users which can put their devices and data at risk.

For this reason, Zoom is now rolling out a new automatic update feature for its Windows and macOS clients to ensure that everyone is running the latest version of its software before starting a call.

Enabling automatic updates

According to a new blog post from Zoom, in order to turn on automatic updates in its Windows or macOS clients, you'll first need to open the software's Settings menu, head to the General tab and select the “Automatically keep my Zoom up to date” option.

From here, you'll be prompted to enter admin credentials to allow the company's automatic update feature permission to run but this will only be required when enabling this setting for the first time.

Going forward, when a new version of Zoom is available and you're not already in a video call, you will be prompted to install the update. If you ignore this prompt, don't worry as the update will be installed automatically the next time you restart your Zoom client.

If you're not keen on receiving frequent updates, the “Slow” option is selected by default which focuses on maximum stability instead of giving you access to the latest features. Power users though can enable the “Fast” option which will let you download and install the latest features and updates as soon as they become available. It's also worth noting that critical security updates are pushed out by Zoom to everyone regardless of which option they've selected.

While some end users will need to enable automatic updates by themselves, if you're part of an organization that uses Zoom while working from home, your IT admin will need to enable this feature for you.

We've also rounded up the best video conferencing software and best online collaboration tools

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Windows 11 could finally solve one of the most common video call problems
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Microsoft is looking to solve a major annoyance for video conferencing users with a new preview update for Windows 11.

The Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22494, which was released to the Dev Channel in early November, is getting a new way to mute and unmute the microphone, straight from the taskbar. 

The feature will initally be limited to Microsoft Teams, the company's online collaboration app, but the company is expecting developers to pick it up and add the functionality to other applications, as well.

Microsoft Teams muting

“We are beginning to roll this experience out to a subset of Windows Insiders with Microsoft Teams for work or school installed and ramp it up over time,” Microsoft said in its announcement. “This means not everyone will see this right away with their Teams calls.”

As soon as a user enters a Teams call, Windows 11 will add a microphone icon to the bottom right part of the screen, next to the volume, battery and Wi-Fi icons. By simply tapping/clicking the icon, the user can quickly toggle between mute and unmute states. The capability only applies to the current call, the company added. 

Right now, the feature is limited to Microsoft Teams, but the company’s plan is to bring it to Chat from Microsoft Teams (Microsoft Teams for home) as well. It also said other communications applications can add this capability, meaning it’s up to individual companies or users to see if adding it makes sense.

“You can see your call audio status, what app is accessing your microphone, and quickly mute and unmute your call at any time,” Microsoft further explained.

There is also a keyboard shortcut to mute/unmute the microphone: Win + Alt + K. This, too, works only in Microsoft Teams, for the time being.

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