This Microsoft Teams update will help you make an impact in your next meeting

Microsoft is preparing an update for collaboration platform Teams that should help users maximize the impact of their presentations.

As explained in a new entry in the Microsoft 365 product roadmap, Microsoft Teams users will soon benefit from new controls for presenter mode that allow for the video feed to be resized and repositioned.

“Presenter mode video controls enable presenters to move and resize presenter video feed and automatically adjust content size accordingly. This can be applied to all modes, including standout, side-by-side and reporter,” the company explained.

Microsoft Teams presentations

The update for Teams presenter mode is still currently under development, but should go live for all users by the end of April.

Microsoft first rolled out presenter mode last year, in an effort to provide Teams users with a way to flex their presentation style to the occasion. For example, standout mode seats the presenter’s video feed in front of the slide deck, while reporter mode places content above the person’s shoulder in the style of a news broadcast.

At the time, Microsoft said the new presentation features were designed to “help presenters deliver content more professionally and offer meeting participants dynamic experiences”.

With the latest update, the company will offer an additional layer of flexibility with the option to resize and reposition the video feed to suit the specific content being presented. This way, Microsoft Teams users can ensure that vital information isn’t obscured by their video.

The feature will dovetail nicely with additional features recently announced by Microsoft that allow users to rehearse their presentations in advance and record these practice sessions for the purposes of fine-tuning.

The company also unveiled a variety of hybrid working-centric updates designed to ensure meetings remain equitable with employees split between the home and office.

“Whether it’s creating more engaging meeting experiences, enabling collaboration with external partners, or giving you the flexibility to work where, when and how you want, these new features address the new expectations people have for the workplace,” wrote Nicole Kerskowitz, VP Microsoft Teams.

“While so much has changed about work, one thing remains constant: people are at the center. With technologies like Microsoft Teams supporting people, we can make hybrid work really work by bringing everyone – and everything – together.”

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This Microsoft Teams update will help you make an impact in your next meeting

Microsoft is preparing an update for collaboration platform Teams that should help users maximize the impact of their presentations.

As explained in a new entry in the Microsoft 365 product roadmap, Microsoft Teams users will soon benefit from new controls for presenter mode that allow for the video feed to be resized and repositioned.

“Presenter mode video controls enable presenters to move and resize presenter video feed and automatically adjust content size accordingly. This can be applied to all modes, including standout, side-by-side and reporter,” the company explained.

Microsoft Teams presentations

The update for Teams presenter mode is still currently under development, but should go live for all users by the end of April.

Microsoft first rolled out presenter mode last year, in an effort to provide Teams users with a way to flex their presentation style to the occasion. For example, standout mode seats the presenter’s video feed in front of the slide deck, while reporter mode places content above the person’s shoulder in the style of a news broadcast.

At the time, Microsoft said the new presentation features were designed to “help presenters deliver content more professionally and offer meeting participants dynamic experiences”.

With the latest update, the company will offer an additional layer of flexibility with the option to resize and reposition the video feed to suit the specific content being presented. This way, Microsoft Teams users can ensure that vital information isn’t obscured by their video.

The feature will dovetail nicely with additional features recently announced by Microsoft that allow users to rehearse their presentations in advance and record these practice sessions for the purposes of fine-tuning.

The company also unveiled a variety of hybrid working-centric updates designed to ensure meetings remain equitable with employees split between the home and office.

“Whether it’s creating more engaging meeting experiences, enabling collaboration with external partners, or giving you the flexibility to work where, when and how you want, these new features address the new expectations people have for the workplace,” wrote Nicole Kerskowitz, VP Microsoft Teams.

“While so much has changed about work, one thing remains constant: people are at the center. With technologies like Microsoft Teams supporting people, we can make hybrid work really work by bringing everyone – and everything – together.”

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Windows 11’s next big update for 2023 is already underway

Windows 11’s big update for 2023 is already being worked on by Microsoft, or at least that’s the word from the grapevine, with references to the 23H2 build having been spotted.

This sighting was made by @XenoPanther, who picked up on references to CU23H2, or ‘Copper’ 23H2, in a DLL file within Windows Server build 25075. The current 22H2 build being tested, and set to debut later this year, is known as ‘Nickel’, as well as its more widely used ‘Sun Valley 2’ codename.

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While we have to trust that this finding shared on Twitter is genuine, it’s not the only clue here. As Neowin further points out, during a Microsoft stream (the Windows Insider Program webcast), there was also a reference to ‘SV3 Refined Investments Next Step’ tucked away in a Share Content menu (for Teams).

SV2 is an abbreviation used by Microsoft in the past for Sun Valley 2, so it’s a reasonable assumption that SV3 could well refer to Sun Valley 3, or Copper 23H2.


Analysis: This is just very early work on the next version of Windows 11

As @XenoPanther makes clear, this is the very first reference to 23H2 or next year’s big update that we’ve seen – remember, Microsoft has changed to an annual cadence for feature updates with Windows 11 – and so this will (in theory) be the very early beginnings of work on Copper or SV3.

Sun Valley 3, incidentally, may well just be a working codename to denote the next step on with Windows 11, and it could be discarded or changed – if it even means that at all, as noted (but that seems likely).

Windows 11 22H2 could be released pretty early on this year, maybe at the start of the second half of 2022 going by some rumors – perhaps July – although September or October (perhaps a year on from the initial launch of Windows 11) seem safer bets to us. The likelihood is that 23H2 would then debut something like a year on from that point.

The incoming 22H2 update makes some big changes, including introducing Android app support, but obviously we have no idea yet what kind of plans Microsoft might have for the 23H2 upgrade. If work really has begun on the latter, though, the expectation is we’ll be hearing developments from the rumor mill before too long.

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Windows 11’s next big update for 2023 is already underway

Windows 11’s big update for 2023 is already being worked on by Microsoft, or at least that’s the word from the grapevine, with references to the 23H2 build having been spotted.

This sighting was made by @XenoPanther, who picked up on references to CU23H2, or ‘Copper’ 23H2, in a DLL file within Windows Server build 25075. The current 22H2 build being tested, and set to debut later this year, is known as ‘Nickel’, as well as its more widely used ‘Sun Valley 2’ codename.

See more

While we have to trust that this finding shared on Twitter is genuine, it’s not the only clue here. As Neowin further points out, during a Microsoft stream (the Windows Insider Program webcast), there was also a reference to ‘SV3 Refined Investments Next Step’ tucked away in a Share Content menu (for Teams).

SV2 is an abbreviation used by Microsoft in the past for Sun Valley 2, so it’s a reasonable assumption that SV3 could well refer to Sun Valley 3, or Copper 23H2.


Analysis: This is just very early work on the next version of Windows 11

As @XenoPanther makes clear, this is the very first reference to 23H2 or next year’s big update that we’ve seen – remember, Microsoft has changed to an annual cadence for feature updates with Windows 11 – and so this will (in theory) be the very early beginnings of work on Copper or SV3.

Sun Valley 3, incidentally, may well just be a working codename to denote the next step on with Windows 11, and it could be discarded or changed – if it even means that at all, as noted (but that seems likely).

Windows 11 22H2 could be released pretty early on this year, maybe at the start of the second half of 2022 going by some rumors – perhaps July – although September or October (perhaps a year on from the initial launch of Windows 11) seem safer bets to us. The likelihood is that 23H2 would then debut something like a year on from that point.

The incoming 22H2 update makes some big changes, including introducing Android app support, but obviously we have no idea yet what kind of plans Microsoft might have for the 23H2 upgrade. If work really has begun on the latter, though, the expectation is we’ll be hearing developments from the rumor mill before too long.

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Torvalds admits he’s a bit worried about the next Linux build

The speed at which Linux developers are working on version 5.17 of the popular kernel has gotten the OS’ boss a bit worried.

In the weekly State of the kernel post, Linux creator (and the biggest developer)  Linus Torvalds, said he believed the progress (or lack thereof) wasn’t caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or “whatever crazy things are going on in the world”, as these things “don't seem to have affected the kernel much.”

However, the number of known regressions that Torvalds is claiming have been out there since late January have affected the development cycle. Although these “don't seem all that big and scary”, Torvalds did stress that some of them were reported right after the rc1 release, meaning they’re getting somewhat stale. 

Linux “looks fine”

“I'd hate to have to delay 5.17 just because of them, and I'm starting to be a bit worried here. I think all the affected maintainers know who they are,” he concluded, before urging subsystem maintainers to make these regressions a priority. 

Torvalds also seems to be extra careful not to cause any panic, saying “but on the whole, things look fine. Just a few remaining warts is all. But the more testing to verify, the better.”

Linux, an operating system that, in its early days, couldn’t stand next to the likes of Windows, or macOS, has grown immensely popular with the proliferation of mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT). An open-source Unix-like operating system, based on the Linux kernel, the OS now powers Android, the world’s biggest and most popular mobile operating system.

Furthermore, many IoT manufacturers have deployed Linux on their devices, as well.

However, some manufacturers are also moving away from Linux. Google, for example, is developing an entirely new operating system for some of its IoT and smart home devices, called Fuchsia OS. This new OS, which is still in early development phase, is based on a new kernel named Zircon.

Via: The Register 

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Global ecommerce payments are set to soar in the next few years

The value of global ecommerce payment transactions is on track to exceed $ 7.5 trillion by 2026, according to a new report from Juniper Research.

This represents a growth rate increasing by 55% over the next five years, with the sector previously valued at $ 4.9 trillion in 2021.

Retailers offering omnichannel retail experiences are highlighted as the main driver of this growth, which over time, will increase user ecommerce spend, the analyst firm claimed, as omnichannel retail provides end users with the ability to access retail services, including sales and customer support, via multiple channels. 

Ecommerce spend rises

The report also predicts that ecommerce payments, including online, mobile and physical retail locations will all contribute to the sector’s growth, as users expect the same services to be available irrespective of the channel.

Juniper Research states that there is an increase in appetite for new payment methods within eCommerce checkouts, including Open Banking-facilitated payments and digital wallet one-click checkout buttons. 

“Merchants should ensure payment options match changing user expectations, or they will be rapidly left behind”, it added.

Amongst other insights, the study additionally found that by 2026, China will account for over 37% of global ecommerce payments by transaction value, which will provide ecommerce website users easier access to alternative payment methods.

Physical goods sold on ecommerce platforms will account for 82% of the global ecommerce payments transaction value in the next five years, with Juniper Research highlighting that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to aid the growth of online shopping globally.

With that in mind, Juniper Research highlights that alternative payment methods that integrate fixed installment plans and flexible credit in ecommerce check out options will continue to capitalize on this growth.

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Retailers using WooCommerce are the next target for Magecart card skimmer attacks

Three new Magecart attacks are taking advantage of potential vulnerabilities in the WooCommerce ecommerce platform, experts have warned.

Discovered by RiskIQ, the vulnerabilities target retailers using third-party themes and tools to integrate into  WooCommerce pages that are particularly prone to Magecart risk.

As a result, many consumers are potentially vulnerable to having credit card details stolen ahead of the holiday shopping season.

Magecart threat 

Further research by Barn2, a software company that specializes in WooCommerce products and WordPress, found that WooCommerce represents 29% of the top one million websites using ecommerce technologies. This exceeds five million active installs of the free plugin as of early 2021.

WooCommerce is notably popular because it is a free to use and easily customisable WordPress plugin

“WooCommerce users are often small and medium-sized businesses, sometimes considered the most vulnerable, as they lack resources for complex and highly-vetted third-party tools. As we've seen over the years, both small and large retailers can be the targets of Magecart skimming,” RiskIQ wrote in its blog post.

In a typical Magecart attack, threat actors use a vulnerability and weaknesses in an ecommerce platform to inject a malicious code that skims online payment forms to intercept the payment information of unsuspecting customers.

As these third-party tools integrate with thousands of websites, when one supplier is compromised, Magecart has effectively breached thousands of sites at once.

RiskIQ's detection of skimmers and other malware shows the innumerable ways threat actors gain access, deploy, and hide their tools on victim websites and advice site operations to regularly inspect their crontab commands for strange contents, ensure that access permissions are correct, and audit file access to it.

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Next WordPress release delayed after ‘large red flags’ identified

The WordPress developers have decided to push back the release of the next major version of the popular content management system (CMS) to January, 2022, after some developers expressed concern about the pace of development.

“I think there are some large red flags here that some things are not ready for 5.9….Overall, it seems like right now we are rushing things in a dangerous way,” wrote Addison Stavlo, a contributor to WordPress’ Gutenberg editor.

The original plan was to release WordPress 5.9 in mid December, 2021. However, things weren’t smooth during the alpha release cycle, forcing core developers to make several changes.

Better late than sorry

Not impressed by the changes to “so many things at the last minute,” Stavlo wondered why delaying the release wouldn’t be a better idea than making “regrettable decisions.”

As she announced the revised schedule Tonya Mork, Core Tech Lead for the 5.9 release, shared that the team had two options; either move the major features that had unresolved issues to the WordPress 6.0 release, or delay the release of WordPress 5.9. 

After careful deliberation, the core developers decided that the issues would be best handled now than later.

“The 6.0 release isn’t due until April 2022—too long for the community to wait for them [the features]. After processing this list of issues, Core Editor team saw the features could ship in 5.9 with the revised schedule. This decision, to delay the 5.9 release, was not made lightly,” explains Mork.

5.9 is still in feature freeze, and Mork stresses that the developers will use the elongated development period to iron out the issues and help 5.9 get to a Stable state.

Build your websites with the help of these best WordPress website builders and use these best WordPress hosting providers to host them

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Zoom will soon make it obvious if you’re late to your next big meeting

Zoom is rolling out a number of new updates for its video conferencing software and one of them might finally encourage users to ensure they're on time for their next big meeting.

According to a new blog post from the company, Attendance Status makes it easier for organizations to streamline the start of their Zoom Meetings by allowing meeting hosts and co-hosts using its Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar integrations to view who has accepted or declined a meeting invite.

However, this new feature also gives them the ability to see whether everyone invited to a meeting has joined. If you're used to arriving earlier for video calls, you should be fine but for those that try to slink in unnoticed later on in a meeting, your boss or manager will now be aware of your absence, so tread carefully.

You'll also no longer be able to use the excuse that you had to update your Zoom client as Zoom recently added a new automatic update feature for Windows and macOS that ensures everyone in a meeting is running the latest version of the company's software.

Slides, polling and watermarks

In addition to its new Attendance Status feature, Zoom is also rolling out other new features to help hosts engage with their attendees and get the most out of their recorded content.

As a presenter isn't always the one controlling a slide show, Zoom users can now select multiple people to control the movements of slides in a presentation. This means that presenters will no longer have to ask another attendee to move their presentation forward.

When it comes to getting feedback and insights from team members during meetings, Zoom has added more options for creating polls including ranked responses, matching, short and long answers and even fill in the blank. At the same time though, this feature can also be used for quizzes to create more effective experiences for students, onboarding sessions or other events.

Finally, Zoom is adding additional watermark settings to its software to help organizations and individuals get the most out of their recorded content and avoid distracting watermarks. Users can now set the size and placement of watermarks as well as enable them by default and customize them via the web portal prior to starting a meeting.

Looking to improve your video calls? Check out our roundups of the best video conferencing softwarebest business webcams and best headsets for conference calls

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