video conferencing

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Zoom Offers Thanksgiving Surprise
Zoom Offers
Thanksgiving
Surprise 
Nov 16, 2020 11:35 AM CST

Zoom Offers Thanksgiving Surprise

Videoconferencing program will scrap its 40-minute time limit for Nov. 26 only so families can chat

(Newser) - With top health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci strongly urging people to forgo holiday gatherings with loved ones during the pandemic, many are opting to settle in for a quiet meal at home with members of their household only, perhaps with plans to hold a Zoom call with relatives far...

Widespread Zoom Glitch Causes Problems

People unable to join meetings Monday morning

(Newser) - People who use Zoom to work remotely may have gotten a little break on Monday: The videoconferencing site has been experiencing a widespread malfunction, reports Business Insider . Exactly what happened wasn't immediately clear, but Zoom has acknowledged the issue. "If you're having trouble connecting to Zoom, we...

Man Stabbed to Death While on Zoom Call With 20 People

Dwight Powers' son has been arrested

(Newser) - Horrific: Participants in a Zoom conference call Thursday afternoon ended up being present for a murder. A New York man was fatally stabbed during the video call, prompting other attendees to phone 911, NBC News reports. Long Island police say Dwight Powers' son, who is 32 or 33, carried out...

Aquarium's Problem: Its Eels Are Forgetting People Exist

An 'unprecedented situation' in Tokyo

(Newser) - A Japanese aquarium has an "urgent request" for locals who can't stop by for a visit due to the coronavirus shutdown: It wants them to partake in a "face-showing festival" instead and call in for a video chat with its spotted garden eels, for whom the presence...

Will Facebook's 'Rooms' Doom Zoom?

New version of Messenger could be stiff competition for video-conferencing firm

(Newser) - Zoom's share price has more than doubled since the first coronavirus case was reported in the US—but a new Facebook feature could spell trouble for the company. The video conferencing company's shares surged late last week on news that it would be joining the Nasdaq 100, but...

More Good News From Krasinski: Stanley Tucci's 'Quarantini'

Tucci, Martha Stewart, Guy Fieri among those joining ex-'Office' star for virtual potluck

(Newser) - John Krasinski knows the way to his fans' hearts is through humor and good deeds —and yes, through their stomachs. Rolling Stone reports that the fifth episode of the ex-Office star's Some Good News show, taped at his home amid the coronavirus pandemic, featured a slew of stars...

Welcome to Facebook's New 50-Person Video Chat

Messenger Rooms is social network's videoconferencing answer to Zoom, Houseparty

(Newser) - Facebook apparently felt left out of the video chat parties taking place during the virus lockdowns—so it simply launched its own. Showing that social distancing doesn't have to adversely affect social networking, the company announced on Friday its new Messenger Rooms, a videoconferencing rival to platforms like Zoom...

Farm Has an Odd Idea for Your Next Online Meeting

It will make a horse, donkey, or even a chicken available for a fee

(Newser) - A miniature donkey named Mambo is getting some online love in North Carolina, where a farm is getting in on the idea of having animals spice up tedious virtual meetings during the coronavirus pandemic, per the AP . Peace N Peas Farm will rent Mambo, the 8-year-old miniature donkey, and his...

Volcano Drives Travelers to Video Conferencing

Europe's web traffic soars

(Newser) - Europe's travel industry sites and video conferencing sites have been flooded with visitors in recent days, thanks to would-be travelers stranded by Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Bloomberg reports. One phone company says it's seen demand for audio and video conferencing jump an unheard of 35%, and overall web traffic is...

Video Prison Visits Bring Inmates Home

Pioneering program lets loved ones visit jail without leaving home

(Newser) - Families can visit incarcerated relatives from the comfort of their living rooms through a first-of-its-kind program in Indiana, the AP reports. Visitors on the approved list are allowed to schedule video conferences with inmates from anywhere they choose. Prisoners use ATM-like machines set up and paid for by a private...

Web Demands Could Cause Gridlock by 2011

High-grade apps could slow Internet to crawl, watchers say

(Newser) - The Internet's growing data richness could lead to major web traffic jams within a few years. Some research predicts that user demands—with the high-bandwidth needs of video clips, social networks, and online games—could top network capacity in short order. YouTube alone used more bandwidth in 2007 than the...

Cisco Profits Up, But Murky Outlook Drags Stock Down

Networking giant posts solid first quarter; prospects dimmer for next one

(Newser) - Cisco touted a 37% increase in its first-quarter profits, but it wasn’t enough on Wall Street to overcome a pessimistic outlook for the company's current quarter. The network equipment maker said its revenue-growth forecast of $9.79 billion will fall just short of the $9.81 billion most analysts...

12 Stories