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Posts tagged "updates"

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New Spotify beta adds looping videos to music discovery as part of major updates
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Spotify has announced two major updates: a slew of new features coming to its Car Thing device and the launch of Canvas looping videos on its mobile app. 

Both updates have begun rolling out to Spotify users. The Car Thing features will be limited to the U.S. and iOS users will get the update first. Android owners will get everything at a later date. 

Canvas has a greater reach as the videos will release in beta across the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada for the Spotify mobile app.

More hands-off control

Car Thing was designed as a more convenient way to control Spotify while you drive and that core functionality is being expanded. Owners will now be able to see incoming calls on their screen where they can either answer the call or dismiss it.

Another big change is “Add to queue” which Spotify claims is one of its most requested features. It’s essentially the same feature on the mobile app where you can add songs or podcasts to a tracklist, but now you can use your voice.

There’s also going to be a new “Add to queue” icon on the touchscreen to add the song to a playlist or you can press and hold the dial to do the same thing. Other features include the ability to use your voice to ask Spotify for a personalized playlist and to control other media.

Looping recommendations

Canvas videos appear to have been inspired by Tik-Tok as a way to help people discover new types of music. Every day, Spotify will recommend you 15 Canvas loops based on the music that you like. You can scroll through the personalized selection to hear a preview and the Canvas for each song.

If you like what you see and hear, you can add the song to a playlist or follow the artist straight from the Canvas loop. The feature will also allow you to post the Canvas onto a social media app and have it loop in the background of a Story.

Canvas will be right on the mobile app’s home screen and will be created by the artists themselves to offer a sneak peek into the creative process. The full list of artists that will be in the Canvas section is unknown, but Spotify did reveal singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo as one of them.

Spotify didn’t say how long Canvas videos will be; whether it’s a 30-second loop or up to a 3-minute stream like TikTok.

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Windows 11 monthly updates have killed Sun Valley 2 before it even released
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Since Windows 10, Microsoft has had a consistent plan of updating Windows every six months with bug fixes and updates. This carried on for Windows 11 until Microsoft's recent event when it announced a bunch of features, such as tabs in File Explorer.

Four months into 2022, we've already seen two major updates. Normally, these would have arrived six months apart, usually named '2H22' to help reference the major update for that time.

There's been constant speculation on a big update to Windows 11 called Sun Valley 2. All these current updates, however, make us wonder if we should still expect a major update with a codename for Windows, or if “Sun Valley” is now irrelevant.

Sunset for the Valley

Back in the days of Windows XP and Windows Vista, major updates would be called 'Service Pack', with new features and a collection of bug fixes that would arrive a couple of years after the original Windows release, and that would be it.

However, the way we use PCs in recent years has prompted Microsoft, and other companies, to refine their software over time, often in response to customer feedback, and also to make some features more prevalent than they once were.

Microsoft had been following a six-month timeline for major updates in Windows 10, and then a yearly schedule for Windows 11. But it's telling that we're already seeing rumored features for Sun Valley 2 already arrive now.

Tabs in File Explorer

(Image credit: Microsoft)

While we've reached out to the company to see whether the timeline of major updates has changed, it already looks to be happening. If you were waiting for a significant update to arrive, it's most likely coming in a smaller update in the coming weeks or months, instead.

It's a method that would be great for Apple to follow, as well. The era of yearly updates on macOS from WWDC has little meaning for anyone. Having a constant stream of minor updates could help users gain new features while keeping developers in the loop of what's coming up.

More incremental updates that are larger than the bug and relatively minor changes Apple delivers throughout the year could help Apple developers more effectively adapt their apps to these updates, as well. Otherwise, they're left scrambling to ready major changes in time for the typical September releases of the new macOS or iOS versions.

Such a change would be a good thing for Apple fans. On the Windows side, it's an adjustment in perspective. Sun Valley 2 has no meaning anymore – the new Windows 11 updates are either here already, or they're already in the Windows Insider program, which allows you to test features under development that may arrive in an official capacity.

It looks to be a new standard for Microsoft and Windows 11 as a whole, and we're all for it. Your move Apple.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Windows 11 monthly updates have killed Sun Valley 2 before it even released
  • No Comments

Since Windows 10, Microsoft has had a consistent plan of updating Windows every six months with bug fixes and updates. This carried on for Windows 11 until Microsoft's recent event when it announced a bunch of features, such as tabs in File Explorer.

Four months into 2022, we've already seen two major updates. Normally, these would have arrived six months apart, usually named '2H22' to help reference the major update for that time.

There's been constant speculation on a big update to Windows 11 called Sun Valley 2. All these current updates, however, make us wonder if we should still expect a major update with a codename for Windows, or if “Sun Valley” is now irrelevant.

Sunset for the Valley

Back in the days of Windows XP and Windows Vista, major updates would be called 'Service Pack', with new features and a collection of bug fixes that would arrive a couple of years after the original Windows release, and that would be it.

However, the way we use PCs in recent years has prompted Microsoft, and other companies, to refine their software over time, often in response to customer feedback, and also to make some features more prevalent than they once were.

Microsoft had been following a six-month timeline for major updates in Windows 10, and then a yearly schedule for Windows 11. But it's telling that we're already seeing rumored features for Sun Valley 2 already arrive now.

Tabs in File Explorer

(Image credit: Microsoft)

While we've reached out to the company to see whether the timeline of major updates has changed, it already looks to be happening. If you were waiting for a significant update to arrive, it's most likely coming in a smaller update in the coming weeks or months, instead.

It's a method that would be great for Apple to follow, as well. The era of yearly updates on macOS from WWDC has little meaning for anyone. Having a constant stream of minor updates could help users gain new features while keeping developers in the loop of what's coming up.

More incremental updates that are larger than the bug and relatively minor changes Apple delivers throughout the year could help Apple developers more effectively adapt their apps to these updates, as well. Otherwise, they're left scrambling to ready major changes in time for the typical September releases of the new macOS or iOS versions.

Such a change would be a good thing for Apple fans. On the Windows side, it's an adjustment in perspective. Sun Valley 2 has no meaning anymore – the new Windows 11 updates are either here already, or they're already in the Windows Insider program, which allows you to test features under development that may arrive in an official capacity.

It looks to be a new standard for Microsoft and Windows 11 as a whole, and we're all for it. Your move Apple.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Slack down – latest updates and news
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If you're seeing issues with Slack not working for you today, you're not alone. The online collaboration tool is currently down for users across the world.

The issue began around 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm GMT on Tuesday 22 February, 2022, with users in multiple continents reporting issues.

There's been no word from Slack yet on what is causing the outage, so stay tuned and we'll keep you posted on all the latest updates and news below…

As we mentioned above, issues with Slack began appearing just as many workers in the US were signing on for the day.

Outage tracker site DownDetector showed a huge spike in complaints, with users also flocking to Twitter to report problems.

DownDetector Slack

(Image credit: DownDetector)

The issues appear to be affecting users of the Slack desktop app, with multiple browsers affected.

Here's what we're seeing when trying to access Slack on Google Chrome – but users on other browsers have also reported not being able to access.

Slack outage

(Image credit: Future)

The official Slack status Twitter account isn't reporting any issues just yet, but we're keeping an eye on it – the outage reports have now topped six thousand within less than half an hour, so something serious must be wrong…

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This neglected Microsoft productivity tool is finally getting some welcome updates
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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.

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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.

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Microsoft 365 updates tackle a major elephant in the room
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Microsoft has announced a range of updates for its productivity and collaboration software designed to address common challenges faced by workers in customer-facing roles.

The updates were informed by new research conducted by the firm, which suggests that frontline workers (who make up 80% of the global workforce) are too often overlooked when it comes to software deployment.

The survey found that the majority (63%) of frontline workers are excited about the opportunities technology creates, but many (55%) have had little support from their organization when it comes to adopting new tools. Meanwhile, 60% of those surveyed said their company could better prioritize culture and communication, and more than half said they did not feel valued as employees. 

Microsoft believes technology will be crucial in establishing a line of communication between upper management and staff on the ground.

New Microsoft 365 features

Since the start of the pandemic, Microsoft has worked to deliver new functionality for its various software and services in an increasingly competitive market. However, the majority of these improvements have been geared towards so-called knowledge workers, rather than employees out in the field.

In the face of this new data, the company has developed a number of updates for its Microsoft 365 suite that it hopes will go some way to addressing the imbalance.

For example, Microsoft has announced the general availability of a new feature for Microsoft Teams that allows frontline workers (and anyone else) to use their smartphone or tablet as a walkie talkie, provided they have access to Wi-Fi or mobile data.

The firm has also partnered with rugged smartphone manufacturer Zebra Technologies, which has integrated a dedicated Microsoft Teams push-to-talk button into some of its handsets.

Zebra Technologies

(Image credit: Zebra Technologies)

Separately, Microsoft Teams can now be used by frontline workers to manage scheduled appointments, providing customers with real-time updates on wait times, missed appointments and staffing delays to create a more transparent experience.

Finally, Microsoft has rolled out a number of improvements for Viva, its employee experience platform. The updates will give non-office-based workers easy access to payroll, HR and training resources, which should help businesses establish a more consistent culture.

“It’s no secret that the pandemic is reshaping work for all workers, and at a faster pace than we have ever seen,” said Emma Williams, Corporate VP at Microsoft.

“Empowering frontline workers remains essential for digital transformation. If done well, we believe technology can modernize workflows and enhance job performance while also improving workplace culture and communication.”

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