April tech news 04 | 05 | 2020

A Good Number of the Freshest Tech News. April

April has passed and we are ready to share the most interesting, the most important and useful news the month appeared to be abundant in. Unfortunately, this spring has been passing under the influence of the global coronavirus pandemic the whole world is forced to be adjusting to. Thus, the majority of the latest news is marked by the token of the crisis and, subsequently, their main actions and shifts are frequently the results of the existing conditions, norms, and demands. 

As you have probably heard or even experienced, a variety of video conferencing tools and alike have been surviving a huge boom of popularity presently. Logically, a good number of the freshest news cannot but are concentrated around them. Make sure yourself. 

 

Zoom Grows to 300 Million Users Despite Security Backlash

This time, Zoom with its popularity growth as well as ongoing issues starts our news feed. Since the pandemic began, Zoom has seen an unbelievable surge in the popularity and demand, a number of policy and security concerns, and, as a result, certain hardships while handling all the arising issues to stand up to the customers’ expectations and tough competition on the market. So, what did the tool do to stay updated and functional? An enhanced new 5.0 version has been recently released being characterized by: 

  • Passwords by default 
  • Improved encryption 
  • Additional security icon for meetings, etc. 

Besides, the popularity of Zoom is by no means declining. What is more, it is even growing as the videoconferencing tool is reported to be used in the British Parliament by the lawmakers, which is a truly historic moment. 

READ MORE: https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/23/21232401/zoom-300-million-users-growth-coronavirus-pandemic-security-privacy-concerns-response

Google is Making Meet Free for Everyone 

The social communication market is becoming more and more competitive every single day. Meet, a video- and audio-conferencing platform by Google has just become free for everyone! For its fans, the news is really great! However, do not hurry but wait a few days. The free access will take some time to open. In a couple of weeks, everyone will definitely be able to use Meet for his business needs.  

On the other hand, Google announced the innovation to be active till September and since then only the conferences lasting not longer than an hour and with no more than 100 participants will be free. 

To make the service more appealing to the prospective users, the company widened its functionality by adding screen sharing and real time captions. In order to use Meet to the fullest, you will have to open an active Google account. The benefits of the platform as compared to the others are more security and less vulnerability. 

To cut a long story short, Google grants its users a chance to try Meet for free and afterward, on estimating its wide functionality and flawless security support, choose as a priority communication channel. Will this business move work for Google? We will witness it shortly. 

READ MORE: https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/29/google-is-making-meet-free-for-everyone/

Google is Shutting Down Shoelace  

Opening certain communication platforms are often accompanied by closing others. Google announced shutting Shoelace down.  

Never heard of? Not a surprise. The social application was made public last summer. It was not popular because of being ‘unpolished and raw” as a kind of an experimental product. What is more, it was restricted to New Yorkers only. It was kind of a mix of Facebook events and WhatsApp group chat with a modern design. 

Why now? The application was decided by Google to be far from the present top priorities of users all over the world. The company is not making any future plans concerning the app until the current situation changes. 

READ MORE: https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/29/google-is-shutting-down-shoelace-the-social-app-youve-probably-never-heard-of/

Instagram Now Allows Users to Fundraise for Nonprofits While Live Streaming 

To go on with communication and streaming tools, it sounds proper to mention the recent initiative of Instagram to donate to nonprofits in the process of live streaming. If some believe this decision to be just an aping of TikTok, they are deeply mistaken. Unlike TikTok, Instagram makes no cuts and thus offers 100% money raised to be donated. 

Just one simple click and you can easily choose to donate to the fundraiser you want. What is more, you can see all the additional information needed, including the company’s profile and the amount of the money gathered already. In case you want your donation to be highlighted, you have an option to put a relevant exclusive sticker in your story, etc. 

Instagram reported that the amounts of money for nonprofits have been gathered even before the official company of the Live Instagram started. Presently, a good number of celebrities, as well as public people, have started giving a new feature of the Live Donations a try. 

READ MORE: https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/28/instagram-now-allows-users-to-fundraise-for-nonprofits-while-livestreaming/

Ford Postpones Autonomous Vehicle Service Until 2022 

It feels right to finish the overview with a different accent while analyzing Ford’s decision to postpone its autonomous vehicle service until 2022. Due to a considerable financial loss in the first quarter, Ford expects even deeper business disruption in the second one. The issue was caused by the Covid-19 crisis and made the company change the priorities of its go-to-market strategy.  

“We believe this pandemic could affect our customers’ lives and work for many years to come…, perhaps spurring on even more interest in adoption of autonomy especially goods delivery and micromobility,” Jim Farley, Ford Chief Operating Officer, said this Tuesday. Ford announced its strong intentions to study the situation on the markets as well as possible impacts on the target users and customers. Do not get disappointed though. More traditional vehicles are still on schedule soon; better and modernized products by Ford will, by all means, delight the most demanding car lovers. 

READ MORE: https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/28/ford-postpones-autonomous-vehicle-service-until-2022/

Do not ‘lose’ Us as we definitely do not want to ‘lose’ You. See You soon!  

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