From communication services provided to a top Formula One team, an acquisition of a Microsoft Indirect Provider, and the cost-of-living crisis, here are extracts from popular news stories this week.
Whatâs New in Microsoft 365? August Update
Microsoft has introduced new capabilities in Microsoft 365 to improve connection and collaboration within the workplace.Â
This month sees new and improved features for Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office, OneDrive, SharePoint, Viva Goals, and WorkLab Guides.Â
Colette Stallbaumer, General Manager, Microsoft 365 and Future of Work, said:
âIn todayâs shifting macroeconomic climate, Microsoft is focused on helping organizations in every industry use technology to overcome challenges and emerge stronger.Â
âFrom enabling hybrid work to bringing business processes into the flow of work, Microsoft 365 helps organizations deliver on their digital imperative so they can do more with less.âÂ
Microsoft has also launched a preview of Experience insights, which provides an overview of user metrics for Microsoft 365.Â
Zoom Provides UC for Oracle Red Bull Racing
Zoom is providing communication, collaboration and âfan experienceâ services for Oracle Red Bull Racing. Â
- Zoom Add-On Helps Remove Language Barriers Â
- Zoom Research Shows Business Leaders Prefer Hybrid Working Â
- Zoom Execs Brand Q2 Revenue âDisappointingâ Â
As the official UC provider, Zoom is supplying the Formula 1 racing team with its Zoom Team Chat, Zoom Events, and Zoom Meetings software. Â
Oracle Red Bull Racing will utilise Zoomâs technology across all of its communication needs, âfrom Free Practice 1 on Friday to the checkered flag on Sundayâ. Its UC solutions will be used to connect the team to its fans, as well as on and off the track. Â
Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner, said: âWe are very excited about partnering with Zoom. Â
âTheir forward-thinking approach to communications mirrors our attitude to racing on track. They are fast, secure, and reliable in everything they deliver. Â
âZoomâs proven track record of innovation will enhance our communication capabilities and provide us with a cohesive platform that will continue to bind the entire team together.â Â
Zoom Team Chat will be used by the racing team to power real-time communications, enabling the sending and receiving of instant and secure messages.
Infinigate Group Acquires Vuzion
Infinigate Group has completed its acquisition of Vuzion as the two combine to create a secure cloud value-add digital platform.
The takeover will see Infinigateâs pan-European cybersecurity footprint combined with Microsoft Indirect Provider Vuzionâs expertise in the Microsoft world.
As a result of the acquisition, Infinigate has pledged to invest in Vuzionâs UK-based operations as it looks to expand.
Klaus Schlichtherle, CEO of Infinigate Group, said: âOur acquisition of Vuzion is a strategic move that weâve taken because cybersecurity and cloud are a natural fit.
âIt enables us to ensure a more comprehensive security posture for the end customers, especially in the SMB space.
âInfinigate will be the only VAD where resellers will find the expertise to transition customers to comprehensive, secure cloud solutions.
âThe acquisition will accelerate digital transformation both for Infinigate and for those we serve and combined with our key recruitment and investments, it enables us to re-invent VAD for a digital world.â
Vuzion is a cloud distributor and Microsoft Indirect Provider, serving over 600 resellers and one million cloud users.
Kaizala Users to Move to Teams by August 2023
Microsoft has confirmed that it will officially retire the Kaizala platform on August 31, 2023, and will migrate all users to Teams.
The company has stated that after the retirement date, access and support for Kaizala will be discontinued.
It follows Microsoftâs announcement in April 2019 that it plans to combine the Kaizala and Teams platforms.
A Microsoft blog post states: âMicrosoft Kaizala will retire on August 31, 2023. We recommend moving to Microsoft Teams for continued connection, sharing, and collaboration. After the retirement date, access and support for Kaizala will be discontinued.
âIn April of 2019, we announced plans to bring Kaizala together with Microsoft Teams. The capabilities of Kaizala complement the robust communication and collaboration capabilities of Teams, the hub for teamwork in Microsoft 365.
âTeams extends the capabilities of Kaizala â bringing together chat, meetings, calling, collaboration, app integration, and file storage into a single interface.
âMicrosoft Teams will be replacing Kaizala as the primary communication client in Microsoft 365 for both internal employees and people in your extended networks.â
Kaizala was initially developed by Microsoft India as a mobile phone number-based chat application and had become extremely popular in some Asian territories.
GoTo Expects âWork From Anywhere Trendâ to Rise
A GoTo executive believes the UK will see the rise of the âwork from anywhere trendâ as the cost-of-living crisis develops.
Reports in The Telegraph suggest that âemployees would need to earn ÂŁ900 more a year to afford working from homeâ as the cap on gas and electricity bills are to rise again in October.
The newspaper claims that home workers are likely to head back into the office this winter as a way of avoiding skyrocketing bills.
Sion Lewis, GM EMEA at GoTo, has stated that workers may adopt a different approach and continue to work remotely from other locations.
Lewis commented: âThe cost-of-living crisis in the UK is forcing people to weigh up the pros and cons of working from home versus spending more time in the office.
âMany are expecting a mass return to the office, with predictions that home working could increase bills by a staggering ÂŁ2,500.
âHowever, the choice between home and office is not so clear cut. Spiralling predictions of ÂŁ5,000 annual home energy bills come at a time of continued rail strikes and inflationary cost increases impacting other expenses such as childcare.
âSo, the âwork from anywhere trendâ could take off even more than before, with savvy employees looking to save money by avoiding both costs of the commute and heating their homes by working from coffee shops, libraries or convenient co-working locations.â
GoTo has recently launched The Essentials bundle, which combines GoTo Connect Standard and GoTo Resolve Standard as a way of bringing IT support to Connect customers at no extra cost.
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