Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Psst.  Does your email signature look ghetto? Do you need to step up your signature-game but don’t have a lot of time to do it in?

AUTO-SIGNATURE CREATION GUIDE & TEMPLATES FOR OUTLOOK
Here’s a quick guide – with downloadable templates & 2 min video tutorial! – to how to put together a more professional looking auto-signature for your Outlook emails.

Enjoy!

• SUPPORT: Create an email signature from a template
  https://support.office.com/en-us/article/create-an-email-signature-from-a-template-5b02c5ed-1e85-4d2a-a098-9628fe3231d8?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
• DOWNLOAD: Email signature gallery template
  https://templates.office.com/en-us/email-signature-gallery-tm55682965

This slipped by me.

Microsoft Teams Government Community Cloud (GCC) customers can now benefit from a plethora of applications to further customize and accelerate their results across different categories.

From project management to DevOps or social to education apps, Teams enables you to get more from our hub for teamwork.

Read more about using 3rd party apps within Microsoft Teams in GCC here:

• BLOG: Microsoft Teams third-party apps now available in Government Community Cloud (GCC)https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/public-sector-blog/microsoft-teams-third-party-apps-now-available-in-government/ba-p/1132197
• DOCS: App permission policies for GCC
  In a Microsoft 365 Government – GCC deployment of Teams, it’s important to know the following about third-party app settings, which are unique to GCC. In GCC, all third-party apps are blocked by default. To enable a third-party app for a user or a set of users in your organization, read the following:
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-app-permission-policies#app-permission-policies-for-gcc

We are very excited to announce a Microsoft Teams ‘Ask Microsoft Anything’ (AMA) for Teams Meetings and Live Events in Microsoft Teams!

The AMA will take place on Thursday, May 7, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. PT in the Microsoft Teams AMA Space. Add the event to your calendar and view in your time zone here.

• Date/Time:
  Thursday, May 7, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
• Location:
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams-ama/bd-p/MicrosoftTeamsAMA

Join us for deep dive discussion on securing your end users. Our experts will discuss a wide range of topics from managing end user desktops and browsers to securing applications and devices.

This episode of “Enabling remote work with Microsoft 365“ will focus on maintaining security and control in your organization by securing remote access to applications, as well as managed and unmanaged devices.

• WEBCAST: Enabling remote work with Microsoft 365 – Part 3
  http://aka.ms/RemoteWorkLiveEventPart3

This playbook walks you through using #Yammer in a range of campaign management scenarios.

Included is a list of campaign ideas that have been implemented by companies that use Yammer to build company culture, improve communication, and drive engagement.

• DOWNLOAD: Better campaigns with Yammer – A step-by-step playbook
  https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21ALZScn5ZL%2DcsZ3s&cid=8D13E85F1CF91770&id=8D13E85F1CF91770%21264&parId=root&o=OneUp

We continue our webcast series ‘Enabling remote work with Microsoft 365’ with Part 2.

In this episode we will focus on extending productivity across mobile devices as well as how to deliver virtualized applications and desktop environments to every platform with Windows Virtual Desktop.

• WEBCAST: Enabling remote work with Microsoft 365 – Part 2 (45min)
  http://aka.ms/RemoteWorkLiveEventPart2

Watch on-demand: Part 1 of the Enabling remote work with Microsoft 365 webcast series.

Learn how Microsoft 365 can help your employees meet and collaborate remotely, as well as engage audiences through virtual events and communications.

• Part 1 on-demand video now available on ‘Enabling remote work with Microsoft 365’ webpage
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/enabling-remote-work-blog/part-1-on-demand-video-now-available-on-enabling-remote-work/ba-p/1322863

Today we’re announcing new Azure AD Public Preview features that enable critical Firstline Worker productivity.

• SMS sign-in for Firstline Workers
• Delegated user management with My Staff
• Shared device sign-out (Android and iOS)

For an overview, read the announcement post here:

• BLOG: New identity features help empower essential Firstline Workers
  https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-active-directory-identity/new-identity-features-help-empower-essential-firstline-workers/ba-p/1257356

Read the book on these features here:

• eBOOK: Empowering and securing your Firstline Workforce
  By proactively equipping Firstline Workers with access to the tools and technology they need on day one, IT leaders can accelerate productivity while protecting the organization with a strong identity foundation. Read this eBook to learn how Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) can help IT decisionmakers empower your Firstline Workers.
  https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/empowering-and-securing-your-firstline-workforce-ebook/

For folks deciphering their children’s recent endeavors into the world of “Minecraft” (possibly a result of “remote learning” efforts), I thought I’d go into clarifying some of this:

WHICH MINECRAFT SHOULD WE USE?
Here is the workflow you should go through for understanding how your kids can play together in Minecraft.

1. Does your child have an Office 365 account at school?
   Are they using Office 365, i.e. OneDrive or PowerPoint or Teams or Outlook, etc?  If so, they should have a login ID that’s ususally something like “johnb24@schoolname.org”.
1. If so, they have access to “Minecraft: Education Edition”.  This is a version of Minecraft that costs nothing to you or your child as your school already has purchased the rights to it. 
2. Simply visit:
   https://education.minecraft.net/get-started/download/
   Be prepared to have your child type in their school username/password.
3. Follow the instructions for verifying your account, downloading the software for Windows, Mac, iPad and everything else should be simple.
4. A collaborative shared world can be played online in amongst classmates that is secure to only people in the school/class.
2. Will your child be playing on:
   Mac and/or Windows
   …AND…
   Will your child want to play with others on these same platforms?
1. Download & purchase “Minecraft: Java Edition”.  This is the version that works cross platform with all operating systems & devices – except Xbox.  It also requires creating a new user account & password to login to.
2. Go to https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-java-edition and download the Java release of Minecraft.
3. Online play will require a subscription to:
   Minecraft Realms for Java:
   ($7.99/mo, 10 players) 
   https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/realms-for-java/
3. Will your child be playing on:
   Xbox, Windows 10, iOS, Android, Switch, Fire
   …and…
   Will your child want to play based on their Xbox Live Account?
1. Download & purchase “Minecraft for Windows 10, Xbox or Mobile”.  These are the releases that works with existing Xbox Live Accounts.
1. WINDOWS 10: Visit the following site on your Windows 10 system to download the Xbox Live aware version of Minecraft.
   https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-windows10
2. XBOX: Visit the following site on your PC or from your Xbox
   https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/minecraft
3. MOBILE: Download one of the following:
   iOS: https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-ios
   Android: https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-android
2. Online multiplayer gaming will require a subscription to:
   Minecraft Realms PLUS: ($7.99/mo, 10 players)
   https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/realms-plus

The "Minecraft for Mobile, Xbox, Win10" is called "Minecraft Realms Plus" and they need to have Xbox Live accounts.  If they want to use Xbox or mobile or Win10, players need to friend the Realms Plus subscription owner on Xbox Live and the owner can add them to the Minecraft Realms Plus membership.

More more details behind this, check out this help article from Minecraft.net:

• https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/360034670172-Minecraft-Realms-Plus-and-Minecraft-Realms-Java-Edition-FAQs-

Recently, with the onset of “remote learning” from many schools, I’ve encountered a whole lotta parents that are suddenly discovering the complexities behind the world of Minecraft.

For those not aware, let’s start from the beginning.  There are THREE different editions of Minecraft that you might download & install.

THREE MINECRAFTS & ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS
The 3 Minecrafts editions are:

• One built in Java called:
  “Minecraft: Java Edition”
  It uses an online multiplayer environment called:
  ”Minecraft Realms for Java”
• One built for Xbox Live called:
  “Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition”
  It uses an online multiplayer environment called:
  ”Minecraft Realms PLUS”
• One built for schools called:
  ”Minecraft: Education Edition”
  It has it’s own built in “Minecraft: Education Edition online multiplayer environment that comes with the installation – nothing needs to be done to use it.

WHY?
It has to do with the history of Minecraft, it’s acquisition by Microsoft, & the player’s evolving needs.

In the beginning, there was only “Minecraft”.  It was a Java-based application and it was distinguished by the fact that:

• People could code their own custom modifications or “mods” for it such as their own objects, blocks, etc.
• It ran on any platform that supported Java Runtimes.  Including Linux, Blackberries, etc.
• It required setting up your own Minecraft server infrastructure to play online with friends.

It was later renamed to:

• Minecraft: Java Edition
• https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-java-edition

A safer Minecraft for Online Play   
When Microsoft acquired Minecraft, an effort was made to make safe & easy to create “online multiplayer" environments.  To do this, you had to do a few things:

• set standards & limits on what people could do in the game
• create a singular means of logging into an account

The choice was made to:

• cut out “mods” and instead host a marketplace of “vetted” and “safe” mods for people to download or buy
• use Xbox Live/Microsoft Accounts as a singular means for logging in to Minecraft

The end result were 4 releases of Minecraft that used Xbox Live/Microsoft Accounts to login & disallowed mods outside of the marketplace:

• Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition
• https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-windows10
• Minecraft: Xbox Edition
• https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-xbox-one
• Minecraft for iOS and Android
• https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-android
• https://www.minecraft.net/store/minecraft-ios

A Minecraft for School
Schools made heavy use of Minecraft but it was really hacked together to enable school curriculum & very unwieldy to manage, reset, assign to students, etc., with some teachers purchasing 20 licenses to install on PCs/Macs.

And since schools don’t have Xbox Live accounts – this made online play difficult without setting up complicated servers.  A decision was made at Minecraft/Microsoft to provide any school that has Office 365 Education deployed, low/no cost access to Minecraft for teachers and student and incorporate collaborative online environments at no extra cost.

This again required changes to Minecraft:

• a means for logging into school accounts for Minecraft would leverage the students Office 365 account
• the online environment needed to be built in, secured to just students & teachers

The result was the creation of a 3rd release of Minecraft called:

• Minecraft: Education Edition
• Requires Office 365 Education to be deployed
• Trials are free for limited number of logins
• Subscriptions are $5/year/user
• https://education.minecraft.net/