Zoom became a household name shortly after the global COVID-19 pandemic began, as people flocked to the easy-to-use software to host group video calls. The company’s freemium model doesn’t hurt: calls up to 40 minutes are free, while you have to pay a subscription for longer group video calls.
Until this month, there was no time limit for calls that only involved two people. Now there is. Whether you’re calling one person or a hundred, you can only chat for 40 minutes using a free account. While Zoom is likely hoping this will entice more free users to earn money, there are still plenty of free alternatives that offer longer timeframes or even no limits.
In other recent tech news on the web, Google has acquired a microLED display companyprobably for his expertise in making augmented/mixed reality screens, a mobile version of the thunderbird is in development and could launch soon, Sonos is apparently planning to launch its own voice assistant service soon, and Microsoft has released the source code for Microsoft 3D Movie Maker, which debuted in 1995.
Google has confirmed that it has acquired Raxium, a startup that makes microLED displays. Raxium will join Google’s Devices and Services team and is expected to work on AR/VR/XR displays. https://t.co/kAXBb9hKtR pic.twitter.com/j6NppCwoOl
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
This month, Zoom began imposing a 40-minute limit on free calls between two people. Previously, the time limit only applied to calls with three or more participants. But there are other options for making longer voice and video calls for free. https://t.co/uXGRMpWrEq
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
The open-source, cross-platform desktop email client Thunderbird may soon add new platforms: mobiles. Thunderbird product and business development manager Ryan Lee Sipes said a mobile version is on the way with desktop sync support. https://t.co/NnuhFy2nuO
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Sonos plans to launch its own voice assistant software to control music playback on the company’s whole-home audio products. Because what we really need now is another voice assistant. https://t.co/hY3oKmZRhr
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Microsoft has released the source code for Microsoft 3D Movie Maker, software that the company first introduced in 1995. https://t.co/mdssDIxds2
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Google has released Android 12 QPR3 Beta 3 for Pixel phones. This is basically a preview of the next feature drop…minus the new user-facing features. For now, expect security, stability, and bugfix updates. https://t.co/T8LJATnbsN
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Android 13 will prevent apps that have been downloaded from using accessibility APIs. The good news is that it will help protect users against malware. The bad news is that call recording apps are disappearing from Google Play, sideloading probably won’t help. https://t.co/IjBs0xEt7N
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 3, 2022
Google promises to provide a final update for the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. It arrives in July 2022, which is a little after the May 2022 date that the company had guaranteed. It will most likely bring security/stability fixes but no new features. https://t.co/0hXYSSCswE
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 3, 2022
Qualcomm’s Pro Series Gen 3 Networking Platform supports WiFi 7 and improves the speed and latency of WiFi 6/6E devices. https://t.co/GTaDzMpqFa pic.twitter.com/Mznyp0aSJX
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
YouTube Go(es away): Google says the core YouTube app provides a better experience and works better in price-sensitive connectivity and data/device locations today than it did when it launched. YouTube Go in 2016. https://t.co/RFb0AZK5Iu pic.twitter.com/PvjygQ3NN2
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Fun fact on that last point: you know what you can do with the YouTube Go app that you can’t do with the main YouTube app for Android? Download videos without paying YouTube Premium subscription. So maybe this decision is not only on improving efficiency in the main YouTube app.
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