Matthew Finnegan
Senior Reporter
Matthew Finnegan covers Microsoft, collaboration and productivity software, AR/VR, and other enterprise IT topics. He joined IDG in January 2013 and is based in Sweden.
Office apps come to Meta’s Quest devices, but real-world use will take time
The availability of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word on Quest devices offers new ways to interact with productivity apps on up to three virtual screens in mixed reality. But hardware needs to evolve before spatial computing is...
Making sense of genAI pricing in office apps
Generative AI is now available in many of the productivity apps office workers use every day, from Microsoft Word to Zoom. But how much should businesses expect to pay to provide employees with an AI sidekick?
Microsoft to offer extended Windows 10 security updates to businesses, individual users
Though Windows 10 support ends in late 2025, both businesses and — for the first time — individual customers will have the option for up to three years of paid security updates.
Zoom’s survey tool aims for employee feedback outside of meetings
The new standalone tool, Zoom Surveys, will allow users to create, edit and share polls and quizzes to measure employee and customer engagement.
Varjo’s XR-4 new mixed reality headsets — an enterprise alternative to Vision Pro?
The Finnish headset maker has launched a (relatively) affordable mixed-reality device similar to Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro, alongside a higher-end device that promises advanced passthrough.
Microsoft to add Project features to its new unified Planner work management app
The Planner app will include premium features that enable more in-depth project management, as Microsoft moves to offer a broad range of functionality within one tool.
With Copilot Studio, businesses can customize Microsoft’s genAI assistant
Copilot Studio is designed to enable enterprise users to tailor Microsoft’s Copilot generative AI tool to their own workflows, and even create and publish their own AI assistants.
Microsoft combines Copilot AI with mixed reality for industrial workers
Factory technicians will be able to point to objects and ask the generative AI assistant for guidance on repairs and maintenance.
How to keep remote workers connected to company culture
Companies that don’t proactively move to keep remote employees aligned with corporate goals and culture run the risk of turning them into ‘gig’ workers.
M365 Copilot, Microsoft’s generative AI tool, explained
Microsoft’s generative AI assistant is integrated within a host of the company's workplace apps. Here’s what enterprises need to know and what they can do to prepare for Microsoft 365 Copilot’s general release.
As M365 Copilot launch looms, businesses likely to move cautiously
While enterprises are attracted by the potential to save employee time on certain tasks, generative AI is largely unproven in the business world — and will require a range of efforts to deploy it safely and effectively.
A flight simulator for the office: How VR is helping workers hone soft skills
With virtual reality-based training, employees can practice skills such as public speaking and conflict resolution in a safe environment, building confidence before taking on challenges in the real world.
Coda bucks trend of additional charges for generative AI tools
Generative AI features are fast becoming table stakes for productivity and collaboration applications. Coda hopes to stand out in the market by eschewing add-on fees and integrating with multiple enterprise data sources.
Meta Quest 3’s mixed reality ‘passthrough’ broadens workplace appeal
Meta’s latest headset is pitched primarily at consumers. But as with other devices in its AR/VR portfolio, the Quest is also suited to immersive training for employees — and improved ‘passthrough’ capabilities make collaboration a...
Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout set for Nov. 1
The generative AI assistant will be available to enterprise customers for $30 per user each month; meanwhile, an invite-only early access program for SMBs has begun.
IDC: AR/VR headset sales slide, could rebound with Apple, Meta device launches
The upcoming Meta Quest 3 is set to drive a rebound in business demand for AR/VR headsets, but Apple’s Vision Pro is expected to have only a muted impact on commercial adoption.
Manufacturing firms make early bets on the industrial metaverse
The metaverse concept has faced a lot of skepticism, but industrial firms appear keen to deploy technologies, such as digital twins and virtual reality devices, that serve as the precursors to more immersive and interconnected...
IDC: Collaboration software spending growth slows; AI features to drive future increases
Global spending on collaboration apps continues to rise as businesses deploy software across their organizations, according to IDC. But the rate of growth has slowed as adoption of videoconferencing tools matures and vendors trim...
Here’s how Slack envisions adding genAI to its software
Slack is already working to include new generative AI tools in its popular collaboration app. But the company is taking a methodical approach before rolling out any new features.