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Tech NewsGadgetsHow to Change Your Background on a Video Conference Call
As we’ve all grown more used to video calling for everything from school to birthday parties, the importance of the right background has started to become noticeable. Depending on the scenario—and who you need to impress—you might want something plain or funny, but you have to make sure you always get it right. You probably don’t … Continued
By David Nield -
Tech NewsNewsJournalist Allegedly Spied on Zoom Meetings of Rivals in Hilariously Dumb Ways
Financial Times reporter Mark Di Stefano allegedly spied on Zoom meetings at rival newspapers the Independent and the Evening Standard to get scoops on staff cuts and furloughs due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report from the UK’s Independent. And he did a comically bad job of covering his tracks. Di Stefano reportedly … Continued
By Matt Novak -
io9Movies10 Perfect Movies for Hosting Your Netflix Watch Party
Gonna have a Netflix watch party, we don’t need nobody. Social distancing has forced us to change the way we get together with our friends, and that can include remote watch parties. We’ve pulled out our picks of some wonderful (and wonderfully bad) movies to have a movie-fest with. If you’ve gotta be a homebody, … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets23 Tips for Making Zoom, Skype, and Other Video Conference Calls Suck Less
We’re all using video-conferencing apps way more than we ever expected to these days, to keep in touch with friends and family as well as work colleagues. Believe it or not, there are actually ways to be better at video chats. Here are tips and tricks to be the least annoying person on your next … Continued
By David Nield -
Tech NewsMicrosoft Outsourced Skype, Cortana Voice Analysis to China With Virtually No Security in Place: Report
Microsoft had “no security measures” on a program that had humans transcribe user voice recordings from its Skype video calling service and Cortana assistant, the Guardian reported on Friday, even when those workers were located in China. The recordings consisted of clips of “deliberately and accidentally invoked activations” of the semi-defunct Cortana assistant (which is … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsPrivacy and SecurityMicrosoft Confirms Your Cortana and Skype Recordings Aren’t Private Either, Surprising No One
At this point, if you don’t want strangers to listen to recordings from your devices, it’s looking like you may just have to go off the grid. On Thursday, Microsoft became the latest tech giant to admit it uses human contractors to review its users’ audio. So in case you’ve lost track by now, that … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgetsSkype’s Latest Feature Will Help You Show Your Parents How to Use Their New Phone
Apps like VNC or Window’s Remote Desktop Connection have long been an invaluable tool for kids tasked with remotely solving their parents’ computer woes. But Skype might soon be the new secret weapon when it comes to helping baby boomers figure out how to use their new-fangled smartphones, as it’s soon rolling out a new … Continued
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Tech NewsSkype Can Now Blur Your Background So You Don’t Have to Frantically Tidy Your Room
Slobs of the world, don’t work too hard KonMari-ing your apartment or office ahead of your next important Skype call. The video conferencing service is introducing blurred backgrounds so you can obscure your mess with dignity. According to Skype’s announcement, the new feature works like the background blur functionality in Microsoft Teams, which was introduced … Continued
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Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Report: One of Mohammed bin Salman’s Top Advisers Ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s Death Via Skype
The Saudis have admitted Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist in self-imposed exile and frequent critic of Saudi Arabia’s heir to the throne Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed after entering their consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. They’ve insisted Khashoggi’s death happened by accident during a struggle with over a dozen Saudi officials positioned … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsMicrosoft
Microsoft Says Skype Will Finally Get Call Recording This Summer
A new update for Skype has arrived, and with it comes the promise that we’ll finally be getting the option to record calls. Skype has gone more than a decade without this obvious feature, and you might as well update now because all other versions of the service will stop working on September 1, according … Continued
By Rhett Jones -
Tech NewsMicrosoft
Microsoft Comes for the Trolls With ‘Offensive Language’ Ban on XBox
Beginning in May, Microsoft will begin enforcing some new rules for users of its products, and a lot of people aren’t going to be happy when the ban hammer comes swinging. According to the new user agreement, people can have their accounts suspended or closed for violations including “offensive language.” Microsoft notified users about an … Continued
By Rhett Jones -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Skype and Signal Are Partnering on End-to-End Encryption
While messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Google Allo have all incorporated end-to-end encryption into their products over the last few years, Skype has lagged behind. But that’s changing today—Skype is adding end-to-end encrypted messaging, with the help of Signal. “Microsoft joins a growing list of organizations including WhatsApp, Google, Facebook, and Signal itself … Continued
By Kate Conger -
Tech NewsApple
Skype Removed From Apple’s App Store in China
Skype is now absent from several app stores in China, namely Apple’s, making it the latest victim of the nation’s harsh internet censorship efforts known as the Great Firewall. The New York Times reports thats the messaging and calling app was removed from the online stores almost a month ago. “We have been notified by … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
How to Install Lightweight Versions of Your Favorite Apps
With an eye towards the developing world where people are more likely to own cheap phones and have spottier wireless data access, the big names in tech are developing simpler versions of their apps. These apps are lightweight, use little data, and don’t burn through battery life. Sound good? It does to us too, and … Continued
By David Nield -
io9You Can Now Go On Your Own Doctor Who Adventure, Through the Magic of Skype
Weird interactive chat bots are becoming all the rage these days, but not all of them let you go on an adventure in time and space with Peter Capaldi just by signing on to Skype, do they? Announced this week, the BBC and Microsoft have launched Doctor Who: The Savior of Time, a six-part adventure … Continued
