What is Microsoft Charging Me For? So what’s going on then? Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from children who signed up to its Xbox gaming system without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents’ consent, and by illegally retaining children’s personal information.

“Our proposed order makes it easier for parents to protect their children’s privacy on Xbox, and limits what information Microsoft can collect and retain about kids,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This action should also make it abundantly clear that kids’ avatars, biometric data, and health information are not exempt from COPPA.”

What is Microsoft Charging Me For?

Did you hear the rumor that Windows was planning on charging a monthly fee for anyone who wanted to use Windows 10? If you didn’t, the short version is that there was a new thing called “Microsoft Managed Desktop” that people feared would require a subscription in order to use the desktop management service.

This of course upset a good many people, as we’ve never had to pay a monthly fee to use Windows before and the idea of needing to do so in order to actually be able to use our PCs just doesn’t seem right.

Fortunately it turns out Microsoft is not planning on charging a monthly fee to use Windows. However, that does not mean the report is a total lie, either.

So what’s going on then?

While Microsoft will not be charging everyone a subscription-style fee to use Windows 10, that option will be there for businesses. For those who go with it, they will also be getting hardware.

So unless you are running a business and choose to go that route, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

That all seams reasonable enough, yet there was still some confusion and panic over what people thought was happening. Why was that?

It started when Microsoft Managed Desktop began to make the rounds online. From there all it took was a couple of people misunderstanding what it was — either by accident or in the hopes of earning some extra website clicks — and away the rumor went.

But no, Microsoft is not replacing Windows 10 as we know it with the subscription service.

As long as we’re here, though, what is Microsoft Managed Desktop?

One of the main benefits to Microsoft Managed Desktop, at least compared to the normal way of having Windows, is that it is automatically set up for whatever the business needs. Along with that, Microsoft will make sure Windows is always up to date.

Not only that, but it will make certain that updates will not cause any other issues. So really, the subscription fee is so that Microsoft can manage a desktop that is running Windows 10.

While that may not seem like a big deal, you can probably imagine how some businesses may find it easier and more cost effective to let Microsoft handle that kind of IT work rather than hire people themselves.

Opinion – should you pay extra for Microsoft Teams?

Is it worth paying extra for Microsoft Teams? That could soon be the question on your CIO’s mind when considering the IT budget.

On the face of it, it could be an easy decision. If your company is established on Microsoft 365, Office and Teams, then keeping the status quo seems to be the smart move. Microsoft is constantly updating and tweaking Teams to give it extra functionality and productivity too, ensuring it remains useful and intuitive for users everywhere.

But with many companies keeping a wary eye on budgets owing to global financial instability, it could be that unplanned extras such as a Microsoft Teams subscription are the first expenses to go. There are plenty of alternatives around, and even some free services – if you’re feeling bold enough to move away from the crowd.

Given Microsoft Office’s hold over many businesses though, when it comes to Teams, it could well be a case of better the devil you know, and paying the price.

Microsoft 365 Basic is a new $1.99 a month subscription with 100GB of storage and more

Microsoft is introducing a new consumer tier to its Microsoft 365 subscription offerings. Priced at just $1.99 per month, Microsoft 365 Basic is designed to replace the 100GB OneDrive storage option with some extra features that sit in between the free option and the $6.99 a month Personal subscription.

Microsoft 365 Basic will be available worldwide on January 30th with 100GB of cloud storage, an ad-free Outlook web and mobile experience, and enhanced security features. The security features include data encryption for an Outlook mailbox, suspicious link checking, and virus / malware scanning for attachments. Existing OneDrive 100GB storage customers will be automatically upgraded to Microsoft 365 Basic at the same $1.99 monthly rate.

“Later this year, we’ll have a bunch of stuff with OneDrive advanced security that will be available as well, that includes Personal Vault, password-protected and expiring links, ransomware detection and recovery, and bulk file restore,” says Gareth Oystryk, director of product marketing for Microsoft 365, in an interview with The Verge.

Microsoft 365 Basic will also include access to Microsoft technical support, which includes help over the phone or via online chat for both Microsoft 365 apps and Windows 11. The main difference between the $6.99 Personal subscription and this new $1.99 Basic one (other than the amount of cloud storage) is that Microsoft 365 Basic doesn’t include access to the desktop versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps. Basic subscribers will have to use the web or mobile versions instead.

“We know many people are using our services today, but some of them run out of storage or want additional benefits that you don’t get with the free Microsoft 365 experience,” says Oystryk. “We also designed this specifically with Windows users in mind.” The Microsoft 365 Basic package is aimed at Windows users that need extra storage but also feels like Microsoft’s way of familiarizing people with its productivity subscriptions.

Above is information about What is Microsoft Charging Me For? So what’s going on then? that we have compiled. Hopefully, through the above content, you have a more detailed understanding of Microsoft Charging Me For. Thank you for reading our post.