Microsoft is releasing new features for its Teams displays that include more integrations with Cortana, swappable backgrounds, live reactions during meetings and the ability to send quick responses.
The new features come to the dedicated Teams displays, a new category of all-in-one touchscreen devices that helps users free up their PC and minimize distractions. The displays were originally released in October 2020, with the Lenovo Thinksmart View being the first manufacturer to offer the displays.
One of the new features Microsoft announced this week is new capabilities in the company’s intelligent digital assistant Cortana, which now leverages Bing to get information from the internet and present to users.
Imagine you are collaborating with someone in a different time zone, use commands like:
“Hey Cortana, what time is it in New York?”
“Hey Cortana, what’s the weather in New York?”
“Hey Cortana, how much does a flight to New York cost?”
When Cortana and Bing work together they help you stay in the know with relevant facts and information just when you need them, at the sound of your voice.
The company is also bringing its live reactions feature to the displays. Users can show emotions via emoticons, all without disrupting the meeting.
In addition to live reactions, users of Microsoft Teams displays can now also send quick responses that leverage AI to send a response to an incoming chat.
Suppose you get the following message:
“I will send the file over later today.”
The display experience will suggest appropriate responses like:
“Thank you” “I understand” “Looking forward to it”
Users can now also easily swap out their background, depending on the nature of the call. The ability to change and blur backgrounds was already available on PC, but not the dedicated displays. Microsoft offers a portfolio of Teams backgrounds from which users can choose.
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