Skype gets zoom (with a little z) support
Do you use Skype? If yes, it is time to get really excited, as there is some legitimately cool news surrounding Microsoft's wildly popular cross-platform communication software. You see, Skype now has zoom support. Please don't misunderstand things, however, as that is zoom with a lowercase z. In other words, Skype is not getting support for the competing Zoom (with an uppercase Z).
Yes, folks, Microsoft has quite literally added the ability to zoom in on Skype screen-shares. In a new blog post, the Windows 11-maker explains, "It has happened to the best of us. You're in a call and someone shares their screen to show you something. Everyone else is nodding along, but you're squinting at your computer screen trying to read the tiny text they are referencing. It's just too small! With Skype's easy zoom in feature, you don't have to miss out."
Zoom boosts security with automatic updates for Windows and macOS -- but Linux users miss out
Many things have come as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increased usage of video messaging and video conferencing tools is one interesting phenomenon. At the start of coronavirus-related lockdowns and periods of working from home, Zoom rocketed in popularity -- but the service soon found its security practices under close scrutiny and in receipt of strong criticism.
In the intervening month, Zoom did a lot of work to improve not only its images, but also the security of its platform and safety of its users. Continuing this trend, the company has launched a new automatic update feature for the Windows and macOS versions of the Zoom client.
Security fears lead firms to turn off collaboration features
A new study by Theta Lake of businesses in the financial services sector finds that 83 percent of respondents are turning off key productivity and usability features of collaboration platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex.
This is due to their organizations' technical inability to adhere to relevant regulatory compliance and security requirements.
The continuation of remote work and the best digital tools for it
The onset of the coronavirus outbreak prompted the majority of businesses worldwide to shut down. As people get vaccinated and states lift masking and social distancing restrictions, more offices are reopening.
Some large corporations and even small to medium-sized businesses believe remote work was a positive change in the workforce and have decided to keep some employees home. A recent Gallup poll shows that 91 percent of people working remotely for some part of the week want that trend to persist after the pandemic.
How tech has helped bring us together despite being further apart
The past year has seen us become more isolated than ever before. With multiple national lockdowns and stay-at-home orders issued, we’ve ended up spending most of our time within the same four walls. Whether we’ve worked or socialized from home, we’ve been far away from the people we know and love.
Though it’s often criticized for damaging real-life relationships and interactions, technology has replicated some of the experiences we’ve missed out on. Businesses have hosted virtual meetings and conferences, we’ve taken part in Zoom pub nights, and our favorite performers held virtual gigs. Of course, this technology can’t replicate some of our in-person experiences. But imagine how much more we’d have struggled without these digital options.
Using technology to boost engagement in video meetings
Since the shift to virtual and hybrid working, we’ve all experienced some form of video fatigue. Whether it be back to back video meetings discussing different topics or enduring a meeting that has lasted well over an hour, the era of virtual meetings can be challenging and as a result can lead to unengaged attendees.
While these challenges may be hard to overcome and are a common problem for all, there are a number of different tools and technologies that organizations can implement to have a positive impact on productivity and engagement during video meetings.
Microsoft Teams and the challenge of cloud app management [Q&A]
Microsoft Teams' pandemic-inspired rise within the enterprise hit a new milestone recently when the company announced the app had 145 million daily active users.
Microsoft has been the biggest beneficiary of the shift to remote work as thousands of businesses have adopted its 365 platform to support employees. However, due to the speed at which many organizations adopted the collaboration app, there are often pockets of employees resistant to using Teams because they're more comfortable with alternatives like Slack or Zoom.
New platform helps protect video conferencing sessions
As more work has moved online the security security issues surrounding collaboration and video conferencing applications have been thrown into the spotlight.
StrikeForce Technologies is launching a new desktop privacy protection suite called PrivacyLok, designed to address the problem by preventing unwanted applications from accessing sensitive data while protecting users from a range of threats.
Microsoft Teams use boosted by pandemic work shift
Among the main beneficiaries of the pandemic-related shift to remote working have been suppliers of workplace collaboration and conferencing software.
New research from digital experience management platform Aternity shows that Microsoft has been a big winner with Teams usage increased nearly 3,900 percent since the beginning of pandemic.
You can make unlimited Zoom calls for free this Thanksgiving
Like many things happening in 2020, Coronavirus means that Thanksgiving is going to be very different to previous years. While friends and family would normally gather together, COVID means that more of this year's celebrations will be held remotely.
And with this in mind, Zoom is here to help. Over the Thanksgiving period, the company is lifting its 40-minute limit on calls and will let everyone -- all over the world -- make calls of unlimited length for free.
Zoom 5.4.0 rolls out end-to-end encryption to improve messaging tool’s security
Lockdown has benefited relatively few companies, but one of those is undoubtedly Zoom, the video-conferencing service. It’s just unveiled Zoom 5.4.0 for desktop and mobile, with a host of new and improved features.
There’s the much-anticipated rollout of end-to-end encryption for secure messaging, plus additional improvements to the app’s meetings, chat and phone features.
Zoom boosts security with 2FA for all users
After suddenly hitting the big time during the coronavirus pandemic, video conferencing tool found itself the center of attention for both good and bad reasons. While people welcome the app facilitating remote working, Zoom's security and privacy credentials were called in to questions in a series of incidents.
The company subsequently promised to take action to improve things in these areas, and over the summer there have been ongoing updates to Zoom. Now two-factor authentication (2FA) has been made available to all users.
I’m never going back to my old school: Musings on the fallout from COVID-19-related school closures
With all due respect to Donald Fagan -- front man for beloved jazz-rock duo Steely Dan -- I don’t think we have to wait until "California tumbles into the sea" before we all agree that the idea of a traditional university education is now anachronistic. With COVID-19 disrupting and, in some cases cancelling, in-person learning at leading institutions, many higher-ed students are realizing they can get the skills and knowledge they need without ever stepping foot on campus. In fact, some are discovering that life in "Virtual-U" is better -- easier, more productive, less stressful -- than the real thing.
Case in point: My daughter, who was attending an Ivy League women’s college until the Coronavirus sent her and her classmates packing in the middle of their Spring semester. Since then, her school has cancelled on-campus classes for the Fall, forcing their nearly 3,000 students online. And while time zone differences (Mauritius is 9 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast) make for some odd virtual classroom hours, she is definitely enjoying the freedom from stress and worry that were part of her traditional, campus-based education experience: Finding food she can eat/tolerate in the cafeterias; fighting for shared bathroom space in her dorm; and dealing with catty, College-aged girls and all the drama that that entails.
Check Point works with Zoom to fix 'Vanity URL' vulnerability
Researchers at Check Point have been working with Zoom to to fix a security issue that would have allowed hackers to manipulate organizations’ customizable Zoom 'Vanity URLs'.
The vulnerability would allow attackers to send legitimate-looking meeting invitations, with the aim of inserting malware and stealing data or credentials from unsuspecting victims.
Zoom relents and agrees to give free users end-to-end encryption
When video conferencing company Zoom acquired Keybase, there was a great deal of excitement about the impending arrival of the much-needed end-to-end encryption. But then there was disappointment when it was announced that only paying customers would be granted access to the extra security feature.
Zoom CEO Eric S Yuan said at the time that free customers were not getting end-to-end encryption "in case some people use Zoom for a bad purpose" -- something many users found insulting. But now the company has backtracked, announcing that users of free accounts will in fact get end-to-end encryption... but there is a slight catch.
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