All articles tagged with #microsoft365
Microsoft confirmed a fault in a portion of its North America Microsoft 365 infrastructure disrupted Outlook and other services, leaving thousands unable to access email. More than 11,000 users reported issues on DownDetector as Microsoft worked to restore services, reroute traffic to alternate infrastructure, and rebalance load to return to normal operation across Outlook and related apps like Teams.
A consumer writer explains switching from Microsoft 365 to the free, open-source LibreOffice to save money. LibreOffice runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, includes familiar apps (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math), stores documents locally with optional encryption, and emphasizes privacy, but lacks native cloud collaboration and a polished mobile app, can face compatibility quirks with complex documents shared with Microsoft 365, and offers extensive customization via extensions. Overall, it’s a strong value for personal use and budgeting, with trade-offs for work or cloud-based workflows.
Microsoft has refuted claims that it uses data from Microsoft 365 apps like Word and Excel to train its AI models. The company clarified that the "Connected Experiences" feature, which has been on by default since 2019, is not used for AI training but rather to enhance productivity features such as co-authoring and grammar suggestions. Users can manage these settings to control their data usage. Microsoft emphasized that its AI features in Microsoft 365 rely on simpler machine learning algorithms, not large language models.
Microsoft 365, including Outlook and Teams, experienced significant outages starting around 8 AM ET, with issues peaking by midday. Microsoft identified the cause and began rolling out a fix, but recovery has been slower than expected, with some Outlook users still facing delivery delays. As of the latest update, most services are restored except for some ongoing issues with Outlook.
Microsoft is introducing a new 'companions' feature for the Windows 11 taskbar, integrating Microsoft 365 elements like contacts, files, and calendar appointments for easy access. Announced at Microsoft Ignite 2024, this feature aims to make important data accessible with a single click, similar to the Phone Link app's integration. It's unclear if third-party developers will be able to integrate their apps into this new taskbar experience.