Microsoft hat bei mir jetzt Skype und Teams zusammengelegt. Der Vorteil ist sofort erkennbar. Ich bin bestens über neue Einkommensmöglichkeiten informiert.
Skype ist jetzt Teams
Tag: #skype
Microsoft finally gives up on Skype
Skype was one of Microsoft’s weirdest acquisitions and the product is finally put to rest with a transition to Teams (free). The end for Skype was first rumored in XDA Developers and then reported all over the world. Microsoft reacted with a blog post, explaining the transition.
The Skype branding saga is not as bad as Google’s messaging history. It was the first really good internet voice application, the ability to call international 800 numbers very useful, but the rebranding of enterprise messaging as Skype for Business was just confusing.
Just three years ago, I rediscovered Skype for two use cases:
- It was the best ad hoc meeting service with skype.com/meetnow – no sign-up required but quite usable with a Microsoft ID.
- Chat with transparent translation. I was able to write messages in my own language and Skype would translate for my friends in Italy, Japan or Taiwan. My friends just had to declare their favorite language and that’s what they got from me. It wasn’t perfect but serviceable.
What happens next? Skype will migrate your contacts and chats into Teams. Skype was already running on a Teams infrastructure and I was only missing my Skype contacts.
Things will still be awkward between Teams with your company ID, and Teams with your private Microsoft ID. And I have a hunch that people want to leave their company tools behind when they switch from Innie to Outie.
Bing Chat coming to mobile Bing, Edge, Skype apps
In this spirit of learning and continuing to build new capabilities, we’re excited to share today the preview release of the new Bing and Edge mobile apps. We’re beginning to roll out the incredible capabilities of the new Bing and Edge on your smartphone along with some exciting new features, such as voice input. In addition, we are creating a new chat experience, beginning with Skype, to enhance your social communications with your friends and family.
Coming today, but only if you are already off the waitlist. This is exciting stuff. I use both Edge and Skype, the latter because it has transparent translation, which I rely on for people who speak none of my languages.
Skype Universal Translator for Voice and Video Calls
While we love that you have so much fun during your Skype calls, sometimes the time comes when you need an incredibly practical feature to use — Skype Universal Translator.
If you’ve ever seen the television show Star Trek, you might have seen Captain Kirk talking with a being from another planet using a marvelous device called the Universal Translator. You might have thought, “Wow, I wish I could have something like that in real life!” Well now your wish has come true!
With Universal Translator, you can communicate with anyone in any language, on a landline or a video call. Low-cost calls with a real-time translator on top, we love bringing that science fiction from Star Trek to reality!
I thought that Skype was going away with the move to Teams. But that is only Skype for Business. For consumers, Microsoft is doubling down. And as you know, I am a huge fan.
Read the whole thing so see what is coming.
Still blown away by inline translation in Skype
Recently I told you about inline translation in Skype and how it helps me to communicate in Mandarin and Japanese. I was using it on iPhone but now I also logged in on my PC. This has shown me another level of support. I can now see the original and the translation, both ingoing and outgoing. The two screenshots show English/Italian because it is easier to compare than English/Japanese or English/Mandarin. And before you ask, I could also do it with German instead of English.
Also works in Teams. And also works with spoken words.
Automatic translation in Skype and Teams
On Clubhouse I collaborate with people who do not speak each others’ language. There is a backchannel chat but we would have to copy & paste from translation apps.
Skype saves the day. You can enable automatic translation into your own language. No matter what your partner throws at you, it quickly gets translated. This is so amazing.
The same service is also available for Teams, of course.
