According to WSJ, the feature is still being developed, but it may include asking users to write a list of goals or tasks for the day. At the end of the day, the feature will ask them which tasks they completed and move uncompleted tasks to the next day. It will also ask users how they feel in the morning and evening. The danger is that this will just feel like more work.

While a virtual commute sounds a bit depressing, Microsoft says this is an attempt to promote employee wellness — a shift for a company that has primarily focussed on connectivity and productivity. Of course, there are many ways to clear your head before and after work, and when you’re already spending so much time in front of a screen, it might be nice to do something analog, like, say, going for a walk.

When the National Basketball Association (NBA) restarts its season on July 30th, it will use Microsoft Teams to recreate the atmosphere of a packed arena without any fans physically present. As part of its ongoing partnership with Microsoft, the league plans to use the software’s recently released Together Mode to put more than 300 fans in the stands (via The Verge). The feature utilizes AI to segment your face and shoulders and put you in a shared digital space with other people. 

The NBA will equip arenas with 17-foot tall LED screens that surround the court. The displays will allow players to see and hear the people who are watching them via Teams. Meanwhile, fans will see a live feed of the game directly within the app, alongside a view of everyone else that’s spectating. ESPN and Turner will adjust how they record matches so that those following along on their TV or mobile device will see both the players and those attending through Teams.   

As before, the process of using your Fujifilm as a webcam is straightforward. All you’ll need to do is download and install the new firmware, connect your camera to your Windows 10 PC using a USB cable and change the video source in the app you plan to use. The webcam feature is compatible with Zoom, Google Meet, Skype and Microsoft Teams. 

In addition to the two cameras added with today’s update, Fujifilm X Webcam is compatible with six other X-series cameras: the X-H1, X-Pro2, X-Pro3, X-T2, X-T3 and X-T4. The software also works with all three of the company’s GFX medium format cameras — if you’re fancy like that. Canon and Panasonic camera owners can also upgrade their webcam setup using the app from their manufacturer.

You’ll have more Facebook Live options starting today too, as you can broadcast to Pages and Groups using a Portal Mini, Portal or Portal+, while there are more AR effects you can tap into on calls and for virtual greetings cards. Facebook is adding two more books to the Story Time app this month, with more on the way later in the summer.

The company is also expanding Portal voice control functions over the next few weeks as well. For instance, you’ll be able to start WhatsApp calls using your voice and there’ll be support for British English commands.

Graduation is a major milestone in most people’s lives, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students will miss out on the chance to celebrate their accomplishments with a traditional ceremony this year. However, virtual versions can still go ahead, and an arena-sized audience can attend on Microsoft Teams.

From early May through July 1st, holders of a Microsoft Office 365 A1 faculty license, which is free to educational institutions, can run Teams Live Events with up to 20,000 attendees at no added cost. The standard limit for Live Events is 10,000. License holders will be able to hold 50 concurrent live events, lasting up to 16 hours, during that timeframe, which might prove useful for alumni events or conferences as well.

One of the great things about Zoom is the ability to change backgrounds. You can use any image you want to cover up the laundry piling up behind you, for instance, or to ensure your privacy in calls with workmates you don’t really know. Now that most people are turning to video calling platforms while working for home, Microsoft has rolled out a Teams update that also gives it the capability to change your background environment.

While you can’t upload your own image yet like you can with Zoom — Microsoft promises to launch that feature later — you can choose from several backgrounds provided by the collaboration platform. The tech giant explains that the capability builds upon background blur that uses AI to blur the environment behind you.

Once you’ve set up the Teams app in Slack, you’ll be able to start a call by simply using the command /teams-call. You’ll also be able to see who’s already in a meeting before you hop in and also join calls from Outlook or Google Calendar reminders in Slack.

However, you can’t take part in Teams calls entirely within Slack, at least for the time being. If you join one from a Slack channel, the call will open up in Teams instead. In addition, you’ll be able to dial phone numbers via Zoom, Jabber, WebEx, RingCentral, and Dialpad directly within Slack. That might make getting things done while you’re stuck at home a little easier.

According to CNBC, Slack plans to integrate Microsoft Teams calling features into its workplace collaboration app. Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield shared the plan during an analyst call. “We’re working on Teams integrations for calling features,” he said.

Adding support for Teams makes a lot of sense both because of the current situation and the fact that you can already use Microsoft services like OneDrive, Outlook and SharePoint directly within Slack. Butterfield didn’t say when the calling feature will launch, nor exactly how it will work. That said, when the company added support for Office 365 apps last year, it did so using publically available APIs. At the moment, however, it’s hard to say whether this is a sign of the two famously competitive companies coming closer together.

First up, real-time noise suppression. If you’ve ever been in a remote meeting where someone is typing loudly on their keyboard or has the radio playing nearby, you’ll know how distracting these background sounds can be. This feature minimizes these unwanted noises, allowing users to hear what’s being said.

Then there’s the Raise Hand feature. In remote meetings with a lot of participants — or particularly chatty individuals — it can be hard to make your voice heard. Tapping the Raise Hand icon sends a visual signal to everyone in the meeting that you’ve got something to say.

Other new features include pop-out chats, to help you jump more easily between conversations, and a booking app, which will make it easier to schedule and conduct virtual appointments. There’s also support for offline and low-bandwidth use, so you’ll be able to read chat messages and compose replies even if you’re offline.

Finally, there are some device-orientated developments. A new integration between Teams and RealWear head-mounted devices means that industrial workers will be able to use Teams to access information and communicate hands-free with remote colleagues from their job site. New devices certified for teams are also on the cards. The Yealink VC210 is available now, while Bose nose cancelling headphones 700 UC will be on sale in late spring.

These new features are available now, and given the current global health crisis they could not have come at a better time — something Microsoft is well aware of having made Teams available for free to the UK’s NHS workers during the coronavirus outbreak. In just a week, the company has seen Teams grow from 32 million to 44 million daily users around the world — with more set to join the platform as more countries confirm their own isolation strategies.

Slack has also made some fortuitously-timed changes to its collaboration platform. Remote working has taken on an unprecedented focus in recent times, and providers are well-positioned to help people and companies around the world work together despite global uncertainty.

We’ve determined that an authentication certificate has expired causing, users to have issues using the service. We’re developing a fix to apply a new certificate to the service which will remediate impact. Further updates can be found under TM202916 in the admin center.

— Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) February 3, 2020

It’s odd that Microsoft would forget to renew a critical authentication certificate, and it was rude timing, as so many were attempting to log in and start their week.

Almost three years old, Microsoft Teams is the company’s Slack competitor. Last year, it added new features like private channels and custom video chat backgrounds, and it recently launched its first TV ad campaign. Needless to say, today’s outage probably doesn’t help in Microsoft’s efforts to take on Slack.