Being able to use gestures on the touch screen or touchpad of your Windows 11 device can help make work faster and easier. Here’s how to set them up:

Gestures that are supported by Windows 11 include tapping, scrolling, zooming, and three and four-finger-finger gestures. Here’s how to enable them on the touch screen of a Windows 11 device.

– Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch > Three and four-finger touch gestures.

– Make sure it’s turned on.

To enable gestures on the touchpad of a Windows 11 laptop (some will only work on precision touchpads):

– Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad.

As part of its roll-out of the collaborative working ‘Loop’ app, Microsoft has announced that as part of its ‘365 Roadmap’, self-updating Loop elements can now be included in Outlook emails.

What Is Loop?

In November 2021, Microsoft unveiled its ‘Loop’ collaborative app which it described as “a flexible canvas with portable components” designed for assisting with new hybrid working patterns. The Loop collaborative app can be customised to suit any project with portable components that move freely and stay synchronised across apps, enabling teams to improve how they think, plan, and create.

Loop consists of three elements, which are:

1. Loop pages – scalable, “flexible canvases “which are the shared collaborative spaces into which the components and other relevant elements are dropped for each project.
2. Loop components – “units of productivity” which could be anything from lists, tables, notes, and tasks, to a customer sales opportunity from Microsoft Dynamics 365. These are synchronised interactive objects that can be embedded across Microsoft 365 canvases such as chats and email to provide real-time collaboration, helping a team keep a flow to the work, thereby improving productivity and efficiency. Loop components are also automatically saved to OneDrive.
3. Loop workspaces. These are the shared spaces where teams can see and group together everything that’s important to a project.

Self-Updating Outlook Email – Loop Components  

Microsoft has now announced that Loop components are live. This means that Loop components can be added to emails in Outlook or even messages in Microsoft Teams. Since the components are part of a collaborative app, they can update themselves after being sent, i.e. as collaborators check off items as they complete them in Loop. The self-updating components that can be sent in Microsoft Outlook emails (and Teams messages) include bulleted lists, checklists, numbered lists, paragraphs, tables, task lists, and more. One of the big advantages of having components of a project in emails that update themselves in real-time as tasks are ticked off is that users don’t have to send emails back and forth to one another to find out what’s happening. This saves time and money and increases productivity.

Like Google’s ‘Smart Canvas’  

Loop is a similar idea to Google’s collaborative working ‘Smart Canvas’ tool, announced in May 2021, which uses ‘building blocks’ and ‘smart chips’ to connect and share information between apps such as Docs and Sheets.

All-In-One Document Concept  

The idea of an all-in-one document concept is not new, but it now represents a logical, competitive move for Microsoft. Other examples of all-in-one documents include the Airtable platform, the Notion collaborative app, or the Coda doc.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?  

Microsoft hopes that Loop’s flexible format, coupled with familiar apps, will prove popular with businesses. Microsoft has turned up the competitive heat (for Apple and Google) over the last year with features and services designed to be compatible with new ways of working, e.g. Teams Connect, the 365 cloud PC, and Windows 11 including Android apps. For businesses, Loop may prove to be a useful, compatible, collaborative tool that could help improve productivity. For Microsoft, Loop is a way of meeting the demand for hybrid working solutions and re-imagines how Office programs can be used more flexibly for business customers as part of a system where projects can be customised to maximise workflow.

In this insight, we look at some of the Microsoft Windows features that can be used to minimise distractions and help you to stay focused.

Minimise Interruptions, Stay Focused  

Being able to stay focused during work can help productivity, keep a flow, and can help improve the quality of your output. Finding ways to minimise unnecessary interruptions and help organise your work can help in this respect. Here are some ideas for using existing Microsoft Windows features to make it easier to stay focused among the noise of everyday work life.

– Use Focus Assist. This feature offers users different options for notifications, so only chose to allow priority notifications or alarms. This cuts down on the notifications and distractions during the time the PC is on. To use Focus assist, type ‘Focus Assist’ into the Start menu search.

– Turn off animations. Minimise visual distractions by turning off animations, background images, and more. From the Start menu, select Settings   > Accessibility > Visual effects. From here, turn off the ‘Always show scrollbars switch’, the ‘Transparency effects’ switch, the ‘Animation effects’ switch, and set the ‘Dismiss notifications after this amount of time’ menu to the required amount.

– Clear up taskbar clutter. Reducing the number of items in view can make it easier to focus. From the start menu, go to > Settings  > Personalization > Taskbar, and select ‘Taskbar items’ and ‘Taskbar corner icons’ to expand those sections and turn off the switches for the items you don’t want to see on the taskbar. To select which icons can appear in the taskbar corner, select ‘Taskbar corner overflow.’

– Another way to minimise distractions is to simplify the Start menu. To do this, from the Start menu, select Settings   > Personalization > Start, and toggle the ‘Show recently added apps ’, and switch on or off. Also, toggle the ‘Show most used apps’ switch on or off, toggle the ‘Show recently opened items’ in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer, switching on or off. Select which folders are shown or hidden in the Start menu next to the power button, by selecting ‘Folders’, and turn on the switches for the folders to remain visible (and off for those to be hidden).

– Minimise interruptions from notifications by using ‘Do not disturb’. This feature allows the user to define which notifications are seen and heard, and when. Other notifications are sent to the notification centre where they can be seen at any time. From the Start menu, select System > Notifications, and adjust the settings and to see and hear fewer notifications. If you’re working late, limit any late-night notifications by choosing when ‘Do not disturb’ turns on, turns off, and how often it repeats. Also, select the types of tasks that will turn on ‘Do not disturb’ automatically. To do this, from the Start menu, go to Settings > System > Notifications, turn on ‘Do not disturb automatically’, and select ‘During these times’.

– Choose which apps display notifications, stop the distracting ones, or fine-tune how they appear. From the Start menu, select Settings  > System > Notifications and select which notifications are required in the ‘Notifications from apps and other senders’ section.

– Minimise reading distractions by using the Microsoft ‘Immersive Reader’ in the Edge browser. This function simplifies the layout of web pages. To use it, open the required web page in Microsoft Edge, then press the function key + F9. Under ‘Text preferences’ modify the background colour using themes or change the font.

– As identified by Microsoft research, workers have “peaks” of work in the morning, afternoon, and a third (lesser peak) at around 10pm. If distractions can be minimised during these times, it may help with focus. Also, having to deal with ‘after hours emails’ can create stress which can impact upon focus. Businesses may improve worker morale an output by setting clear expectations for after-hours emails.

Other ways to stay focused include:

– Unclutter the desktop. To hide desktop icons quickly, press and hold (or right-click) the desktop, select ‘View’ and ‘Show desktop icons’ – this will clear the desktop. To get the desktop icons back, select ‘Show desktop icons.’

– Clear the workspace of all open apps except the one that is being used for the work. To do this, select and hold the window that needs to be kept open. Give the mouse (or finger) a back-and-forth shake.

– Reduce distractions by minimising all windows instantly with the show desktop button. To do this, look at the bottom far right-hand side of the screen, to the right-hand side of the ‘notifications’ icon – a tiny, vertical line. click on the line and all open desktop windows are instantly minimised.

– Use Microsoft 365’s ‘MyAnalytics’ platform to get data-driven insights into work habits to improve productivity. This could show when a user is most focused. To do this, sign into Microsoft 365, select ‘MyAnalytics’ from the app drawer or click on the 9-dot square menu (top left) and select the ‘All Apps’ link and click on the ‘MyAnalytics’ link.

– Use ‘to do’ lists to stay focused in the tasks in hand, e.g. Microsoft To-Do, or Google Tasks (built into Gmail and Google Calendar).

What Does This Mean For Your Business?  

Being able to really focus on tasks without interruptions and distractions (and the stress they can cause) can improve productivity and morale, both of which are good for business. Microsoft Windows already has settings than can be changed to ensure that its own sources of interruptions and distractions can be minimised. It makes sense, therefore, to take a little time to customise those settings and become familiar with ways that can help maintain focus.

Following SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk becoming Twitter’s largest shareholder after recently acquiring a 9.2 per cent stake in the social media company, we look at the news, issues, and implications relating to this move.

9.2 Per Cent Stake 

Elon Musk, who already had 80+ million followers on Twitter’s platform, has now acquired a 9.2 stake in the company, valued at around $3 billion, and making him the largest shareholder. Although the announcement was made earlier this month, he had already purchased the large stake in the company last month. By way of context, Twitter’s co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey only has a stake of just over 2 per cent in the platform. Dorsey stepped down as CEO in November 2021 and is leaving Twitter’s board when his term ends in May this year.

Popular With Investors 

The original announcement that Elon Musk was buying the passive stake in Twitter appeared to be popular with investors as shares jumped nearly 30 per cent on April 4 after the filing at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Not Joining The Board & Now An ‘Active’ Investor 

Although it was initially announced, with much excitement by Twitter’s Parag Agrawal, that Musk would be joining the Board, Musk has, in the last few days announced that he will not be joining Twitter’s Board. Instead, his announcement that he would not be doing so was reportedly accompanied by an emoji of a face with its hand over its mouth, which is sometimes interpreted as a smirking expression.

Following the announcement that he would not be on the Board, shares fell in pre-market trade. Also, Musk has now re-filed his stake to show him as an ‘active investor’ rather than a passive shareholder. Being active rather than passive could allow Musk to exert more control over the company’s decision-making.

Being on the Board would mean that Musk would be limited to holding a maximum 14.9 per cent of Twitter’s stock. It would also have meant that Musk would have needed to curb some of his many Tweets about the platform.

Tweets About Products 

In the days following the announcement, Musk posted a series of Tweets, some quite critical of the company and its products.

Caveat

Musk’s investment also appears to have come with a caveat that he could continue expressing his views about Twitter’s services, Board, and management through social media and other channels, i.e. most likely through tweets.

Issues 

Many different issues surrounding Musk’s investment in Twitter and its effects have been reported. The main issues include:

– A possible run-in with financial regulators due the investment in Twitter being filed on 14 March, but not announced until more than 10 days later, as is required under US securities law for acquiring 5 per cent of a company.

– Concerns that as an active investor, Musk could have a detrimental effect on the culture within Twitter, which Rumman Chowdhury, the director of Twitter’s machine learning ethics and accountability, sees as a “beautiful culture of hilarious constructive criticism”.

– Concerns over what some may see as his impulsiveness and freely speaking his mind possibly having a detrimental effect on the company. For example, his Tweets relating to Tesla in 2018, which led to an investigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission, plus last year, using Twitter to ask users if he should sell 10 per cent of his stock in his electric car firm Tesla. When the answer was yes, Musk sold around £3.7bn of shares in the company.

Free Speech 

The biggest issue appears to be around Musk’s attitude to, relationship with, and use of ‘free speech’. Musk, who has described himself as a “free speech absolutist”, has expressed his concern that Twitter may not be living up to its free speech principles. In fact, Musk is reported to have conducted a Twitter poll just prior to buying the stake in Twitter where he asked whether his followers if they thought free speech is essential to a functioning democracy and whether they believed Twitter rigorously adhered to this principle. This led to some speculation that Musk could make changes to Twitter that could enable former President Trump, for example, to re-appear on the platform following being banned and the failure of his own platform ‘Truth’.

Also, following another of his Twitter polls, 73 per cent of Musk’s followers said ‘yes’ to the idea of adding an edit button to tweets, and this may be one of the “significant improvements” that Musk has said will be coming to the platform. Some critics have said that an edit button would help impulsive tweeters, such as Musk himself, and could also provide a lower key get-out clause than deletion for those such as celebrities, politicians, the very rich, and others in the public eye, and an escape from the influence of so-called ‘cancel culture’.

Other potential issues with the idea of ‘free speech’ is that some may define this as being able to say things that cause hurt to and disregard the rights of others, or even to spread fake news. Too much emphasis on changes that could increase free speech, therefore, is likely to be enough to make Twitter very nervous.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

Elon Musk, through SpaceX, Tesla, his Twitter comments in the past, and now his stake in Twitter have all added to the value of (and interest in) his personal brand. A reputation for possibly being unpredictable and impulsive, living an enviable lifestyle, and including his followers in his decision-making, has gained Musk a huge following, ensuring that whatever he says has an immediate impact and that he enjoys the power that some world leaders have enjoyed, e.g. Trump. There is, therefore, concern among some people that as the major shareholder, his influence over Twitter that his decision to stay off the Board and be allowed his free speech, and his power of essentially being the boss could take the platform, its culture, and its services in a new direction. Too much free speech on social media platforms could also run the risk of greater regulation. The controversy that sometimes follows Musk, combined with his controversial history may be making many at the platform feel uneasy. It remains to be seen exactly what major improvements are made, but the emphasis in free speech should make for some interesting developments in the near future.

The UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has launched a £4 million trial project in South Yorkshire to run fibre optic broadband cables through drinking water pipes to connect-up rural locations.

No Digging Up Roads – Reach Rural Locations Fast

The two-year trial, the first of its kind, will see full fibre broadband cables deployed through 17 kilometres of live drinking water mains between Barnsley and Penistone. It is anticipated that the project will enable 8,500 homes and businesses to be quickly connected, with broadband companies tapping into the network. If the trial is successful, the government says that the technology could be operational in networks from 2024 onwards.

Faster, Greener – No Digging Up Roads

Civil works, in particular installing new ducts and poles, make up as much as four fifths of the costs to industry of building new gigabit-capable broadband networks. Using the existing drinking water pipe network should, therefore, be a greener, quicker, and more cost-effective way of connecting fibre optic cables to homes, businesses, and mobile masts, without the disruption caused by digging up roads and land.

5G Masts

The network will also be used to set up 5G masts to bring fast and reliable wireless broadband to hard-to-reach communities where wired solutions are too expensive to deliver commercially.

Could Also Help Detect Leaks In Water Pipes

Almost 660 million gallons of water, equivalent to 1,180 Olympic swimming pools, is lost to leaks every day in the UK (2020).

A bonus of the project is that it will also look at how fibre can help the water industry detect leaks, operate more efficiently, and lower the carbon cost of drinking water. Putting fibre sensors in the pipes could enable water companies to improve the speed and accuracy with which they can identify a leak and repair it before it causes a problem for consumers. Water companies have committed to delivering a 50 per cent reduction in leakage, and this project could help them to reach that goal.

Overcomes Major Obstacle

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said about the project:

“Digging up roads and land is one of the biggest obstacles to rolling out faster broadband, so we’re exploring how we can make use of the existing water network to accelerate deployment and help detect and minimise water leaks.” 

Is It Safe To Put Cables In Drinking Water Pipes?

The technology being deployed during the trial has been approved by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). The DWI requires rigorous testing ahead of approving any products and the processes that introduce them into drinking water pipes, and fibre has already been deployed in water pipes in other countries such as Spain.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

This trial project sounds as though it could help tackle several challenges at once – getting fast broadband out to a wider area quickly and dramatically reducing the cost and time taken, as well as providing a fast way to detect water leaks. For the estimated 8,500 homes and businesses in South Yorkshire that could be connected in the trial it will clearly be of benefit. If the trial is successful and this method is rolled out in networks from 2024 onwards, it could assist many more businesses across the UK, particularly those in rural locations which have been at a disadvantage through not being served by fast broadband connections before. Coupled with other options such as satellite broadband, the water pipe broadband idea gives more hope for the near future to businesses in rural locations.