video conferencing - Tech News from Simmons Systems

Tech News from Simmons Systems

video conferencing

A collection of 51 posts

Startup Pickle Creates AI Avatars to Attend Web Calls for You

A new startup called Pickle lets users create digital clones of themselves to sit through tedious web conference calls. Users simply submit a five-minute training video to generate an avatar that mimics their appearance.

Zoom Plans Photorealistic AI Avatars Amid Growing Deepfake Concerns

Zoom announces a new feature that creates AI-animated, photorealistic avatars from short video clips to help users send asynchronous messages. The tool raises significant security questions as the company remains vague about specific safeguards against deepfake misuse.

Recall.ai Raises $2.7M to Simplify Virtual Meeting Data Access

Recall.ai offers a unified API that helps businesses extract real-time audio and video data from major video conferencing platforms without building custom infrastructure. The startup just secures $2.7 million in seed funding to expand its private beta.

Zoom Removes 40-Minute Meeting Limit for Thanksgiving Virtual Gatherings

Zoom lifts its standard 40-minute time restriction for free global meetings on Thanksgiving Day to help families connect during the pandemic.

FTC Mandates Zoom to Overhaul Security Practices in Landmark Settlement

The Federal Trade Commission requires Zoom to implement a comprehensive security program following allegations of deceptive privacy practices. The settlement addresses past vulnerabilities that expose user data to security risks.

Zoom Reaches FTC Settlement Over Misleading Encryption Promises

Video conferencing platform Zoom agrees to implement a stronger security program and undergo regular assessments after the FTC accuses it of falsely claiming to offer end-to-end encryption.

Zoom Begins Phased Rollout of End-to-End Encryption for All Users

Zoom launches the first phase of its end-to-end encryption rollout as a technical preview, making the security feature available to both free and paid users globally. The company requires free users to verify a phone number to access the feature and prevent abuse.

Zoom Crushes Q2 Expectations as Remote Work Fuels Massive Revenue Surge

Zoom reports a 355% year-over-year revenue increase, smashing analyst estimates as the pandemic-driven shift to remote work accelerates.

microsoft teams

Microsoft Teams Overtakes Zoom in Remote Work Usage Growth

New research from Aternity reveals that Microsoft Teams experiences higher usage growth than Zoom, overtaking the video conferencing giant after recent security missteps. Employees rely heavily on direct audio and video calls for one-on-one interactions during the shift to remote work.

Zoom Announces Free End-to-End Encryption for All Users Starting in July

Zoom reveals plans to roll out end-to-end encryption to all users, both free and paid, starting in July. This major security upgrade aims to restore trust after the company faces intense scrutiny over privacy flaws.

Zoom Reverses Course to Offer End-to-End Encryption to All Users

After facing public backlash for limiting security features to paid accounts, Zoom now plans to provide optional end-to-end encryption to all users starting with a beta in July.

Zoom Unveils Four-Phase End-to-End Encryption Plan for Enhanced Security

Zoom publishes a draft design for end-to-end encryption on GitHub, aiming to protect users from outsiders and insiders through a structured four-phase approach.

microsoft teams

Microsoft Teams Surges to 75 Million Daily Users Amid Remote Work Boom

Microsoft Teams experiences massive growth, reaching 75 million daily active users as remote work continues to expand globally. Meanwhile, rival video conferencing platform Zoom adjusts its reported user metrics to provide a more accurate picture of its actual daily engagement.

Zoom Outlines Complex Four-Phase Plan for True End-to-End Encryption

Zoom releases a draft plan to implement end-to-end encryption in four stages, though the company faces significant technical hurdles and excludes certain endpoints. The move aims to restore trust after Zoom admits its previous encryption claims were inaccurate.

Zoom Surges Past Microsoft Teams as Remote Work Booms During Pandemic

Zoom dominates the video conferencing market with nearly three times the daily users of Microsoft Teams as the coronavirus pandemic forces Americans to stay home. The platform's ease of use and free tier drive massive adoption among schools and businesses.