Saturday, June 26, 2021

Visio diagramming web app will be included in Microsoft 365

Microsoft will soon include a lightweight version of its Visio diagramming app in certain Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Visio documentation can be found at support.microsoft.com/en-us/visio.

Google Workspace now available to all Google users

Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) has now been made available to all Google users, including free Google user accounts. More information is available at workspace.google.com/faq.

Update:  G Suite Legacy Free Edition will no longer be available as of July 1, 2022.  This will not affect users with a free Google account using Gmail, Docs, Sheets and other apps.

Microsoft announces release of Windows 11

Microsoft announced the release of Windows 11 on June 24, 2021.  Windows 11 is set to be released on October 5, 2021.

Some of the changes include changes to the Microsoft Store and apps, as well as a new partnership with Amazon to bring their catalog of Android apps and games to Windows users.

Windows 11 will be available as an update to existing Windows 10 devices that meet its specifications. Windows 11 requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) chipMinimum hardware and processor requirements for Windows 11 and other versions are also available.  These requirements apply to physical PCs and Virtual Machines (VMs).  Users can run a PC Health Check app to see if their current PC is compatible to run Windows 11.

If Windows 11 is installed on devices that do not meet these requirements, security updates may not be available, and kernel mode crashes may occur more often.

Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 Home and Pro on October 14, 2025.  Windows 11 Home and Pro follows the Modern Lifecycle Policy.

More information can be found at microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11.

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Amazon Sidewalk will be activated on compatible devices June 8th 2021

Amazon Sidewalk is Amazon’s new neighborhood IoT network that will be enabled by default on all compatible devices starting June 8, 2021.   These devices include Echo home assistants, Ring cameras, etc.   Sidewalk uses a small portion of wireless bandwidth and can be deactivated from the Alexa app in order to not share Wi-Fi connections with other Amazon devices in the neighborhood.

Microsoft Build online event starts June 2nd 2026

Microsoft will hold its annual technology Build event from June 2nd to 3rd, 2026.   Registration for the digital online event is free. Mor...