Emoticons Are No Joke: Skype4B to Address Lync 2013 Emoticon Change

skype (skype consumer) emoticons

skype4b via @LCansby

Emoticons are no joke, not even in the Enterprise! Microsoft Lync 2013 got an emoticon refresh that quickly led to “Bring Back the Emoticons!” “campaign”. In no time “Bring back pre-SP1 Emoticons” was among the top 10 items requested on http://lync.ideascale.com/

According to @flinchbot, Microsoft is communicating via the Infopedia EvenBuilder presentations that emoticons will be addressed in Skype for Business client. According to @flinchbot:

• many of the complaints about the Lync 2013 client should be addressed in Skype4B client
• Optionally animated
• Some Lync specific emoticons have been removed (gtr)
• Lync 2013 to get new emoticons as well (according to @tomorgan)
• Emoticons that will be available by @MKressmark click here

The complete list of Skype (Skype4C) emoticons is available here.

What this all seems to indicate is that emoticons are much more serious than I previously thought.

Please follow https://twitter.com/flinchbot

https://twitter.com/flinchbot/status/570618023335362560

http://lync.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Bring-back-the-pre-SP1-emoticons/592285-16285

Call Monitor Pro: Call Monitor, Enhanced Feature Set and Extensibility Platform for Lync and Skype for Business

Our team at Landis Computer Technology Solutions is passionate about UC user efficiency and productivity and has released a new community (that means free!) application called Call Monitor Pro for Lync and Skype for Business to make every user a bit more productive.

• “Call Monitor” UI for Skype for Business and Lync 2013.
• Enhanced Features: Additional Productivity Features
• Extensibility Platform: Add functionality without programming

 

Skype for Business Call Monitor” Compared to Call Monitor Pro

Video Demo

Description of Functionality

Experts & Users  Speak

“Looks like Matt Landis and team have hit it out of the ballpark again. Free Call Monitor Pro tool for Lync and Skype for Business.” –Pat Richard, Lync MVP, UC Architects podcast

“[Call Monitor Pro] only deals with [voice] calls through Lync. Narrow focus often translates to good-quality apps. This one is no exception. Zero configuration required…auto-recognized my Jabra Motion Office headset…configure your own shortcut keys…this is a snappy little tool.” –LyncInsider, Chris Williams

 

Download the Free App Here: http://bit.ly/callmonitorpro
For Updates Follow: https://twitter.com/attendantpro

Some Observations on Skype Translator Preview: Impressive Translation, But Don’t Miss Transcription

There are other Skype Translator reviews (Mashable, etc) but I’ll just point out some things I noticed from my perspective that might be interesting to my audience.

• Only Skype (Skype4C) contacts can be enabled for “Write” and “Speak” translation (in the Preview at least). (sorry, no Lync/Skype4B)
• You enable translation by going to the Skype contact card and designating the “Write” and “Speak” languages of the contact. (Skype doesn’t auto-detect language)
• currently the Preview only supports Spanish <-> English translation
• English <-> English transcription (transcription in the IM pane)
• “Speak” on has Spanish at this time; “Write” has many common languages. (~40?)
• With “Speak” translation, you hear the actual voice of the other Skype user, then in a moment the translation. (also, there is a text based transcript in the IM panel)
• You can start talking before the translation is done
• I’ve noticed other people say this as well, but it’s hard to not think “United Nations”
• You can also set the language to English on both sides and get a Transcript!
• in my tests it is VERY accurate
• Talking on top of each other does not cause a problem.
• You can download a transcript if Skype did actual translation between languages, you only see the “transcript” in the IM panel if there is no translation (my experience)

Some Screen Shots

You designate a Skype contact’s written and spoken language in the Skype contact card. Only works with Skype contacts.

Set your own Translation settings, including what you sound like

The logo

English to English Transcript (full screen)

Just English transcript

Notice at the beginning of a Translation or Transcription call Skype speaks the below notice:

A little technical help from Skype

Downloadable HTML transcript

First Sighting: Logitech ConferenceCam Connect Optimized for Lync/Skype for Business

Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is a new Lync Qualified (Skype for Business) device with unique cylindrical shape which is 12” high and 27 ounces.

Some unique characteristics of this desktop device

• Internal Battery (or wall power)
• 360* sound within 12-foot diameter
• 90* field of view video cam
• Tilt-Pan-Zoom/ 4x digital zoom
• wireless connectin via Miracast
• NFC for easy paring

Other specs noted

• 1080p
• HDMI video-out port
• Works with most apps
• Available March 2015

Logitech video

Photos
3 modes: Video conferencing, BlueTooth, Miracast screen mirroring.

1080p, 4x digital zoom Carl Zeiss.

Connect with Video camera security cover on

HDMI Connector for screen mirroring

Remote

Limited Edition 2nd color and another view of the top

Logitech Announcement:
http://blog.logitech.com/2015/01/26/mariner-placeholder-logitech-conferencecam-connect-welcome-to-the-next-generation-of-video-conferencing/

http://www.zdnet.com/article/logitech-unveils-conferencecam-connect-for-flexible-videoconferencing/

Skype for Business Server 2015 Poised to Address 35% of Top 20 Community Requests at http://lync.ideascale.com

7 out of the top 20 community requested improvements appear set to be addressed by the Skype for Business Server 2015 release.

Rank	Vote	Description
1	164	Better Response Groups		Yes, partial
2	128	Convert sefautil.exe to standard shell cmdlets
3	127	Request to take control (for helpdesk)
4	123	ability to save a contact's number along with pauses and DTMF
5	119	Bring back the pre-SP1 emoticons
6	100	Ability to manage Hotkeys
7	97	Rule based call forwarding
8	93	REAL single PIN for Lync and Exchange
9	89	Forwarding on busy
10	73	Lync client for Mac improvements		Promised
11	73	Remove steps from the Lync 2013 Client call transfer process		Yes, partial
12	70	Admin level ability to disable Hide My Picture in Lync Client
13	68	Response Group Delay		Maybe
14	59	Busy on busy
15	58	Change status to Off-Work based on working hours
16	55	Expansion of Emoticons
17	50	Push IMs To All Clients		Yes
18	49	Lync Phone Edition should support DHCP timezone
19	48	Revamp the Desktop Sharing engine		Yes
20	47	Raise hand feature in conferences

1 Better Response Groups – Scalability improvements are known at this time.

10 Lync client for Mac improvements – Microsoft has promised to address this and in the mean time some improvements

11 Remove steps from the Lync 2013 Client call transfer process – From screenshots and demonstrations it looks like one click/hover was removed, so improved some!

13 Response Group Delay – Will scalability/performance improvements help with this? No guarantee

17 Push IMs To All Clients – Looks to be addressed in mobile client.

19 Revamp the Desktop Sharing engine – “10 times less bandwidth utilization than Lync 2013 RTM”