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The computing giant patched 71 security vulnerabilities in an uncharacteristically light scheduled update, including its first Xbox bug.
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Posts tagged "Microsoft"
One of the best Microsoft Teams features is coming to more users
Microsoft Teams is working on an update that will extend one of its most useful features to a wider pool of users.
According to a new entry in the Microsoft 365 product roadmap, guest users will soon gain access to the live captions feature for Microsoft Teams on desktop, a facility currently available to registered users only.
The roadmap suggests the update for the collaboration platform is still under development, but should take effect for all users by the end of April. TechRadar Pro has asked Microsoft whether users can expect the change to be extended to the mobile client in future.
Microsoft Teams live captions
Introduced soon after the widespread shift to remote working as a result of the pandemic, the Microsoft Teams live captions feature is designed to ensure that all video meeting participants can follow the thread of conversation effectively. That includes anyone with hearing impairments or whose command of the language spoken in the meeting is imperfect, but also anyone with a poor connection or working in a noisy environment.
Until now, the live captions feature has been gated behind a registration wall. In other words, if someone was joining a meeting as a guest via a link provided by the host, they would have to make do without the accessibility feature.
Multiple queries from IT administrators in the Microsoft help forum suggest this is a problem a number of businesses have encountered. Strangely, responses from advisors suggest there may be a workaround that involves meddling with settings in the Admin Center, but the reliability of this method is unclear.
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With the upcoming update, however, Microsoft will make it far simpler for guests to access the live captions feature in Microsoft Teams meetings, without the administrator of the host domain having to wade through the advanced settings.
The update is the latest in a long line of improvements delivered by Microsoft in an effort to establish Teams as the go-to platform for workplace collaboration, in the face of increasingly fierce competition from the likes of Zoom and Slack.
In recent months, for example, Microsoft has announced new integrations between Teams and Office, chat filters designed to help users focused on the task at hand, and optimizations that reduce the platform’s power consumption.
- Complete your setup with the best business webcams and best headsets for conference calls
It’s now quicker than ever to start a Microsoft Teams call
There could soon be no escape from a quick Microsoft Teams catch-up after the company released a new update that makes setting up a call easier than ever.
The video conferencing service will soon let users cast directly from their desktop to Microsoft Teams Rooms hardware, meaning there's no need for a formal meeting any more.
Instead, users can employ the new Teams casting feature to wirelessly connect to a Teams Room, no matter where in the world they are.
Microsoft Teams casting
In its entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company says it sees the upgrade as ideal for quick ad-hoc sessions that don't require setting up a formal meeting.
The feature will work across Windows and Mac versions of the Teams desktop client, with users able to broadcast their screen and cast content stored locally on their computer or accessible via Office 365.
The feature is still listed as “in development”, but Microsoft has listed a general availability date of March 2022, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. The tool will be made generally available to desktop users everywhere upon release.
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The news is the latest example of Microsoft Teams working in harmony with other services and products in a bid for improved efficiency.
Recently, Microsoft revealed that users will soon be able to add apps built for Microsoft Teams across Office.com and the Office app for Windows, meaning there's now no need to switch between platforms in order to use specific apps.
The company is also working on a new feature that will let users run apps built for Microsoft Teams within its Outlook email service.
The move should make online collaboration and communication a much more seamless and smoother experience, meaning users shouldn't need to constantly switch between Teams and Outlook to stay on top of their work.
Microsoft Teams continues to go from strength to strength, with the latest figures from the company showing that the service now boasts over 270 million monthly active users.
- Here’s our pick of the best online collaboration tools around
Brave is now trying to dethrone Microsoft Teams and Google Meet
Brave Software is rolling out a series of upgrades for its privacy-focused video conferencing service, Brave Talk.
As explained in a new blog post, the headline addition is a new browser extension that allows users to attach Brave Talk links to Google Calendar invitations, in the same way as they might with Google Meet. The idea is to give people a simpler way to integrate Brave Talk into their regular working routine.
Beyond the browser extension, the company has also expanded the free version of its video conferencing service, which now supports unlimited video calls for up to four participants (up from two).
The premium version (costing $ 7/month), meanwhile, has received a number of new business-centric features as part of the update, from breakout rooms to emoji reactions, attendee polls and advanced moderation facilities.
Brave tackles video conferencing
Brave is perhaps best known for its web browser of the same name, which blocks both ads and tracking cookies, but the company is expanding rapidly in new product areas. For example, there’s now a Brave VPN, firewall, crypto wallet, news aggregator and search engine, all of which are said to be optimized for privacy.
Pitched as an alternative to video conferencing services operated by the likes of Microsoft and Google, Brave Talk is another member of this growing portfolio.
“Unlike other video conferencing providers, which can involve collecting and sharing user data without adequate transparency and control, Brave Talk is designed to not share user information or contacts by default,” Brave states.
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“Brave Talk is designed to serve you, not track you, and is designed for unlinkability [whereby there is nothing that links a participant to a call]. This privacy protection carries through to the Google Calendar extension.”
For Google Workspace customers at least, the ability to add a Brave Talk link to a Google Calendar entry with ease will minimize the friction involved in switching service, a crucial factor in accelerating adoption.
The extension of the free service to include unlimited calls for up to four people, meanwhile, will make Brave Talk a perfectly viable option for anyone in need of a video conferencing service for occasional personal use.
The main caveat is that Brave Talk calls can only be hosted by someone that uses the Brave browser, which currently holds a comparatively tiny share of the market. The ability for Brave Talk to challenge the likes of Microsoft and Google in the video conferencing market, then, is tied to whether the company is able to challenge the same two rivals in the browser space too.
- Complete your setup with the best business webcams, best headsets for conference calls and the best business monitors around
One of the most annoying Microsoft 365 flaws could finally be fixed
Microsoft 365 may finally have sorted out one of the most irritating aspects of using its web apps.
Previously, users looking to work across different Microsoft 365 accounts, whether work or personal, had to sign out and then sign back in when they wanted to switch.
Now, a new update looks set to banish this problem by adding account switching for Microsoft 365 web apps, saving huge amounts of time and lowering blood pressure across the platform's global user base.
Microsoft 365 account switching
In its official entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the company notes how the update will simplify working across different accounts going forward.
Users will now be able to sign into multiple work and personal accounts on Microsoft 365 web apps in the same browser, with Microsoft saying they will be able to “seamlessly switch” between accounts without needing to sign out and sign back in again.
The feature is currently in development, but has a predicted release date of April 2022, meaning users could see it within just a few weeks. Upon release, Microsoft says account switching will be generally available to all Microsoft 365 web users across the world.
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Microsoft 365 has been pushing hard to attract new customers in recent months as companies around the world look to adapt their technology stack as they gradually return to the office.
The company has aimed to poach customers from Google Workspace or other Microsoft Office alternatives with the promise of cheap deals and more flexibility, especially as some users are unhappy at Google's move to end a free tier of its software.
It has also made several moves to boost the security of Microsoft 365, adding a new layer of email security to make sure all emails sent through Exchange Online will only be delivered through connections that have both authentication and encryption.
The company also allowed Microsoft Defender for Office 365 to customize a new authentication mechanism in a bid to further extend its anti-spoofing protection.
- We’ve also highlighted the best online collaboration tools and the best hybrid working tech
Windows 11 is getting an eco-friendly update, but could Microsoft do more?
The latest Windows Insider preview is testing a feature that could make future upgrades to Windows 11 more sustainable. While this is currently still in the testing stages, Insider build 22567 includes the ability to schedule system updates for specific periods of time when your local energy grid is pulling more energy from renewable energy sources than traditionally harmful ones.
To do this, Microsoft will take regional data on carbon intensity from sites like electricityMap and WattTime, and you’ll only be able to enable it if your laptop or PC is plugged into an outlet. If preferred, you can still choose to install updates immediately by navigating to Settings > Windows Update and choosing “Check for Updates”
On the Insider Blog, Microsoft states that “Most electrical grids are powered by multiple sources, including renewables and fossil fuels. Whenever possible, Windows 11 will now prioritize installing updates in the background at times when greater amounts of clean energy sources (like wind, solar, and hydro) are available”
You'll see a small message in the Windows Update section of your settings that reads “Windows Update is committed to reducing carbon emissions”, but this doesn't think to anywhere just yet. Interestingly, the blog also mentions “We’re still working on the content that the text links to – stay tuned for future updates” so we have reached out to Microsft to see if we can get some clarification.
Sadly, If the carbon data isn’t available, it doesn’t look like this feature will be available to you and the blog also notes that not all Insider members will have access to this feature just yet, but it certainly feels like a step in the right direction, even if it’s a small one.
Technology is unavoidable, so we must do better
Modern technology uses a lot of power. It’s sometimes a hard pill to swallow for people who love the latest gadgets and hardware, especially if you’re as eco-conscious as I am, but our drive to constantly improve and build upon previous technology now means that we consume more electricity and energy than ever.
I want to see more companies pushing developments like this. It often feels as though in this new world where every aspect of our lives can be dominated by technology – from video gaming hobbies, daily mobile phone usage and now even smart home technology running 24/7 in our houses and apartments – the only alternative for a clear conscious is to simply avoid it all and live in the woods somewhere off-grid.
As appealing as that can sound at times when you just want to escape, it's not a healthy or practical way of approaching the situation for everyone. Technology is here to stay, and without building in environmentally-conscious policies and features into things as they develop, things could quickly get out of hand.
It feels slightly ridiculous that an operating system needs to make adjustments towards sustainability, but I’m grateful that something this small (in the grand scheme of things) is also making an effort. Microsoft is a huge company, and its actions not only set a good example to other smaller brands, but the number of people across the wider market that will use Windows 11 is only going to grow as older operating systems start getting phased out.
We obviously need to be making changes to our daily habits as individuals, but most of these are facilitated by what we have access to – you can’t be expected to buy an electric car with sufficient charging infrastructure for example, and in many regards, we’re entering a future in which anyone who doesn’t have access to devices like laptops or tablets will be at a huge disadvantage within the workplace and education.
Not everything is 'greenwashing'
Microsoft already makes many notable pledges towards sustainability and ethical working, using recycled marine plastics to create peripherals like mice. It also works towards creating a more equal space across both work and play, creating adaptive controllers for the Xbox console series and implementing inclusive features across its entire hardware and software range to help the disabled community.
There's a lot to cover in that bracket, but if you feel disadvantaged using mainstream technology because of things like mental illness and neurodivergent, or physical disabilities that affect your hearing, vision and mobility then you can read more on the accessibility section of the Microsoft website.
That said, there’s always more to be done, and I fear that a recent trend of ‘greenwashing’ has only thrown additional spanners in the works. For those unaware, greenwashing refers to a marketing tactic where brands will use sustainability or otherwise ecologically virtuous features to sell their products. Think 'bio-degradable' bags that actually take decades to break down into dangerous microplastics.
I’ve spoken to companies like Dell and Razer about its own sustainability pledges in the past, and who were keen to prove that its efforts come from a place of genuine care and concern for our planet and its people, but there will always be those that are happy to label any work towards a more sustainable future as greenwashing to appease the public.
I also like to take things with a healthy dose of skepticism, but I fear that condemning any and all efforts to improve on current policies will demotivate privately-owned companies from making any additional improvements in the future. Let’s not settle for just the bare minimum, but let's also use our common sense and not sabotage genuine efforts towards improving our planet for the generations that will inherit it.
Can Microsoft be doing more? Absolutely, and as one of the driving forces in computing alongside Apple, I demand additional features and policies to reduce carbon emissions, as well as proof of ethical material sourcing and manufacturing, and a promise that the desire for profits won’t come at the detriment of our planet’s health. My expectations are kept low, but I remain hopeful that our pursuit of fresh technology won’t be a driving force behind ecological collapse.
Microsoft Edge could be the secret weapon to boost your PC performance
Boosting your PC performance could get a welcome hand from Microsoft Edge, which is getting a new tool to help spot issues that could slow down your machine.
The new Performance Detector feature will help browser users debug performance issues caused by common problems such as running multiple windows or tabs.
These activities can lead to your device running slower, affecting battery life and user experience, but Microsoft says its new tool could spell an end to such worries.
Microsoft Edge Performance Detector
Performance Detector will be able to see any issues caused by unnecessary tabs or the use of extensions that may be hogging bandwidth.
When switched on, the tool will be able to monitor how Edge is running, and if it detects any issues, can recommend actions or fixes. This will most likely be through pop-up alerts or notifications, but Microsoft has yet to confirm the exact details.
The feature is currently available to testers in the Microsoft Edge Canary scheme, meaning it should receive a wider public launch soon – although there's no concrete information on this just yet.
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The tool will run alongside the existing Microsoft Edge efficiency mode, which looks to help users extend their battery life by minimizing how much power and system resources the browser uses.
This is done through a number of features, including setting background tabs into sleep mode after five minutes of inactivity, and also fade sleeping tabs in order to save memory and CPU usage.
Microsoft says that engaging efficiency mode will help not only improve battery life on your device, but also allow whatever version of Windows you may be using to perform more effectively – although this will depend on exactly what device you are using.
Efficiency mode has also emerged in Windows Task Manager, where users can employ it to push the application in question down the priority list when it comes to system resource allocation, helping boost performance and battery life.
- Take a look at the best online collaboration tools around
Via Windows Latest
Microsoft Office 365 cost hike delayed for some users
Microsoft has decided to delay its planned price increase of Office 365 for an additional two weeks for some of its reseller partners.
Back in August of last year, the software giant announced in a blog post that its first “substantive” price increase since launching Office 365 in 2011 was set to occur on March 1 of 2022.
For those unfamiliar with Microsoft's pricing changes, Microsoft 365 Business Basic will increase from $ 5 to $ 6 per user per year, Microsoft 365 Business Premium will go from $ 20 to $ 22, Office 365 E1 will go from $ 8 to $ 10, Office 365 E3 will go from $ 20 to $ 23, Office 365 E5 will go from $ 35 to $ 38 and Microsoft 365 E3 will go from $ 32 to $ 36.
Thankfully though, pricing will not increase for consumers or Microsoft's education customers at this time but businesses that use Microsoft's office software can expect to pay quite a bit more depending on how many employees they have when they need to renew their subscriptions.
Pricing grace period
In a support document published at the end of February, Microsoft informed its reseller partners that it had created a “transitional grace period” due to high demand by businesses looking to renew their subscriptions before the company's pricing changes went into effect.
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As a result, Cloud Solution Providers (CSPs) now have until 5pm PDT on March 14 or 12am UTC on March 15 to submit transactions and have them invoiced at the software giant's February 2022 pricing. This means that the next few weeks will likely be quite busy for CSPs as businesses try to renew one last time with the old Office 365 pricing.
While Microsoft did wait over a decade to raise the price of both Office 365 and Microsoft 365, some businesses could turn to Google Workspace or other Microsoft Office alternatives following the implementation of the company's planned price increase.
- We’ve also highlighted the best online collaboration tools and the best hybrid working tech
Via ZDNet
Windows 11 doesn’t deserve the hate – but Microsoft needs to do more
A new report by AdDuplex reveals that Windows 11 is now installed on 19.3% of computers, suggesting that Microsoft is struggling to convince people to upgrade to its new operating system.
While that number may seem initially impressive – after all, nearly 20% of all PCs is still a large number – it’s only a small increase of the 16.1% share AdDuplex reported the month earlier.
Building momentum is incredibly important this early on in an operating system’s life, so the fact that upgrades are slowing down a few months after launch is going to be concerning for Microsoft. Meanwhile, Windows 10 21H1 is the most-used version of Windows with 27.5% share, a small drop from the previous month.
Interestingly, Windows 10 21H2, which was released around the same time as Windows 11, has 21% market share. It seems that many Windows 10 users are upgrading to the newer version of Windows 10, rather than switching to Windows 11.
That makes sense – many people would rather stick with what they know. It also highlights that Microsoft may not be making as convincing an argument for switching to Windows 11 as it needs to.
The fact that older version of Windows 10, including Windows 10 20H2 on 17.9% and Windows 10 2004 on 7.9%, make up the bulk of the rest of the market, highlights the struggle Windows 11 faces.
The data AdDuplex uses is from around 5,000 apps that use the AdDuplex v2 SDK on the Microsoft Store, and covers around 60,000 PCs. This means the survey only includes versions of Windows that come with the Microsoft Store (Windows 10 and Windows 11), so while this doesn’t give us a complete view of the operating system market, it does help us understand the popularity of Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Analysis: Why the Windows 11 hate?
Since its launch, there seems to be quite a bit of negativity surrounding Windows 11, and this may be why Windows 10 users are hesitant to switch. When Microsoft announced Windows 11, many people were surprised. Not because of past comments by Microsoft that suggested that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows released, but because Windows 10 still feels relatively modern. With the release of Windows 10 21H2, it’s also an operating system that continues to get new updates and features.
For people using Windows 10 who are happy with the operating system, there doesn’t seem like a huge reason to switch to Windows 11. Windows 10 isn’t perfect, but that too might actually convince people to stick with the older OS.
Microsoft had a rough patch where it released numerous Windows 10 updates that appeared to cause more problems than they fixed. This affected people’s confidence in Microsoft, and some may think if the company can’t get an operating system update right, what kind of problems would an entirely new operating system bring?
Holding off from installing a new operating system as soon as it launches and sticking with your existing OS until early bugs and problems are fixed, is actually a pretty good idea. Once Microsoft corrects the Windows 11 problems (thankfully there aren’t too many) and addresses some of the complaints users have, we may see more Windows 10 users switch to Windows 11.
Another valid reason why people may not upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 is the fact that they simply can’t. Microsoft made having TPM a requirement for Windows 11, and this has meant that many perfectly capable PCs can’t actually officially run the new operating system. We can’t see Microsoft changing its position on this (in fact, it’s made life harder for people running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware), so many people won’t upgrade to Windows 11 until they get new devices, and that could be years from now.
Unfortunately, there is a growing negativity about Windows 11 as well. Many of its detractors are very vocal online, which could make people wary of upgrading. Some of these grumbles are definitely valid, but I increasingly feel like some of the hate is undeserved.
Sure, Windows 11 has some frustrating quirks at the moment – the reduced functionality of the taskbar is particularly baffling – but Microsoft is continuing to add features and fix issues. The new user interface may take some getting used to, but it feels fresh and modern.
I’ve also found Windows 11 to run well, with boot times particularly improved. While I don’t love the operating system (Microsoft still struggles to make anyone feel particularly fond of its software), I don’t hate it either.
Microsoft needs to counter the negative opinion people are forming of Windows 11 as quickly as possible, and show people why they gain from upgrading to the new operating system. What it certainly doesn’t want to happen is for Windows 11 to be spoken about in the same way people talk about Windows Vista or Windows 8.
Those two versions are widely derided as embarrassing failures – a fate that Windows 11 doesn’t deserve.
- Our Windows 11 tips can make your PC faster
Via Xda Developers
Microsoft Accounts Targeted by Russian-Themed Credential Harvesting
Malicious emails warning Microsoft users of “unusual sign-on activity” from Russia are looking to capitalizing on the Ukrainian crisis.
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