video calling
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Zoom's latest changes to prevent 'zoombombing' arrive on May 9th
Zoom has improved its admin controls and basic account security to further prevent 'zoombombing' from unwanted guests.
Skype takes on Zoom with custom backgrounds for video calls
Microsoft also brought the feature to Teams this month.
Hangouts Meet has been renamed to Google Meet
Google continues to back away from the Hangouts name by relabeling its videoconferencing service.
Facebook will provide free Portal devices to UK hospitals and care homes
As many as 2,050 Portal video calling units
Facebook debuts standalone Messenger app on Mac and PC
Today, Facebook is bringing its Messenger app to desktop. You can now access Messenger -- including unlimited and free group video calls -- on MacOS and Windows. The desktop app will sync across mobile, offer notifications for new messages and support Dark Mode and GIFs.
Zoom vows to win back user trust with extensive security review
Zoom has promised to deal with privacy issues exposed by consumers and security experts since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. In a blog post, Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan said the company will dedicate all of its engineering resources to fixing its "biggest trust, safety, and privacy issues." The work will include a "comprehensive review" with third-party experts to "understand and ensure the security of all of our new consumer use cases."
Oman lifts restrictions on secure video chats
In an effort to help businesses and schools function remotely, Oman is lifting restrictions on some video calling services. Its Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) tweeted that it will allow Skype for Business, Google Meet and Zoom, so that organizations can better communicate "during this exceptional period."
Amazon is undercutting Facebook's own Portal sale
Ahead of Valentine's Day, Facebook is discounting its Portal products by $30 each -- and it's added $50 discounts for bulk-buying into the mix, too. While this isn't quite as good a deal as Facebook's previous Black Friday offering, the 'buy one, get one reduced for someone close to you' deal could well be appealing. Not one to be outdone, though, Amazon has gone one better and is right now not only matching these discounts, but beating them on most of the Portal models and including the $50 bulk-buy discount to boot.
Facebook's big Portal update adds livestreams and 'Mic Drop' karaoke
Facebook is adding a slew of new features to Portal, and just in time for all the video calling the holiday season demands. First up, Facebook Live -- you'll now be able to livestream from Portal directly to your Facebook profile, a feature which is arguably overdue given what Portal is all about. Watch Together is now available on all Portal devices -- not just Portal TV -- so you and your loved ones can snuggle up in front of videos together even if you're apart.
Pixel 4 will automatically screen robocalls and center your Duo videos
To keep its phones from steadily getting worse over time, Google plans to roll out bigger updates, called feature drops, to its Pixel devices. The first feature drop, rolling out this month, will bring the latest Call Screen features and improved Duo video calls to the Pixel 4. And even if you have a slightly older Pixel, the feature drop will let you add Portrait Blur to photos you've already taken.
Google Duo's low light mode brightens your nighttime video calls
Following May's update that enabled eight-member video calls, the latest change to Google Duo allows users to better see each other in low lighting. Google cites homes in less affluent locations as the motivation behind this new feature. "In many places, electric lighting is a significant challenge... People often light their homes with a single bulb when electricity is expensive, and even then, power outages remain common in many areas," says Niklas Blum, Senior Product Manager for Google Duo.
Apple's new iOS 13 feature corrects your gaze during video calls
A video call is a great way to connect with friends and family when you can't physically be together. But even if you're staring directly at your loved one's face, there's still something a little off about the whole process. The way your phone's screen display and camera lens sync up means you're never quite able to look your conversational partner squarely in the eye. Until now, that is. Apple is allegedly working on a new feature that subtly adjusts your gaze during video calls, so it appears as if you're looking into the camera when you're actually looking at the screen.
Google Duo's group video calls roll out to everyone
Google is making Duo more useful as it's rolling out group video calls to everyone on Android and iOS. You can have up to eight people on a call at once (a far lower limits than FaceTime's 32 and Skype's 50). Group calls gradually went live in some markets this month, but now they'll be available for everyone.
Facebook Portal will be available outside the US this fall (updated)
Facebook's Portal video chat devices are about to become much easier to find, not to mention more useful. The company has announced that it will make both Portal and Portal+ available outside of the US, starting with Canada this June and following with a European expansion in the fall. On top of this, Facebook is bringing WhatsApp calls to Portal and introducing end-to-end encryption for all calls. Those last two additions could be particularly crucial outside of North America, where WhatsApp is far more popular.
Facebook cuts its Portal smart display to $99 for Mother's Day
Mother's Day is less than a month away, and it seems Facebook is hoping you'll consider giving your Mom a Portal or Portal+ to keep in touch with you -- it's running a Mother's Day sale on the smart displays. Until May 12th, Portal will set you back $99 instead of $199. If you decide to pick up a pair of them (maybe, possibly one each for you and Mom), you'll get $200 off, as long at least one is the larger Portal+.
Skype doubles group call limit to 50 people
Skype has expanded the capacity of group calls to 50 people and has added a notification feature for such calls. It started testing both features last month, and they'll be live for everyone starting today. The larger conference call option is a smart, if somewhat inevitable move, given that some other video calling services can host bigger groups than Skype's previous limit of 25.
Google Duo video calls are available on the web
Google is still making good on its shift in messaging strategy -- the internet pioneer has quietly rolled out Duo audio and video calls on the web in the US. So long as you've signed in to your Google account (no phone number checks or QR codes here), you can start and receive calls while you're sitting at your PC. This browser-based version still supports creature comforts like a preview window for video chats and can adapt to different video sizes.
Skype's background blurring feature will hide a multitude of sins
If you've ever used Skype while working from home, chances are you've been wearing pyjama bottoms (or even less) on your lower half, while the clean shirt on your top half has done a passable job of indicating professionalism. No shame there, we've all done it. But no matter how put together you appear, video calling will still rat you out when it comes to your background environment. Laundry left hanging around, questionable wall art, the words 'I hate this project' scrawled on the whiteboard behind you -- all in plain, damning sight of your Skype partner. Until now, that is, as Skype has developed the feature none of us ever knew we needed until it was too late: background blurring.
T-Mobile lets you dial up a video chat just like a regular call
T-Mobile has launched a video calling feature that you can access straight from your smartphone's stock phone dialer. With T-Mobile Video Calling, "there's no need to search out, download, configure and register additional apps," said CTO Neville Ray. It seamlessly switches between LTE and WiFi and automatically drops to voice-only when bandwidth is low, switching back if you get a better connection. There's a serious catch, though: It only works on Samsung's brand new Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Note 5 phones now, with support for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge coming next week.
Videophone lets kids call Grandma but not surf the web
Want to encourage your kids to stay in touch with family, but don't trust them with a smartphone? A product called the ILY family phone from startup Insensi may do the trick. It's designed to help young 'uns place video phone calls to anyone else who also has either an ILY or the iOS or Android app. Calling couldn't be simpler -- they just tap the recipient's picture on the main page of the color touchscreen. Video and voice calls can be made over the internet via your WiFi network, or you can place regular phone calls by plugging it into your landline.
