Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels can start testing a new Copilot search experience which is available through the Windows Search bar. To get started go to Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar > Ask Copilot to enable the experience. You can also manage whether the Copilot app launches automatically at sign-in using the “Auto start on log in” toggle in the Copilot app settings.

Let’s talk about one of my biggest pet peeves: the agenda-less meeting invite. You know the type. A calendar ping lands in your inbox with a vague title like “Catch-up” or “Project Sync,” zero context, and no prep materials. You’re left guessing: Is this strategic? Tactical? A therapy session? Should I bring data, decisions, or just make a coffee, sit back and relax!?

Microsoft is expanding its Copilot Frontier Programme with two powerful new agents. These are the App Builder and Workflows Agents. These put "app creation" and automation directly into the hands of everyday users, with zero coding needed just an idea and an ask. These new agents are designed to further democratise innovation across every person in every organisations, making it possible to build "apps" and streamline processes using nothing more than natural language.

Microsoft Teams continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This month Copilot is coming to Teams Group Chat as a participant in Teams Chat and Channels. This is an example of how quickly new features are landing, and why organisations need to stay on top of change management and user awareness. This latest feature is rolling out to Frontier firms (early adopters) now and to everyone else over the next month or so.  

TL;DR - UK Cyber Threats Surge The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published its annual threat review, and the numbers are staggering but not surprising as we have seen a platora of high profile attacks this year, impacting manufacturing, retain and public sector! The report unveils: 📊 64% increase in cyber incidents reported to the NCSC over the past 12 months.

In a live YouTube stream today, Microsoft unveiled a wave of new consumer features for Copilot - headlined by the official debut of Mico, a new visual character designed for Copilot’s voice (and face) mode.  Mico has been in testing for a while, but from today it’s rolling out by default in voice interactions. If you prefer the simpler “bouncing orb” interface, you’ll still have the option to switch it off. 

TL:DR As a Cisco and Microsoft leading partner, it's great to see that, yet again, both Microsoft and Cisco remain Leaders in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for collaboration platforms with Microsoft taking the overlap top spot and with Zoom and Ring Central still hot on their heels! The decision between them is no longer about feature lists alone; it’s about which vendor best maps to the customer’s identity, networking, device, compliance, and investment across the rest of the technology stack.

On October 14th 2025, Windows 10 officially reached end of support. If you still have a PC/Laptop running Windows 10, it will not suddenly stop working - but unless you have enabled (consumer) or purchased (commercial) extended security updates, there will be no more security updates, no more feature improvements, and no AI innovation. If your device can support Windows 11…

YouTube video by Rob Quickenden

Cisco has again been recognised as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Enterprise Wireless LAN - with Cisco "helping organisations rise to this moment by delivering smarter, more secure networks in this era of AI". For any of us who work closely with Cisco technologies or who are involved in infrastrcuture deployments, I'm sure you'll agree that this recognition isn’t surprising.

As of yesterday, 14 October 2025, Windows 10 has officially reached its end of support. Of course, Windows 10 will not just stop working, but after yesterdays monthly security updates, there will be no more unless.... Commercial Organisations pay for Extended Security Updates (ESU) or Home/Consumers, agree to "cloud back-up" which will give them 12 more months or Security updates until October 2026.

Spotify video

AI tools being used in the workplace is no longer a question of if but how and what. The question is what if you could allow this in a safe and controlled way without compromising security and compliance and without leaking copirate data.? What is BYO-Copilot to Work? Whether your organisation invests and has deployed AI tools for employees or not, your people are already experimenting or using daily AI tools to boost their productivity, search and get things done at home but also at work, often outside the guardrails of IT.

Microsoft Copilot development just doesn't sleep... This time they have just announced "agent mode" which they claim could be game changer in the way we (humans) work with AI agents (Copilot). Called "Agent Mode" this latest update marks is not just about new features, but a significant shift in how we interact with Office apps through Copilot.

Why agents need a new foundation Over the last year, developers have been experimenting with AI agents in every imaginable form. Agents are not just chatbots or copilots — they are autonomous software components that can reason about goals, call tools and APIs, collaborate with other agents, and adapt dynamically. Whether it’s a retrieval agent […]

Warching this year from the sofa, #Cisco #WebexOne showcased just how far their open ecosystem, agentic AI and plarform integrarion has come. This is my short reflection from the Webex One 2025 keynote.

The responses and workflows you get back from AI is only as good as the content it can reason over or leverage. If your content (data) is not in good shape and healthy (relevant, up-to-date etc) then it "isn’t ready" meaning your experience of AI will be "sub optimal" at best. This is where Microsoft's upcoming SharePoint’s Knowledge Agent comes it.

Microsoft has started to broaden their AI horizons by adding their first (not Open AI) model into Copilot. Microsoft are integrating Anthropic’s Claude models into Microsoft 365 Copilot which marks a significant pivot from their exclusive OpenAI-centric approach. Microsoft are also working on their models which we already see on Copilot Plus PCs which will at some point make their way to Copilot.

Cisco yesterday announced what they referred to as a "significant milestone" in Europe’s journey toward digital sovereignty. Their Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio is a comprehensive, air-gapped solution designed to give European organisations full control over their digital environments - from infrastructure, through collaboration, through to data. This will be available from the end of this month (September 2025…

Microsoft have made their monthly-updated Power Platform Licensing Deck publicly available. Now, you might think this is not worthy of a blog post, but for many organisations, this information has always been hidden away meaning organisations had to talk to Microsoft or their licensing / support partner to "understand" how Power Platform is licensed against a bunch of different scenarios. …