COVID Work From Home – Zoom releases 5.0 update with security and privacy improvements

Zoom promised a 90-day feature freeze to fix privacy and security issues, and the company is delivering on some of those promises. A new Zoom 5.0 update is rolling out today that’s designed to address some of the many complaints that Zoom has faced in recent weeks. With this new update, there’s now a security icon that groups together a number of Zoom’s security features. You can use it to quickly lock meetings, remove participants, and restrict screen sharing and chatting in meetings.

Zoom is also now enabling passwords by default for most customers, and IT admins can define the password complexity for Zoom business users. Zoom’s waiting room feature is also now on by default for basic, single-license Pro, and education accounts. This feature allows a host to hold participants in a virtual room before they’re allowed into a meeting.

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The work-from-home gear you should actually buy

You may feel out of your element if you’re one of the millions of people that have recently transitioned to work-from-home life. Being productive when not in a typical office environment can be a challenge even in the best of times, but there are a number of gadgets and services that can make things easier. Engadget put together a list of essentials that can help turn even the smallest home office – nook, corner, desk, or whatever you have to work with – into a functional space.


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Google makes advanced video chat features free through September

Google Meet’s premium features will now be available for free to all G Suite and G Suite for Education customers until Sept. 30. The company on Thursday said it’s extending the offer, which was originally set to end on July 1, to support people working and learning from home during the coronavirus pandemic. The high-end add-ons include the ability to hold larger meetings, with 250 participants, and to record and save meetings.

Google’s teleconferencing tool, called Google Meet, has seen a surge in usage fueled by lockdowns due to the coronavirus. Earlier this week, the company said Google Meet is adding more than 2 million new users a day worldwide as people look for ways to keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues while staying at home.


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The FCC looks poised to approve T-Mobile-Sprint merger

Sprint and T-Mobile have been pushing regulators to approve their proposed merger for a year, and it looks like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is falling in line. Commissioner Brendan Carr and chairman Ajit Pai have both signaled their support on Twitter. That just leaves the Justice Department standing in the way of T-Mobile gobbling up Sprint and all its yummy spectrum.


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Cloud Storage Options

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With our busy lives and everything mobile it’s difficult not to need some type of cloud for your data. It does not really matter whether it is photos or documents, cloud backup could not only save you from a disaster, but allow you to access those files from anywhere.

It does not matter whether you’re using windows/IOS/Android/etc… we all need mobility as well as security. There are a lot of free and paid cloud storage options for everyone. Remember you do not have to use just one either, you can use as many as you need. They all offer some different features as well as usability, so you could try them all to see what best fits you.

Here are some of the popular options:(In no particular order)

Microsoft OneDrive – 15GB* of free storage and paid storage options

Access your photos and files from almost anywhere, store them, and share them.

 

Google Drive – 15GB* of free storage and paid storage options

Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more.

 

Dropbox – 2GB* of free storage and paid storage options

Store, synchronize and share files online with public access.

 

Box – 10GB* of free storage and paid storage options

Box offers secure content management and collaboration for individuals, teams and businesses, enabling secure file sharing and access to your files online.

 

*Free storage amounts will change, this is correct as of writing this post.