Zoom became a household name shortly after the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic, as folks flocked to the easy-to-use software for hosting group video calls. The company’s freemium model doesn’t hurt: calls up to 40 minutes are free, while you have to pay for a subscription for longer group video calls.
Up until this month, there were no time limits for calls that only involved two people. Now there are. Whether you’re calling one person or a hundred, you can only chat for 40 minutes using a free account. While Zoom is probably hoping this’ll get more free users to pony up some money, there are still plenty of free alternatives that offer longer time limits, or no limits at all.
In other recent tech news from around the web, Google has acquired a microLED display company, most likely for its expertise in making augmented/mixed reality displays, a mobile version of the Thunderbird email client 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 first debuted in 1995.
Google has confirmed that it’s acquired Raxium, a startup that makes microLED displays. Raxium will join Google’s Devices & 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 & video calls for free. https://t.co/uXGRMpWrEq
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Open source, cross-platform desktop email client Thunderbird might be adding new platforms soon: mobile ones. Thunderbird Product and Business Development Manager Ryan Lee Sipes says a mobile version is on the way with desktop sync support. https://t.co/NnuhFy2nuO
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Sonos is allegedly planning to launch its own voice assistant software for controlling 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. It’s basically a preview of the next feature drop… minus the new user-facing features. For now expect security, stability, and bug fix updates. https://t.co/T8LJATnbsN
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Android 13 will restrict apps that have been sideloaded from using accessibility APIs. The good news is this will help protect users from malware. The bad news is with call recording apps disappearing from Google Play, sideloading probably won’t help. https://t.co/IjBs0xEt7N
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 3, 2022
Google promises to deliver one final update for the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. It’s coming by 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 Networking Pro Series Gen 3 platform supports WiFi 7 and brings speed and latency improvements to WiFi 6/6E devices. https://t.co/GTaDzMpqFa pic.twitter.com/Mznyp0aSJX
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
YouTube Go(es away): Google says the primary YouTube app offers a better experience and works better today in connectivity and data/device price-sensitive locations than it did when YouTube Go first launched in 2016. https://t.co/RFb0AZK5Iu pic.twitter.com/PvjygQ3NN2
— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) May 4, 2022
Fun fact on that last one: you know what you can do with the YouTube Go app that you can’t with the main YouTube app for Android? Download videos without paying for a YouTube Premium subscription. So maybe this decision isn’t just about improved efficiency in the primary YouTube app.
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The post Lilbits: Google buys Raxium, Thunderbird is going mobile, and Zoom puts time limits on free 1:1 calls appeared first on Liliputing.
