Podcasts about Microsoft Teams

AudioCodes Expands Beyond Session Border Controllers with AI-Driven Communications, Microsoft Teams Contact Center, and Intelligent Conversation Insights for the Enterprise Channel, Podcast “AudioCodes is ever-evolving,” says Sharone Ben-Levi, Vice President of Business Development at AudioCodes. “Many people know us from Session Border Controllers, but today we're delivering a much broader portfolio of solutions.” In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast interview conducted by Moshe Beauford, Ben-Levi discussed how AudioCodes has evolved from its long-standing leadership in enterprise Session Border Controllers (SBCs) to become a broader communications solutions provider serving the UCaaS, CCaaS, and collaboration markets. For years, AudioCodes has played a foundational role in enterprise voice infrastructure, connecting carriers to platforms such as Microsoft Teams, UCaaS, and contact center environments. According to Ben-Levi, the company remains a market leader in SBCs, but the company's focus has expanded significantly. Today, AudioCodes delivers a wide range of enterprise solutions including a full contact center platform for Microsoft Teams, meeting recording and analytics tools, and collaboration insights that extract actionable intelligence from business conversations. A key theme in the discussion was the increasing role of artificial intelligence across enterprise communications. Ben-Levi emphasized that AI is no longer just a buzzword but a practical capability being embedded across collaboration and contact center environments. AudioCodes' solutions now incorporate AI-driven capabilities such as meeting analysis, automated insights, and advanced content extraction from conversations. These capabilities help organizations better understand interactions, improve customer experience, and generate value from the growing volume of enterprise communications data. Ben-Levi also highlighted the importance of the partner ecosystem. For resellers, systems integrators (SIs), and global systems integrators (GSIs), the expanding AudioCodes portfolio presents new opportunities to deliver AI-enabled communications solutions that integrate voice infrastructure, collaboration platforms, and contact center technology. As enterprise communications continue to evolve toward AI-enhanced platforms, AudioCodes is positioning itself not just as a voice infrastructure provider, but as a strategic partner delivering intelligent communications solutions across the enterprise.

Celebrity birthdays and today's holidays, how walking impacts your health, new features coming to Microsoft Teams, Washington state banning forced employee microchips, and politics — plus the latest news and sports. 

Join us on the STILL RELEVANT tour: https://simulationtheory.ai/16c0d1db-a8d0-4ac9-bae3-d25074589a80Join Simtheory: https://simtheory.ai

I detta avsnitt diskuterar Linus och Marten de senaste nyheterna och trenderna inom Microsoft Teams, inklusive nya funktioner, produktuppdateringar och kommande evenemang. De delar insikter om hur dessa teknologier påverkar arbetsplatsen och kommunikation.   Nya funktioner i Teams, inklusive möjligheten att forwarda flera meddelanden samtidigt Copilot i Teams och andra Office-appar, inklusive mötesrecap och mallar Microsofts Q2-rapporter och AI-investeringar API-uppdateringar för Teams, inklusive hantering av policyer och användare via Graph API Framtiden för VDI och Teams-support för olika plattformar

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM Danny Burlage joins The MVP Show to explore why AI adoption in organisations is stalling and what actually moves it forward. The conversation moves beyond personal productivity to focus on AI as infrastructure, process transformation, and organisational capability. Danny shares what he sees in European enterprises, why Copilot adoption has lagged, and how companies can move from isolated pilots to real business impact by redesigning end to end processes and building AI literacy at scale.

The most effective way to launch and run a successful employee advocacy program in a regulated industry is to build momentum first, track meaningful metrics, and demonstrate impact early to earn internal buy-in.In this episode, we are joined by Michela Di Giorgio Martin, the Lead Manager - Social Media at AICPA & CIMA. Michela breaks down the journey of launching a highly successful advocacy program in a regulated industry. You'll learn how she transitioned the program from a simple pilot focused on participation to a sophisticated strategy that tracks shares per active user and EMV. We dive deep into the tactics of meeting employees where they are via emails and Microsoft Teams, the importance of leadership buy-in for adoption, and how even the most technical tax updates can become engaging social content when shared by a trusted peer rather than a corporate page.Resources:Want to know how your employee advocacy strategy really stacks up?Grab your FREE Employee Advocacy Health Check and see how you compare against your competitors.Book a call to discover how employee advocacy can benefit your team.Ready to elevate your employee advocacy? Get a free copy of Bradley Keenan's essential book, ‘Employee Advocacy: 101 Cheat Codes' for deeper insights and actionable strategies.Download the World's Biggest Employee Advocacy Study for free and discover data-backed insights to supercharge your program:Subscribe to The Employee Advocacy & Influence Podcast for more expert insights into employee influence!

Every professional speaker's nightmare: being introduced to a crowd of 100+ people and being physically (or digitally) unable to take the stage. In this episode, Andy shares a "cautionary tale" from a recent virtual keynote that was derailed by a new Microsoft Teams security feature. Whether you are a facilitator, a leader, or an external consultant, this is a must-listen guide on navigating the tech hurdles of 2026 and why the "Tech Check" is more important than ever.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

Is War of the Worlds (2025) the worst Film ever or is it simply a soulless film about our capitalist hellscape of an existence?  Ice Cube plays a surveillance psycho hacking his daughter's fridge while data-eating aliens invade Earth through Microsoft Teams. We watched War of the Worlds (2025) so you don't have to—this screenlife disaster is 90 minutes of PS2 CGI, shameless Amazon product placement, and a plot dumber that feels like it's written by AI. What we're covering:   Ice Cube as the villain dad we root for the aliens to vaporize "Disruptor" the hacker son and the Goliath surveillance conspiracy  Amazon drones + a $1,000 gift card literally saving humanity  Pandemic screenlife excuses (Unfriended was better, fight me)  Why this soulless capitalist hellscape accidentally captures 2025 perfectly  Is it "so bad it's good" or just evil? You decide. Introduction [00:00] Welcome to Cinema Psychos Show [00:32] Housekeeping and Follow Us [02:14] Initial Reactions to War of the Worlds 2025 [03:46] IMDb Synopsis and Surveillance Themes [08:21] Ice Cube's Creepy Protagonist [11:48] Production Background and Screenlife Genre [17:07] Plot Summary: Setup and Family Dynamics [30:05] Alien Invasion and Data-Feeding Premise [45:07] Goliath Program and Government Conspiracy [59:00] Product Placement and Capitalist Critique [01:11:00] Climax and Resolution [01:30:00] Audience Reviews [01:39:00] Guest Henry O'Brien and Closing Thoughts [01:50:00] Check out Henry O'Brien's Amazing Film Blogs/Socials: Substack The Stuff I Watched: https://stuffiwatch.substack.com/, TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@henryobrien1, Film Obsessive: https://filmobsessive.com/author/henry-obrien/ Follow The Cinema Psychos Show on Socials ❤️‍

Every professional speaker's nightmare: being introduced to a crowd of 100+ people and being physically (or digitally) unable to take the stage. In this episode, Andy shares a "cautionary tale" from a recent virtual keynote that was derailed by a new Microsoft Teams security feature. Whether you are a facilitator, a leader, or an external consultant, this is a must-listen guide on navigating the tech hurdles of 2026 and why the "Tech Check" is more important than ever.I hope you enjoy it! As always you can learn more and connect with me on my website (andystorch.com) or LinkedIn. And you can find my books - Own Your Career Own Your Life and Own Your Brand, Own Your Career - on Amazon.

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with James Cadman, Chief Customer Officer at Luware, to explore how organizations can modernize customer engagement and contact center operations in an era of digital transformation. Cadman explained that Luware specializes in cloud-native customer service and contact center solutions that integrate seamlessly with platforms like Microsoft Teams, helping enterprises deliver unified, efficient support at scale. He emphasized that customer success is central to Luware's mission and that people—more than processes or metrics—are what drive exceptional outcomes. In his words, “People drive excellence, not just KPIs!” (from industry sessions delivered by Cadman). The discussion highlighted how customer experience must evolve beyond siloed channels to truly omnichannel engagement, ensuring consistency, personalization, and responsiveness across voice, chat, email, and digital touchpoints. Cadman noted that customers today expect seamless journeys and that companies must architect their contact center technologies and organizational structures to support frictionless interactions. Luware's approach blends technological innovation with dedicated customer support. Cadman shared examples of how personalized service—such as assigning customer success specialists to guide onboarding, environment setup, and issue resolution—can make a material difference in adoption and satisfaction. This focus on support excellence helps organizations achieve rapid time to value and high levels of trust in outcomes. Finally, Cadman spoke to the importance of aligning technology with business goals, including digital transformation, compliance, and analytics. Luware customers across sectors like government and finance have leveraged solutions such as Luware Nimbus to simplify communications, scale on demand, and gain deeper insights into operations. More about Luware's solutions and customer success resources is available at https://luware.com/.

Change is easy to talk about and hard to embrace. Most people don't refuse change out of logic — they resist it out of instinct. Try the classic "fold your arms the other way" exercise: nothing meaningful is at stake, yet your body argues back. So if a tiny shift feels awkward, imagine what your team feels when you ask for a restructure, new CRM, new KPIs, or a new strategy. This transcript is a practical talk design that helps people move from grumbling compliance to genuine buy-in — especially when the change is big, public, or politically messy.  How do you define the change so people can actually embrace it? If the change isn't crystal clear, your audience will fill the gaps with fear, rumour, and resistance. Leaders often say "We're transforming" or "We're becoming more customer-centric," but that's fog, not a destination. Define the change like you're writing a survey question: precise, measurable, and impossible to misunderstand. In a Japanese context (where ambiguity can be read as risk), clarity matters even more; in a US or Australian context (where speed is prized), unclear messaging triggers frustration and scepticism. Spell out the outcome: what stops, what starts, what stays. Name the systems involved (Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, SAP, OKRs), the timeframe (this quarter, post-pandemic reality, as of 2026), and what "good" looks like. People embrace what they can picture. Do now: Write the change in one sentence + three bullets (Stop/Start/Continue). Read it aloud until it's clean. Why should you design the closing before the opening? Because your close is what people remember when they decide whether to support you — or quietly sabotage you.  Most presenters obsess over the opening and then improvise the ending, which is backwards. Start at the end for design clarity: you need two closes. Close #1 is what you say before Q&A. Close #2 is what you say after Q&A — and that second close is vital, because one random question can hijack attention. If a listener leaves thinking about an off-topic tangent, your recommendation dies in the carpark. Great executives at companies like Toyota, Rakuten, Amazon, and Atlassian know messaging discipline wins. Your final words should "ring in their ears" after the talk is over. Do now: Draft two 20–30 second closes: one to summarise, one to re-anchor after questions. What questions will kill your credibility — and how do you pre-empt them? Unprepared Q&A is where good change proposals go to die. You can have a brilliant idea, but if you stumble on obvious questions, people don't just doubt the detail — they doubt you. Anticipate likely objections: cost, workload, timing, fairness, risk, and "what's in it for my team?" Think in categories: frontline (time and tools), middle managers (authority and KPIs), executives (risk and ROI), and support functions (process and compliance). In multinationals, you'll also face "global vs local" questions; in SMEs, it's "we don't have resources." Pre-empt with short, confident answers and one supporting example each. You're not trying to win an argument; you're trying to protect trust. Do now: List the top 10 brutal questions. Write crisp answers. Rehearse them out loud with a colleague playing the sceptic.                                        How do you justify the need for change without sounding pushy? People accept change faster when you give a clear "why" and a compelling "proof," not a lecture. Your justification has two parts: (1) a direct statement of the need, and (2) an example that makes the need undeniable. The "why" should connect to real-world pressures: customer expectations, competitor moves, cost blowouts, quality issues, cyber risk, talent retention, or post-pandemic work patterns. The example should be specific: a client churn story, a missed deadline, a compliance near-miss, a sales cycle slowdown, or a service failure. In Japan, the example must be respectful and non-blaming; in the US, it can be more direct; in Australia, it should be straight but not self-righteous. Make it human, not abstract. Do now: Write your "why" in one sentence. Add one concrete example with numbers (even rough ones) and a short story. Why do you need three viable solutions, not one "obvious" answer? If you present one "perfect" option and two silly decoys, people feel manipulated — and they'll resist on principle. The goal is credibility. Offer three genuinely workable solutions, each realistic in cost, capability, and timeline. This signals balance and respect. Option sets also help different cultures and personalities: some audiences prefer incremental change (risk-managed), others want bold change (speed). Your job is to show you've done the thinking. Then — and this is the trick — you list pros and cons for each option in detail. Real options have real downsides; naming them makes you look objective and trustworthy. You're not hiding the pain; you're managing it. Do now: Build three options that could all work. For each, list 3 pros + 3 cons, including cost, time, and operational impact. How do you recommend "Option 3" without sounding like you've already decided? You earn the right to recommend Option 3 by making Options 1 and 2 feel genuinely credible first. Then you place your preferred choice last because recency bias is real: people remember what they heard most recently. But don't just declare it — prove it. State clearly: "We recommend Option 3." Then give evidence: impact on customers, speed to value, risk controls, resource fit, alignment to strategy, and what success looks like. If possible, anchor it in known frameworks (Kotter's change model, ADKAR, OKRs) or operational realities (training time, adoption curves, budget cycles). Finally, design an opening that punches through distraction — phones, notifications, social media — because the hardest part of public speaking in 2026 is winning attention in the first 30 seconds. Do now: Make Option 3 last, strongest, and evidence-backed. Write a punchy opening that earns attention fast. Conclusion If you follow this delivery structure — Opening → Need → Example → Option 1 (pros/cons) → Option 2 (pros/cons) → Option 3 (pros/cons) → Recommendation → Close #1 → Q&A → Final Close — you dramatically increase the odds of people adopting your change willingly. Getting people to change is hard. Getting them to embrace it takes design discipline. We have a bonus for you packed with free resources—one that'll make you go, 'Yep, this is exactly what I wanted.' Head to the link now.  dale-carnegie.co.jp/en/about/freebundles Author bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. Greg has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

Microsoft Teams is having a "Simply Red" moment and it's leaving some people seeing red. Microsoft are removing the labels from the apps on the app rail. Because

Stories from the trenches, ForecastAdvisor, Adobe Helvetica font, Microsoft Teams

(Disclaimer: erstellt mit ChatGPT)Hallo liebe Community,

Few AI products have found the kind of product-market fit we've seen from Claude Code. On the eve of the product's first anniversary, Anthropic's Boris Cherny explains why Claude Code is so powerful, all the work left to do, and why he no longer writes any code himself. After that, The Verge's Hayden Field joins the show to talk about how we should think about giving our data (and our computers) to AI, even when it seems useful. Finally, The Verge's Allison Johnson helps David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (866-VERGE11) about whether you should go buy a phone, like, right now. Further reading: Claude Code is suddenly everywhere inside Microsoft Claude has been having a moment — can it keep it up? The AI security nightmare is here and it looks suspiciously like lobster  OpenClaw's AI ‘skill' extensions are a security nightmare  Humans are infiltrating the social network for AI bots  Anthropic connects Claude to Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive  MCP extension unites Claude with apps like Slack, Canva, and Figma  The RAM shortage is coming for everything you care about  Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I avsnittet dyker vi djupt ner i nästa stora skifte inom artificiell intelligens: AI-agenter. Tillsammans med Christian Forsberg, CTO på Sogeti, reder vi ut vad en agent faktiskt är, hur de redan idag används ute i verksamheter och varför du bör börja betrakta AI mer som en nyanställd kollega än ett simpelt IT-verktyg. Många tror fortfarande att allt inom AI handlar om vanliga chattbottar, men utvecklingen går nu snabbt mot automation och system som kan agera på egen hand. Christian Forsberg förklarar att vi befinner oss i en övergångsperiod där AI går från att bara svara på frågor till att faktiskt utföra komplext arbete. AI-utvecklingens tre nivåer Under vårt samtal delar Christian in dagens AI-landskap i ett spektrum med tre tydliga steg: Vanliga chattbottar: Detta är verktyg som ChatGPT eller Copilot, vilka i grunden sitter passiva och väntar på att du ska ställa en fråga. Agenter 1.0 (Workflow-agenter): Denna nivå hanterar uppgifter i flera steg och kan planera sitt arbete. De kan exempelvis boka resor eller hantera fakturor, men de kräver fortfarande en mänsklig trigger för att starta. Autonoma agenter: Det absolut senaste inom utvecklingen är agenter som är ”alltid på” genom en så kallad ”heartbeat”-funktion. De agerar själva i bakgrunden, har ett inbyggt minne och kan till och med skriva om sina egna instruktioner (prompter) för att lära sig av sina misstag. När maskinen får en egen ”hjärna och själ” För att göra det konkret diskuterar vi ett exempel från en maskinfabrik i Jönköping. Där har man byggt en AI-agent som fungerar som hjärnan för en avancerad CNC-maskin. Agenten känner till maskinens manual och larmar om något går fel, till exempel om en specifik UV-lampa går sönder. Den är integrerad i ett kommunikationsverktyg och befinner sig i samma chattgrupp som mänskliga operatörer och tekniker. Om agenten identifierar ett problem kan den fråga i chatten om den ska lägga en arbetsorder för att byta lampan, varpå teknikern enkelt kan godkänna åtgärden direkt i tråden. Detta innebär att agenten blir en aktiv ”arbetare” i arbetsgruppen snarare än ett dolt bakomliggande system. Enligt Christian kommer vi snart se att AI-agenter får egna medarbetarkonton, egna inkorgar och deltar i Microsoft Teams-möten precis som vilken anställd som helst. Hur du och din verksamhet kommer igång Med autonoma agenter kommer naturligtvis nya utmaningar, inte minst kring säkerhet. Vad händer egentligen om en agent gör saker vi inte vill att den ska göra? Christians tydligaste råd för att undvika dyra och komplicerade fallgropar är pragmatiskt: Börja smått och attackera tråkiga problem: Leta efter de tidsödande administrativa uppgifterna på kontoret, som till exempel fakturagodkännanden, som ingen människa egentligen vill hålla på med. Behandla agenten som en junior medarbetare: Tänk på AI:n som en nyutexaminerad student. Den är snabb och duktig, men den kommer ibland göra fel och behöver därmed tydliga instruktioner och en mänsklig handledare. Använd existerande verktyg: Christian nämner att för utvecklare som vill koda och bygga agenter just nu, är modeller som Anthropics ”Claude” väldigt starka alternativ på marknaden. Vill du höra alla detaljer, insikter om AI-säkerhet och historien om OpenClaw-nätverket Moltbook där botar misstänkte människor för att vara botar? Christian Forsberg, Jonas Jaani (25:05) Videoversion av avsnittet: https://youtu.be/JZ0eaL_aiMQ Länkar / mer information: OpenClaw What is an AI agent? – Google Operativ effektivitet hos Husqvarna Alla avsnitt av digitaliseringens podcast Effekten Prenumerera: Apple Podcasts Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Z49zvPOisoSwhwojtUoCm Är du vår nästa gäst? Maila oss på info(a)effekten(punkt)se

Adam Jacobs, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, works in IC3—the real-time communications platform team behind Microsoft Teams. With four years at Microsoft and a decade at Polycom before that, Adam shares insights from the backend of one of the world's largest communications platforms.• How IC3 supports Microsoft Teams at massive scale, including cost considerations for new features and AI capabilities• The current state of Cloud Video Interop and why it remains important for some enterprise customers• Moving transcription to new platforms to support AI and M365 Copilot strategy• Real-time processing challenges for AI features, including face and voice recognition technologies• Adam's journey from IT director to Polycom to Microsoft, and the value of understanding both customer and partner perspectivesThanks to Pure IP, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Hollywood contre l'IA, musique générée et immortalité numérique Cette semaine, Bruno Guglielminetti et Jérôme Colombain s'intéressent à Hollywood qui sort l'artillerie lourde contre un moteur chinois capable de générer des scènes vidéo ultra réalistes mettant en scène des vedettes comme Brad Pitt et Tom Cruise. Disney, Netflix et les grands studios montent au créneau contre ByteDance et son outil Seedance 2.0. On parle aussi de création musicale par IA avec Google Gemini et Lyria, de traçabilité des œuvres générées, et d'un brevet de Meta qui relance le débat sur l'“immortalité numérique”. Enfin, reconnaissance faciale dans les lunettes connectées et bonne nouvelle pour les entreprises avec l'interopérabilité entre Google Meet et Microsoft Teams.

Heute wird es bunt gemischt. Von unseren alt bekannten Klassikern wie Microsoft Teams bis hin zu seltenen Exemplaren, wie Microsoft Purview oder Loop. Wir haben wieder für euch die Microsoft Roadmap durchforstet und Updates für euch herausgesucht. Viel Spaß beim Zuhören.

Who doesn't love a good Comcast rant? My wife and I moved over the holidays – but this story starts way before that.  We couldn't do Fiber internet in our old house for technical reasons, so we reluctantly switched over to Comcast and Xfinity.  At the time, we were both working from home – and we BLEW through the data limits for their residential service. I figured it was all of these live podcast recordings, uploads, and downloads. Turns out, it was her being on Microsoft Teams calls all day. At any rate, we had to upgrade to a Comcast Business account.  Fine. In December, we were fortunate in that we had a couple weeks of overlap, where we were still in the old house, but transitioning into the new house.  So I called Comcast, and explained I needed the service in BOTH locations.  The sales rep seemed OK with that, but told me to contact him as soon as the new service was installed, so he could try and keep up all my discounts, which were unusually high, in his estimation.  I emphasized, DO NOT TURN OFF SERVICE to the old house when the new house is turned on. Cut to December 18th – my birthday, no less. I spent the entire afternoon at the new house, waiting for the install. The older gentleman tested the line and told me the connection wasn't great. So he climbed the utility pole in our new neighbors' yard, and ran a coax line across the top of their fence, and ours, into our house. Turns out, our electricity line is underground here – great for a storm – bad when the cable company has to, by law, follow that line. So they opened a ticket to have someone come out and bury the line once the ground thawed. Meanwhile, there's a giant red coax cable strung across our neighbors' yard (fortunately they are super nice), and ours.  Cable comes on, and my wife calls from the old house – sure enough, they turned the service off, over there. What followed was 15 minutes of me cussing out an automated system at Comcast, because it was after hours.  Finally, I get a human being, overseas, who tells me to unplug it and reset it.  I explain, no, it's not a technical issue – it's a YOU issue.  “Oh I'm sorry, you'll have to call back after 7am.”  Uh, no. This may be a first world problem, but I have too much stuff in my house that relies on the internet to have it off overnight due to your incompetence.  I said it a little nicer than that.  Miraculously, they turned it back on. First bill comes – for FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. This includes the install (fine), and two months of service – at $50 per month more than I'd paid all last year.  That's the straw that broke the camel's back. I called AT&T about fiber. They came in at $80 per month cheaper, no data limits, and excellent customer service. Not to mention they are symmetrical – their upload speed matches their download speed.  I'm doing more video for my podcast clients – and an hour podcast, at 1080p resolution can be around 6 Gigabites. To upload a file of that size would take an hour on Comcast.  With AT&T, it's usually a few minutes. SOLD. So I cancel Comcast. But in the interest of being a good neighbor, I need to get the cable removed from their yard and ours.  Dead end, after dead end on phone, and chat. I'm pretty sure, Comcast having the monopoly that they do – the system is designed to get you frustrated and just give up. But then my good friend Diane entered the picture. She told me there's a REDDIT thread for Comcast support. And she suspects the agents that are too good for the phone and chat get “banished” there. It's some sort of secret society. Long story short – I posted about the issue. A moderator DM'ed me, and despite a few hiccups, eventually someone came and removed the line. So THAT problem was solved. That only leaves the bill. Reddit couldn't help me there because once I admitted it was a business account, they very quickly said “not it!” On January 15th when I cancelled the service, they had the audacity to tell me I was past my 30 day cancellation window. I told them no, I spent my BIRTHDAY on the 18th waiting around for your installer.  So they processed the cancellation.  Look, I'm a reasonable person. I don't expect a refund for the installation, nor do I expect to get my money back for the first month of service that I used. But I damn well better get my money back for the second month of service that was NOT used.  They told me to wait until the February 14th bill to see the refund. I got the Feb 14th bill – and have a credit OF…18 dollars and 18 cents.  Still no refund for month 2.  So I tried the chat – oh you have to call our retention department – which sounds like AI but I think is a person.  After 30 minutes on the phone, I come to find out – they are insisting I'm was out of my 30 day window on the cancellation because even though the install was on the 18th, the CONTRACT started on the 15th. They waived my cancellation fee as a COURTESY. How nice. As for the refund on the second month of service – when I went back over the fine print of the cancellation document I signed – it said the cancellation will take 30 DAYS to process and I'm responsible for those charges. You win, Comcast.  I'm tapping out.  When you own your own business, you have to think about what your time is worth. And even though I wanted to die on this hill, I can't spend any more time fighting for $150.  But I sure can post this rant on the internet and hope a bunch of people see it.  It's the equivalent of the strongly worded letters my parents taught me to write in the 80s. I will say though – if you are stuck in Comcast or Xfinity automation hell – try Reddit. You might find a diamond in the rough. And a note for podcasters – fish where the fish are. Leave no stone unturned for where your audience might be hanging out on the internet. Next on my to do list – trying to get money back from Verizon. They charged me for an ipad I traded in – for 14 months after I no longer had the device. Wish me luck.  Find jag on social media @JAGPodcastProductions or online at JAGPodcastProductions.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Staff turnover remains one of the biggest challenges in the fitness industry, especially with part time and casual teams. In this episode, Justin Tamsett is joined by Alex Grande, psychologist and workplace recognition expert, to unpack how gamification, rewards, and genuine recognition can dramatically improve engagement, performance, and retention in fitness businesses. Alex explains the science behind motivation, the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic drivers, and why simple, low cost recognition programs often outperform expensive incentive schemes. Together, they explore practical examples fitness business owners can implement immediately, from peer to peer shoutouts and leaderboards to automation using everyday tools like Microsoft Teams and Excel. If you want a more motivated team without burning yourself out as a leader, this episode is a must listen. Key highlights from the episode: Why recognition from managers is often more powerful than praise from executives How gamification increases engagement without relying only on cash rewards The SAPs framework and how to use status, access, power, and rewards with staff How peer to peer recognition strengthens culture and retention Practical, low cost gamification ideas for fitness businesses How automation tools can make recognition consistent and easy   Curious about the future host of Fitness Business Podcast? That's Zoe, the host JT's daughter!   Got value from today's episode? ✔ Leave us a review on your favorite podcast app ✔ Send us a voicemail at fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/leaveusavoicemail ✔ Share this episode with a colleague who wants to build a stronger team   Ready for more: ✔ Become an FBP Insider and get 7 days FREE to start! Learn more on Patreon: https://patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast ✔ Our FREE LIVE online events created specifically for fitness business owners, managers, and coaches who want to sharpen their skills and grow their business - Learn More: https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents ✔ Call in and let JT know if you think this has been the best season: https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/leave-us-a-voicemail/ ✔ Leave a rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts: https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/review/ Quotes: "We underestimate how meaningful it is to stop and say thanks, and the impact it can create." - Alex Grande "Recognition from a manager is more meaningful than from an executive, oftentimes because the manager knows more about that person." - Alex Grande "People want to be appreciated and people want to be heard." - Alex Grande   Jump Ahead: (00:03:00) What Reward and Recognition Really Mean in Fitness Businesses (00:05:00) Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation and the SAPs Framework (00:06:00) The Psychology of Recognition and Why It Works (00:07:00) Why Manager Feedback Matters More Than Executive Praise (00:09:00) What Gamification Looks Like in a Real World Workplace (00:11:30) Using Status, Access, Power, and Rewards to Motivate Staff (00:14:30) Peer to Peer Recognition and Building Stronger Team Culture (00:18:00) Automating Recognition with Microsoft Teams and Power Automate (00:22:00) Engaging Part Time and Casual Staff Through Recognition (00:26:30) How to Start a Recognition Program Without Overthinking It Resources: ✔ Become an FBP Insider on Patreon: https://patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast ✔ Fitness Business Podcast's LinkedIn Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9878228/ ✔ Mystery Shopping for Fitness Businesses: https://mysteryshoppingforfitnessbusinesses.com.au/    Recommended Books: ✔ Drive by Daniel Pink✔ Influence: The Art of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini Resources Mentioned: ✔ Microsoft 365 Tools ✔ Zapier ✔ Notion   Our Guest: Alex Grande, Founder & CEO of Recognize ✔ Website: https://recognizeapp.com/ ✔ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgrande/    Merch Sponsor: Be a Merch Sponsor - https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/merch/   REX Roundtables: Website: www.REXRoundtables.comEmail: Eddie@REXRoundtables.com A heartfelt thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast: Les Mills USA: Creates pre-choreographed group fitness classes and offers home workouts. https://www.lesmills.com/us/ Referrizer: Provides automated marketing, referral, lead, and reputation management for local businesses. https://referrizer.com/ Energy Lounger: Sells the EnergyLounger, a full-body red and near-infrared light therapy device. http://www.energylounger.com/ Real Leader Fitness: Manufactures and sells commercial fitness and gym equipment. https://www.realleaderfitness.com/ The Covery: Offers wellness, hormone replacement, weight loss, and aesthetic treatments. https://www.thecovery.com/   "What we leave behind is not set in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." About Our Guest: Alex Grande is an entrepreneur and workplace innovation expert who combines gamification with HR technology to help organizations build stronger, more connected cultures.  As the founder of Recognize, a social employee engagement SaaS platform, he helps companies improve communication, recognition, and retention through behavioral science and thoughtful design. With a degree in psychology and published research in unconscious bias and social cognition, Alex brings an evidence-based, human-centered approach to creating recognition programs that drive lasting cultural change. About Your Host: Justin "JT" Tamsett is a fitness industry veteran with over 30 years of experience who aims to reduce global healthcare costs by promoting physical activity. Through his company Active Management, he provides business coaching to fitness entrepreneurs, leads 8 REX Roundtables in the US and Australia, and has spoken at over 40 conferences across 23 countries. His ultimate goal is to create a world of opportunity for his daughter Zoe by helping more people move and stay healthy, while empowering gym owners to build successful businesses that contribute to a healthier society. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!

Are meetings burning out your team? In the final episode of this five-part series, Kevin and workplace culture expert Jennifer Moss examine how meeting overload drives burnout and reduces productivity. Data shows a 252% increase in Microsoft Teams meetings since 2019 and the rise of "pajama hours," when employees feel compelled to catch up on work during off-hours. Jennifer explains why video calls exhaust us more than we realize and why phone calls might be your secret weapon against fatigue. They share practical strategies: conduct a calendar audit, convert some meetings to asynchronous formats, and invite people only when they're truly needed. They also challenge leaders to reframe declining meetings; it's not a slight, it's a gift of time. Jennifer's Story: Jennifer Moss specializes in future-focused leadership development, expertly balancing employee well-being with performance. As an award-winning writer and internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, she specializes in transforming workplace culture using data-driven leadership strategies. Her book The Burnout Epidemic tackled employee burnout and was among Thinkers50's "10 Best New Management Books for 2022." Her latest book is WHY ARE WE HERE?: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants (Harvard Business Review Press; 2025) https://www.jennifer-moss.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenleighmoss/ https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7221183318774403072/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGW43a_jDAA4txctjAyaStg Book Recommendations Why Are We Here?: Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants by Jennifer Moss The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It by Jennifer Moss Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we'd be thrilled if you'd let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here's a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group  

At ITEXPO / MSP EXPO in Fort Lauderdale, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Jon Brinton, Chief Revenue Officer at Crexendo, about the company's latest announcement: the launch of the Crexendo Marketplace. Crexendo is also a member of the Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA). Crexendo, a unified communications service provider, merged with NetSapiens five years ago, bringing together a robust UCaaS platform now powering approximately 240 service providers globally. That ecosystem supports nearly 7.5 million users—a number that has grown more than fourfold since the acquisition. The new Crexendo Marketplace builds on that momentum by delivering a centralized, frictionless application store for certified integrations and third-party solutions. “What we've now released is a Crexendo Marketplace,” Brinton explained. “If you think about it like the Google Play Store or the Apple Store, it's an application store that somebody can go to download, activate or integrate with applications that are certified for our platform.” Through one-touch provisioning, service providers can enable integrations such as mobile dialer support, analytics, Microsoft Teams connectivity, and Crexendo's AI-powered receptionist and orchestrator, Cairo—all without complex implementation paths. The Marketplace reinforces Crexendo's sessions-not-seats licensing model, which allows MSPs and service providers to own their customer relationships while building equity in their businesses. Brinton noted that AI-driven add-on applications are driving significant incremental revenue, often far exceeding traditional per-user UCaaS pricing. “Some of these AI applications… may be worth four to five to ten times that in monthly revenue to our partners,” he said, underscoring the opportunity for higher-margin growth. As innovation accelerates across the cloud communications landscape, Crexendo continues to invest heavily in platform development and ecosystem expansion. With its annual NetSapiens user group meeting scheduled for Austin later this year, the company remains focused on empowering partners with tools, integrations, and community support to compete—and win—in an evolving market. Visit https://www.crexendo.com/

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM  Amelia Hernandez Osorio explores practical ways organisations can build lasting Copilot habits, strengthen internal communities and drive effective AI adoption. Amelia shares her journey through web technologies, SharePoint, cloud transformation and Microsoft 365 adoption, offering guidance on behaviour change, team enablement and identifying meaningful Copilot use cases that improve daily work. 

In the News ·      Landmark Trial in Los Angeles against Social Media ·      How Big an Impact Is AI Having on Layoffs? ·      Will AI-chatbots undermine Google's search business? ·      Microsoft Teams to Begin Sharing Employee Location Data with Employers ·      Shut Down and Restart—Microsoft Confirms Windows Update Mistake ·      Anthropic's AI Plugin Tool Impacting Legal-Software Stocks   ITPro Series with Benjamin Rockwell ·      Why MFA feels Annoying… and Why It Protects You From the Tech Corner ·      Big Tech is Betting Big on Nuclear Power ·      Will Windows PCs Fade Away? Technology Chatter with Benjamin Rockwell and Mark Brownstein ·      TinyCircuits.com with a Small TV and Small Gaming System

Join Kristian McCann from UC Today and Kevin Kieller from Enable UC as they kick off February 2026 with an in-depth look at Microsoft Teams' latest security enhancements and market momentum. Special guest Oleg Danyliuk, CEO of Duanex, shares his company's five-year journey dual-licensing Slack and Teams—and why Teams is finally winning him over.This month's topics:

Microsoft Teams, ticketmaster, boiler room, entrar a un banco en chores, una batalla tras otra. Música: Shoes and Socks Off, Emerald Park.

In Episode 71 of the UCStatus Podcast, hosts Randy, Mark, and Shawn discuss recent updates in Microsoft Teams, including the transition of Android Device Management, new meeting features, and AI integrations such as Copilot. They also cover the retirement of Teams Live Events, new event management capabilities, and improvements in user experience for various Teams functionalities.

Ian and Kat are back and talking things they think they are better at than they actually are...both skiing and the Microsoft Office Suite. From concatenating cells in Excel to creating works of art in PowerPoint, we delve into the products that every single person in the corporate world uses every day and where are our gaps are. Ian gives tricks to help fake it until you make it in Excel, Kat may be the world's foremost Word user (at least in her own mind), and they both then brag about flex their PowerPoint and OneNote skills. We then talk about how AI is being integrated into everyday tools, AND even talk about how Microsoft Teams runs on Cisco's collaboration endpoints (have to keep the bosses happy with the product pitch)! Also, you should just use Webex. It's the best. And secure. If you want to learn more about Webex, check it out here: www.webex.com

Today's Headlines: Europe was unusually productive yesterday. French authorities raided Twitter's Paris offices as part of a cybercrime investigation, summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino (voluntarily, lol), and announced France is ditching Zoom and Microsoft Teams in favor of its own platform. Spain followed up by unveiling plans to crack down on social media algorithms and hold tech executives personally liable for illegal or hateful content, after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused Musk of amplifying disinformation about Spain's immigration policy. Not to be outdone, Poland's prime minister said Jeffrey Epstein was likely a Russian intelligence asset — and said his government plans to investigate. Back in the U.S., Trump floated the idea of “nationalizing” elections during a podcast appearance and teased more fallout from last week's FBI raid in Georgia, despite elections being run by states under the Constitution. Democrats held a public forum on ICE abuses that Republicans skipped entirely, featuring testimony from people shot at, assaulted, or detained without cause — including a disabled woman who says she was dragged from her car and later treated in an ER for assault. Meanwhile, ICE is reportedly preparing a major operation targeting Haitian immigrants in Ohio as TPS protections expire, even as the agency quietly spends hundreds of millions buying warehouses to convert into detention centers.Elsewhere, DC U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro briefly threatened jail time for anyone bringing a gun into the district before walking it back, Trump continued his Kennedy Center renovation saga, and New York Magazine published a deeply unsettling profile of Rep. Nancy Mace detailing erratic behavior and staff misuse.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Paris prosecutors summon Elon Musk after raid on X's French offices BBC: Spain announces plans to ban social media for under-16s The Telegraph: Epstein was probably a Russian spy, says Tusk WaPo: Trump says he wants to ‘nationalize the voting,' a power granted to states The New Republic: Not a Single Republican Shows Up to Hear Renee Good's Brothers Testify WaPo: Renée Good's brothers, others describe assaults, shootings at hearing MS Now: ICE eyeing Ohio next, where it is expected to target Haitian immigrants Bloomberg: ICE Begins Buying ‘Mega' Warehouse Detention Centers Across US MS Now: Pirro walks back threat to lawful gun owners traveling to D.C. NBC News: Kennedy Center won't be torn down during $200 million renovation, Trump says NY Magazine: Nancy Mace Is Not Okay Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Phillips, Director of Product Marketing at HP, joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, on opening day of ISE to discuss HP's latest collaboration announcements and the strategy unifying its product portfolio around AI-enabled hybrid work. Phillips explained that HP's collaboration roadmap is centered on enabling effective communication across a wide range of work environments—from home offices and hoteling desks to meeting rooms, training spaces, and immersive collaboration settings. Rather than deploying AI for its own sake, HP is embedding machine learning and cloud-based intelligence into collaboration solutions to tangibly improve meeting quality, clarity, and engagement. “We're putting AI into action in collaboration in a way that makes meetings more effective and more lifelike,” Phillips said, emphasizing HP's focus on real-world value. A key highlight at ISE was the introduction of next-generation HP Poly Mission headsets, designed to support hybrid and high-noise environments with advanced AI noise reduction. Phillips noted that the new headsets can isolate a speaker's voice even in challenging settings such as cafés or open offices, while maintaining strong privacy protections. “AI is being used to deliver better experiences, but we're not tracking conversations or personally identifiable information,” he said. The new lineup also reflects HP's effort to streamline its headset portfolio, reducing SKU complexity and making it easier for resellers to quote and recommend the right solution for each user. On the meeting room side, HP unveiled advancements in Poly VideoOS 5, the collaboration operating system that powers HP Poly video devices. The update brings support for Android 13, extended certification with partners such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet, and lays the foundation for long-term investment protection with support planned through 2032. New capabilities include multi-camera experiences that dynamically frame participants from multiple angles, ensuring everyone in the room is clearly seen and heard. Phillips also highlighted HP Dimension with Google Beam, a hyper-realistic 3D collaboration solution designed to deliver an “across-the-table” experience for remote participants. The system combines spatial video and audio to create an immersive, lifelike presence suited for executive meetings, negotiations, and high-impact conversations. Live demonstrations were available at ISE, with broader availability planned later this year through HP and Google experience centers. More information about HP's collaboration portfolio and hybrid work innovations is available at https://www.hp.com/us-en/home.html.

HP Makes the Case for AI-First Collaboration Built for the Long Term At ISE 2026, HP Poly Mission Series,  lineup features AI-based noise cancellation, super wideband audio, and multiple microphone configurations across the 400, 600, and 800 Series @Doug Green Publisher, Technology Reseller News “Hybrid work only works when the technology disappears into the background,” said Brian Phillips, Product Marketing Leader at HP. “By combining AI-driven audio and video intelligence with platform longevity and centralized management, we're helping organizations deliver consistent, high-quality collaboration experiences anywhere people work.” That statement captures HP's message at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, where the company rolled out a broad set of Poly audio and video updates designed to address one of the most persistent challenges in hybrid work: how to deliver reliable, high-quality collaboration experiences at scale without increasing complexity for IT teams. Rather than positioning AI as a standalone feature, HP is embedding intelligence across its collaboration portfolio, pairing AI-driven audio and video enhancements with longer platform lifecycles, sustainability considerations, and centralized management. The strategy reflects a clear focus on enterprise buyers who must balance user experience with operational consistency and long-term planning. A key part of the announcement is the new HP Poly Mission Series, a family of corded USB headsets designed for mission-critical use cases. The lineup features AI-based noise cancellation, super wideband audio, and multiple microphone configurations across the 400, 600, and 800 Series. HP is also simplifying procurement and deployment with a single model certified across Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and Google Voice, reducing the friction often associated with managing large headset fleets. On the video side, HP Poly VideoOS 5.0 signals a more strategic shift. Built on Android 13, the platform introduces architectural improvements designed to support future innovation while extending the usable life of HP Poly video systems. With support planned through 2032 and a roadmap toward Android 17, HP is directly addressing enterprise concerns around frequent hardware refresh cycles as collaboration software evolves. VideoOS 5.0 also delivers immediate enhancements, including smarter camera framing, enhanced AI noise blocking, multi-microphone audio mixing, and faster touch controller performance. Just as importantly, it establishes the foundation for upcoming capabilities such as DirectorAI multi-camera automatic switching, reinforcing HP's intent to evolve collaboration intelligence over time rather than through disruptive replacements. HP also used ISE 2026 to focus on a practical challenge facing many hybrid offices: Bring Your Own Device meeting rooms. The combination of the HP Poly Studio V12 video bar and the HP Thunderbolt 4 180W G6 Dock enables a single-cable connection that provides instant access to room displays, cameras, microphones, speakers, and network connectivity, while keeping laptops charged. The solution is designed to support Windows, Mac, and Chromebook users and is managed through HP Poly Lens, giving IT teams centralized control over settings, firmware updates, and device health. At the high end of the collaboration spectrum, HP continues to push toward more immersive experiences with HP Dimension with Google Beam. The AI-powered 3D video communications system combines six-camera capture, spatial audio, adaptive lighting, and real-time processing to create lifelike meetings without headsets or wearables. HP and Google are demonstrating the solution at ISE, offering a glimpse into how AI may redefine presence in future work environments. Taken together, HP's announcements at ISE 2026 reflect a clear direction. The company is betting that the next phase of collaboration will be defined not by novelty, but by intelligence that fades into the background while delivering durable, manageable, and high-quality experiences for both users and IT teams.

France fines unemployment agency €5 million over data breach Microsoft Teams addition will allow for suspicious calls to be reported UK leaders warned about absorbing cyberattacks without offensive deterrence Check out the show notes here:  Huge thanks to our episode sponsor, Conveyor Want to hear a horror story?   An infosec manager found out that their sales rep had filled in a customer security questionnaire themselves and sent it back to the customer without review.   Which led to dozens of follow up questions.   With Conveyor's Trust Center AI Agent, you can avoid all of that.   The Agent lives in your Conveyor hosted Trust Center and answers every customer question, surfaces documents and even completes full questionnaires instantly so customers can finish their review and be on their way.   Learn more at Conveyor.com   Find the stories behind the headlines at https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-france-fines-unemployment-agency-teams-flags-calls-uk-pushes-deterrence/

France's decision to discontinue American collaboration platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams for government use—replacing them with the domestically developed Vizio platform—signals a shift toward digital sovereignty and data control within regulated jurisdictions. This move, formalized as part of France's Suite Numerique and to be implemented by 2027, highlights the increasing fragmentation of technology policy where national governments assert authority over platform selection and sensitive data handling. The development underscores operational risk for MSPs and IT service providers as assumptions of technology homogeneity across regions become unreliable.Supporting these shifts, South Korea enacted the world's first comprehensive AI legislation, requiring mandatory labeling of AI-generated content and risk assessments for high-impact systems, such as those in hiring and healthcare. According to the transcript, 98% of AI startups in South Korea report they are not prepared for compliance. Both developments reveal a pattern: early regulatory efforts tend to produce vague requirements, unclear enforcement, and real operational complexity. Providers operating in multiple jurisdictions must now anticipate compliance fragmentation and increased overhead as regulatory regimes diverge.Additional analysis focused on the continued evolution of the managed services stack, particularly through the lens of AI and workflow automation. Companies like Thrive are investing in enterprise platforms that embed AI-driven reasoning within workflow tools, shifting coordination away from traditional PSA ticketing systems. Meanwhile, integrations such as Quark Cyber with ScalePad's Lifecycle Manager X, and new partnerships between ServiceNow, TeamViewer, Anthropic, and OpenAI, illustrate a market splitting between providers focused on standardization and those managing more complex, enterprise-like environments. Microsoft's financial results further highlighted this trend, with record capital expenditure on AI infrastructure and increased reliance on proprietary chips to reduce dependency on external vendors like Nvidia and OpenAI.For MSPs, these developments raise practical governance and accountability questions. Shifts in regulatory authority and technology platforms create increased risk exposure for providers that do not proactively manage cross-jurisdictional compliance and secure defaults. Vendors are tightening control over platforms as AI becomes central to product architecture, often prioritizing internal risk management over shared upside with partners. Providers that fail to enforce robust data governance, understand cost drift, or plan for architectural lock-in are positioned less as strategic advisors and more as absorbers of client and vendor risk.Four things to know today00:00 France's Platform Ban and South Korea's AI Law Show Regulation Catching Up to Technology04:23 AI Is Reshaping the MSP Tool Stack as Thrive, ServiceNow, and ScalePad Take Different Paths07:37 Microsoft's SMTP AUTH Delay and CISA's AI Slip Show the Risk of Optional Security ControlsAND10:26 Earnings Show Microsoft Turning AI From Feature to Infrastructure as Partner Risk GrowsSponsored by: TimeZest 

In this week's show Patrick Gray and Adam Boileau discuss the week's cybersecurity news. They discuss: La France is tres sérieux about ditching US productivity software China's Salt Typhoon was snooping on Downing Street Trump wields the mighty DISCOMBOBULATOR ESET says the Polish power grid wiper was Russia's GRU Sandworm crew US cyber institutions CISA and NIST are struggling Voice phishing for MFA bypass is getting even more polished This episode is sponsored by Sublime Security. Brian Baskin is one of the team behind Sublime's 2026 Email Threat Research report. He joins to talk through what they see of attackers' use of AI, as well as the other trends of the year. This episode is also available on Youtube. Show notes France to ditch US platforms Microsoft Teams, Zoom for ‘sovereign platform' amid security concerns | Euronews Suite Numérique plan - Google Search China hacked Downing Street phones for years Cyberattack Targeting Poland's Energy Grid Used a Wiper Trump says U.S. used secret 'discombobulator' on Venezuelan equipment during Maduro raid | PBS News Risky Bulletin: Cyberattack cripples cars across Russia - Risky Business Media Lawmakers probe CISA leader over staffing decisions | CyberScoop Trump's acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT - POLITICO Acting CISA director failed a polygraph. Career staff are now under investigation. - POLITICO NIST is rethinking its role in analyzing software vulnerabilities | Cybersecurity Dive Federal agencies abruptly pull out of RSAC after organizer hires Easterly | Cybersecurity Dive Real-Time phishing kits target Okta, Microsoft, Google Phishing kits adapt to the script of callers On the Coming Industrialisation of Exploit Generation with LLMs – Sean Heelan's Blog GitHub - SeanHeelan/anamnesis-release: Automatic Exploit Generation with LLMs Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" - Ars Technica Bypassing Windows Administrator Protection - Project Zero Task Failed Successfully - Microsoft's “Immediate” Retirement of MDT - SpecterOps Kubernetes Remote Code Execution Via Nodes/Proxy GET Permission WhatsApp's Latest Privacy Protection: Strict Account Settings - WhatsApp Blog Microsoft gave FBI a set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops: Reports | TechCrunch He Leaked the Secrets of a Southeast Asian Scam Compound. Then He Had to Get Out Alive | WIRED Key findings from the 2026 Sublime Email Threat Research Report

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM This episode with Michael Plettner explores how organisations move from AI curiosity to practical, business focused implementation. You will learn why user adoption and leadership support matter, how teams shift from generic Copilot use to targeted process improvement, and how the EU AI Act is pushing companies toward more mature and responsible AI practices.

It's part of a strategy to rely less on US services for government use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on January 26, 2026. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): After two years of vibecoding, I'm back to writing by handOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46765460&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:56): France Aiming to Replace Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc.Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46767668&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:23): Television is 100 years old todayOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46766188&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:50): Fedora Asahi Remix is now working on Apple M3Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46769051&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:17): Qwen3-Max-ThinkingOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46766741&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:44): MapLibre Tile: a modern and efficient vector tile formatOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46763864&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:11): Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites onlyOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46761822&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:37): Google AI Overviews cite YouTube more than any medical site for health queriesOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46766031&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(12:04): Clawdbot - open source personal AI assistantOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46760237&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(13:31): Apple introduces new AirTag with longer range and improved findabilityOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46765819&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai

Segment 1: We're All Judging You on Zoom (Let's Be Honest)Intro / SetupEveryone's been on Zoom or Microsoft Teams since COVIDEven if we don't admit it… we are judging people on virtual callsWhat People Get Judged On During Virtual CallsPoor Internet ConnectionFreezing, lagging, staticky audioPerception: “They can't even get their internet right — are they professional?”Bad Microphone EtiquetteTalking while mutedEveryone awkwardly saying, “I think you're muted”The classic: “Oh, sorry, I didn't know”Backgrounds (Real vs. Virtual)Clean, intentional backgrounds (bookshelves, studio branding) = professionalOver-the-top virtual backgrounds = suspicion“What are they hiding?”Green screen glitches, blurring when people move = distractingDistractions on CameraCats walking across the screenDogs barkingCamera cutting in and outResult: audience hears nothing you sayUnmuted ChaosSide conversationsSomeone forgetting they're on a callRadio people doing voice tracks during meetingsWhy It MattersNot about liking or disliking someoneDistractions take focus away from what you're actually sayingVisual and audio clutter = credibility lossWrap-Up / AdviceGood internet is essentialKnow how to use mute/unmuteBe intentional about your backgroundTreat virtual calls like real meetings Segment 2: “Rich Kid Stuff” That's Totally Normal NowTransitionThings we take for granted today were once considered major luxuriesEspecially noticeable across generationsMiddle-Class Luxuries From the PastHaving a Computer at HomeOnce felt like “rich kid” statusFloppy disks, typewriters before computersNow: basically required to functionDishwashersSome households never had oneOthers can't imagine life without itLong-Distance CallingCalling cardsCharges by the minuteUnlimited minutes felt revolutionaryPhysical EncyclopediasFull sets = rich and smartMassive investment, rarely usedSingle-Income HouseholdsDad working, mom at homeMuch less common todayAir ConditioningCars without A/CHouses relying on window unitsCordless PhonesHuge upgrade from wall-mounted phonesFollowed by car phones (with cords!)Water BedsUltimate flex at the timeRare nowMicrowavesOnce a big household eventNow standardFlyingUsed to be for business or wealthy travelersDressing up for flights was expectedLuxury AppliancesFridges that make ice and dispense waterNo more ice trays or tap waterCar FeaturesRoll-up windowsSunroofs as a sign of “we made it”Personal AnecdotesRenting a U-Haul with roll-up windows shocking younger generationsSunroofs feeling limo-level fancyClosing ThoughtWhat once felt extravagant is now basicMakes you wonder what today's luxuries will feel normal in 20 yearsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian Gregory of Intermedia joined Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, for a Cloud Communications Alliance (CCA) podcast discussing how Intermedia has quickly become a preferred platform for service providers seeking modern, cloud-based communications. Intermedia operates as a channel-first UCaaS and CCaaS provider, with more than 90 percent of its business delivered through partners. Gregory explained that the company formally launched its service provider program just two years ago, responding to market shifts as traditional feature-server platforms slowed and demand increased for more agile, cloud-native solutions. In that short time, Intermedia has signed roughly 30 percent of U.S. tier-two service providers, those with approximately $50 million to $2 billion in annual revenue—an adoption rate Gregory says reflects both timing and platform flexibility. “The market was ready for a more nimble, cloud-based provider,” Gregory said. “As a cloud platform, we can respond very quickly to changes—whether that's AI, Teams integration, or new go-to-market requirements—and our service providers can immediately take those capabilities to their customers.” Looking ahead to 2026, Intermedia's priorities include practical AI adoption with measurable ROI, deeper vertical-market integrations, and continued expansion of its Microsoft Teams strategy. Rather than replacing Teams, Intermedia enhances it by embedding enterprise-grade telephony and a fully integrated contact center—enabling partners to deliver higher-value services beyond low-margin trunking. Gregory also highlighted Intermedia's new migration program, designed to help service providers move legacy hosted PBX customers onto a single, modern platform using automated tools, overlay resources, and financial incentives. As cloud communications continue to evolve, Intermedia is positioning itself as a growth engine for service providers navigating AI-driven, Teams-centric customer environments. Learn more: www.intermedia.com

On today's podcast I have a very different conversation with Ellie the founder of Unbridling the Soul in West Cork. The very lovely Ellie provides a very unusual range of healing services both in person and remotely, but not via the Zoom or Microsoft Teams variety. I met with her at her beautiful home in idyllic West Cork at the foot of Mount Gabriel which she shares with her daughter and some horses that she uses as part of her work. Ellie chats about her early life and how this brought about an extremely strong connection to animals, which has continued to this day. As well as developing the ability to communicate with animals she also has the ability to see and communicate with the spirits that surround us. Following her curiosity and exploring these unusual gifts led her away from an early career as a chef to founding her own business that helps people and animals who may be in some distress. To better understand what she does she shares a very unusual story about a dog called Max and the spirits that were disturbed when the house where he lived was renovated. Enjoy the show... Podcast Production by Greg Canty Greg's blog Greg on Twitter  Greg on LinkedIn Email Greg with feedback or suggested guests: greg@fuzion.ie   

Ken Broo talks about the latest news around Greenland and other hot political topics with Jim Renacci, how businesses are keeping tabs on their employees with Microsoft Teams with Suzanne Castle plus the best bets of the NFL weekend with MasonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ken Broo talks about the latest news around Greenland and other hot political topics with Jim Renacci, how businesses are keeping tabs on their employees with Microsoft Teams with Suzanne Castle plus the best bets of the NFL weekend with Mason

Ken Broo talks about the latest news around Greenland and other hot political topics with Jim Renacci, how businesses are keeping tabs on their employees with Microsoft Teams with Suzanne Castle plus the best bets of the NFL weekend with MasonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to this week's episode of the PEBCAK Podcast!  We've got four amazing stories this week so sit back, relax, and keep being awesome!  Be sure to stick around for our Dad Joke of the Week. (DJOW) Follow us on Instagram @pebcakpodcast   Please share this podcast with someone you know!  It helps us grow the podcast and we really appreciate it!   PlayStation 5 ROM keys leaked https://www.pcquest.com/gaming/ps5-rom-keys-leak-what-happened-why-it-matters-and-how-it-impacts-security-10965503  https://x.com/resellnews/status/2006828869899411587?s=46    Samsung ordered to stop collecting user data https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/texas-court-blocks-samsung-from-collecting-smart-tv-viewing-data/  Turn off your TV with Apple TV remote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYqwwsXhQ6U   Microsoft Teams reports user location https://cybernews.com/tech/microsoft-teams-snitch-location-office-boss/   Americans cutting back on social media https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2025/08/most-americans-still-use-social-media.html   Dad Joke of the Week (DJOW)   Find the hosts on LinkedIn: Chris - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chlouie/ Brian - https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandeitch-sase/ Glenn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennmedina/

Microsoft has announced significant changes to its Teams platform, set to take effect on January 12, 2026. The platform will automatically enhance messaging security by blocking risky files and scanning shared links for potential phishing threats. This proactive measure aims to protect organizations, particularly smaller ones without dedicated security teams, from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. IT administrators will have the opportunity to review and adjust these settings prior to implementation, ensuring a smoother transition to the new security measures.In addition to the Teams update, Microsoft has decided to retract its previously announced limit on bulk email recipients for Exchange Online, following customer feedback indicating that such restrictions would create operational challenges. The company will maintain existing limits while seeking less disruptive solutions to enhance email security. Furthermore, Microsoft has acquired the startup Osmos to bolster its Microsoft Fabric platform with autonomous data engineering capabilities, aiming to automate data preparation and reduce the manual workload for IT teams.The episode also highlights the rapid growth of Ninja One, which reported a 70% year-over-year increase in annual recurring revenue, surpassing $500 million. This growth positions Ninja One as a strong competitor in the remote monitoring and management market, particularly as managed service providers (MSPs) seek to consolidate tools to improve operational efficiency. The discussion emphasizes the importance of accountability and risk management as MSPs navigate the complexities of tool consolidation and automation.For MSPs and IT service leaders, these developments underscore the need for clear communication and governance in the face of increasing automation and vendor-driven changes. As Microsoft centralizes control over security and data management, MSPs must adapt by managing client expectations and pricing for the support burden that comes with these automated solutions. The evolving landscape necessitates a proactive approach to risk management, ensuring that MSPs are prepared to address client concerns and operational challenges effectively. Four things to know today 00:00 CompTIA Signals Confidence for 2026 as NinjaOne's Growth Highlights MSP Push to Simplify Operations05:12 Microsoft Tightens Defaults and Expands Automation Across Teams, Exchange, and Fabric09:22 Dell Reverses Course on Laptop Branding, Reintroducing XPS to Reduce Confusion and Reset Its AI PC Strategy11:53 Artificial Analysis Overhauls AI Benchmarks to Focus on Real-World Work, Lowering Scores and Raising Enterprise Expectations This is the Business of Tech.     Supported by:  https://timezest.com/mspradio/https://scalepad.com/dave/

In this bonus “fireside chat” episode, Voda Cleaning & Restoration founder and CEO Dan Claps pulls back the curtain on the realities of franchise ownership—and why “franchising takes out the guesswork, not the work.” Dan walks listeners through what you're actually buying when you buy a franchise: the systems, the brand, and most importantly, the people and culture behind it. He shares how to evaluate a franchisor's leadership team, what to look for in a discovery process, and the five core questions every serious buyer needs answered—how you'll get customers, how you'll get employees, what makes the brand stand out, what the numbers look like, and what the day-to-day life of an owner really is.Dan is joined by key members of the Voda team, including Chief Development Officer Steve Miller and CMO Christian Betancourt,, who break down how to read the FDD (especially Item 7 and Item 19), why validation calls with franchisees matter, and what “good support” should look like after you sign. The conversation goes deep on operations, onboarding, training, tech, and marketing infrastructure—down to dashboards, CRMs, call centers, and ROI tracking—plus Dan's simple framework for growth (the only four ways to generate leads and the only four ways to grow a business). They also field live questions about what differentiates Voda, the dual cleaning + restoration model, and how the brand keeps franchise owners connected through cohort-style onboarding, Microsoft Teams community, weekly huddles, advisory councils, and conferences, ending with a candid reminder: not everyone is cut out for franchising, and that's okay.

In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, host David Carothers interviews Dean Bowen of Patriotic Insurance. Dean represents the next generation of producers, having transitioned from a background in blue-collar labor (roofing, manufacturing) into the insurance industry just over a year ago. They discuss the mental shift required to move from task-based physical labor to the self-motivated world of sales, the pros and cons of "niching down" too early, and Dean's fascinating deep dive into insuring Cryptocurrency Mining and High-Performance Computing (HPC) operations. Key Highlights: From Blue Collar to White Collar Dean shares his journey from patching roofs to writing policies. He explains that the hardest transition wasn't learning the coverage, but shifting his mindset from tangible, task-based work ("move that pile") to the ambiguous, self-directed metrics of insurance sales. However, his background allows him to instantly understand what his contractor clients value most. The Trap of Niching Too Fast While specialization is often encouraged, Dean admits he tried to brand himself as a specialist too early in his career. He discusses how this inadvertently discredited him with some prospects for general commercial real estate and why he recommends a more organic approach to finding your niche. Insuring the Wild West: Crypto & HPC Dean breaks down the complex world of insuring Bitcoin mining and High-Performance Computing. He details the three main types of clients (Co-host providers, Self-hosted miners, and Hosted miners) and the specific underwriting challenges they face, such as fluctuating currency values making Business Income coverage nearly impossible to place. Family Business Boundaries Working with family can be tough, but Dean and his father (the agency principal) have a system. Dean shares his simple but effective rule for maintaining a healthy relationship: Business is conducted on Microsoft Teams, personal life happens via Text. Advice for New Producers Dean advises new agents to cut their teeth on Commercial Real Estate. It offers a crash course in building valuation, occupancy codes, and risk assessment that serves as a foundation for more complex risks later on. Connect with: David Carothers LinkedIn Dean Bowen LinkedIn Kyle Houck LinkedIn Visit Websites: Power Producer Base Camp Patriotic Insurance Group Killing Commercial Crushing Content Power Producers Podcast Policytee The Dirty 130 The Extra 2 Minutes

AI adoption among business leaders is facing significant skepticism, as a recent survey by Workato and Harvard Business Review revealed that only 6% of over 600 tech leaders expressed full confidence in AI agents managing essential processes. Despite this lack of trust, 86% of respondents indicated plans to invest more in AI technology over the next two years. Key challenges hindering widespread adoption include cybersecurity concerns, data quality issues, and the readiness of business processes for automation. This situation highlights a critical gap between the desire for AI integration and the actual trust in its capabilities.Further research published in the journal Science indicates that chatbots can significantly influence users' beliefs and opinions, raising governance concerns. The study, which involved nearly 77,000 adults in the UK, found that the persuasiveness of chatbots is influenced more by their post-training modifications and the density of information provided than by the size of the model. Additionally, an experiment by SAP revealed a bias against AI in consulting, where consultants rated AI-generated work lower than that produced by junior interns, despite both outputs being equally accurate. This suggests that psychological factors, rather than technical limitations, are a primary barrier to AI acceptance.The episode also discusses the introduction of a new location tracking feature in Microsoft Teams, which aims to facilitate collaboration in hybrid work environments but raises privacy concerns. A survey indicated that one-third of companies are using monitoring software, which can negatively impact employee morale. Furthermore, Coalition, a cybersecurity insurer, has begun offering coverage for incidents involving deepfakes, reflecting a shift in the risk landscape as synthetic media becomes more prevalent in cybercrime.For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT service leaders, these developments underscore the importance of focusing on trust, governance, and process design rather than merely implementing AI tools. As younger leaders demand personalized AI solutions, MSPs must adapt to this shift by enhancing their documentation and identifying predictable workflows suitable for automation. The evolving landscape of AI and cybersecurity risks necessitates that MSPs position themselves as trusted advisors, guiding clients through the complexities of technology adoption and risk management. Four things to know today00:00 New Research Reveals AI's Trust Gap: Low Confidence, High Influence, Professional Bias, and Rising Expectations From Younger Leaders05:53 Teams' New Location Tracking Highlights Tension Between Hybrid Coordination and Workplace Surveillance Risks07:57 Deepfake Coverage Enters Cyber Insurance as Insurers Signal Rising Human-Trust Risk for SMBs and MSPs10:17 iFixit's FixBot Highlights the Coming Divide Between Organized MSPs and Those Unready for AI-Driven Support This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by:  https://saasalerts.com/mspradio/ 

The integration of advanced AI capabilities in tools like OpenAI Atlas and Microsoft Teams has raised significant security concerns, particularly regarding identity and trust vulnerabilities. Recent findings from LayerX indicate that the Atlas browser has critical vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to inject harmful instructions, while Microsoft Teams has a flaw that enables attackers to bypass Microsoft Defender protections through guest access. These issues highlight the fragility of AI integrations and the need for organizations to implement strict B2B collaboration configurations to mitigate risks associated with external collaborations.The FBI has reported over $262 million in losses due to account takeover fraud, with more than 5,100 complaints filed this year. Cybercriminals are increasingly using social engineering tactics to gain unauthorized access to online banking accounts, often changing passwords to lock victims out and quickly transferring funds to cryptocurrency wallets, complicating recovery efforts. The FBI advises individuals to monitor their financial accounts closely and adopt security measures such as complex passwords and multi-factor authentication to protect against these threats.Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are experiencing a growing demand for integrated security solutions, with a recent survey indicating that 92% of MSPs are seeing business growth driven by interest in AI. However, less than half feel prepared to guide clients in deploying AI tools, particularly autonomous agents. This gap in readiness reflects a significant drop from the previous year's 90% preparedness figure, emphasizing the need for MSPs to focus on data governance and security before implementing AI solutions.The episode underscores the importance of managing identity and data governance as the primary control mechanisms in modern security. MSPs that prioritize these areas will be better positioned to offer secure collaboration and effective automation. As the landscape evolves, providers must choose tools that enhance service delivery without adding unnecessary complexity, ensuring they can meet client demands for security and efficiency in an increasingly AI-driven environment.