Forget Zoom: Microsoft Teams is actually making video calls fun

Forget Zoom: Microsoft Teams is really making video calls fun

(Prototype credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Teams is launching several large new updates that may exit Zoom quaking in its video conferencing boots, including a feature that no other video conversation service has.

Via a digital briefing, Microsoft appear it has re-prioritized and accelerated these new Teams features to better serve its customers as the coronavirus pandemic continues to change how people work and learn. These include a dynamic view called Together mode, live reactions, alive transcription with speaker identification and an integrated task app. The upgrades are an try to reduce meeting fatigue, make virtual collaborations more inclusive and engaging and streamline piece of work to save fourth dimension. Microsoft's official announcement follows previous reports of the forthcoming updates, like increasing video phone call size to 49 participants.

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In addition to the large gallery view, the biggest new feature is Together mode, which uses AI segmentation technology to make you experience like you're sitting in the same room every bit your meeting collaborators. Toggle on Together way and instead of seeing up to 49 participants in a grid, you see them in an auditorium setting.

When someone is talking, heads will turn toward the speaker, creating a more than natural eye gaze. Microsoft besides says it volition be easier for people to take turns speaking. More than settings, similar a virtual briefing room or cafe, are coming soon.

Microsoft Teams together mode — (Image credit: Microsoft)

While in gallery view mode, Teams at present supports alive reactions, which allow participants to utilise blithe emojis to "like" something, applaud or raise their mitt. Chat bubbles appear in a participant's grid window to evidence what they typed, while suggested replies make chatting easier and faster. Alive captions transcribe a speaker'southward words into text, while live transcription creates an on-the-go recap of what everyone is saying in a video coming together.

Microsoft Teams live reactions — (Image credit: Microsoft)

The improved coming together views prioritize video participants and provide richer options when screen sharing and presenting.

Microsoft as well unveiled the deep integration of the Tasks app and the vox assistant Cortana in Teams. As Jared Spataro, corporate vice president of Microsoft 365, said in the conference, we've seen "two years worth of digital transformation in two months" due to the pandemic quarantine. "COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way we piece of work."

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Kelly is a senior writer covering streaming media for Tom's Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, Tv Guide and other outlets. When she'south not watching TV and movies for work, she's watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.