WebProNews

Category: RemoteWorkingTrends

  • Upwork: Businesses Will Stick With Remote Work After Pandemic

    Upwork: Businesses Will Stick With Remote Work After Pandemic

    Upwork has released its Economist Report: One Year Remote, finding many companies will continue with remote work thanks to its benefits.

    The pandemic is attributed with forcing a decade of digital transformation in a year’s time. Companies large and small had to adapt quickly, and help employees work remotely. Many companies have embraced the change, committing to a remote or hybrid workforce moving forward.

    According to Upwork’s Dr. Adam Ozimek, the transition to remote work may be more successful than many companies and executives realize. One of the biggest benefits has been an increase in productivity.

    When workers are asked if productivity has gone up from working remotely, 61% say yes, and only 12.7% say no. While workers may be viewing their productivity in a self-serving light, Upwork’s survey of 1,000 hiring managers showed a positive view as well: 32.2% of hiring managers felt that overall productivity had gone up as of late April compared to the 22.5% that felt it had decreased.

    Another benefit has been the ability to relocate to less expensive areas. Upwork estimates some 23 million people planned to relocate, thanks to the freedom remote work offers.

    More companies are also open to the possibility of hybrid teams, made up of a combination of full-time and independent workers. The pandemic has helped many hiring managers become more comfortable with hiring independent freelancers, breaking down previous misconceptions and opening the door to a wider talent pool.

    Not surprisingly, reduced cost was another big factor. Upwork estimates that employees who commuted to work by car saved roughly $4,350 this past year. On average employees have been saved approximately nine days of commuting in just a year’s time.

    One of the most interesting findings of Upwork’s report is a greater understanding of perceived pain points and their true cause. In other words, some of the issues blamed on remote work are really a result of the pandemic, not remote work.

    Parents, for example, have likely had to balance work with interruptions from children. This is not a product of remote work, but rather a result of many schools having been closed due to COVID. In a post-pandemic situation, kids will be at school, and remote work will mean fewer interruptions.

    Upwork’s full report is well-worth a read and demonstrates the permanent effect this past year has had in transforming the workplace.

  • WSJ: Tripadvisor Adopting Hybrid Work Model

    WSJ: Tripadvisor Adopting Hybrid Work Model

    The pandemic and its accompanying restrictions on travel, business, and work, has caused company’s to rethink business models going forward. In other words, businesses like their new focus on being lean and mean, even while they get back to normal sales levels. In a Wall Street Journal article, Tripadvisor CFO, Ernst Teunissen says that the company is going to hold the line on adding back costs. Trip Advisor reduced expenditures by a staggering 32 percent in 2020 as governments worldwide banned and restricted travel.

    “We’re going to very much resist just adding back what we had before just because we can,” Mr. Teunissen said. “You could argue that a company should have the discipline to always do that, but a pandemic really sharpens your focus.”

    Tripadvisor has reduced the company headcount by nearly 62 percent, from 4,194 pre-pandemic to 2.596 currently. Simultaneously, like most other companies, Tripadvisor employees have been predominantly working remotely and for the most part, they plan to continue with that strategy.

    Mr. Teunissen said he is looking closely at Tripadvisor’s real estate footprint to determine how much office space the company will need after the pandemic, as it expects to adopt a hybrid model of remote and office work.

    Tripadvisor has roughly 30 offices spanning about 600,000 square feet and its lease obligations totaled $168 million as of Dec. 31. The company is considering subletting more of its space and, in some cases, moving to smaller locations, Mr. Teunissen said.

  • Dropbox Will Acquire DocSend

    Dropbox Will Acquire DocSend

    Dropbox has announced it will acquire DocSend, the secure document sharing and analytics service.

    Dropbox has gone all-in on remote work, becoming a “virtual first” company. The company has also taken measures to help other organizations make the shift to remote work, with the release of its Virtual First Toolkit.

    Given its legacy business, and its emphasis on virtual first, the DocSend acquisition makes sense.

    Together, we have the opportunity to amplify DocSend’s capabilities and bring its benefits to even more people and industries. DocSend’s secure sharing and powerful document analytics are a great complement to our expertise in content management at scale. And once combined, Dropbox, DocSend, and HelloSign will offer a full suite of self-serve products to help businesses around the world manage end-to-end critical document workflows and drive meaningful business results. For example, client services teams and creative professionals who already rely on Dropbox to organize and collaborate on messaging docs, presentations, and projects, can use DocSend to deliver proposals and track engagement, and HelloSign to manage contracts and invoices. The combination of Dropbox, DocSend, and HelloSign will help streamline workflows for sales, finance, client service, and executive teams across all industries.

    All of DocSend’s roughly 50 employees will join Dropbox. A closing date was not announced, but is expected to be soon.

  • WSJ: Zoom Is Harder On Extroverts

    WSJ: Zoom Is Harder On Extroverts

    With the massive change toward remote working that has taken place over the last year, different personality types have had to adjust to Zoom. The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article today that concluded that Zoom video conferencing is surprisingly harder on extroverts than introverts. Experts interviewed said that Zoom is “less satisfying” for extroverts who thrive when talking in-person.

    “One area where extroverts excel is the in-the-moment processing of bodily cues,” says William Lamson, an assistant professor of psychology in clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. But because video calls are more about talking heads, extroverts end up “using more focus and not likely getting the same reward as a live interaction,” Dr. Lamson says.

    Extroverts don’t do well with the structure of Zoom calls also:

    Extroverts can also chafe at some of the structure and controls that videoconferencing platforms impose on conversations, says Elias Aboujaoude, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Stanford University. Functions such as muting, for example, control the conversation in a way that does not happen with in-person conversations, says Dr. Aboujaoude.

    Introverts, on the other hand, do much better with more structure in conversation with workmates:

    “There is less spontaneous water-cooler chitchat, which isn’t necessarily their forte and can sometimes provoke anxiety,” says Dr. Aboujaoude.

    Video meetings feature frequent glitches that can offer some cover to introverts who often worry about how they look to others. “Introverts can be harsh critics of their social performance and second-guess what they have said in social settings,” says Dr. Aboujaoude. 

  • Dropbox Unloading San Francisco HQ For $1.08 Billion

    Dropbox Unloading San Francisco HQ For $1.08 Billion

    Dropbox is selling its San Francisco headquarters for a near-record $1.08 billion amid the transition to remote work.

    Dropbox has went all-in on remote work, becoming a “virtual-first” company. The company has even taken steps to help other companies make the same transition. The move comes amid a wider transition in the workforce, with many companies embracing a fully remote or hybrid workflow.

    One of the side effects of the transition to remote work is a significant impact on real estate. A recent survey showed some 23% of professionals have left a big city thanks to remote work. The end result has been plunging real estate prices in many cities across the US.

    Dropbox is now selling its Mission Bay headquarters for a whopping $1.08 billion, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The price is the second-highest price for a piece of real estate in San Francisco. It comes in behind the $1.2 billion sale the Embarcadero Center, a property roughly four times the size of Dropbox’s four building complex.

    It’s a safe bet Dropbox’s sale won’t be the last major property sale among tech companies, or the US market at large.

  • SpaceX Launches 60 More Satellites, Working Toward 400 Per Trip

    SpaceX Launches 60 More Satellites, Working Toward 400 Per Trip

    SpaceX has successfully launched another 60 satellites for its Starlink constellation.

    Starlink is the company’s constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites designed to provide high-speed internet access to remote and underserved communities around the world. The service has received favorable reviews by early adopters, in some cases providing life-changing internet access compared to what was previously available.

    The company has initial approval for 12,000 satellites, although that could increase to as many as 42,000 in time. SpaceX recently passed 1,000 satellites in orbit but, at 60 satellites per launch, it will take some time to reach 12,000. Fortunately, the company believes it will be able to cover most of the globe once it hits 1,200 satellites.

    According to TechCrunch, however, the company is working on greatly increasing its payload size. Once it finishes work on its Starship, it will be able to launch 400 satellites at a time.

    At that rate, Starlink will reach its full size in no time.

  • Senators Want High-Speed Internet Threshold Quadrupled

    Senators Want High-Speed Internet Threshold Quadrupled

    In a letter to several government agencies, a bipartisan group of senators is calling for the definition of “high-speed” internet to be quadrupled.

    Under former Chairman Ajit Pai, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload as the definition of high-speed internet. To matters worse, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines high-speed access as 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps uploading.

    In comparison, the top five countries in the world, in terms of internet speed, range from an average of 226.6 to 175.22 Mbps. The FCC and USDA’s definition seems glacial when placed against that backdrop.

    Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Angus King (I-ME) and Rob Portman (R-OH) are calling on the FCC, USDA, Department of Commerce and National Economic Council to take action. As the senators point out in their letter, the global pandemic has exacerbated the situation, forcing record numbers of individuals to work and learn from home. The abysmal upload speeds, in particular, are a major bottleneck for videoconferencing and other necessary services.

    Ask any senior who connects with their physician via telemedicine, any farmer hoping to unlock the benefits of precision agriculture, any student who receives livestreamed instruction, or any family where both parents telework and multiple children are remote learning, and they will tell you that many networks fail to come close to “high-speed” in the year 2021. For any of these functions, upload speeds far greater than 3 Mbps are particularly critical.

    The senators make the case that government agencies should agreed to a common definition and — since federal funding is being used to improve the nation’s broadband — to significantly increase that definition to a usable threshold.

    Going forward, we should make every effort to spend limited federal dollars on broadband networks capable of providing sufficient download and upload speeds and quality, including low latency, high reliability, and low network jitter, for modern and emerging uses, like two-way videoconferencing, telehealth, remote learning, health IoT, and smart grid applications. Our goal for new deployment should be symmetrical speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps), allowing for limited variation when dictated by geography, topography, or unreasonable cost.

  • Microsoft and Verizon Deepen Teams/BlueJeans Partnership

    Microsoft and Verizon Deepen Teams/BlueJeans Partnership

    Verizon has announced further integration between Microsoft Teams and its BlueJeans videoconferencing platform.

    Verizon purchased BlueJeans in April 2019, in the early days of the pandemic, in an effort to gain a bigger piece of the remote work and collaboration market. Verizon quickly started buildingon BlueJeans’ existing features, and added partnerships to help speed its adoption.

    Microsoft Teams is one of the biggest partnerships Verizon has managed to score, and today’s announcement furthers that with enhancements to BlueJeans Gateway for Microsoft Teams (BlueJeans Gateway). Pairing the two services helps companies collaborate, regardless of their physical location.

    Verizon has also been named one of Microsoft’s launch partners for Operator Connect, an initiative to create “a direct peering relationship between the Microsoft Teams platform and Verizon’s far-reaching SIP trunking network.” The goal of Operator Connect is to bring PSTN calling to Teams, along with enterprise-grade security, reliability and management.

    “The pandemic has intensified the need for organizations to have enterprise-grade collaboration solutions for their global workforces to stay connected and work more effectively from every possible environment,” said Sampath Sowmyanarayan, President of Global Enterprise at Verizon Business. “These latest updates to our advanced communications portfolio with the BlueJeans Gateway and Microsoft’s new Operator Connect platform, further simplify how enterprises can readily deploy solutions at-scale to streamline connectivity, extract the most value from existing investments, and future-proof collaboration infrastructure to meet the most pressing demands of the hybrid workplace.”

  • Boardroom Meets Holodeck: Microsoft Intros Mixed Reality Microsoft Mesh

    Boardroom Meets Holodeck: Microsoft Intros Mixed Reality Microsoft Mesh

    Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Mesh, a new mixed-reality experience that could revolutionize remote work, communication and socialization.

    Ever since Star Trek popularized the concept of the Holodeck, people the world over have dreamed of the day when it would be a reality. Microsoft is taking a big step toward that goal with its Microsoft Mesh mixed reality technology.

    Mixed reality, as its name suggests, mixes virtual reality with real-life objects and people. Unlike straight virtual reality, mixed reality offers certain advantages, especially for meetings, socializing and some training scenarios.

    Powered by Azure, Microsoft Mesh “uses 3D capture technology to beam a lifelike image of a person into a virtual scene,” a process the company refers to as “holoportation.” The technology will allow individuals to hold meetings, collaborate, socialize and more using a lifelike, photorealistic likeness.

    “This has been the dream for mixed reality, the idea from the very beginning,” said Microsoft Technical Fellow Alex Kipman. “You can actually feel like you’re in the same place with someone sharing content or you can teleport from different mixed reality devices and be present with people even when you’re not physically together.”

    Many companies have been working on virtual and mixed reality applications, but Microsoft has just raised the bar for what can be accomplished with the technology.

  • Real-Time Translation Coming to Cisco WebEx

    Real-Time Translation Coming to Cisco WebEx

    In the battle for the videoconferencing market, Cisco has announced that WebEx will be gaining live translation for more than 100 languages.

    Zoom may have become the poster child for pandemic-based videoconferencing, but WebEx remains a popular choice, especially among businesses, thanks to its blend of features, price and security. Like Zoom, Teams and others, WebEx has continued to evolve and add features customers need, especially as a result of the current state of remote work.

    In one of its biggest additions, available for testing later this month, Cisco is adding live translation for more than 100 languages.

    In late March, Webex will begin a trial of real-time translation – from English to 100+ languages (note not all dialects included in translations). That means, non-native English speakers and/or hearing-impaired participants can choose closed captioning translation from English to one of the 108 additional languages supported from Afrikaans to Zulu. Real-time translation aids understanding and creates a more inclusive meeting, where language no longer be a barrier to great collaboration.

    The feature will likely help WebEx make inroads in multi-language teams, providing an effective way to communicate without purchasing expensive, third-party translation services.

    The feature is expected to be generally available in May.

  • 2021 iPad Pro Will Rival M1 Mac Performance

    2021 iPad Pro Will Rival M1 Mac Performance

    The 2021 iPad Pro, expected later this month, is rumored to have an upgraded processor that will rival the M1 in Apple’s recent Macs.

    The iPad Pro is the high-end iPad model targeted at professionals and creators. As such, it consistently delivers features and performance that best Apple’s other iPads, and leaves Android tablets in the dust.

    According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, that lead is set to expand in a big way, with the next-generation iPad Pro rivaling the M1. Apple introduced the M1 Macs in November. The M1 is based on the same chips already used in the iPhones and iPads, but boasts significantly better performance, thanks to its 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU.

    In addition to sporting a more powerful chip, the larger iPad Pro will also feature a mini-LED display, offering greater brightness and contrast. The new display will make the tablet slightly thicker, although it will retain the same overall design. Ideally, this should allow the new model to use the existing Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard peripherals.

    Gurman rounds out his iPad Pro predictions by saying the new model will also feature better cameras, as well as 5G. Apple is expected to include both the high-band mmWave, as well as low-band support. This would enable it to take advantage of carriers’ nationwide 5G networks, as well as their fastest 5G in cities and urban areas, much like the iPhone 12.

    The combination of 5G and world-class performance should make the iPad Pro an ideal option for professionals, creators, students and remote workers. Notably, Gurman has an excellent track record with his Apple predictions, making it almost certain the iPad Pro released in March will match the specs he’s provided.

  • Google Updates Workspace and Google Assistant for Remote Work

    Google Updates Workspace and Google Assistant for Remote Work

    Google has made significant updates to Workspace and Google Assistant to better facilitate remote and hybrid work models.

    Google is the latest company to bet on the permanent digital transformation the pandemic has brought on. Citing Gartner’sresearch that 90% of companies plan to allow at least some remote work post-pandemic, Google clearly wants Workspace (formerly G Suite) to play a significant role in that new reality.

    Google Workspace is at the nexus of Google’s own transformation. After all, Google Workspace was built in the cloud to power flexible, real-time, anywhere creation and equitable collaboration.

    To aid in the digital transformation, Google will be launching Google Workspace Frontline to help frontline workers have access to the same kind of collaborative tools that knowledge workers enjoy. The new solution will include Gmail, Chat, Docs, Drive and more in a custom solution designed to meet the needs of frontline workers.

    In addition, Workspace with Google Assistant is now generally available to all users. The service brings the power of Google Assistant to Workspace, allowing users to join meetings, check their schedule, send messages and more, all by using their voice. The feature is currently available on mobile devices, and is in beta for smart speakers and Smart Displays.

    If there’s a mantra that captures the last year of work, it might be “flexibility in the face of change.” It’s how our customers and our own employees have bridged the physical distances to continue making an impact in a rapidly changing world. As work continues to evolve for all of us, Google Workspace is committed to providing a solution that’s flexible, helpful, and that fuels innovation. We’re also committed to enabling collaboration equity wherever and however we can. At its core, this has been our mission for more than a decade and we’re excited to partner with our customers and users to continue bringing it to life.

  • Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile Won Big at FCC 5G Auction

    Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile Won Big at FCC 5G Auction

    The FCC has finally revealed the winners of its mid-band spectrum auction, and Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile came out on top.

    Mid-band spectrum is the most coveted type of spectrum for 5G. High-band, otherwise known as mmWave, offers the fastest speeds, but its range is extremely limited, as is its ability to penetrate objects. Low-band spectrum offers the best range and penetration, but its speeds are only marginally faster than the fastest 4G. Mid-band spectrum offers the best of both worlds, providing speeds upwards of 1 Gbps, while still offering decent range and penetration.

    Of the three major US carriers, Verizon and AT&T need mid-band spectrum the most. T-Mobile has a wealth of it from its merger with Sprint, spectrum it has been rolling out at a record pace. The other two carriers, on the other hand, have not been able to match T-Mobile’s 5G rollout, largely because of not having enough mid-band spectrum.

    It’s little wonder the spending at the FCC’s auction far exceeded estimates. Analysts had originally predicted spending would reach $47 billion, but the total topped $81 billion.

    Not surprisingly, Verizon (listed in FCC docs as Cellco Partnership, its legal name) was the biggest bidder, coming in at $45,454,843,197. AT&T came in second, spending $23,406,860,839. T-Mobile rounded out the top three at $9,336,125,147.

    While T-Mobile needed, and spent, the least, the company was believed to be buying spectrum to round out its portfolio, further boost its spectrum in heavily populated areas and drive the bidding higher so Verizon and AT&T didn’t get a free ride.

  • Starlink Will Double Speeds and Cover Most of the World This Year

    Starlink Will Double Speeds and Cover Most of the World This Year

    Starlink internet service is poised to expand to much of the world, and double in speed, later this year.

    SpaceX’s Starlink is a constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit. The constellation is designed to provide internet access to remote and under-served communities around the world. Many early adopters are reporting speeds in excess of 150 Mbps and latency of 39 ms.

    Elon Musk is teasing the company will significantly improve that this year.

    Musk also said the service will expand to most of the globe in that time.

    Starlink is already revolutionizing what people can do, providing a level of internet access many rural customers have never enjoyed. Musk’s announcements are good news for potential customers. Starlink’s expansion is especially good news at a time when record numbers of people are working from home, in some cases in areas where traditional internet options are less than ideal.

  • Standalone Microsoft Office Update and Text Prediction Coming Soon

    Standalone Microsoft Office Update and Text Prediction Coming Soon

    Microsoft is preparing updates to its venerable office suite, including two big features: continued support for the standalone, non-365 version and text prediction.

    Microsoft has been aggressively pushing Microsoft 365 (previously Office 365) for some time. Many businesses and individuals, however, don’t want to pay a monthly fee to access their office suite. What’s more, the various cloud features of Microsoft 365 may not offer much value for some customers.

    The company has announced it will continue to support a standalone version of Office, called Microsoft Office Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC). In fact, Microsoft is committed to supporting Office LTSC for the foreseeable future.

    “At Microsoft, we believe that the cloud will power the work of the future. Overwhelmingly, our customers are choosing the cloud to empower their people—from frontline workers on the shop floor, to on-the-go sales teams, to remote employees connecting from home,” writes Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365. “We’ve seen incredible cloud adoption across every industry, and we will continue to invest and innovate in the cloud as we partner with organizations everywhere to build the best solutions for the new world of work. But we also know that some customers just feel that they can’t move to the cloud despite the widely embraced benefits.”

    A preview of Office LTSC will be available in April.

    Microsoft 365 Text Prediction - Image Source: Microsoft
    Microsoft 365 Text Prediction – Image Source: Microsoft

    At the same time, the company is also bringing its long-anticipated text prediction to all users. The company teased text prediction in September. As the user is typing, text prediction recommends the most likely next word. The feature continues to learn over time, becoming more accurate in its recommendations.

    According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, text prediction will be available to all users in March.

  • Apple Refurbished M1 MacBook Air Models Now Available

    Apple Refurbished M1 MacBook Air Models Now Available

    The first batch of refurbished M1 MacBook Airs is showing up on Apple’s online store, providing a less-expensive option.

    The latest generation of MacBook Airs run Apple’s custom silicon, the M1 chip. The M1 is an Arm-based design that’s a more powerful version of the chip in the iPhone and iPad. As such, it offers many advantages over Intel processors, including cooler operation, better battery life, improved performance and the ability to run iOS apps.

    Apple’s computers have never been the cheapest on the market, but the company’s refurbished program offers a less-expensive way of getting the latest and greatest. As part of the deal, all of Apple’s refurbished machines come with the same one-year warranty and are indistinguishable from a brand-new device.

    The available machines start at $849, or $150 less than brand-new. Although there is no option to customize refurb machines — it’s a first-come, first-served affair, based on what machines have been returned — as of the time of writing there are also higher end MacBook Airs available. The high-end models come in at $1,059, or $$190 off.

    A refurbished MacBook Air makes a good option for employees looking for a remote work machine, or students that need a laptop for their studies.

  • FCC Proposes Emergency Broadband Rules to Assist Low-Income Households

    FCC Proposes Emergency Broadband Rules to Assist Low-Income Households

    FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has proposed rules to the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP) to assist low-income households.

    Late in 2020, Congress authorized the creation of a $3.2 billion federal initiative to help low-income households stay connected via discounts to their internet bills. Qualifying households may also receive a discount on a computer or tablet. The initiative is especially important during the pandemic, when record numbers are working from home or engaging in remote learning.

    The EBBP allows for households to received up to $50 per month off of their broadband bill, while those on Tribal lands may receive up to $75 per month.

    “As we work our way through a pandemic that has upended so much in our day-to-day life, we have been asked to migrate so many of the things we do online. From work to healthcare to education, this crisis has made it clear that without an internet connection too many households are locked out of modern life. It’s more apparent than ever that broadband is no longer nice-to- have. It’s need-to-have,” said Rosenworcel. “But too many of us are struggling to afford this critical service. Late last year Congress directed the FCC to establish a new Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to assist families struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. Today I’m proud to advance a proposal to my colleagues to implement this program so we can help as many eligible households as possible. No one should have to choose between paying their internet bill or paying to put food on the table. With the help of the Emergency Broadband Benefit, we have a new way for households to access virtual learning, for patients to connect to telehealth providers, and for those struggling in this pandemic to learn new online skills and seek their next job.”

  • Qualcomm Taps Sophos to Protect 5G Snapdragon PCs

    Qualcomm Taps Sophos to Protect 5G Snapdragon PCs

    Qualcomm is turning to Sophos to help protect 5G-enabled Snapdragon PCs, with its Intercept X endpoint protection.

    With the speeds 5G promises, 5G-enabled PCs stand to play a major role in the industry. A PC with built-in 5G would have enterprise-grade internet access, allowing individuals to work from anywhere they have coverage. In the age of the pandemic, this could open a world of possibilities, and remove slow internet access as one of the biggest challenges to remote work.

    Unlike Intel or AMD processors, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon is based on Arm designs, much like the chips Apple uses in the iPhone, iPad and M1 Macs. As a result, traditional PC software won’t run on the Snapdragon unless it’s compiled specifically for Arm-based processors. This leaves Snapdragon-powered PCs potentially vulnerable, as many of the traditional security options are not available.

    Snapdragon compute platforms mark a major step forward because they provide all the utility and performance of a PC, but with many of the benefits associated with modern mobile computing devices. Security loves predictability, and Sophos is excited to be a part of securing this next-generation computing platform. — Joe Levy, chief technology officer, Sophos.

    Qualcomm’s deal with Snapdragon is a major step toward helping Arm-based computers go mainstream.

  • T-Mobile Rolling Out Magenta MAX Plan, Unlimited 5G

    T-Mobile Rolling Out Magenta MAX Plan, Unlimited 5G

    T-Mobile is upping the ante with its latest Magenta plan, Magenta MAX, featuring unlimited 4G and 5G with no throttling.

    T-Mobile is currently the leader in the US 5G race. The company has a wealth of 5G spectrum, thanks to its merger with Sprint, and it has been using that spectrum to take a commanding lead over its rivals. The company has unveiled a new plan designed to take full advantage of its 5G network: Magenta MAX.

    Magenta MAX takes the place of the existing Magenta Plus plan, bringing many of the same upgrades over the basic Magenta option. The MAX plan, however, also includes a number of major improvements over its predecessor.

    Magenta vs Magenta MAX
    Magenta vs Magenta MAX

    One of the biggest improvements is the removal of any throttling. While all carriers provide unlimited data, they do reserve the right to throttle speeds once a certain threshold is crossed. In T-Mobile’s case, that threshold has been 50 GB. If a line uses more than 50 GB of data in one month, and is currently on a congested tower, T-Mobile reserves the right to throttle that line’s data speeds.

    With the MAX plan, however, that throttling limit is completely removed. In addition, even the base Magenta plan sees its throttling threshold go from 50 GB to 100 GB. The new limits, or lack thereof with the MAX plan, apply to both 4G and 5G data.

    The MAX plan also includes 40 GB of hotspot data, up from the 20 GB the Magenta Plus plan, or the 5 GB of the new base Magenta option. The plan also includes unlimited Gogo in-flight texting and WiFi, 2x international data speeds in 210 countries, Scam Shield Premium, Netflix Basic on a single line and Netflix Standard on a family plan. Max also includes unlimited UHD streaming, with up to 4K UHD resolution.

    The new plan normally comes in at $57/mo for three lines with autopay active but, for a limited time, T-Mobile is offering it for $47/mo. As usual, that includes taxes and fees. The plan will be available starting February 24.

    “We just joined forces with Sprint, and we’re already America’s 5G coverage and speed leader. Magenta MAX is just a first taste of what our network capacity allows us to do!” said T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert. “When you’re a heavy data user with a super-fast 5G smartphone, you don’t want to be hit with speed bumps. It’s like having a Ferrari and being forced to drive it in the school zone. Well, now it’s time to open ‘er up on the wide open magenta road! And we are just getting started. Buckle up!”

  • Microsoft Has Fixed Teams Outage

    Microsoft Has Fixed Teams Outage

    Microsoft has announced it has fixed the Teams outage that impacted users much of Wednesday.

    Users started reporting issues with Teams Wednesday morning. The issues resulted in choppy video, messages that weren’t displaying and messages that only displayed after quitting and reopening the app.

    Although Microsoft originally thought the issue only impacted North America, they later confirmed that users in South America were affected as well. The company worked on the issues most of the day, confirming they were resolved Wednesday evening.

  • FCC Establishes Task Force to Address Broadband Access

    FCC Establishes Task Force to Address Broadband Access

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established a task force to revamp the agency’s broadband mapping tools.

    The FCC is responsible for mapping broadband access to provide a complete picture of broadband availability. The data is important to help the FCC close the “digital divide” between those who have quality internet access and those that don’t. In the age of the pandemic and remote work, this data is more important than ever. Unfortunately, the FCC’s current mapping is out-of-date and, in many cases, not accurate.

    The Broadband Data Task Force will be chaired by Jean Kiddoo, and will work to modernize the FCC’s tools.

    “The Broadband Data Task Force will lead a cross-agency effort to collect detailed data and develop more precise maps about broadband availability,” said Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “I thank Jean and her team for their willingness to take on this vitally important project.”

    “I am honored that Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel has asked me to lead this momentous and multifaceted Commission initiative,” remarked Ms. Kiddoo, who will also continue to serve as Chair of the Incentive Auction Task Force.

    Updated mapping tools and information will help the FCC direct the necessary resources and efforts where they are needed most.