Staying in touch with colleagues while working in the field will be made much easier by using the new functionality of Microsoft Teams. Soon, members of any team using the appropriate software will be able to exchange voice messages in real time, like the old “walkie-talkies”.
Judging by the post published on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, the new feature will be available worldwide this September – it was first talked about on the Microsoft Teams User Feedback Forum last November. Once it becomes active, anyone in Microsoft Teams can turn their smartphone or even tablet into a walkie-talkie that transmits audio clips over a mobile network or Wi-Fi.
This will allow some employees, who carry many devices and tools with them on a daily basis; to establish a secure communication channel without increasing the weight of the equipment; according to a Microsoft spokesman. Unlike analog walkie-talkies, the user in most cases will not become the object of accidental or deliberate wiretapping; previously, fragments of “analog” conversations could be accidentally caught by any radio amateur.
The function will be especially convenient for “protected” field smartphones with programmable keys – in some cases; workers do not even need to unlock the device in order to enter into a conversation. In addition, support is available for many dedicated professional headsets such as the Jabra BlueParrot and Klein Valor Speaker.
Gizchina News of the week
Microsoft Teams communications platform will get a new interface
Microsoft intends to change the interface of Teams software before the end of this year. “Front Row” layout is the official name of the structure for displaying information in an application designed for employee communication.
“Visually, in the new structure, the video gallery has been moved to the bottom of the screen; so that the participants in the office can see remote colleagues face to face in a horizontal plane – just as if they were in the same room,” said Microsoft 365 head Jared Spataro.
Microsoft intends to integrate the recently announced Fluid interactive components into a new structure – work agenda, tasks and notes will be reviewed together and updated in real-time. The meeting chat will be highly visible, providing everyone with the same opportunity to participate.
The video calling system will also undergo changes. The new Teams Rooms chat structure will use large areas of monitors and wide displays in meeting rooms; to more clearly identify remote participants. A similar redesign is coming for Microsoft Teams for its Surface Hub interactive whiteboards. Some of the new features will be available this month.
