Microsoft and Google Announce Collaboration Tool Changes

Microsoft's been very clear about its plan to turn Teams into a centralized workspace. Its planned rebranding of Skype Room Systems to Microsoft Teams Rooms is an indication they're executing on that strategy. Skype Room Systems was Microsoft's line of partner-built videoconferencing and meeting room devices, with companies like Crestron, HP, Lenovo, Logitech and Polycom providing hardware incorporating traditional teleconferencing capabilities and Skype integration.

Now, with the advent of Teams Rooms, the hardware will be getting expanded capabilities: A so-called "One Touch Join" feature on a room's console device will allow people to join meetings with the press of a button (instead of the "type in this ten-character code. Now say your name. Now ask if everyone can hear you. Now hit pound. Now ask who forgot to hit mute on their headset" experience). Another addition will add the ability to detect open conference spaces. The Teams Meeting button will also get an "Add a Room" enhancements to link conferencing room facilities.

Microsoft assured customers "It’s important to note that Microsoft Teams Rooms still work with Skype for Business calls and meetings."

The company rolled out the upgraded solutions internally first and has also updated its fast track guidance for upgrading customers from Skype for Business to Teams. (To participate in the FastTrack partner advisory program, an organization needs to have bought"at least 150 licenses from qualified Microsoft 365 plans.)

In other collaboration news: Google has announced the shutdown window for Google Hangouts -- October 2019. The company says that between April and September 2019, it'll add the following capabilities to Google Chat as a way of easing the transition from Hangouts to Chat: Integration with Gmail, chatting with external users, "an improved" video calling experience, and the ability to make calls with Google Voice. The transition is part of Google's plan to compete in the chat workspace area, per its blog entry: "Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet are the next generation of Hangouts that focus on team communication."

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