Microsoft cites continuous innovation of Windows 11 and app compatibility improvements as it kills Test Base for Microsoft 365
Microsoft has announced that is it transitioning Test Base for Microsoft 365 to end-of-life in just a few weeks. The EOL process for the service started at the beginning of March and will be complete by the end of May.
As Test Base for Microsoft 365 is not something that everyone will have heard of, Microsoft explains that it is "a cloud-based app testing service on Azure that evaluates the compatibility of applications with new Windows releases or updates". The company has decided that it is no longer needed because so much work has been done with Windows 11 that app compatibility issues are rare.
Navigating the transition to Microsoft 365… just in time for Copilot
With the rollout of Copilot this fall, businesses everywhere are considering moving to Microsoft 365 to reap the benefits of its AI companion function in supporting business operations.
The first step in tackling this transition is for IT teams and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to understand the new software, evaluate their existing systems and prepare for the intricate migration that lies ahead.
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You’ll start with a quick overview of cybersecurity risks that modern organizations face, such as ransomware and APT attacks, how Microsoft is making massive investments in security today, and gain an understanding of how to deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint by diving deep into configurations and their architecture.
Mayo Clinic embraces Microsoft 365 Copilot
In a contemporary twist of healthcare meeting technological innovation, Mayo Clinic, a global pacesetter in medical care, has initiated the deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot, setting a new hallmark in enterprise productivity.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is a generative AI service, which marries the prowess of large language models (LLMs) with organizational data harvested from Microsoft 365. At its core, this service is engineered to morph mundane tasks into streamlined processes, thus freeing up critical personnel to focus on pivotal ventures.
Microsoft is unbundling Teams from Microsoft 365 and Office 365 to address European antitrust concerns
Microsoft has announced that it will unbundle Teams from Microsoft 365 and Office 365 in the EEA and Switzerland starting in October -- and this will mean a price reduction.
The move comes after the European Commission expressed concerns about the bundling of the software. Microsoft describes the decision as being part of "proactive changes", and the company will no doubt be hoping that it is enough to stop further probing and legislation. For now, the unbundling is limited to Europe.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is going to be costly for enterprise and business AI users
As Microsoft, like just about every other technology company, continues to embrace artificial intelligence, there is a lot of interest in the slew of AI-powered tools that are emerging. One of the most intrigue-inspiring tools is Microsoft Copilot.
We've already seen signs of this generative AI utility in the preview builds of Windows 11, and while there is a great deal of anticipation from home users, Microsoft is setting its sights on businesses and the enterprise. At its Inspire 2023 event, the company has revealed more about its plans, including details of pricing.
Meet Aptos: The new default Microsoft 365 font that replaces Calibri
Calibri, Microsoft's main font for the last 15 years, is stepping aside. Our tech has changed, and so have our tastes in fonts, apparently. So, Microsoft went looking for a new default font.
The Windows-maker picked five new fonts: Bierstadt, Grandview, Seaford, Skeena, and Tenorite, and hoped one would be the next go-to font for Microsoft 365. Users got to try these out, and the most liked one was Bierstadt, which is now called Aptos.
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Microsoft is testing Windows 11 Start menu ads to push Microsoft 365 and Microsoft accounts
In the latest Windows 11 Dev build, there is a new Gallery in File Explorer for browsing your photos. This is something that is likely to prove popular, but the same build also include some rather more controversial changes.
In Windows 11 build 23435, Microsoft is tinkering further with the Start menu bringing ads to the heart of the operating system. The company likes to refer to this advertising as "badging", but the latest attempt to promote Windows 365 and Microsoft accounts is more likely to be seen as badgering.
Microsoft 365 Defender is now AI-powered
Since its inception, Microsoft Defender Antivirus (FKA Windows Defender) was considered somewhat of a joke by power users. They would assert that it provided you with the protection of an umbrella in a hurricane. While its deficiencies were often exaggerated, indeed, it didn’t give you the same depth and scope as high-quality third-party solutions.
When Bitdefender retired its free antivirus solution in 2021 (only to release a new free antivirus in 2022), many turned back to Microsoft Defender. After all, Microsoft should ultimately know the best ways to secure its software. It's surprising it took so long for the company to expand the coverage of its Microsoft Defender line, especially, with the largest share of its revenue being made from intelligent cloud computing.
CISA releases open source Untitled Goose Tool to detect malicious activity in Azure, Azure Active Directory and Microsoft 365 environments
The CISA has launched a new security tool designed to help protect various Microsoft cloud services. The open source Untitled Goose Tool is available for both Windows and macOS.
The utility was developed by the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency in conjunction with Sandia National Laboratories. The aim of the tool is to help to detect and respond to malicious activity in Microsoft Azure, Azure Active Directory (AAD) and Microsoft 365 (M365) environments.
Experience an entirely new way of working with AI-powered Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft today took the wraps off Microsoft 365 Copilot, a new tool that combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with business data and Microsoft 365 apps.
Currently in testing with select commercial customers, Microsoft says that Copilot isn’t just a better way of doing the same things, it’s "an entirely new way of working".
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Full-screen Microsoft 365 trial offer is blocking access to the Windows 10 desktop
Apparently not content with irritating Windows 10 users with a rather deceptive invitation to upgrade to Windows 11, Microsoft is also causing annoyance by displaying an unskippable full-screen ad that essentially forces users to install Microsoft 365 Family.
Affected users report that the nag screen is blocking access to the desktop until they agree to start a free trial of Microsoft 365 Family (which most people are still referring to as Office 365). As part of agreeing to the trial, users are asked to provide payment details, and although no charges are made until the end of the trial period, the danger is that some people will forget to cancel and will end up paying.
The Office Insider program is dead; long live the Microsoft 365 Insider program
Microsoft has killed off the Office Insider program, used to gain feedback from testers about new features and changes. The death is not one to be mourned, however -- it is followed by an immediate resurrection as the Microsoft 365 Insider program.
The rebranding is in line with Microsoft's announcement last year that Office 365 would become Microsoft 365. In addition to the change in name, the company says that it will be providing information and publishing blog posts about a wider range of products and services that fall under the Microsoft 365 banner.
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