Windows 7 monthly charge, Xbox control with Alexa and Cortana, new surface rumors

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"Microsoft Monday" is a weekly column devoted to all things Microsoft. This week, "Microsoft Monday" presents news on the new Xbox Skill for Alexa and Cortana, a new monthly fee for extended Windows 7 support, Skype's new Call Recording feature, a new Outlook design and more!

Use Alexa and Cortana to control the Xbox

Last week, Microsoft announced launched an Xbox skill – that works with both Alexa and Cortana. This allows users to control their Xbox One using voice commands.

"With Xbox Skill, you can use voice commands to power your Xbox One console, adjust volume, launch games and applications, start and stop broadcasts on the Mixer, capture screen captures, and more." Xbox team. "This is the fastest way to get into your games and one of the easiest ways to interact with your console for everyday tasks. For example, if you have the skills activated on your Echo and that you participate in Insider preview, just say "Alexa, launch Rocket League." and this command automatically turns on your console, connects you and launches your game. "

You can also say "Ask Xbox what can I say?" to find out what other commands are supported.

Xbox Skill works with Cortana and Alexa compatible devices, such as Windows 10 PCs, Amazon Echo, Harman Kardon Invoke, Sonos One and Cortana and Alexa apps on iOS and Android.

To set this feature on Alexa, users will need to sign in to their Amazon account and then link their Microsoft account to the Xbox Skill. With Cortana, users will need to sign in to the Xbox and sign in to their Microsoft account to connect the Skill to Windows 10 PCs.

The Xbox Skill is being deployed on Xbox Inside. If you notice that the Digital Assistant parameter is visible under Settings> Devicesthis means that you are eligible to test the Xbox Skill. And if you do not see it yet, you will have to wait for Microsoft to add more insider rings to the beta.

Windows 7 Monthly Load for Extended Support

Last week, Forbes contributor Gordon Kelly highlighted a change coming to Windows 7. Microsoft announced that it will charge monthly fees to Windows 7 after January 14, 2020 to access extended security updates.

"We are announcing that we will be offering Windows 7 Pay Extended Security (ESU) upgrades until January 2023. Windows 7 ESU will be sold per device and the price will increase each year," wrote Microsoft Vice President. for the office. and Windows Marketing Jared Spataro. "Windows 7 ESU will be available to all Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise customers as part of volume licensing, with a rebate to customers with Windows software assurance, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education subscriptions."

Spataro added that Office 365 ProPlus will be supported on devices with ESU Windows 7 running until January 2023. Customers who purchase Windows 7 ESU will therefore be able to continue running Office 365 ProPlus.

The monthly price of Windows 7 ESU was not yet indicated. Microsoft may have terminated support on January 14, 2020, but this allows organizations to extend the use of Windows 7 as the primary operating system to their machines rather than having to upgrade to Windows 10.

It should be mentioned that this offer is only available for Windows 7 Professional volume license customers. This offer is not available for devices running Windows 7 Home.

Skype adds call recording on Mac and iOS

In a blog post, Skype announced the recording of Skype calls. The call recording feature is available on most platforms, with the exception of Windows 10. But Skype said that this feature would be added to Windows 10 in the coming weeks.

"As soon as you start recording, everyone in the call is informed that the call is being recorded. There is no surprise. If you are in video communication, Skype will record everyone's video as well as all shared screens during the call. After the call, you can save and share the recorded call for the next 30 days, "Skype said in the announcement.

You can start recording a call on the desktop at the bottom of the screen by pressing the "More Options" button and then pressing "Start Recording". On mobile devices, just tap "More Options." "

On mobile devices and desktops, a banner will appear on the Skype screen to let everyone know that the recording has started. Once the call is over, it will be finalized and posted to your chat where it will be available for 30 days.

You can share a recorded call from the chat by clicking the "More Options" button and selecting "Transfer". From there, a box will appear to indicate the contacts with whom you want to share the recorded call. On mobile devices, press and hold the recorded call, then press "Transfer".

Outlook overhaul

Microsoft previewed a new version of Outlook last year and is being deployed. The redesign can now be seen in the Windows desktop version of Outlook and the Web version. The redesign can be activated and based on your preferences. Some of the new features include:

– Faster search – Outlook can try to predict what you are looking for based on recent conversations and people you interact with often.

– Simplified file management – Microsoft has made it easy to find a file in your inbox with a new Files module that displays all the files you've received or sent to your inbox.

– Suggested answers – A new tool shows you the suggested answers so that you can respond quickly to incoming e-mails. This feature is very similar to what you may have noticed in LinkedIn's messaging feature.

– Easier event creation – When you add events to the calendar, you will see updated event icons and suggestions for location to get the details of the address.

– Smarter room suggestions – With artificial intelligence, the new version of Outlook will help users find the best meeting rooms based on time, number of participants and availability.

In addition, the Outlook team has also simplified the additional experience by giving you more control. If you use add-ins in the classic version of Outlook, they will appear pinned next to the mail actions in the drop-down menu.

Microsoft has also improved existing features such as faster and easier group creation, efficient sorting of group emails, and richer group cards. AndyYou can also add folders, people, and categories to your favorites for easy retrieval. With the new version of Outlook, group cards can now be used from within the application to view member information.

Sarcos Investment

Microsoft has invested in Sarcos' $ 30 million Series B. This round of financing was led by DIG Investment and Alex. Brown. Based in Salt Lake City, Sarcos was born to Raytheon in 2015. Founded in 1983, Sarcos was acquired by Raytheon twenty-four years later.

Current Microsoft investors include Caterpillar Ventures, Cottonwood Technology Fund, GE Ventures, Schlumberger President and CEO, and Sarcos, Ben Wolff.

Sarcos is known for manufacturing robotic systems such as exoskeletons for the military and industrial sector. L & # 39; Company its workforce has doubled in the last year. This funding cycle will be used to recruit additional talent and expand the production and deployment of Guardian S's mobile IoT inspection. In addition, the funding will allow the company to promote next year's commercial versions of its product range. Guardian XO industrial exoskeleton products.

Integrated Minecraft and Xbox One S Controllers

Microsoft ad the "Starter Minecraft Collection" and the "Master Minecraft Collection" last week. Both of these offers are a great way for beginners to immerse themselves in the Minecraft experience immediately. And with cross-play support on Minecraft, users can connect with their friends on the Nintendo switch and PCs.

The Minecraft Starter Collection costs $ 29.99, which includes the Minecraft Main Game and 700 Minecoins, which allows you to learn additional skills, textures, mashups, and more.

And the "Minecraft Master Collection" is $ 49.99 and includes all the same items from the Minecraft Starter Collection, 1000 minecoins and other content created for the Minecraft market.

The new surface should be announced on October 2nd

A few months ago, Microsoft also revealed the more affordable surface of 39-inch Surface Go, and it seems that the giant Redmond still has a few tricks in his bag. Microsoft sent media invitations to an event in New York on October 2nd at 4:00 pm ET that says, "A moment of your time."

It is believed that Microsoft will announce a new line of Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices during the event. In addition, Microsoft will probably make several software announcements.

According to rumors, Microsoft is introducing a two – screen device named Andromeda, but this one will probably be postponed until next year. It has been a few years since Microsoft launched the Surface Studio, so it is possible that a successor be announced during the event.

LinkedIn launches dynamic ads in the campaign manager

Today, LinkedIn has announced a new Dynamic Ads tool, implemented directly in Campaign Manager and to be deployed next week. This allows users to more easily send personalized ads to their target audiences via the desktop version of LinkedIn.

"Dynamic ads help you build deeper relationships with your audience by automatically customizing your ad creative with publicly available information from LinkedIn member profiles. With this additional visibility and scale, you can create more memorable experiences with the people who matter most to your business, "said Ayusman Sarangi of LinkedIn. "LinkedIn Marketing Solutions has now made all key formats available through self-service, allowing all online marketers, regardless of size, to use LinkedIn's advertising tools to achieve their marketing goals." Dynamic Ads is the latest native ad unit to be available for self service.

Procore Technologies and Vistage have implemented campaigns with Dynamic Ads to present their products. And LinkedIn Dynamics Ads has seen a 2X clickthrough rate compared to traditional display ads. One of the main reasons why dynamic ads stand out is that they are personalized with the user's profile information, such as their photos, names, companies, and job titles.

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"Microsoft Monday" is a weekly column devoted to all things Microsoft. This week, "Microsoft Monday" presents news on the new Xbox Skill for Alexa and Cortana, a new monthly fee for extended Windows 7 support, Skype's new Call Recording feature, a new Outlook design and more!

Use Alexa and Cortana to control the Xbox

Last week, Microsoft announced launched an Xbox skill – that works with both Alexa and Cortana. This allows users to control their Xbox One using voice commands.

"With Xbox Skill, you can use voice commands to power your Xbox One console, adjust volume, launch games and applications, start and stop broadcasts on the Mixer, capture screen captures, and more." Xbox team. "This is the fastest way to get into your games and one of the easiest ways to interact with your console for everyday tasks. For example, if you have the skills activated on your Echo and that you participate in Insider preview, just say "Alexa, launch Rocket League." and this command automatically turns on your console, connects you and launches your game. "

You can also say "Ask Xbox what can I say?" to find out what other commands are supported.

Xbox Skill works with Cortana and Alexa compatible devices, such as Windows 10 PCs, Amazon Echo, Harman Kardon Invoke, Sonos One and Cortana and Alexa apps on iOS and Android.

To set this feature on Alexa, users will need to sign in to their Amazon account and then link their Microsoft account to the Xbox Skill. With Cortana, users will need to sign in to the Xbox and sign in to their Microsoft account to connect the Skill to Windows 10 PCs.

The Xbox Skill is being deployed on Xbox Inside. If you notice that the Digital Assistant parameter is visible under Settings> Devicesthis means that you are eligible to test the Xbox Skill. And if you do not see it yet, you will have to wait for Microsoft to add more insider rings to the beta.

Windows 7 Monthly Load for Extended Support

Last week, Forbes contributor Gordon Kelly highlighted a change coming to Windows 7. Microsoft announced that it will charge monthly fees to Windows 7 after January 14, 2020 to access extended security updates.

"We are announcing that we will be offering Windows 7 Pay Extended Security (ESU) upgrades until January 2023. Windows 7 ESU will be sold per device and the price will increase each year," wrote Microsoft Vice President. for the office. and Windows Marketing Jared Spataro. "Windows 7 ESU will be available to all Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise customers as part of volume licensing, with a rebate to customers with Windows software assurance, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education subscriptions."

Spataro added that Office 365 ProPlus will be supported on devices with ESU Windows 7 running until January 2023. Customers who purchase Windows 7 ESU will therefore be able to continue running Office 365 ProPlus.

The monthly price of Windows 7 ESU was not yet indicated. Microsoft may have terminated support on January 14, 2020, but this allows organizations to extend the use of Windows 7 as the primary operating system to their machines rather than having to upgrade to Windows 10.

It should be mentioned that this offer is only available for Windows 7 Professional volume license customers. This offer is not available for devices running Windows 7 Home.

Skype adds call recording on Mac and iOS

In a blog post, Skype announced the recording of Skype calls. The call recording feature is available on most platforms, with the exception of Windows 10. But Skype said that this feature would be added to Windows 10 in the coming weeks.

"As soon as you start recording, everyone in the call is informed that the call is being recorded. There is no surprise. If you are in video communication, Skype will record everyone's video as well as all shared screens during the call. After the call, you can save and share the recorded call for the next 30 days, "Skype said in the announcement.

You can start recording a call on the desktop at the bottom of the screen by pressing the "More Options" button and then pressing "Start Recording". On mobile devices, just tap "More Options." "

On mobile devices and desktops, a banner will appear on the Skype screen to let everyone know that the recording has started. Once the call is over, it will be finalized and posted to your chat where it will be available for 30 days.

You can share a recorded call from the chat by clicking the "More Options" button and selecting "Transfer". From there, a box will appear to indicate the contacts with whom you want to share the recorded call. On mobile devices, press and hold the recorded call, then press "Transfer".

Outlook overhaul

Microsoft previewed a new version of Outlook last year and is being deployed. The redesign can now be seen in the Windows desktop version of Outlook and the Web version. The redesign can be activated and based on your preferences. Some of the new features include:

– Faster search – Outlook can try to predict what you are looking for based on recent conversations and people you interact with often.

– Simplified file management – Microsoft has made it easy to find a file in your inbox with a new Files module that displays all the files you've received or sent to your inbox.

– Suggested answers – A new tool shows you the suggested answers so that you can respond quickly to incoming e-mails. This feature is very similar to what you may have noticed in LinkedIn's messaging feature.

– Easier event creation – When you add events to the calendar, you will see updated event icons and suggestions for location to get the details of the address.

– Smarter room suggestions – With artificial intelligence, the new version of Outlook will help users find the best meeting rooms based on time, number of participants and availability.

In addition, the Outlook team has also simplified the additional experience by giving you more control. If you use add-ins in the classic version of Outlook, they will appear pinned next to the mail actions in the drop-down menu.

Microsoft has also improved existing features such as faster and easier group creation, efficient sorting of group emails, and richer group cards. AndyYou can also add folders, people, and categories to your favorites for easy retrieval. With the new version of Outlook, group cards can now be used from within the application to view member information.

Sarcos Investment

Microsoft has invested in Sarcos' $ 30 million Series B. This round of financing was led by DIG Investment and Alex. Brown. Based in Salt Lake City, Sarcos was born to Raytheon in 2015. Founded in 1983, Sarcos was acquired by Raytheon twenty-four years later.

Current Microsoft investors include Caterpillar Ventures, Cottonwood Technology Fund, GE Ventures, Schlumberger President and CEO, and Sarcos, Ben Wolff.

Sarcos is known for manufacturing robotic systems such as exoskeletons for the military and industrial sector. L & # 39; Company its workforce has doubled in the last year. This funding cycle will be used to recruit additional talent and expand the production and deployment of Guardian S's mobile IoT inspection. In addition, the funding will allow the company to promote next year's commercial versions of its product range. Guardian XO industrial exoskeleton products.

Integrated Minecraft and Xbox One S Controllers

Microsoft ad the "Starter Minecraft Collection" and the "Master Minecraft Collection" last week. Both of these offers are a great way for beginners to immerse themselves in the Minecraft experience immediately. And with cross-play support on Minecraft, users can connect with their friends on the Nintendo switch and PCs.

The Minecraft Starter Collection costs $ 29.99, which includes the Minecraft Main Game and 700 Minecoins, which allows you to learn additional skills, textures, mashups, and more.

And the "Minecraft Master Collection" is $ 49.99 and includes all the same items from the Minecraft Starter Collection, 1000 minecoins and other content created for the Minecraft market.

The new surface should be announced on October 2nd

A few months ago, Microsoft also revealed the more affordable surface of 39-inch Surface Go, and it seems that the giant Redmond still has a few tricks in his bag. Microsoft sent media invitations to an event in New York on October 2nd at 4:00 pm ET that says, "A moment of your time."

It is believed that Microsoft will announce a new line of Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices during the event. In addition, Microsoft will probably make several software announcements.

According to rumors, Microsoft is introducing a two – screen device named Andromeda, but this one will probably be postponed until next year. It has been a few years since Microsoft launched the Surface Studio, so it is possible that a successor be announced during the event.

LinkedIn launches dynamic ads in the campaign manager

Today, LinkedIn has announced a new Dynamic Ads tool, implemented directly in Campaign Manager and to be deployed next week. This allows users to more easily send personalized ads to their target audiences via the desktop version of LinkedIn.

"Dynamic ads help you build deeper relationships with your audience by automatically customizing your ad creative with publicly available information from LinkedIn member profiles. With this additional visibility and scale, you can create more memorable experiences with the people who matter most to your business, "said Ayusman Sarangi of LinkedIn. "LinkedIn Marketing Solutions has now made all key formats available through self-service, allowing all online marketers, regardless of size, to use LinkedIn's advertising tools to achieve their marketing goals." Dynamic Ads is the latest native ad unit to be available for self service.

Procore Technologies and Vistage have implemented campaigns with Dynamic Ads to present their products. And LinkedIn Dynamics Ads has seen a 2X clickthrough rate compared to traditional display ads. One of the main reasons why dynamic ads stand out is that they are personalized with the user's profile information, such as their photos, names, companies, and job titles.