Weekly Bytes | Microsoft 365's new features, Meet’s attendance reports, and more

Here's our curated list of important tech news from this week in byte size.

November 28, 2020 01:10 pm | Updated 01:32 pm IST

Share photos and files with family or friend group on OneDrive with one click. | Picture by special arrangement.

Share photos and files with family or friend group on OneDrive with one click. | Picture by special arrangement.

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Microsoft 365's new features

Microsoft has introduced new features for individuals and families on Microsoft 365, that include an option to record English language conversations directly in Word for the web and transcribe them automatically; new templates for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; choose the level of formality between “formal,” “professional”, or “casual” for English language on Microsoft Editor; share photos and files with family or friend group on OneDrive with one click; and pull up to two years of transaction history using Money in Excel. In another update, Microsoft also introduced new personal features in Teams desktop and mobile app.

Google Meet attendance reports

Google has announced enhancements to Meet attendance reports to provide more access, control, and visibility into meetings. The improvements include live streaming viewership data, admin control over attendance tracking, new settings to control report creation, and in-call viewer count for live stream events. Google said attendance reports will also be available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus customers. The features have been rolled out and will be able soon, it added. In another development, Google’s ‘Verse by Verse’ can help you write poetry.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket reusability record

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster flew for a record seventh time, setting a reusability record. The aerospace company used the Falcon 9 to launch its sixteenth Starlink mission on November 24. SpaceX is also planning a first 15 km (about 50,000 feet) altitude test flight for its Starship prototype (SN8) next week, CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter. It had conducted a 150 m (nearly 500 feet) test flight in September. The test flights are aimed at development of SpaceX’s fully reusable transportation system. This week, SpaceX also said it will continue beta testing Starlink into next year, indicating delays in commercial service.

NASA’s MOXIE can convert Martian air into oxygen

NASA’s Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment or MOXIE, is an experimental instrument aboard its Perseverance rover that is designed to convert carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere into oxygen, the space agency noted in a release. If oxygen is produced on a larger scale, it could be used not just for breathing, but also for fuel. “If successful, it will show that future astronauts can rely on this technology to help get them home safely from Mars,” Michael Hecht, the instrument's principal investigator, said. In another space update, researchers used AI to create the Milky Way’s family tree.

Google Fit Wear OS updates

Google announced updates to Fit on Wear OS to improve workout tracking. Wear OS users will now be able to see key metrics up front with two dedicated tiles, while a right swipe will allow quick access to media controls and settings during workout. Further, users can get an alert for each kilometre along with their split time, at a glance. They will also be able to check gaining Heart Points with new heart rate zones, and customise performance metrics like calories, steps, time, and Heart Points with a tap. In another development, Google, and Disney have teamed up to bring ‘The Mandalorian’ to AR.

David Beckham returns to EA Sports in FIFA 21

David Beckham has returned to EA Sports in FIFA 21. Gamers who play FIFA 21 by January 15, 2021 will receive an untradeable, one-of-a-kind David Beckham Item to add to their dream squad in FIFA Ultimate Team starting December 15, they can also add him in Volta Football as a Groundbreaker, EA Sports noted in the game’s page. This also includes gamers who have played FIFA 21 on PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X or S, or PC via Origin and Steam at any point between launch and before January 15, 2021. In another game update, Microsoft Flight Simulator got new airports, visual enhancements in U.S. update.

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