From new meeting styles to an added layer of security in an email platform, here are some extracts from popular news stories this week.
HoloLens 2 Now Has Full Microsoft Teams Integration
The Microsoft Teams platform is now accessible via the HoloLens 2 following a wave of significant updates to the virtual reality headset.
Microsoft has stated that it aims to deliver the same collaboration tools that deskbound workers can access and give to frontline workers.
Alysa Taylor, Microsoft Corporate Vice President for Azure and Industry, commented: “We’re truly delivering Windows in mixed reality.
“Microsoft sees several different metaverse categories. There is the familiar consumer metaverse, where we shop and play with friends and family.
“And there are the commercial and industrial metaverses where we collaborate with colleagues and get work done.
“The industrial metaverse is a fundamentally new way for humans and AI to work together to design, build, operate and optimise their physical systems.
“With Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365 and mixed reality offerings that bridge the digital and physical, customers can build digital twins of a factory floor or warehouse and simulate manufacturing or supply chain processes in the cloud.
“That allows them to refine those processes in the industrial metaverse — whether to boost operational efficiency or shrink their environmental footprint — before committing them to physical form.”
Microsoft says HoloLens 2 users can “summon” an array of holographic windows with a Teams call or chat, a Power BI dashboard, a Word document, a PDF or video, their OneDrive folder, or their calendar and operate in an immersive, 3D experience.
Google Adds Client-Side Encryption to Gmail
Google has revealed that client-side encryption for Gmail is now available for certain customers to try in its beta mode.
- Google to Give 50,000 Workspaces to Ukraine
-
Updates to Meet and Gmail Among Latest Workspace Improvements
The beta is only available to Google Workspace customers with Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers until January 20, 2023.
The company states that customers will keep control over their encryption keys to ensure the service is secure.
A Google Workspace blog said: “We’re expanding customer access to client-side encryption in Gmail on the web.
“Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers are eligible to apply for the beta until January 20th, 2023.
“Using client-side encryption in Gmail ensures sensitive data in the email body and attachments are indecipherable to Google servers.
“Customers retain control over encryption keys and the identity service to access those keys.”
According to Google, its Workspace platform already uses the latest cryptographic standards to encrypt all data at rest and in transit between the company’s facilities.
New Meeting Style Coming to Microsoft Teams
Microsoft is introducing a new type of meeting to its Microsoft Teams platform in the form of Virtual Appointments.
According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, Virtual Appointments will be tailored for business-to-customer (B2C) meetings with people outside your organisation.
The roadmap post states: “Virtual Appointment is a new Teams meeting type tailored for B2C meetings with people outside of your organization.
“When using the meeting type, guests will get a meeting invitation that includes important appointment details to make joining easy.
“They can join from any device—no need to install Teams—and experience a comfortable pre-appointment virtual waiting room until you’re ready to begin.”
The Virtual Appointments feature will be available to Microsoft Teams users who use the platform’s desktop client.
Microsoft states that the new meeting type will be generally available to users in February 2023.
Vbrick Consolidates eCDN Lead with Acquisition
Virginia-based enterprise video firm Vbrick has announced the takeover of enterprise content delivery network (eCDN) provider Ramp.
Vbrick and Ramp are the sector’s leading eCDN providers, and the buyout represents a consolidation of both firms’ delivery capabilities.
The pair intend to offer “multiple video distribution modalities”, assisting with different types of network set-ups and delivering bespoke options and enterprise use cases.
Vbrick and Ramp Together for Stronger Offering
An eCDN imparts video behind firewalls meaning there are no bandwidth and latency issues. This proves critical to corporate video strategies.
The combination of Ramp and Vbrick means they are in a better position to offer a stronger live and on-demand video proposition, able to cope with traffic spikes.
Ramp has made a name for being a universal eCDN provider that can deliver multicast, caching and P2P and claims to work on any platform with tight integration.
Microsoft has revealed that it is giving organisations 25 free trial licences for the Teams Premium package so users can test the new features.
The free licences will only last for 30 days and will be available to customers who purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription.
The company states that purchasing the Teams Premium add-on licence will provide admins and end users with extra features on top of their current Teams subscription.
A Microsoft 365 admin blog states: “Microsoft Teams Premium is a Teams add-on license that allows organizations with Microsoft 365 subscriptions to enhance their Teams experience with benefits like more personalised and intelligent meetings and webinars, enhanced protection for meetings, advanced management and reporting capabilities for IT and advanced Virtual Appointments.
“Teams Premium is currently available as a preview release, allowing organisations to experience and plan for the generally available release of Teams Premium.
“Not all Teams Premium features are available in this preview release, but more features will be released throughout the preview period.”
Users with Microsoft Teams Premium will have access to a lot of features that do not come with the standard Teams licence.
The features relate to things such as meetings, webinars, meetings protection, meetings reporting, and virtual appointments.
