After initial testing with Edge Insiders, Microsoft is finally rolling out the “Search in Sidebar” feature to the production version of the Chromium-based web browser. As long as you’re running Edge version 87.0.664.55 or higher, you can now drag to highlight a word and then right-click on it, then choose Search in Sidebar, and get a contextual search box to the right side of Edge.

Specifically, this new option can be useful for things such as definitions, web links, images, videos. Compared to the “Ask Cortana” feature in legacy Edge, you’re also getting image and video verticals, which show better results related to the highlighted word or phrase. You also can summon it with CTRL+Shift+E, too, without clicking, as an alternate shortcut.

It’s important to note, though that sidebar search is persistent in the tab in which it was opened. You’re going to get the option to close the pane (with the “X) or look up additional information related to other words using the search box from Bing. You’re also able to use the“Open in new tab” button which opens the web results in a new tab.

This feature will definitely be useful for educators, students, and even journalists, too. Perhaps even for shopping, in combination with the Collections and price checking feature in Edge, as well. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Thanks, Bruce Manor for the tip!

The Surface Hub isn’t a device that receives a ton of updates, and for good reason, as it’s designed mostly for communal use where sudden changes in UI, functionality, and features can become detrimental to expediency and productivity.

Perhaps, even worse than getting new UI and features that can disrupt a well-oiled productivity flow, is getting an update that breaks things, like the Windows 10 Team 2020 Update for the Surface Hub 2S.

On October 27, 2020, Microsoft made its  Windows 10 Team 2020 Update for the Surface Hub available. The W10T 2020 Update was intended to help admins “manage installations using Windows Update for Business rings, similar to your standard Windows 10 update rings.”

However, since its release, Surface Hub 2S users have been complaining and sending feedback to Microsoft about the update causing various issues on the device. Microsoft hasn’t divulged the list of specific complaints, but today, it acknowledged the groundswell of Surface Hub users who are experiencing bugs and issues due to the new update rollout.

To date, we have 70% of all eligible devices in Phase 1 and 2 regions updated. While the majority of these devices were updated successfully, we have received feedback from a small number of customers who have encountered post-install issues. To ensure that we deliver an updated experience of the highest quality, we have taken two important actions:

• We have created a summary of the current list of known issues, solutions, and remediations for transparency and to assist your team in diagnosing and resolving issues.
• We have paused the Windows Update phased releases. Phase 1 and 2 were released per the schedule below and Phase 3 and 4 will be paused for the remainder of 2020.

In the same press release, Microsoft also offered workarounds for users that include using Bare Metal Recovery images to get around installation issues. In addition, Microsoft also noted that those who are “in a state of transition between Window 10 Team Edition version 1703 and 20H2,” by extending support through March 16, 2021.

Microsoft is currently working on a new set of translation capabilities for Outlook for Windows that will make it easier for users to translate their emails. The translation features will be coming in January 2021, according to an email sent out to Office 365 subscribers.

With this new translation experience, users will be able to automatically translate words, phrases, and full messages on their Windows PCs. More specifically, when a user receives a message in a language that is different than the user’s default mailbox’s language, the app will automatically provide a translation suggestion.

Microsoft says that there’s also an option for users to opt in to automatic translation, where the Outlook app will automatically translate all messages received in other languages. It is important to note that translation is an optional experience, and it will comply with the privacy settings of your respective organization.

The translation functionality is a useful feature that will hopefully make it easier to communicate and collaborate across different languages. As of this writing, it is under development and it’s available for Office Insiders. If you want to get early access to this new Outlook feature, you need to join the Office Insider program before it officially begins rolling out in mid-January.

Welcome back to our Windows 10 news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.

Windows 10 Twitter app gains a variety of design and feature improvements

The latest update for the Twitter app has brought a number of improvements and fixes. Changes have been made across the app, including tweaks to the design, accessibility improvements, fixes for DM issues, and more. You can read the changelog here.

Windows 10 Xbox app adds ‘My Collection’ and Install Management Center with latest update

The Xbox app for Windows 10 has received a new update that aims to make it easier to manage your installed and owned games through a new “My Collection” feature. You’ll be able to see games you own, have installed, those in your Xbox Game Pass ‘Play later’ queue, as well as being able to manage the install queue and turn on or off automatic updates.

Windows 10 Your Phone now lets users delete their smartphone photos

This week has seen the Your Phone app on Windows 10 make it even easier to manage your smartphone photo library, now adding the ability to delete photos via the app on your Windows 10 PC.

That’s it for this week. We will be back next week with more Windows 10 news.

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

Microsoft makes privacy changes to its Productivity Score software as concerns arise

Microsoft’s Productivity Score software has come under flak recently, being claimed a “full-fledged workplace surveillance tool”. In response to growing concern over the tool, Microsoft is going to be making changes, including removing usernames from the data, making it more of an overall score of the entire organisation, rather than individualds.

Microsoft introduces new calling features for Teams

New calling features are being introduced in Microsoft Teams. Two of the main important new additions is call transfer and CarPlay support, among others. Call transfer allows for transferring a call between different devices, so that you can stay in a call whilst on the move, which is expected to launch in early 2021, whilst CarPlay support will allow users to make and receive calls using their vehicle, though no release timeframe has been announced.

Microsoft Flight Simulator to get a free VR update on December 23

Later this month, Microsoft Flight Simulator is to get a free update that adds Virtual Reality to the game. VR headsets from a range of manufacturers will be supported, including HP, Valve, and Oculus.

Microsoft Forms will soon allow users to collect survey responses from specific people

Microsoft Forms is set to gain the ability to limit form responses to specific users or groups, helping limit who can respond to the form/survey, allowing the collection of responses from particular people/groups for specific purposes.

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Microsoft news.

Microsoft’s Edge browser Canary development branch is usually updated daily and yesterday the company rolled out version 89.0.722.0 which brings a significant upgrade to the browser with Chrome-like grouped tab features.

The new features were first highlighted by Techdows. Since Grouped tabs features are coming by way of the  Canary development branch and appear to be officially supported in this capacity, we expect to see a full channel log drop later today.

Now Edge users running the canary branch of browser development will be able to test out Tab Groups and Tab Groups Auto-Correct features which supports users labeling their grouped tabs as well as the browser automatically generating tab groups from open tabs pointing at the same domain. As expected, all grouped tabs will be collapsible and function similarly to the way the feature is done in Google’s Chrome browser.

Aside from being a Canary only release right now, the other catch to utilizing this new test feature is manually enabling it. Grouped tabs is not enabled by default. Users will need to go to edge://flags, search “Tab Groups to turn on the feature after updating to 89.0.722.0, which should be hitting browsers some time today.

Microsoft is now rolling out the Virtual Breakout rooms feature for its Teams collaboration platform. At launch, the feature is exclusively available to Government Community Cloud (GCC) customers, and the company will expand its availability to all Teams users in the coming days.

The breakout rooms feature, which allows meeting organizers to split participants into smaller groups linked to the main meeting, was announced in July. The functionality has been designed to support simultaneous group discussions such as corporate meetings, projects, brainstorming sessions, and more. Here’s a video showing breakout rooms in action:

Microsoft says that organizers will be able to choose the number of breakout rooms (up to 50) and assign a specific number of participants (manually or automatically) to each room. In breakout rooms, participants will have full access to all meeting features such as chat, Together mode, and Whiteboard. On the other hand, the meeting organizers will have the ability to monitor and participate in these discussions and make announcements.

It is important to note that presenters and attendees can participate, but only the meeting organizer can create breakout rooms using the desktop client. To use virtual breakout rooms, however, IT Admins first need to enable a couple of settings in a Teams meeting policy. This will help to ensure that users can schedule private meetings.

• Allow scheduling private meeting = on
• Allow channel meeting scheduling = on
• Allow meet now in channels = on
• Allow Meet now in private meeting = on

The breakout rooms experience is one of the highly requested features, and it has been delayed multiple times. This is not entirely new, as Teams’ competitor Zoom has long offered support for breakout rooms. If you’re interested in learning more about how to enable and use it in your Microsoft Teams desktop client, be sure to check out the blog post.

The first video game based on the hit John Wick movie franchise, John Wick Hex, is now available to play on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles.

The game is a fusion of the action and strategy genres featuring time-based gameplay and a story set before the events of the first film. Voice actor, Troy Baker, takes on the titular role made famous by Keanu Reeves and is joined by film actors, Ian McShane and Lance Reddick.

Here’s the game description and trailer:

Become The Baba Yaga. John Wick Hex is a fast-paced, action-oriented strategy game that makes you think and strike like John Wick, the professional hitman of the critically acclaimed film franchise. Created in close cooperation with the creative teams behind the films, John Wick Hex is fight-choreographed chess brought to life as a video game, capturing the series’ signature gun fu style while expanding its story universe. Players must make quick decisions and choose every action and attack they make, all the while considering their immediate cost and consequences. Featuring a unique blend of strategic time-based action, John Wick Hex captures the feel of the tactical combat from the films and blurs the line between the strategy and action video game genres. Perform well and progress in the main story mode to unlock new weapons, suit options and locations. Each weapon changes up the tactics you’ll use and the manner in which you’ll play. Ammo is finite and realistically simulated, so time your reloads and make the most of weapons you scavenge on the job.

John Wick Hex originally released on Windows PC and Sony’s PlayStation 4 console in late-2019 and picked up the award for Best Strategy Game during the 2019 Game Critics Awards. It also launches on the Nintendo Switch today.

Are you a John Wick fan and are you interested in this title? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest and Twitter for more Xbox gaming news.

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John Wick Hex

Developer:
Good Shepherd Entertainment

Price:
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It is December 3, 2020, and time for major brands and companies to start pulling on the heartstrings of consumers to gently nudge them into engaging with products and services to end the year.

Like clockwork, Microsoft has come out of the gate with its 2020 offering and for many, the company seems to have aimed wide of the customary marketing intentions this year with its new ‘Find Your Joy’ Holiday 2020 commercial.

The commercial, which highlights a family dog seemingly ignored by the people in the house is left to spend the evening dreaming about finding its joy within the confines of its owner’s technology. As some have quickly pointed out, the ad can arguably be doing quite the opposite of its intention in trying to spur ‘joy’ and in turn, a disservice to Microsoft and its product catalog in the video.

As someone who writes about technology daily, perhaps I’m more jaded than others, but I’m rarely moved to make purchases from these sorts of videos, so the ads selling prowess is arguably lost on me.

With that being said, I can still find meaning and appreciate how the message resonates with audiences, and Microsoft’s new ad resonates with me in a way that’s somber and melancholy but that has nothing to do with the dog’s fate.

As the video opens with a lone family member sitting in the living room by themselves, we’re also made aware of mitigating circumstances that would prevent the sort of lively outdoor activity our titular character is accustomed to, an evening snowstorm.

Where there should be some swelling sympathy for the family dog, I see the juxtaposition of confinement and escapism for the gamer instead. While Microsoft may have intended to use the visualization of snow to signify winter, it also doubles as a barrier to outdoor activity by having the backdrop be snow actively falling at night. Neither the gamer nor the dog were going anywhere anytime soon.

The dog makes note of the gamer and game onscreen before moving to the second family member engaged in a Teams meeting with members in different time zones and countries, judging by the accent of the prominent speaker. Once again, the dog is left with little interaction from this family member as she engages in traditional after-hours work.

Again, while the dog may have wanted more than a pet and brief rub, I feel more sympathy for the woman who has to be in a meeting at night and less for the momentarily attention-starved dog. The dog finally moves on to the last two family members who are both playing Microsoft branded games in Minecraft and Flight Simulator, to which both are seemingly too engaged to play with the dog. Clearly, the dog strikes out with each family member in trying an effort to be noticed, but what doesn’t go unnoticed is the eerie silence and isolation each family member is encapsulated in.

Lastly, the dog finds kinship with another dog across the way who also sits in an open window seemingly ignored by its family. Where this dystopian reflection takes a turn is when the dog finds solace in being able to dream about the same sort of escapism his family is partaking in. Instead of dreaming of belly rubs, games of fetch or overflowing bowls of food, the dog dreams about being an active participant in the technology its family is using.

The joy in Microsoft’s ‘Find Your Joy’ campaign, seems to be less about the dog finding joy in the more traditional forms of interaction we may attribute to a dog, but being able to find it in the escapism like the rest of its family in 2020, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a light snowstorm at night symbolizing the families’ inability to interact outside, they’ve all rallied around the technology that’s enabling them to engage with things outside of the confines of their home. While it’s arguable that they should be gathered around a central place or room interacting with one another, Iaughing, talking, and playing with the family dog, the more astute reality is that the family represents a microcosm of our communal technology experiences as of late.

While many would like to believe they’re conscious of their screen activity, a 3rd party recording might show zombie-like attention being paid to our phones, TVs, tablets, and computers with each quarantined passing day. With the pandemic shifting traditional outdoor and in-person activities such as happy hours, weddings, and game nights to online, as a collective, we’re probably more engaged with our screens indoors than we have been at any other point in time.

To me, what Microsoft’s new ‘Find Your Joy’ ad does is shine a light on the multitude of products the company offers to help people to escape the confines of their homes. While some might feel saddened by the dog not getting more traditional forms of engagement from the family, what the ad does effectively shows is that just like the rest of its family, the dog has adapted to isolationism by embracing the escapism of Microsoft products.

Should the family or the dog forego the more traditional forms of interacting with one another? No, but the reality is, we’re not in traditional times and we’re increasingly dealing with less traditional circumstances in 2020. If one can’t find joy in the traditional, find joy in the new normal. Happy holidays, everyone!