PL-400 learn - Microsoft Power Platform Developer Updated: 2023

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 The company wants to patent tech that detects when a device that's part of a network is on the fritz. This tech uses what Microsoft calls a "hive-mind approach" to detect a dysfunctional device, analyzing the behavioral information of neighboring devices in the network to tell if one is doing anything out of the ordinary.

Essentially, devices in a network are in charge of keeping each other in check. If neighboring devices pick up that one device in a network isn't "alive, active, and reporting" its behavior information (a.k.a telemetry data that determines if a device is working properly), they will relay this information to the system. Based on one or multiple reports, the device is marked as abnormal, and is investigated further. 

Devices may be dysfunctional for several reasons, Microsoft noted, including hardware failures, misconfigured or tampered-with software, and malicious attacks. The company's patent filing also outlines "anomaly detection logic," which uses machine learning to differentiate between malicious and non-malicious abnormal behavior. 

Traditional monitoring methods, which rely on teams to monitor device behavior by looking just at reported data, are "prone to error when a device is alive but stops reporting on its status and health." 

"Conventional approaches for identifying abnormal or potentially harmful behavior within an enterprise network remain deficient," Microsoft noted. 

If Microsoft's patent activity is any indication, the company is very interested in getting security right. The company has sought patents for cloud tenant cyberattack prevention, remote biometric authentication and even computer vision-based airport security technologies. 

A lot of Microsoft's security-related patents have to do with keeping one very important thing safe: its cloud network. Makes sense, right? Microsoft Azure boasts thousands of personal and commercial clients, including 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Cyberattacks, specifically related to major companies, could deeply damage customer trust in Azure, potentially driving them to competitors like Google Cloud or AWS. 

That said, Azure has suffered a number of vulnerabilities over the years. In August 2021, researchers discovered a flaw in an Azure database which had left the data of thousands of customers exposed for around two years. And in January, a cybersecurity firm discovered four more vulnerabilities which posed a risk of exposure. While all of these have since been patched, Microsoft may be keen on avoiding these missteps in the future. 

Cloud computing represents a massive moneymaker for Microsoft. In the most exact quarter, the company's Intelligent Cloud unit brought in $22.1 billion, up 16% year over year. Within this, Azure and other cloud services saw a 27% bump in revenue growth compared to the previous year's quarter. Overall, its cloud business made up more than 40% of its sales for the quarter. 

Cloud security is all the more crucial as the data needed for rapid AI development relies on massive cloud capacity. With competitors like Amazon and Google in the space, getting it right could be a determining factor in who remains ahead in the AI arms race. 

Have any comments, tips or suggestions? Drop us a line! Email at admin@patentdrop.xyz or shoot us a DM on Twitter @patentdrop. If you want to get Patent Drop in your inbox, click here to subscribe.

© Provided by Geekwire Maximal Learning co-founders Eran Megiddo (left) and Liviu Asnash. (Maximal Learning Photos)

Two decades after selling their startup to Microsoft, Eran Megiddo and Liviu Asnash are going back to their entrepreneurial roots.

The longtime Microsoft leaders are the co-founders of Maximal Learning, a new Seattle startup that just raised a $5.7 million seed round.

Maximal is using the latest advances in generative AI technology to provide students personalized instruction that can cater to different learning styles.

“The ability to understand the learner and their intent, and then personalize a response to them — at this level, it’s never been possible before,” Megiddo said.

Megiddo was most recently a corporate vice president at Microsoft. He and Asnash spent more than 21 years at the tech giant, working on the company’s flagship products and also leading education efforts.

Their startup is targeting all age groups, including K-12 and higher education. It has a research partnership with the Stanford Graduate School of Education. “It’s a pattern that we followed when developing tools at Microsoft and is critical to ensure learning outcomes,” Megiddo said.

Megiddo didn’t divulge many more details about the product, as the company is still in stealth mode.

The hype around generative AI is already impacting education and learning. Schools are grappling with the use of tools like ChatGPT. Language learning apps such as Duolingo are integrating the tech into their products.

Speaking at an event last month, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said AI will eventually “be as good a tutor as any human ever could.”

“Seeing the magic that the software can now perform, particularly for reading and writing, but within the next 18 months for math as well … I am really quite optimistic that the field of education will improve,” Gates said.

Megiddo was Microsoft’s corporate vice president of education from 2015 to 2022. Asnash led groups that developed education analytics software.

“Microsoft is doing phenomenal things,” Megiddo said. Leaving to launch a startup is about “spending 100% of our effort and time focused on this one thing,” he said.

The co-founders are both originally from Israel. They previously worked on two startups together, including analytics software maker Maximal Innovative Intelligence, which Microsoft acquired in 2001.

Seattle-area venture capital firm Trilogy Equity Partners led the seed round. Other investors include Seattle’s Pioneer Square Labs; Honeystone Ventures, based in the Bay Area; GSV Ventures, another Silicon Valley firm that backed Coursera and Guild; and Owl Ventures, one of the largest edtech investors.

“We think Eran and Liviu are the perfect team to take advantage of the new powerful capabilities of generative models to finally be able to provide truly personalized learning at scale,” said Yuval Neeman, managing director at Trilogy.

Austin Beutner, former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District and former L.A. Times publisher, is another investor.

Megiddo and Asnash are the company’s only employees. The startup will use the fresh cash to hire engineers and designers.

© Image: Apple Word, Excel, and Teams on the Apple Vision Pro.

Apple has just announced its new $3,499 Vision Pro augmented reality headset, and Microsoft is ready to bring its Word, Excel, and Microsoft Teams apps to Apple’s new platform.

Apple briefly demonstrated Excel, Word, and Teams running inside the Vision Pro headset, with a user interface that can be controlled with your eyes. Microsoft appears to be using a similar simplified ribbon interface that’s available on its existing web versions of Excel and Word.

While Apple didn’t demonstrate too much of the Teams interface, it did reveal that Microsoft will be supporting its 3D personas. These digital personas are built using machine learning techniques to recreate your face virtually. Zoom and Webex will also support these 3D personas on the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Alongside Microsoft’s support for the Apple Vision Pro, Unity apps will also run natively on the headset. That should mean we’ll see plenty of games on Apple’s new AR headset once it’s available early next year. Adobe is also bringing Lightroom to the Apple Vision Pro so you can control the photo editing app with just your eyes and hands.

It’s not surprising to see Microsoft quick to support Apple’s AR efforts, even after it has tried to make AR a thing for years with HoloLens. The software giant has a history of bringing Office to Apple’s latest hardware, including being part of Apple’s announcement for its M1 silicon and quickly launching Office on M1 Macs. Microsoft has also partnered closely with Meta to bring Teams, Office, Windows, and Xbox to Quest VR headsets.

Microsoft released version 114 of its Edge web browser last night with the new Workspaces feature for businesses.

“Microsoft Edge Workspaces provides a way for customers to organize their browsing tasks into dedicated windows,” the Microsoft Learn website notes of this release. “Edge Workspaces lets users share a set of browser tabs so working groups can view the same websites and latest working files in one place and stay on the same page. Each Edge Workspace contains its own set of tabs and favorites, all created and curated by the user and their collaborators. Edge Workspaces are automatically saved and kept up to date.”

Workspaces appears to be the only new feature, and it requires an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account, or what Microsoft calls a Work or School account, with a OneDrive for Business license.

I had expected Edge 114 to also deliver the new Edge user experience, but it’s not enabled and only some of it works using flags. (You can search for “rejuv” and “rounded” to see the available options, but from what I can tell, only the rounded tabs feature works.) Likewise, the ability to pin the Edge sidebar to the side of the Windows desktop doesn’t appear to be offered in this version either.

Jun. 1—RUSHVILLE — Microsoft 365 is available as both a free and paid subscription-based service that provides access to the latest versions of the Microsoft Office apps including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. It also includes several other cloud-based services like OneDrive, Teams, and OneNote.

To use the free version Microsoft 365, all you need is a Microsoft account such as Hotmail or Outlook. With the free version of Office 365, Microsoft provides 5 gigabytes of cloud-based storage (OneDrive) for files, photos, and other uses.

This free version of Microsoft Office is cloud-based (which means you don't have to install any software on your computer), so this version of Office will run on any type of computer (Windows, Mac or Chromebook). If you don't have an internet-ready computer, The Open Resource has free refurbished Chromebook laptops available if you attend their monthly Chromebook Workshop thanks to a grant from the Rush County Community Foundation.

The free version of Microsoft 365 is a great option for individuals and businesses of all sizes, as it provides a comprehensive set of tools that can help you be more productive and collaborative. It is also a good choice for anyone who wants to use the latest version of Microsoft Office.

There are many reasons why you should learn Office 365. Here are a few of the most important ones:

Office 365 is widely used in the workplace and is the most popular productivity suite in the world. It is used by businesses of all sizes. This means that if you learn to use Office 365, you will be able to use the same tools that your colleagues and clients use.

It is versatile and powerful. Office 365 includes a wide range of applications that can be used for a variety of tasks, from word processing and spreadsheet creation to email and presentation creation. This makes it a valuable tool for both personal and professional use.

It is constantly being updated. Microsoft is constantly adding new features and functionality to Office 365, which means that you can be sure that you are always using the latest and greatest tools.

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It is easy to learn. Office 365 is designed to be user-friendly, even for people who are not familiar with computers. This means that you can learn how to use it quickly and easily.

If you are looking for a powerful and versatile productivity suite that is widely used in the workplace, then Office 365 is the perfect choice for you. Learning how to use Office 365 can help you to Strengthen your productivity, collaborate more effectively with others, and may be help you to enhance your job prospects by making you a more marketable candidate.

Many employers now require their employees to have proficiency in Office 365, so learning these skills can provide you a competitive edge in the job market.

If you want to learn more about Office 365, stop by The Open Resource and talk to a Digital Navigator or attend one of the Office 365 workshops.

The Open Resource's free June refurbished Chromebook laptop workshop are from 5 to 6:30 p.m. June 5 at 103 N. Main Street in Rushville. To register, leave your name and phone number on their workshop registration voice mail at 765-251-8048.

This community service is supported by a grant from The Rush County Community Foundation to promote digital inclusion. — Information provided

WASHINGTON — Thousands of Microsoft Outlook users reported issues with accessing and using the email platform Monday morning.

Microsoft 365 outage and problem reports peaked at almost 18,000 shortly after 11 a.m. Monday, according to outage tracker Downdetector. Reports have appeared to significantly decline since then.

Most of the reports expressed issues with Outlook. Many users of Microsoft’s emailing platform shared frustration on social media, with some noting they were unable to sign into or load their accounts.

The company said that it was “investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web” in a Twitter thread posted on its Microsoft 365 Status account – and added that a “downstream impact” was also identified for Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.

Microsoft 365 Status later said it had reverted an update and saw an improvement in service – soon confirming recovery for affected services.

In a statement sent to the Associated Press on Monday afternoon, Microsoft said it had “resolved an issue preventing users from accessing some of our services.”

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Late last month, Microsoft’s Alexandre Chohfi wrote a post for the Windows blog in which the Redmond-based tech titan honored a slew of winners in this year’s Microsoft Store App Awards. One particularly noteworthy honoree was the team at Ava, makers of the AI-based captioning software for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

Ava uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to provide the Deaf community real-time captions for videoconferencing and other scenarios. The company claims its tech has “99% accuracy.”

“We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2023 Microsoft Store App Awards! This year, we’re excited to recognize apps and developers within two award groups: the Microsoft Store Community Choice Awards, with apps nominated by the community, and the Microsoft Store Editor’s Choice Awards, recognized by Microsoft,” Chohfi said in the post’s introduction. “We were amazed by the overwhelming number of nominations for the Community Choice Awards. It is absolutely energizing for us to see our community flourishing, and that is reflected in your interest in the Microsoft Store.”

Ava, who has seen coverage in this space in the past, was specially recognized by Microsoft for its “unwavering dedication to empowering individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing and ensuring their inclusion with its super user-friendly features and intuitive interface.” Microsoft added it was a “great pleasure” to bestow the award upon Ava.

For its part, Ava itself published a blog post of its own wherein they celebrate the recognition. The company wrote it’s “proud to stand in such good company” alongside former winners in Disney+, Spotify, and others. Looking towards the future, Ava said its commitment to its work in “revolutionizing communication” remains unwavering. As such, its development team looks forward to “enhancing the app’s features and expanding its reach, [including] refining the real-time captioning technology, exploring new platforms, and forging partnerships with organizations that share Ava’s vision of accessibility and inclusion.”

Ava is a Deaf owned-and-operated organization. Its co-founder and chief executive, Thibault Duchemin, is a CODA while chief technology officer Skinner Cheng is Deaf. For his part, Cheng recently sat down with the Deaf academic blog The Mind Hears for an interview in which he recounted first meeting Duchemin and Ava’s origin story.

Microsoft Office is one of those versatile toolkits that has something to offer for everyone, whether you're in school or at work. If you want to explore how Microsoft Office apps could be useful to you, a lifetime license might take some of the pressure off your budget. There are even beginner to advanced courses showing you how to use some of the hidden features in the Office suite. 

Take a look at some of these offers that all combine a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2021 for Windows with courses that may help you take full advantage of these apps. Each lifetime license comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. Each app can only be installed on one computer, but once it’s there, it’s yours for life — no monthly payments. 

This bundle may provide you a chance to put your lifetime of Microsoft Word to good use. Lauren Lbik is the instructor behind Content Writing Secrets, and she neatly breaks down methods for differentiating your writing and taking advantage of keyword research and SEO tools(opens in a new tab). 

Open up OneNote and get ready to start writing, because there's a lot of material in this 25-lesson course; it covers everything from the skills you need to get started to writing and editing your work. If you want to start up a side hustle as a content writer, this bundle could provide you the tools and the training to get started, and it's on sale for $39.99 (reg. $239).

It’s a good thing your lifetime license gives you plenty of time to practice with Excel, because this course package might turn it into your new favorite app. Pivot tables are a data analysis tool(opens in a new tab) used in many industries that work with large amounts of data. This three-hour video course shows you how to create and use pivot tables, as well as how to get your data organized with tools for conditional formatting, reporting, and managing calculations. 

You’ll even get a certificate of completion when you finish the course, which could be useful if you're applying for jobs with a data analysis(opens in a new tab) component. This course is taught by Excel expert Kathryn Tilley. This bundle is only $39.99 (reg. $239).

VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP are fantastic time-saving tools in Excel, but there's definitely a learning curve. These functions automatically find and retrieve information from other areas of your spreadsheets. This Excel course shows you how to use these functions and troubleshoot through common issues. Something as simple as an improperly formatted column could invalidate your VLOOKUP function(opens in a new tab), but this course bundle walks you through the whole process and even gives you rules to follow when using VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP.

All course materials are yours for life when you get this software and learning double feature for $39.99 (reg. $221).

This software and learning bundle gives you the chance to practice with Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint, starting from zero knowledge and working through advanced tools and methods with each app. This learning bundle could be useful if you haven't had many chances to really explore the advanced features on Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. Plus, it also gives you some advanced Excel tutorials(opens in a new tab) with lectures on VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP for quick data pulling and conditional formatting.

You may even learn to create animations and videos in PowerPoint, but first you'll have to get the whole bundle for $39.99 (reg. $239).

If you want to try streamlining some of your workflows in the office, this bundle comes with lectures showing you how to use DAX and Power Pivot in Excel(opens in a new tab) to create custom calculations and combine large volumes of data. Study seven hours of content spread over 91 lectures. You also get interactive lessons, project files, quizzes, and homework exercises, as well as one-on-one support from an expert. 

If your job relies on efficient data processing, this bundle could help you save some time. You even get a certificate of completion when you're done, and the whole bundle only costs $49.99 (reg. $229).

Prices subject to change.

Microsoft has lifted the covers off a new community space for Mac lovers to hang out - so long as they’re using its products on Apple’s hardware.

The new Microsoft Mac Admins promises to be a space for IT professionals to share their knowledge and experience of using Microsoft products, like its office software, on Apple devices. The company reckons the space will be best suited for connecting with similar people, sharing best practices, and learning from experts and peers.

As well as a social space, Microsoft Mac Admins looks to be a place where both seasoned professionals and novices can go to seek advice and guidance.

According to the announcement by Microsoft Intune Senior Product Manager, Arnab Biswas, the launch of the new community space comes in response to feedback collected from product users, including from Intune.

Biswas said: “we wanted to provide a platform where organizations, and specifically the IT community, can showcase their achievements, exchange tips and tricks, and collaborate with other Microsoft 365 or Intune administrators around the world.”

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Anybody with a Microsoft 365 account can join, meaning the space’s reach could extend far beyond enterprises to SMBs, charities, and individuals seeking inspiration and support.

It will be hosted on Microsoft Viva Engage and moderated by members of the Intune product team.

While Redmond is keen to get its customers talking, it’s keen to stress that Microsoft Mac Admins is not a substitute for official support channels, which remain in place.

The small handful of replies to Microsoft’s announcement were largely positive, with a pair asking for Azure AD support for Mac.

Clearly, full Microsoft support for Mac is a long way off yet (and is frankly unlikely to ever happen, given that Microsoft has its own preferred hardware), but the company is taking meaningful steps in the right direction to retain users even as they transition to Apple’s hardware.