News
News
- December 22, 2021
22 Dec'21
Tech vendors to help people disconnect from work in 2022
Burnout has surged during the pandemic, and the inability to fully disconnect from work isn't helping. Tech firms will continue addressing the problem in 2022.
- December 17, 2021
17 Dec'21
Microsoft adds end-to-end encryption to Teams
Microsoft will allow Teams users to make one-on-one, end-to-end encrypted video calls. The feature comes with tradeoffs, like no live captioning, recording or transcription.
- December 15, 2021
15 Dec'21
Avaya pushes OneCloud customization
Avaya aims to create an ecosystem of customers, developers and partners that use its many integration tools to tailor the OneCloud platform for their individual needs.
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- December 10, 2021
10 Dec'21
Zoom adds app developer incentives; Teams revamps app store
Microsoft and Zoom compete in winning developers for their respective collaboration platforms. Each company features more than 1,000 apps in its store.
- December 02, 2021
02 Dec'21
8x8 buys Fuze to expand UCaaS customer base
8x8 plans to acquire fellow UCaaS provider Fuze for $250 million as it looks to increase its global reach and accelerate the addition of new features.
- November 30, 2021
30 Nov'21
Zoom to blur lines between video, phone meetings
Zoom Phone head Graeme Geddes said the lines between video meetings and phone calls will blur, allowing workers to choose the best communication tool for their needs.
- November 23, 2021
23 Nov'21
Ericsson to acquire Vonage for 5G development
Ericsson plans to use Vonage's developer community and cloud-based communications platform for 5G software development. The $6.2 billion deal is expected to close next year.
- October 08, 2021
08 Oct'21
Half of remote workers remain silent during video meetings
A Cisco study said half of remote employees don't talk during video meetings. Fixing the problem is likely a combination of technology and nudging on the part of managers.
- October 06, 2021
06 Oct'21
Experts: Facebook outage signals need for redundancies
The social media platform, which is often used for e-commerce, upset many small businesses that could not sell their products for six hours and did not have backups in place.
- October 01, 2021
01 Oct'21
Five9 shareholders kill Zoom deal
Five9 shareholders voted down Zoom's $14.7 billion acquisition bid. National security concerns and worries about Zoom's future growth weighed heavily on the decision.
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- October 01, 2021
01 Oct'21
Hybrid office design will drive tech purchasing
Tech experts predict which hybrid workplace technology from Cisco, Microsoft and Zoom companies are likely to reject or embrace. Many could favor laptops over specialized devices.
- October 01, 2021
01 Oct'21
BlueJeans to launch a virtual workspace in 2022
BlueJeans' Spaces is a 2D/3D virtual workspace that provides an office experience to remote workers. The company plans to release the product in the first half of next year.
- September 30, 2021
30 Sep'21
Video collaboration tools aren't good enough for hybrid work
Cisco, Microsoft and Zoom agree that their video collaboration products need to do more for at-home and in-office workers. Future uses of AI could help.
- September 27, 2021
27 Sep'21
Zoom-Five9 deal falls under national security scrutiny
Zoom's acquisition of Five9 has triggered a national security review of its ties to the Chinese government. Tech buyers may be wary after the latest Zoom controversy.
- September 22, 2021
22 Sep'21
Microsoft finds collaboration suffers during remote work
Microsoft research found collaboration networks within the company got less dynamic with the onset of remote work, and technology couldn't fill the gap.
- September 16, 2021
16 Sep'21
Zoom bolsters collaboration capabilities beyond video
Zoom became the brand name for video conferencing during the pandemic. The company wants to expand that dominance to other areas of collaboration, like chat and whiteboards.
- September 14, 2021
14 Sep'21
Zoom adds video to the contact center
Zoom will add video to contact center interactions next year. The company said its Video Engagement Center would improve troubleshooting, build trust and automate everyday tasks.
- September 09, 2021
09 Sep'21
Microsoft addresses workforce patterns using Teams, LinkedIn
A survey of the Microsoft workforce found that employees planned to be back in the office more than their managers expected. The discrepancy means companies need to be flexible.
- September 02, 2021
02 Sep'21
Video conferencing miscues can get you fired
A survey found that miscues during video conferences cost businesses money and got employees fired. Most companies have punished employees for video meeting errors.
- August 30, 2021
30 Aug'21
Facebook, Microsoft bet on collaborative virtual reality
Microsoft and Facebook think virtual reality collaboration could help companies save on office space and travel. But the tech needs more development to be ready for general use.
- August 26, 2021
26 Aug'21
Zoom's latest features help companies control info sharing
Zoom has recently released features intended to give companies and meeting hosts more control over the information they share and what attendees can see.
- August 19, 2021
19 Aug'21
Microsoft aims Teams Rooms features at hybrid work
Microsoft will release Teams Rooms features to increase the visibility of chat messages, improve presentations and help workers sort through attendees more easily.
- August 13, 2021
13 Aug'21
Tech issues keep mobile telehealth from reaching underserved
Mobile devices provide a key way to connect underserved patients to telehealth services, but complexity and connection problems keep patients from reaping the benefits.
- August 12, 2021
12 Aug'21
Microsoft buys Peer5 to ease Teams' network demands
Microsoft's purchase of Peer5 adds to Teams an enterprise content delivery network that reduces the strain large video meetings place on corporate networks.
- August 06, 2021
06 Aug'21
Amazon, Microsoft delay office reopening over COVID resurgence
A resurgence in COVID-19 infections has forced more big-tech firms to defer reopening their offices. Amazon and Microsoft are the latest to join the ranks.
- August 04, 2021
04 Aug'21
Zoom settlement of privacy suit covers some businesses
Smaller businesses could benefit from Zoom's recent class-action lawsuit settlement. However, the deal does not cover companies with enterprise licenses.
- July 23, 2021
23 Jul'21
Zoom-Five9 deal to offer all-in-one cloud contact center
The Zoom-Five9 deal could deliver a product portfolio capable of satisfying businesses' contact center needs while providing communications for a hybrid workforce.
- July 19, 2021
19 Jul'21
Zoom to buy cloud contact center provider Five9 for $14.7B
Zoom's acquisition of Five9 would make the company a competitor to 8x8, RingCentral, Cisco and Vonage in the growing cloud-based contact center market.
- July 16, 2021
16 Jul'21
Microsoft widens Teams' reach with Dynamics 365 integration
Integration between Teams and Dynamics 365 lets sales and service reps edit customer records while talking to clients. Teams also offers integration with third-party apps.
- July 14, 2021
14 Jul'21
Video conferencing vendors rush to fix meeting fatigue
Video conferencing vendors tackle video fatigue with tools to mitigate the stress caused by the overuse of their products. Experts advise using multiple means of communication.
- July 09, 2021
09 Jul'21
Zoom adds voice commands to Zoom Rooms
Zoom Rooms voice controls could ease the frustrations of using conference room video hardware. Zoom released the feature in public beta, making it available on select systems.
- July 08, 2021
08 Jul'21
Cisco takes over hybrid event manager Socio Labs
Cisco will pair Socio Labs' hybrid event product with Webex video and Slido audience polling tools. Cisco believes events with in-person and online participants are the future.
- July 01, 2021
01 Jul'21
Slack launches Huddles for impromptu online meetings
Slack Huddles is a form of lightweight communication for informal meetings within the collaboration platforms. Companies using the feature include Dell, Tibco and Cookpad.
- June 23, 2021
23 Jun'21
Zoom delays hybrid workplace video feature
Zoom had planned to release Smart Gallery in beta this week. The Zoom Rooms feature gives all meeting participants equal placement within a video meeting.
- June 17, 2021
17 Jun'21
Microsoft updates Teams for the hybrid workplace
Microsoft has redesigned Teams for the hybrid workplace. Other 365 productivity apps receiving updates throughout the year include Outlook, Whiteboard and OneNote.
- June 16, 2021
16 Jun'21
Google introduces Spaces collaboration in Workspace
The Spaces feature set will let users reply to messages directly, set custom availability statuses and converse in chatrooms while working on documents.
- June 10, 2021
10 Jun'21
Cisco offers bundle pricing with Webex Suite
Cisco's Webex Suite packs many capabilities beneficial to companies preparing for a hybrid workplace, with employees spending time in the office and at home.
- June 08, 2021
08 Jun'21
Apple lets Windows, Android users join Facetime calls
Apple's upcoming improvements to FaceTime would open it up to non-Apple users for the first time and allow for collaborative screen sharing. The feature debuts this fall.
- June 04, 2021
04 Jun'21
Unisys buys Unify Square to improve UC management
Unisys plans to use the Unify Square acquisition to help customers secure and manage their collaboration platforms for hybrid workers. Unify offers the cloud-based PowerSuite.
- June 04, 2021
04 Jun'21
Facebook focuses on business-to-consumer messaging
Facebook announced tools to make it easier for enterprises to reach customers on Instagram and WhatsApp, saying customers prefer messaging businesses.
- May 26, 2021
26 May'21
Microsoft announces developer tools for Teams
Microsoft has introduced tools that let developers manage apps, charge for subscriptions and use audio and video feeds on Teams. Some tools are available today, others in the summer.
- May 21, 2021
21 May'21
Google unveils smart canvas for Workspace apps
Workspace users will be able to tag files and meetings within Docs and preview files without switching windows. Google also made Docs files look more like web pages.
- May 20, 2021
20 May'21
Otter.ai launches assistant that joins Zoom meetings
Otter.ai released an assistant that attends and transcribes the Zoom meetings on an employee's calendar. The feature keeps everyone up to speed, even when they miss a session.
- May 19, 2021
19 May'21
Zoom to launch virtual events platform
Zoom will launch an events platform in the coming months. Zoom Events will let businesses create hubs, sell tickets and track attendance at conferences and summits.
- May 18, 2021
18 May'21
Logitech launches video conferencing whiteboard camera
Logitech's Scribe camera levels the playing field for video conferencing meetings, letting both remote and in-person attendees see the writing on a whiteboard.
- May 11, 2021
11 May'21
Microsoft launches Teams webinar feature
Microsoft has released a Teams feature that allows event hosts to register, present and keep in touch with thousands of webinar attendees, which is important in the hybrid world.
- May 07, 2021
07 May'21
Microsoft, Zoom gain UCaaS market share
Business use of video conferencing during the pandemic caused a spike in UCaaS market growth in 2020. Analysts predict growth to continue at 20% as people return to work.
- May 05, 2021
05 May'21
Microsoft focuses on reading skills in Teams for Education
The latest Microsoft Teams for Education features will hone student reading skills, let teachers set up assignment groups and centralize student calendars
- April 28, 2021
28 Apr'21
8x8 pushes work collaboration through a browser
8x8 said offering its Work apps through browsers helps companies prepare for the hybrid workplace by allowing workers to use the devices at hand to collaborate.
- April 27, 2021
27 Apr'21
Zoom Immersive View fosters worker togetherness
Zoom's Immersive Mode places as many as 25 meeting participants in the same virtual location. The feature reflects the direction of video conferencing platforms.
- April 22, 2021
22 Apr'21
Business practices that could ease meeting fatigue
Researchers say breaks between meetings and team-building activities that give employees a sense of belonging help combat fatigue in the hybrid workplace.
- April 20, 2021
20 Apr'21
RingCentral plays catch-up with latest video features
RingCentral has introduced overlay and video background features to its video-conferencing product. Soon, the company will add breakout rooms, a highly requested feature.
- April 20, 2021
20 Apr'21
Zoom bolsters platform play with App Fund
Zoom will invest $100 million in third-party developers to augment its app store. The company hopes new apps can differentiate it in the market, experts said.
- April 13, 2021
13 Apr'21
Microsoft's Nuance buy enriches call center, security products
Analysts expect Microsoft to integrate Nuance voice technology with a wide range of Microsoft products, including Teams and Dynamics 365.
- April 09, 2021
09 Apr'21
Microsoft update of Teams Rooms for Android falls short
Microsoft has yet to add to Teams Rooms on Android critical features available on the Windows version. Missing features include the ability to join Zoom or Webex meetings.
- April 07, 2021
07 Apr'21
Consumer, business harmonize with Zoom on Amazon Echo Show
Zoom's integration with Amazon's Echo Show 10 means more people will turn to the consumer device for business video conferencing while working from home.
- April 02, 2021
02 Apr'21
Cisco tackles 'seismic shift' to the hybrid workplace
Cisco said the switch to the hybrid workplace could create a divide between in-office and remote workers. New Webex features could help counter the problem.
- April 01, 2021
01 Apr'21
Federal judge orders RingCentral to stop selling Zoom
Zoom said it will continue supporting companies that bought RingCentral's Zoom-equipped Meetings app before Feb. 1. The companies are embroiled in a contract dispute.
- March 31, 2021
31 Mar'21
Cisco revamps Webex's People Insights feature
Cisco says the 'always-on' nature of remote work exhausts workers. It believes information from the revamped People Insights feature in Webex will help.
- March 26, 2021
26 Mar'21
News briefs: Slack has a rocky start with direct messages
Customer backlash over a new messaging feature forced Slack to take it down only hours after launch. The capability opened up the possibility of harassment on the platform.
- March 25, 2021
25 Mar'21
Microsoft to release threaded message replies in Teams
Desktop Teams users will be able to quote previous messages in their responses instead of responding chronologically. Rivals like Slack have had a similar feature for years.
- March 25, 2021
25 Mar'21
Zoom lets developers use its video within their apps
Developers will pay by the minute to use a nonbranded version of Zoom. The new licensing could help Zoom boost the slowdown in customer subscription growth as the pandemic wanes.
- March 25, 2021
25 Mar'21
Microsoft adds live transcription to Teams
The Teams live transcription feature bolsters collaboration and lets workers quickly catch up on meetings they've missed. Microsoft includes the capability with a 365 subscription.
- March 19, 2021
19 Mar'21
Court says RingCentral can keep selling Zoom for now
A federal court has ruled that RingCentral can continue selling its Zoom-powered video conferencing product RingCentral Meetings. Zoom sued RingCentral for breach of contract.
- March 17, 2021
17 Mar'21
Fuze opens platform to other video conferencing apps
Over the coming months, Fuze will roll out a one-click feature that lets customers connect to Cisco Webex, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other video conferencing services.
- March 12, 2021
12 Mar'21
Businesses turning to whiteboard apps for remote workers
Businesses have deployed digital whiteboard applications during the pandemic to let remote employees brainstorm ideas and share diagrams and notes online.
- March 11, 2021
11 Mar'21
Microsoft: Better transcription AI will mean fewer meetings
As the accuracy of AI in transcription tools improves, experts expect people will skip some meetings and rely on collaboration apps to transcribe and summarize the sessions.
- March 05, 2021
05 Mar'21
Microsoft revamps Teams webinars
The latest Teams version lets webinar hosts register people and send notifications. Microsoft has also increased the number of view-only webinar participants to 20,000.
- March 04, 2021
04 Mar'21
Microsoft debuts AR/VR collaboration platform Mesh
Microsoft Mesh lets people meet with colleagues as avatars in a virtual meeting place. Participants can work together on 3D models and interact through gestures.
- March 02, 2021
02 Mar'21
Microsoft adds intercompany collaboration to Teams
Microsoft's Teams Connect lets companies message and share files with partners and customers through the collaboration app. Teams users have wanted the feature for a while.
- February 26, 2021
26 Feb'21
News briefs: RingCentral provides calling in Salesforce
RingCentral makes it possible for customers to make calls from Salesforce, Lifesize appoints a new CEO and Fuze receives a patent for a connectivity problem detector.
- February 25, 2021
25 Feb'21
Mitel to release all-in-one collaboration app MitelOne
Unified communications vendor Mitel will release an app called MitelOne that consolidates its voice, messaging and video offerings into a single interface.
- February 22, 2021
22 Feb'21
News briefs: Cisco adds features to Webex Rooms
Cisco has added features from its cloud-based Webex Meetings platform to the video conferencing hardware Webex Rooms. The capabilities include access to digital whiteboards.
- February 19, 2021
19 Feb'21
Cisco completes the IMImobile acquisition
Cisco plans to use IMImobile's messaging and voice APIs to bolster its cloud contact center offering. The executive team of the U.K.-based company has joined Cisco.
- February 19, 2021
19 Feb'21
Google overhauls education suite, adding 50-plus features
Google has changed G Suite for Education into Workspace for Education, adding features to its Classroom and Meet apps to help educators with classroom management.
- February 12, 2021
12 Feb'21
News briefs: Reddit doubles valuation to $6 billion
Reddit will expand into international markets after raising $250 million. It also announced plans to double its staff size and invest in video and advertising.
- February 05, 2021
05 Feb'21
Microsoft unveils employee experience platform Viva
Viva will offer Microsoft customers an employee experience platform that uses analytics and an intranet service to boost employee engagement and productivity.
- January 27, 2021
27 Jan'21
Verizon resolves major Fios outage, seeks root cause
Verizon has resolved an issue in its fiber optic network that led to a major outage Tuesday. The outage affected tens of thousands of customers on the East Coast.
- January 27, 2021
27 Jan'21
SAP, Microsoft partner against Salesforce
Starting in mid-2021, Microsoft and SAP plan to integrate Teams into the latter's business application portfolio. The move is seen as a response to rival Salesforce.
- January 22, 2021
22 Jan'21
Massive Slack outage caused by AWS gateway failure
An AWS Transit Gateway failure led to Slack being down for nearly five hours earlier this month. The companies said they made changes to prevent such outages in the future.
- January 14, 2021
14 Jan'21
Big Tech's uneasy balance of capitalism, censorship
Big tech companies' enforcement of acceptable use policies following Capitol riots is questioned, as some say First Amendment rights to free speech should extend to social networks.
- January 08, 2021
08 Jan'21
Microsoft slow to fulfill request for more Teams channel control
Microsoft won't prioritize a feature that would let Teams users move channels between groups, despite tens of thousands of requests. Users have asked for the capability since 2016.
- January 07, 2021
07 Jan'21
Twitter, Facebook bounce President Trump from their platforms
Twitter has permanently suspended President Trump's account. Facebook has banned the president until the end of his term and possibly beyond.
- January 06, 2021
06 Jan'21
Dell adds Microsoft Teams to video conferencing monitors
Dell introduced three video conferencing monitors with Microsoft Teams integration this week, as part of its emphasis on a hybrid work model. It also announced new laptops.
- January 05, 2021
05 Jan'21
Slack restores service following major outage
Slack's messaging service is back up following a global outage that forced many customers to return to email for communications. Slack had not determined the cause.
- December 30, 2020
30 Dec'20
Lower prices possible for AI headsets, webcams in 2021
In 2021, Jabra, Logitech and Poly could sell AI-powered headsets and webcams at prices more affordable to companies supporting employees working from home.
- December 28, 2020
28 Dec'20
Virtual visits to mature in 2021
The pandemic forced virtual care's hand in 2020, but healthcare systems and patients have found that the benefits of telehealth outweigh the drawbacks.
- December 24, 2020
24 Dec'20
RingCentral acquires AI speech analytics startup DeepAffects
California-based startup DeepAffects uses AI speech analytics to collect data on voice and video calls. The information helps customers measure the productivity of meetings.
- December 22, 2020
22 Dec'20
Zoom China exec accused of working for government
The Justice Department has accused a China-based Zoom executive of sending Chinese dissidents' personal information to the government. Zoom has fired exec Xinjiang Jin.
- December 18, 2020
18 Dec'20
RingCentral offers Glip Pro+ for video, messaging
RingCentral Glip Pro+ is a rebranding of the messaging app Glip. The new standalone version combines Glip messaging and RingCentral Video.
- December 16, 2020
16 Dec'20
New 8x8 CEO expected to improve business operations
Video conferencing company 8x8 selects former RingCentral COO Dave Sipes to replace outgoing CEO Vik Verma. Analysts expect Sipes to significantly improve 8x8 business operations.
- December 11, 2020
11 Dec'20
Cisco overhauls Webex with slew of new features
Webex will soon provide calling, messaging and video in one user interface, live translation for multiple languages, and the ability to send emojis through hand gestures.
- December 09, 2020
09 Dec'20
Cisco to boost contact center offering with IMImobile buy
Cisco plans to acquire IMImobile for $730 million to improve Cisco's contact center offering through the U.K. company's messaging and voice APIs.
- December 04, 2020
04 Dec'20
Microsoft overhauls calling interface in Teams
Microsoft has started rolling out a redesigned calling interface in Teams that lets customers access voicemail, contacts and more from a single screen.
- December 03, 2020
03 Dec'20
Salesforce-Slack acquisition a threat to Microsoft Teams
Salesforce's $27.7 billion acquisition of Slack could make the company a stronger competitor against the Microsoft 365 office productivity suite that includes Slack rival Teams.
- November 24, 2020
24 Nov'20
Users demand virtual timer on Teams, Webex, Zoom
Meeting organizers on Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex and Zoom want a virtual timer that limits how long participants speak and take breaks during video conferences.
- November 20, 2020
20 Nov'20
Microsoft announces free version of Teams video calls
Microsoft's holiday-inspired free video conferencing lets people with a personal Teams account invite up to 300 participants, who do not need Teams accounts to join.
- November 19, 2020
19 Nov'20
Cisco releases patches for 3 Webex vulnerabilities
Cisco has patched three vulnerabilities that allowed malicious actors to enter meetings and waiting rooms as 'ghosts' and stay on -- even after being removed.
- November 17, 2020
17 Nov'20
Google to roll out new privacy settings for Workspace
Google will soon provide controls for turning off Workspace app features like smart compose, smart reply and tabbed inbox in Gmail to allow for more user privacy.
- November 10, 2020
10 Nov'20
Zoom settles FTC suit alleging 'deceptive' security practices
Zoom has agreed to implement a comprehensive program for user security and abide by a government-imposed prohibition against privacy misrepresentations.