1 844.742.7448

Email Us

Remote Support

Contact

Posts tagged "Productivity"

  1. Home
  2. Posts tagged Productivity

Meta Quest 3’s next update steals the Vision Pro’s best productivity feature… kinda
  • No Comments

The Meta Quest 3 looks set to be taking yet another step towards being an Apple Vision Pro that doesn’t cost $ 3,499 / £3,499 / AU$ 5,999, by taking yet another feature from the Apple headset for itself.

This time it's a new window layout style, though it’s not really fair to say Meta is stealing this idea from Apple, merely improving its current approach. Rather than simply having three 2D apps docked side by side in fixed positions (which is what is currently possible on the Meta Quest 3 and other Meta headsets), you can now have three windows that are freely placeable anywhere in your virtual home office, and another three docked – making a total of six.

The experimental setting has been unlocked as part of the HoizonOS v67 update which is currently in beta for members of the Meta Quest Public Test Channel. Clips of people testing it out also show users switching the windows between curved and flat, as well as a feature that can lower the brightness of 2D environments – though this doesn’t work if you’re using the windows in mixed reality with passthrough.

See more

While this does bring the Quest 3 closer to matching the Vision Pro’s approach to 2D apps in a 3D space, it’s not quite one-to-one yet. The biggest difference is if you stray too far from a window it returns to its default docked position on the Quest 3 – whereas on Vision Pro you can leave windows in their custom floating positions indefinitely like they’re real objects.

That said, it’s also worth noting the Meta Quest 3 only costs $ 499.99 / £479.99 / AU$ 799.99, so it’s forgiven for not being a direct copy.

A closing gap

The Apple Vision Pro will always be better than the Meta Quest 3 on a technical level with its vastly better displays and chipset. But Apple hasn’t done enough to leverage its advantages in ways that matter, but that was probably always going to be the case.

The Vision Pro with its eye-tracking, laptop-level power, focus on less active XR experiences, and approach to hand-tracking offers app developers a vast array of tools to create interesting software for the device. 

However, what makes the headset unique is also its downfall – it’s too dissimilar to its rivals. If you make a VR app that takes full advantage of the Vision Pro it probably won’t be well suited to other platforms (and vice versa). So if you’re weighing up your options, making a non-Vision Pro app just makes more financial sense as it can run on more popular platforms; that is, unless Apple is offering some kind of financial incentive.

A Meta Quest 3 user throwing a giant die onto a virtual medieval tabletop game board full of castles, wizards and knights

Demeo is great, but the Apple Vision Pro needed more than this (Image credit: Meta)

Some classic VR games and apps have started to get Vision Pro ports, but they are in small numbers and have trickled in months after the headset launched and the hype has died down.

Instead, most of the apps that it can run are XR versions of iPad and Mac apps which begs the question of what you really gain from buying a Vision Pro – especially as you likely already have those other gadgets, or could buy them for less than the cost of Apple’s headset.

Meta on the other hand has continued to fund exciting exclusive apps – we’re getting a bonafide Batman: Arkham game to name a recent example. At the same time, it's rolling out monthly major software updates that have only narrowed the gap between the Vision Pro and Quest 3.

We’ll have to wait and see how things continue the rest of the year and beyond, but my advice remains the same as it always has: if you want to try VR then get a Quest 3 or Quest 2 – there’s no good reason to get a Vision Pro instead.

You might also like

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Empowering New Year’s resolutions: Last-minute gifts to elevate creativity and productivity with Wondershare
  • No Comments

Holiday shipping deadlines are zipping by, leaving those of us who are last-minute shoppers to scramble to find gifts for our loved ones that can be delivered before the holidays are on our doorsteps. Thankfully, digital products exist, and a bit of that procrastination may even be rewarded when you get to take advantage of a good sale like the one Wondershare is currently hosting. Between now and January 5, Wondershare is offering up to 65% off their suite of applications that can help you or your loved one be more creative and productive in the New Year.  

Save on last-minute gifts for creatives 

According to researchers, 3 in 10 children aspire to be YouTubers or Vloggers when they grow up. Chances are you have an aspiring content creator on your list this holiday season – or maybe you're shopping for yourself. Enter Wondershare, an industry leader in creativity and productivity solutions. Their flagship product, Filmora 13, is an award-winning video editing software for all skill levels and needs. The best part? This holiday, you can snag Filmora at up to 30% off. 

And that's not all—join the excitement of 'The Biggest Christmas' contest hosted by Filmora. Simply capture your ‘biggest’ holiday moments, whether it's the largest Santa at the mall or the colossal Christmas tree in town, edit it with Filmora, share it on social media, tag @filmora_editor, and use #FilmoraXmas2023  for a chance to win $ 500.

Wondershare's applications harness the power of AI to enhance creative output and lessen the workload of the individual. Filmora 13 is packed with features such as AI Copilot Editing, intelligent editing suggestions based on the video’s content, and AI Text-Based Editing, which allows users to transform videos into text and edit them as a document. With Filmora 13, it's easier than ever for creatives to spend less time making better video content.

AI is also an integral enhancement in Virbo, an AI video generator from Wondershare. With Virbo, creatives and professionals alike can quickly assemble videos using more than 300 AI avatars across a range of attire, ages, and ethnicities. Choose from any of Virbo’s high-quality video templates, pair it with an AI-generated script, and then choose any of the 300+ options for voices and languages to create your video. Virbo can even translate your videos into 20 languages using Voice Cloning technology. 

Give the gift of productivity for 2024 

Creativity and productivity go hand in hand, and Wondershare’s application suite has the professionals and business-oriented gift recipients in mind during this holiday sale, as well. For professionals dealing with PDF documents daily, Wondershare has PDFelement. PDFelement is specifically tailored with powerful AI technology that can assist in generating abstracts, proofreading, and translating or rewriting files quickly and easily.  Not all content creators are generating videos, some of us have to create legally binding contracts that can be opened and e-signed from anywhere. PDFelement can also help generate PDFs from images and Word documents, or scan and convert paper contracts into electronic PDF files. 

EdrawMax can also help bridge the gap between creativity and productivity. This application is designed to utilize powerful AI technology to generate flowcharts, mind maps, lists, and more with simple Q&A style prompts.  This can make it easier to brainstorm your next big creative project and get into the production phase quickly. Save time and effort with one-click AI flow charts and goodbye to tedious and repetitive busy work. Mind maps from EdrawMax are useful for productive-focused professionals and can also be useful for students for creating study charts.  

Create more in 2024

Last-minute gifts can still be thoughtful and helpful for the recipient, and with Wondershare’s CreateMas holiday sales you can give creativity and productivity — a gift that will keep on giving beyond the holidays and throughout the new year. In addition to the applications listed here, more than 15 Wondershare products are up to 65% off from now until January 5, including UniConverter, EdrawMind, DemoCreator, Dr.Fone, Mockitt and more. 

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Windows 11 is getting new Focus tools to boost productivity
  • No Comments

Focus Assist has been a tentpole feature in Windows 11, and thanks to a new update, they're improving it further from today (April 5), after Microsoft announcing it at its event, thanks to the introduction of an integrated focus timer.

First introduced in Windows 10, Microsoft’s Focus Assist tools have been a useful ally in the war against notification vying to steal your attention away from work, games, and media.

Working similarly to your phone's alert slider and settings, Focus Assist allows you to filter out some or all of the notifications and alerts that could pop up and steal your attention away from whatever you are meant to be doing, so long as you remember to turn it on in the first place.

Increasing your Focus further

Thankfully that should not be as much of a problem anymore, as Windows 11 will soon be getting an integrated focus timer that is able to schedule dedicated blocks of ‘focus time’ into your schedule based on your calendar and working habits for the week.

Previously this useful Focus tool has only been available to customers of Microsoft’s paid Viva Insights program, which helps users build better working habits, so it is great to see the feature roll out to all users across Windows 11 who want to be more productive.

Currently, users looking to maximize their productivity and get the most out of Focus Assist have had to rely on setting up automatic timers or conditions upon which Focus Assist would activate, such as when a second monitor is connected or when you are playing a game.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

This neglected Microsoft productivity tool is finally getting some welcome updates
  • No Comments

The web app of Microsoft OneNote is getting a range of updates and upgrades as the company looks to help users boost their efficiency and productivity.

The company has revealed a host of new features for the Microsoft OneNote web app, including a new mode switcher and an improved copy and paste experience.

Going forward, the company hopes that its  note-taking app will play a crucial role in helping users across the world transition to the new way of hybrid working.

OneNote for web updates

“We are happy to announce a set of upcoming features and improvements in OneNote for the web and in Teams to better serve millions of customers who have turned to these experiences for their notetaking needs over the last two years,” Microsoft's Chetna Das wrote in a blog post announcing the news.

“We are also investing in making these experiences faster, more reliable, and on par with the OneNote desktop apps so users can confidently get their jobs done on whatever platform they prefer.”

Not all the updates have been released immediately, with some rolling out gradually, and one, improved link sharing within Teams, scheduled for the future.

Available now, the new mode switcher follows in the footsteps of other Office web apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to let users quickly switch between editing and viewing mode, helping prevent accidental changes to read-only sections or files where users may not have edit permissions.

The improved copy and paste function will allow users to paste rich content such as tables and lists from external sources to a OneNote page without losing the source format. Users can also paste from the context menu user interface (UI) in Teams and the Chrome browser using the Ctrl+Shift+V shortcut to paste text only.

There's also a zoom feature that will allow users to get a closer (or further away) look at their pages, and an option to lock pictures and printouts in place as a background. Also announced is the ability to re-size videos, an auto-inking with Stylus feature, and the ability for OneNote to remember the last page you were on.

Read more

> Microsoft is offering a new version of its most underappreciated productivity tool for free

> Microsoft Office has a fresh new look – here's how to update

> OneDrive update offers a peek into Microsoft’s master plan

The news follows Microsoft's announcement in June 2021 that it would be combining the OneNote for Office and the OneNote for Windows 10 app from the Microsoft Store into a single app.

By doing so, Microsoft was hoping to encourage even more users to try out OneNote, as well as removing any confusion over which app they need to install on their devices.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Microsoft is offering a new version of its most underappreciated productivity tool for free
  • No Comments

Microsoft wants to help us all feel a little more organized and ready for the day ahead, and it's offering a free experience of one of its least well-known productivity apps to do so.

The company has revealed users with a Microsoft account (MSA) can now try a new lightweight version of its Microsoft Lists app at no charge, to see just how it can help them.

Microsoft Lists is designed for small business and individual use, and the new preview version of the app looks to help provide a clear and straightforward view of all your important tasks in one single place.

Microsoft Lists preview

“It’s time to liberate yourself from coordination chaos,” Microsoft wrote in a blog post announcing the news. “Time to clear your brain space and get organized. In short, it’s time to try the Microsoft Lists – MSA Preview.”

Previously only available as part of a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, the company says the new preview app is designed around the core of the existing service, but also adds in a few new tools, including tabbed views, sharing from within a Person column, add images inline and more.

It believes Microsoft Lists can be helpful across a huge range of tasks, from business-focused tasks such as internal events planning, job applications and employee onboarding, to more home-oriented activities such as vacation planning or even recipe collecting.

The app allows users to share all their plans with co-workers, family or friends, and can be customized in a wide range of formats to give users exactly the view or approach they need.

Read more

> Microsoft Teams gets useful new Lists app

> Some special Microsoft 365 accounts will now receive stronger protection than the rest

> Microsoft 365 update will make sure no one is at a disadvantage

The company is offering 200,000 free trial accounts on a first-come, first-served basis, and you'll need a Microsoft account to sign up. During preview, users can try up to 50 lists, with up to 2,000 items/list, although there is also a 200MB limit for files, video, and image storage per list.

Customers planning to use Microsoft Lists with a business account and personal Microsoft account will need to switch between accounts to see each set of lists.

“We’re excited to see what sorts of information tracking goodness you create during preview, and how you share it all,” the company added.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

This new Microsoft Teams update will maximize your productivity on the go
  • No Comments

Mobile users of Microsoft Teams may no longer need to worry about making unfortunate typing errors thanks to a new update.

The collaboration and  video conferencing platform will soon receive predictive text features to its mobile app, a new entry in the Microsoft product roadmap shows.

The new addition should make it harder to make spelling or grammatical errors when typing on the go, particularly as many workers embrace the new world of hybrid working, meaning they may be messaging on a train or bus, or just when rushing to a meeting.

Predictive text on Teams

The entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap notes that the new feature uses “assistive AI” to predict a user's answers and gives text suggestions so that, “you can finish phrases in one tap.”

The tool may use the same technology found in Microsoft Editor, which uses the company's own in-house AI technology to cut out errors across Word and Outlook.

The company recently announced that predictive text would be coming to Microsoft Edge, giving users of its web browser a similar “text predictions” feature that uses Microsoft's own in-house AI and ML technology to offer word suggestions to users.

Microsoft says the feature should roll out to all Teams users by March 2022. It will initially only be available to Android users, however given the huge popularity of Microsoft Teams (which recently topped 270 million monthly active users), it would be a surprise if an iOS version isn't forthcoming soon.

Read more

> There will soon be no escape from Microsoft Teams, even in the office

> Why Slack isn't afraid of Teams or any other competitor

> Microsoft Teams update lets you hide from your own face

The new feature is the latest in a series of recent updates to Microsoft Teams as the company looks to help keep its new and existing users productive and happy across the platform.

Also recently announced was the ability to combine business and consumer Teams accounts, hopefully putting an end to any unfortunate confusion between the two, and even the possibility of adding Microsoft's Cortana voice-recognition software to the platform.

The company also recently confirmed the launch of its walkie talkie feature in Microsoft Teams, allowing customers to use their smartphone or tablet as a walkie talkie that can work over both a cellular or wireless connection. 

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More