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Posts tagged "Teams"

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Microsoft Teams might even help you find a new job now
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Hunting for jobs in today's crowded market could soon get a lot easier thanks to a new Microsoft Teams update.

The video conferencing service will be adding local job market trends to its Career Coach Microsoft Teams app, letting users find out what opportunities are on offer from employers near them.

The trends will come directly from LinkedIn, with the Microsoft-owned social media network providing the latest information for job hunters everywhere.

Microsoft Teams Career Coach

According to the official entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the update is still in development, but should be rolling out to Teams users across the world before the end of February 2022.

The tool will be available to faculty and staff license holders alike, presumably meaning that the target for the update will be university and college-level students.

Career Coach already looks to assist students in identifying career goals aligned with their passions, interests, and strengths, as well as allowing them to make connections with alumni, peers, and faculty who can support them on their career path.

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 news is the latest in a long series of updates and upgrades for Microsoft Teams as the company looks to ensure it is as useful for users as possible.

In a similar vein to today's news, Microsoft recently revealed that it is working on a new feature that will allow LinkedIn profiles to be displayed in Teams.

The information will be displayed in personal chats, meaning colleagues can find out more about their co-workers, for example when planning for a project or looking to help with onboarding.

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 (MAUs).

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Office and Microsoft Teams are getting even closer
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Using Microsoft Teams apps will soon be possible across Office.com and the Office app for Windows as the company looks to widen the reach of its video conferencing service even further.

A new entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap notes that users will soon be able to add apps built for Microsoft Teams to both Office platforms.

This should help improve the user experience for Teams customers around the globe, meaning there's now no need to switch between platforms in order to use specific apps.

Microsoft Teams Office

The roadmap entry notes how the feature could be a key selling point for many Office users frustrated by the current constant switching process.

“Users will be able to acquire and use these updated Teams apps (with personal tabs) without leaving Office.com and Office app for Windows,” the entry notes.

Microsoft Teams offers a wide variety of apps for users looking to enrich their video calling and collaboration experience, with options such as task management, polls and even mindfulness and good behavior tools available.

The update is available in preview now for certain Microsoft Insider users as the company looks to test the software and iron out any kinks. A wider global release is currently set for December 2022 across all web and desktop Office users across the world.

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

Microsoft Teams has enjoyed a rolling schedule of updates and upgrades in recent months as the company looks to ensure its platform remains on top of its game.

This most recently includes the ability to control calls using Bluetooth devices, combine work and business accounts and access screen-sharing controls across all clients.

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 (MAUs).

Recent data collected by software firm StarLeaf found almost all (97%) businesses say that tools such as Zoom, Webex and Teams are now essential to their operations.

More than half (57%) of the 2,000 UK-based respondents claim their company would not be able to operate for more than an hour without access to their communications tools, while 27% admitted they would struggle to function for even 30 minutes.

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One of the best Microsoft Teams features is finally available to all users
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Microsoft is preparing an update for collaboration platform Teams that will extend one of the most useful features to an additional group of users.

As explained in a new entry in the company’s product roadmap, Microsoft is bringing the ability to blur the video background to customers running Teams on virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI).

“Users on Teams on VDI on Azure Virtual Desktop/Windows 365 can blur their background in your video meeting and call,” the entry explains.

The feature still appears to be under development, but should be made available to relevant Microsoft Teams users by the end of the month.

Microsoft Teams backgrounds

Since the transition to remote working, a number of video conferencing vendors have rolled out virtual background functionality, which allows users to obscure the room behind them with an overlay of their choice.

A more subtle option is to blur the background, which has the dual effect of obscuring anything incriminating that might be laying around in someone’s bedroom or home office and focusing the attention on the person’s face.

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> Microsoft Teams is bringing back Clippy and all your old favorites

> The best Microsoft Teams backgrounds for personal and business use

> Microsoft Teams emojis are getting a 3D makeover

Although Microsoft Teams has offered such a feature for a while now, it has traditionally been available to users of its desktop and mobile clients only.

After bringing background effects to the web client last month, Microsoft is now completing the set by extending the feature to those running Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365. The broad objective is to ensure the meeting experience is consistent for all Microsoft Teams users, no matter which client or hardware they are using the dial in.

Beyond the virtual backgrounds feature, Microsoft has made a number of recent additions to Teams with this goal in mind, including the ability to control calls using Bluetooth devices, combine work and business accounts and access screen-sharing controls across all clients.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Microsoft Teams emojis are getting a 3D makeover
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If you're looking for a way to liven up those long Teams calls, then Microsoft may have just the thing: a whole load of refreshed (and colorful) emojis.

The new Fluent Emojis selection gives a whole new look to over 1,800 emojis on Microsoft Teams, which the company says will bring “a modern and delightful new version of the emojis we use every day”.

Along with a host of new additions and makeovers, the new icons will include at least six skin tone options for relevant emojis.

3D emoji in Microsoft Teams

“The emoji has steadily evolved alongside us, acting as essential communicators full of life and color,” Microsoft Art Director & Emojiologist Claire Anderson wrote in a blog post announcing the changes.

“Body language, subtle forms of humor, or environmental conditions — while we can see and respond to those cues those in-person, the loss of them in digital contexts impacts our communication greatly. With emojis, however, a few pixels can telegraph our thoughts and feelings in ways that are fun, clear, and emotionally resonant.”

Anderson noted that emojis are “playful communicators”, making them suitable for work communications, adding, “maybe the vulnerability or levity of emoji can not only open up our own creativity but also encourage space and agency for others in our organization.”

“This is especially relevant as we head further into a hybrid-work world where we meet new team members for the first time online,” she added, revealing Microsoft is also working on some new concept emojis that show hybrid working scenes such as “you’re on mute”, “no camera day”, and “parenting-while-working”.

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 emojis are available now on Microsoft Teams for desktop, web, mobile, and Meetings, and are are enabled by default, so you won't need to fiddle around to activate them.

Users should therefore see an immediate update to the new Fluent style, which also encompasses “delightful” animations on certain emojis. Microsoft adds that reactions in chat, channels, and live meetings will update to the new Fluent style.

The news follows a similar recent announcement that the company is working on a “Microsoft Teams Expanded Reactions” feature that will “allow users to apply any emoji as a reaction to chat messages”.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Microsoft Teams update introduces a useful new way to control your calls
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Dealing with dodgy audio levels on a Microsoft Teams call could soon be a thing of the past following a new update to the platform.

The company has revealed that users of its video conferencing service will soon be able to control aspects of calls using a Bluetooth device.

The change means users will soon be able to use a Bluetooth headset or speakerphone to answer or end a Microsoft Teams call, giving users much more flexibility, such as answering a call on the move, or at their desk.

Microsoft Teams Bluetooth

The news will allow Microsoft Teams users to use the buttons on a connected Bluetooth device to control their call, largely by answering, ending, or putting the call on hold.

Thes devices won't even require a USB dongle when connected to a Windows PC running Teams desktop client, and Microsoft says that for many headsets and speakerphones, this will work without requiring any user action to enable other than pairing the device with the PC.

It's likely that only certain devices will be able to use the feature to begin with, and Microsoft notes that users should stay tuned to its certification page for additional information about devices tested to meet all certification criteria with native Bluetooth connections soon.

The official Microsoft 365 roadmap notes that the feature is currently still in development, but is set to start rolling out to users in March 2022. When live, the feature will be available to all Microsoft Teams desktop users only, with no news of a mobile launch just yet.

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 update could be good news for companies looking to upgrade their online collaboration hardware, and follows the recent launch of a new initiative designed to attract even more customers to Teams.

Microsoft recently announced a new device trade-in scheme whereby businesses can claim cash back on old video conferencing hardware and desk phones when they make the switch to Microsoft Teams. The scheme will be facilitated by a partnership with Network-Value, a company that specializes in global device trade-in and responsible equipment disposal.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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This Microsoft Teams update will help you cut through all the nonsense
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Finding the right chats in Microsoft Teams will soon be a lot easier thanks to a new update that looks to help users focus better.

The video conferencing tool is adding new filters within the Chat app on Teams that will remove meeting chats and chats with bots, giving users a much more streamlined look at their conversations.

According to the official Microsoft 365 roadmap entry, the filter will work across group chats as well as one on one conversations, helping users stay focused on the messages that matter.

Microsoft Teams chat filters

The feature is still in development, but the roadmap has noted a launch date of March 2022, meaning it should arrive in the next few weeks, adding it will be available to all Microsoft Teams users across web and Mac devices.

Microsoft has been working hard to make Teams an integral part of workers' everyday lives, adding a wealth of new features and updates to the platform to encourage hybrid working. 

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

This includes the ability to pin messages in Microsoft Teams, much like in Slack or Telegram, allowing users to attach a specific message to the top of the channel so that it’s always visible to other participants, regardless of the number of messages that came afterwards.

The most recent Microsoft financial reports found that Teams now boasts over 270 million monthly active users (MAUs), up from the 250 million MAUs that the company reported just six months ago.

And recent data collected by software firm StarLeaf found almost all (97%) businesses say that video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Webex and Microsoft Teams are now essential to their operations. More than half (57%) of businesses surveyed said their company would not be able to operate for more than an hour without access to their communications tools, while 27% admitted they would struggle to function for even 30 minutes.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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You won’t be able to escape Microsoft Teams inside Outlook soon
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Escaping Microsoft Teams will soon be trickier than ever after the company announced another partnership for its video conferencing software.

The software giant has revealed that it is 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.

Outlook and Teams

According to the official entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the feature is currently in development, with a scheduled release date of December 2022. When released, it will be available for all web and desktop Outlook users across the world.

As well as running apps built for Teams within Outlook, users will also be able to acquire and use these updated Teams apps (including personal tabs and/or search-based message extensions) without leaving the email platform.

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> Outlook for Windows 10 could be getting a whole new look

The feature could also form part of the highly-rumored all-new Windows 11 email service reportedly in development. Codenamed “Project Monarch”, the service looks to greatly improve email on Windows 11, offering a truly cross-platform experience for users looking to embrace hybrid working.

The new app will reportedly feature an overhauled interface similar to Outlook web, including the rounded corners and icons already seen in a raft of new Windows 11 apps as Microsoft looks to offer a unified design approach across its software suite.

Microsoft has been hard at work recently on a series of updates and upgrades for Outlook as it looks to breathe new life into the often-maligned software. 

This includes an upcoming upgrade that will allow Outlook web users to customize the color of the events in their calendar app, the launch of spelling and grammar checks for Outlook on mobile platform, and another update to let users set a notice showing where they are working, whether that be at home, in the office, or elsewhere.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Microsoft Teams will no longer suck up so much of your battery life
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Using Microsoft Teams may no longer be such a drain on your laptop battery life thanks to a series of updates to the platform.

The video conferencing software will now require up to 50% less power to run during “energy-intensive” scenarios such as multi-person meetings than it did 18 months ago, Microsoft has revealed.

This is thanks to a series of changes and optimizations that should mean an end to battery-sapping video calls that can leave remote workers scrambling for their charger, or being forced to go on mute as their work laptop fans kick into overdrive.

Microsoft Teams battery life

“One of the challenges brought on by the ubiquity of Teams is the need to create equitable experiences across an incredibly diverse Windows device ecosystem,” Microsoft's Robert Aichner wrote in a blog post outlining a series of improvements made since June 2020.

Aichner noted that the moves should also allow users on low-end devices to have a much better experience running Microsoft Teams, meaning no one should suddenly drop out on calls, and ensure Teams meetings are as energy-efficient as possible, regardless of setup.

This has been a long process, with Microsoft continuing to optimize Teams as user numbers boomed during the pandemic amid work from home orders.

This has included camera optimization tools to reduce the demands on using video in meetings, with tweaks such as improving configurations, reducing code complexity for auto-exposure, auto-white balance, auto-aliasing, resulting in power draw reduction from the onboard camera and stability enhancements, and face detection processes.

Read more

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

> Workers are actually far more obsessed with Slack than Microsoft Teams

> You can now show off your LinkedIn profile on Microsoft Teams, if you want to

Microsoft has also consolidated and improved video rendering, particularly in multi-person video meetings where different participants may join with wildly different video streams due to variations in hardware. This initially meant that a nine-person call using a 3×3 video grid required nine distinct rendering operations, but Microsoft combined the streams and composed them into a single video, significantly reducing the power requirements for each device used.

More recently, Microsoft Teams has also been allowed to tap into a device’s GPU to support improved rendering performance, which has recently been expanded to the user's video preview as well.

Aichner adds that this is not the end for Teams optimization, and the company hopes to continue to release new features and improvements for some time to come.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Microsoft Teams will now show people your LinkedIn profile
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Microsoft is looking to bring two of its most successful software offerings in recent months closer together with another significant update to its video conferencing platform.

The company has announced it is working on a new feature that will allow LinkedIn profiles to be displayed in Microsoft Teams.

The information will be displayed in personal chats, meaning colleagues can find out more about their co-workers, say when planning for a project or looking to help with onboarding.

Microsoft Teams LinkedIn

The official entry in the Microsoft 365 roadmap notes that the change will allow users to see LinkedIn profiles of their colleagues in 1:1 chats only to begin with. Users will be able to view information on a person's profile via the LinkedIn tab in the 1:1 chat panel.

The update is still currently in development, with Microsoft projecting a March 2022 release date at the moment. The tool is also noted as being generally available to all global users across Microsoft Teams web and desktop versions.

Microsoft bought LinkedIn back in 2016 for around $ 26.2 billion as it looked to get a foothold in the social media space. The move has so far proved successful, with Microsoft's most recent financial results showing that Productivity and Businesses Processes, which includes Microsoft 365 and LinkedIn, was up 19% YoY to $ 15.9 billion.

However, the site has struggled to break into the potentially-lucrative Chinese market, with Microsoft forced to launch InCareer, a completely new app solely for Chinese users after being forced to withdraw its standard offering.

Elsewhere, however, LinkedIn appears to be enjoying strong growth in other markets, with Microsoft recently announcing the launch of its worldwide Services Marketplace for freelancers and adding a Hindi option, opening the service up to over 600 million speakers globally.  

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

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 (MAUs). 

Recent data collected by software firm StarLeaf found almost all (97%) businesses say that tools such as Zoom, Webex and Teams are now essential to their operations.

More than half (57%) of the 2,000 UK-based respondents claim their company would not be able to operate for more than an hour without access to their communications tools, while 27% admitted they would struggle to function for even 30 minutes.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More