WebProNews

Category: RemoteWorkingTrends

  • Starlink Speeds Giving Traditional Broadband a Run For Their Money

    Starlink Speeds Giving Traditional Broadband a Run For Their Money

    Starlink may be the new kid on the block in the broadband industry, but it’s already giving traditional companies a run for their money.

    Starlink is the satellite internet service being deployed by Elon Musk’s other company, SpaceX. Unlike traditional satellite services, such as HughesNet and Viasat, Starlink’s satellites are in low-Earth orbit. This gives the service speeds and latency much closer to traditional broadband.

    According to the latest Ookla Speedtest data, Starlink is closing in on fixed broadband and, in some cases, has surpassed its speeds. In the US, the service is providing median speeds of 97.23 Mbps down, 13.89 Mbps up and 45 ms latency. In contrast, fixed broadband provides median speeds of 115.22 Mbps down, 17.18 Mbps up and 14 ms latency. In contrast, HughesNet and Viasat’s median speeds were under 20 Mbps down, under 3.5 Mbps up and had latency of 724 and 630 ms respectively.

    Ookla Satellite Internet Comparison – Credit Ookla

    Interestingly, Starlink faired even better in the international market. In fact, in Canada, New Zealand, Germany, France and the UK, Starlink beat traditional broadband in at least download speeds, and often in upload as well.

    This data shows Starlink is rapidly improving to be a viable alternative to traditional broadband — an especially impressive feat since the service is still in beta. With numbers like this, Starlink is quickly shaping up to be one of the best options at closing the “digital divide.”

  • Amazon Pushes Back a Return to the Office to January 2022

    Amazon Pushes Back a Return to the Office to January 2022

    Amazon is the latest company to push back a return to the office, telling employees they won’t come back until January 2022.

    Like other companies, Amazon was originally planning on employees returning in September. The rise of the Delta variant of COVID is changing those plans, with multiple companies pushing back their return dates.

    Amazon is the latest to do so, and is pushing back its return date further than most. Whereas Apple, Google and Microsoft pushed theirs back to October, GeekWire reports that Amazon is pushing theirs to January 2022.

    So far, Amazon has not rolled out a vaccine mandate, although it does require unvaccinated individuals to wear masks.

  • Microsoft Will Require Vaccinations Onsite, Delays Opening to October 4

    Microsoft Will Require Vaccinations Onsite, Delays Opening to October 4

    Microsoft joins Apple, Google, Walmart, Twitter and others in either requiring vaccination onsite, pushing back reopening or both.

    As the Delta variant of COVID sweeps across the world, cases are once again surging. The surge has prompted some of the nation’s biggest companies to take additional precautions to protect employees. Apple and Google pushed back their reopening date, Twitter shuttered its offices once again, and Google and Walmart will require vaccinations of their employees.

    Microsoft is now taking similar measures, telling The Verge its offices will open “no earlier than October 4th, 2021.” In addition, the company will require all employees entering a Microsoft building to be vaccinated starting in September.

    Here’s the company’s statement:

    As we have done since the beginning of the pandemic, we continue to closely track new developments and adapt our plans as this situation evolves, keeping employee health and safety top of mind. Based on our continued consultation with health and data experts, our earliest date for the full opening of our U.S. worksites will be no earlier than October 4, 2021. Starting in September, we’ll also require proof of vaccination for all employees, vendors, and any guests entering Microsoft buildings in the U.S., and will have an accommodation process in place for employees. We continue to review the situation on a local basis in each region/country/state where we work and will adjust dates and policies as needed.

  • Zoom Settles Class Action Privacy Lawsuit for $85 Million

    Zoom Settles Class Action Privacy Lawsuit for $85 Million

    Zoom has agreed to settle a class action privacy suit for $85 million over missteps the company made early in the pandemic.

    Few companies have benefited as much or become so synonymous with pandemic-fueled remote work and learning as Zoom. Once a company that focused priorly on the enterprise, Zoom has become a household name, used across industries and demographics.

    Unfortunately, its meteoric growth came with some major growing pains. The company overstated the level of encryption it provided; it used an SDK that sent data to Facebook without users’ permission; and it failed to provide the necessary security to prevent Zoom-bombing. The missteps were severe enough to prompt the company to enact a 90-day moratorium on new features until security issues could be addressed.

    The company was the target of a number of lawsuits over the missteps, lawsuits which were consolidated into a single class action suit. Zoom has now agreed to settle and make changes to improve its security even more, according to ZDNet.

    Among the changes the company will make is improved notifications to better inform users when a host uses a third-party application, as well as inform users who can access user information and content.

    The plaintiffs are also requesting their legal fees be paid, which would add an additional $21.25 million to the settlement.

  • New York Times Pushes Back a Return to the Office

    New York Times Pushes Back a Return to the Office

    In what is becoming an all-too-familiar routine, The New York Times has announced it is pushing back its return to the office.

    After more than a year of working remotely, many companies have been eager to have their return onsite. Many were shooting for sometime in September as the deadline. The Times had set September 7 as the day for employees to return to the office, at least three days a week.

    Like Apple and Google, however, the Times is pushing that date back as the Delta variant of COVID leads to an increased surge in cases.

    “In light of the evolution of the virus, including new trends around the Delta variant and the updated guidance from the C.D.C. this week on masking, we have decided to push out our plans for a full return at this time,” Meredith Kopit Levien, chief executive of The New York Times Company, told staff in an email on Friday.

    The news comes a day after President Biden addressed the nation, urging individuals to get vaccinated. Biden emphasized that vaccination is not a political issue, but one of “life and death.”

  • Better Late Than Never: Amazon Fire TV Cube Supports Zoom Two-Way Calling

    Better Late Than Never: Amazon Fire TV Cube Supports Zoom Two-Way Calling

    Amazon has announced its Fire TV Cube now supports two-way Zoom video calling.

    Zoom has become one of the most popular videoconferencing solutions since the onset of the pandemic. While it was already popular in the enterprise, the platform is now widely used by remote workers, remote learners, individuals and families.

    Given its popularity, it’s somewhat surprising Amazon’s Fire TV Cube is only now supporting Zoom two-way calling. The devices previously supported Zoom two-way calling via another camera-enabled Alexa device. With this update, however, the Fire TV Cube now supports Zoom natively.

    We are excited to announce that starting today you can video call friends, family, and business colleagues with the Zoom app on Fire TV.

    Users will still need to connect a USB webcam.

  • Biden Promotes High-Speed Internet Provision of Infrastructure Bill

    Biden Promotes High-Speed Internet Provision of Infrastructure Bill

    President Joe Biden is talking up the high-speed internet provision of his signature infrastructure bill.

    Rejuvenating America’s infrastructure was a major point of Biden’s campaign, and he has been working to pass comprehensive infrastructure legislation. His plans received a big boost when a bipartisan group of senators announced a deal to push the bill forward.

    An important part of the infrastructure bill is a provision aimed at improving broadband for American households. The US has long suffered from a “digital divide” — the disparity between the quality of internet in cities, versus what is available in rural communities. The infrastructure bill includes funds designed to help close that divide and provide high-speed access to more households than ever before.

    “This bipartisan deal is the most important investment in public transit in American history and the most important investment in rail since the creation of Amtrak 50 years ago,” Biden said in a statement. “It will deliver high speed internet to every American.” (italics ours)

    That statement is good news for individuals and households that have dealt with subpar internet speeds for far too long.

  • Deja Vu: Twitter Shuts Offices Amid COVID Surge

    Deja Vu: Twitter Shuts Offices Amid COVID Surge

    Twitter has closed its San Francisco and New York offices amid surging COVID cases.

    A return to the office will have to wait, at least for Twitter employees, as the company is shuttering offices and delaying any further openings.

    “After careful consideration of the CDC’s updated guidelines, and in light of current conditions, Twitter has made the decision to close our opened offices in New York and San Francisco as well as pause future office reopenings, effective immediately,” a Twitter spokesperson said, according to CNBC.

    Much of the blame lies with the Delta variant of COVID, which is far more contagious and has even been infecting some vaccinated individuals. As Twitter acknowledged, the CDC has been forced to update its guidelines in an effort to combat the aggressive variant.

  • Google Pushes Back Return to Office, Will Require Vaccination

    Google Pushes Back Return to Office, Will Require Vaccination

    Google has joined Apple in pushing back its return to the office date, and confirmed it will require onsite employees to be vaccinated.

    Apple became the first major company to push back its plans to return to the office amid surging COVID cases, thanks to the Delta variant. Google has now joined its Cupertino rival, pushing back its return to the office date to mid-October. Like Apple, Google had originally been shooting for September.

    CEO Sundar Pichai informed employees in an email, according to the Boston Globe.

    “This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it,” Pichai wrote.

    Pichai also revealed the company will require employees to be vaccinated, once its facilities are reopened and employees are working onsite. Pichai said the vaccine mandate would follow local laws, and be flexible to account for medical and other “protected” reasons for not being vaccinated.

    Nonetheless, Google’s vaccination stand is one of the strongest yet from a large company.

  • Box Unveils Native E-Signature Capabilities

    Box Unveils Native E-Signature Capabilities

    Box is rolling out native e-signature capabilities, in the form of Box Sign.

    Box has been under increased pressure to improve its standing in the market. Unlike some of its competitors, Box has not experienced as much pandemic-fueled success as other cloud platforms, despite being the perfect platform for remote work.

    The company is rolling out Box Sign, in an effort to help grow its reach. The new feature is based on the company’s SignRequest acquisition in February. The native e-signature features will be included in all business plans.

    “Every day, more transactions are moving from paper-based manual workflows to the cloud, and we will only see this trend accelerate as companies shift to a hybrid work environment,” said Diego Dugatkin, Chief Product Officer at Box. “With the addition of natively embedded e-signatures, Box customers will be able to manage the entire content lifecycle in the cloud, realizing the value of their content — at no additional cost. From the moment a file is created to when it’s shared, edited, published, approved, signed, classified, and retained, the entire content lifecycle can now happen in the Box Content Cloud.”

  • The Deal Is Done: Slack Is Officially Part of Salesforce

    The Deal Is Done: Slack Is Officially Part of Salesforce

    Salesforce has completed its $27.7 billion acquisition of Slack, combining the leading CRM platform with one of the leading messaging platforms.

    The two companies announced in December they had reached a deal for Salesforce to acquire Slack. The deal was seen as a way for both companies to better compete with Microsoft. Microsoft Teams had eclipsed Slack, in terms of user count, thanks in large part to being part of Microsoft 365. Similarly, Microsoft has made it a goal to topple Salesforce as the leading CRM provider.

    The deal underwent additional scrutiny by the DOJ before receiving regulatory approval, paving the way for the deal to close.

    Executives from both companies highlighted their intent to create a “digital HQ,” to serve as a way for companies to reinvent their productivity.

    “We couldn’t be more excited to have Slack as part of the Salesforce family, combining the #1 CRM and the trailblazing digital platform for the work anywhere world,” said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce. “Together we’ll define the future of enterprise software, creating the digital HQ that enables every organization to deliver customer and employee success from anywhere.”

    “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink and reshape how and where we work,” said Stewart Butterfield, Slack CEO and Co-Founder. “Salesforce and Slack are uniquely positioned to lead this historic shift to a digital-first world. I could not be more excited for what’s to come.”

    The deal was welcomed by other companies as well.

    “We are obsessed with continually delighting our clients, and offering them the best experience and value across every interaction,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM. “Salesforce and Slack coming together will help us become more connected, more productive, and more innovative so we can better serve our clients.”

  • Apple Employees Send Second Letter Protesting Return-to-Office Policy

    Apple Employees Send Second Letter Protesting Return-to-Office Policy

    Apple employees have sent a second letter to company leadership objecting to plans for a return to the office.

    Like most tech companies, Apple sent employees home to work remotely as the pandemic gained ground. While some companies have fully embraced remote work, Apple has been adopting a hybrid strategy. The company told employees it wanted them in the office at least three days a week.

    Employees penned a letter a month ago objecting to the company’s policies, saying the one-size-fits-all approach didn’t properly address employees needs. Employees accused the company of not listening to them and their concerns. There have also been reports of employees quitting over the company’s policies. 

    Employees have penned a second letter objecting to the company’s plans, according to Recode.

    “We continue to be concerned that this one-size-fits-all solution is causing many of our colleagues to question their future at Apple,” the letter reads, saying, “With COVID-19 numbers rising again around the world, vaccines proving less effective against the Delta variant, and the long-term effects of infection not well understood, it is too early to force those with concerns to come back to the office.”

    Employees are arguing for two “pilot arrangements,” wherein they could work remotely for one year, with no guarantee of renewal. Employees would be given the option of working in different regions than they were originally hired in, and be open to cost of living adjustments.

    The letter also highlights the stakes involved for Apple, citing an employee survey that showed 68% of respondents believed Apple’s return-to-office policies would cause them to leave the company.

    With the surge of COVID cases among the unvaccinated currently happening, Apple agreed to push back its return-to-office date by a month. The company has not fundamentally changed its long-term plans, however, setting up an eventual showdown with its employees.

  • Apple Pushes Back Return to Office Amid Increased COVID Cases

    Apple is pushing back its return to office deadline in response to a resurgence of COVID cases.

    Despite progress on vaccinations, new COVID variants are leading to a major increase in cases, especially among the unvaccinated. The situation has prompted Apple to delay its return to office deadline to October from the originally scheduled September, according to Bloomberg.

    The delay will also give Apple time to consider and address concerns employees have had about returning to the office. Following a blockbuster year, wherein employees were working remotely, many don’t see a need to be in the office at all, and certainly not as much as Apple wants.

    The impasse has already led some employees to quit, with others fearing they will have to as well. While only a month delay, Apple’s decision may ultimately open the door for a more nuanced approach, one that keeps its employees happy.

  • Zoom Acquiring Five9 for $14.7 Billion

    Zoom Acquiring Five9 for $14.7 Billion

    Zoom announced it is acquiring Five9, a leading intelligent cloud contact center provider, for approximately $14.7 billion.

    Zoom has been rapidly improving its product and services, building on the success of its pandemic-fueled gains. Prior to the pandemic, the company’s platform was primarily used in the enterprise, but quickly became a household name, used by workers, schoolchildren, medical professionals, individuals and families around the world.

    The company is continuing to build out its platform, as companies continue to grapple with a changed workforce in a post-pandemic reality. Zoom believes Five9 will be a valuable part of that improvement, giving Zoom users even more ways to interact with their customers.

    “We are continuously looking for ways to enhance our platform, and the addition of Five9 is a natural fit that will deliver even more happiness and value to our customers,” said Eric S. Yuan, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Zoom. “Zoom is built on a core belief that robust and reliable communications technology enables interactions that build greater empathy and trust, and we believe that holds particularly true for customer engagement. Enterprises communicate with their customers primarily through the contact center, and we believe this acquisition creates a leading customer engagement platform that will help redefine how companies of all sizes connect with their customers. We are thrilled to join forces with the Five9 team, and I look forward to welcoming them to the Zoom family.”

    The deal is an all-stock transaction, and is expected to close in the first half of 2022, subject to standard regulatory approvals.

  • Apple Employees Quitting Over Remote Work Policy

    Apple is facing more pushback from employees who are threatening to quit over the company’s remote work policy.

    Apple is one of many companies that is requiring employees to return to the office following more than a year of remote work. The company wants employees in the office at least three days a week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The remaining days, employees will be allowed to work remotely.

    The company’s employees are not happy with the requirement, and have already penned a letter objecting. Now, according to The Verge, who saw a an Apple employee Slack thread, employees are quitting as a result of the company’s policy.

    Prior to the pandemic, while Apple always discouraged remote work, there were exceptions, and some teams were more lenient. In the wake of the company clarifying its policy, employees are saying even those exceptions are being denied, resulting in less flexility than before the pandemic.

    According to the Slack channel The Verge saw, at least 10 employees said they were resigning or knew others who had. In another survey of Apple employees, 36.7% of those that responded were afraid they would be forced to quit over Apple’s inflexibility.

    For a company that ‘thinks different,’ it may be time to apply that mantra to how it deals with its employees. Given the record-breakingyear the company has had, the breakout products it is has released, and breaking $2.5 trillion market cap, Apple’s executives have zero basis for saying its employees haven’t been firing on all cylinders…even if they’ve been doing so remotely.

  • Google’s Latest Showdown: Whether to Return to the Office

    Google’s Latest Showdown: Whether to Return to the Office

    Google is facing another showdown, this time with its own engineers over whether to return to the office.

    The search giant was one of the first to send employees home during the pandemic, and repeatedly pushed back the return-to-office date. Nonetheless, the company has made it clear it expects its employees to come back to the office, at least three days a week.

    Google’s engineers are now pushing back, saying they’re just as productive working from home as they were in the office, according to Business Insider. In fact, while productivity did initially take a hit in 2020, when people first started working from home, an internal survey reports productivity has since rebounded, rivaling what it was when everyone worked in the office.

    To make matters worse for Google, the company has already been drawing accusations of hypocrisy and favoritism over senior executive Urs Hölzle’s plans to move to New Zealand and work remotely full-time. While most Google employees have the option of applying for fully remote work, employees say the process is frustrating and drawn out, seemingly a stark contrast to Hölzle’s experience.

    Google’s dilemma is just the latest example of employees pushing back over in-office policies. Apple is similarly facing pushback from its own employees.

  • WhatsApp Beta Brings Multi-Device Support

    WhatsApp Beta Brings Multi-Device Support

    WhatsApp is bringing an oft-requested feature in a new beta: Multi-device support.

    While WhatsApp has supported desktop and web-based communication for some time, these methods require a person’s phone to be active and powered on in order to send and receive messages. WhatsApp is now adding the ability to have multiple devices in use…even when a person’s phone is not connected.

    This change involves changing the entire process by which a person’s account is confirmed and messages are encrypted/decrypted.

    The current WhatsApp experience for companion devices on web, macOS, Windows, and Portal uses a smartphone app as the primary device, making the phone the source of truth for all user data and the only device capable of encrypting or decrypting messages, initiating calls, etc. Companion devices maintain a persistent secure connection with the phone and simply mirror its contents on their own UI. 

    The new version removes the phone as the primary component.

    The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles, no longer requiring a smartphone to be the source of truth while still keeping user data seamlessly and securely synchronized and private.

    The beta is a limited beta, available to individual who are already enrolled in WhatsApp’s beta program.

  • Consumers Less Satisfied With Internet Speeds in 2021

    Consumers Less Satisfied With Internet Speeds in 2021

    Consumers are less happy with their internet speeds in 2021 than they were in 2020, evidence of increased pandemic-fueled reliance on the internet.

    As the pandemic forced people to work and learn remotely, internet connections that were once adequate suddenly struggled to meet people’s demands. The result is lower customer satisfaction in 2021 than in 2020.

    HighSpeedInternet.com conducted a survey of more than 2,000 Americans and found that customers gave their ISP an average overall rating of 3.8 out of 5.0, down from 4.0 in pre-pandemic 2020.

    Interestingly, EarthLink took the top spot among ISPs, with 44% of customers saying the company “always” delivered the speeds it advertised. An additional 35% of customers say their speeds are “usually” as fast as advertised. Earthlink achieved an overall satisfaction rating of 4.2. AT&T and Verizon came in second and third, with an overall rating of 3.8 each.

    HighSpeedInternet.com’s report illustrates the increased need for better internet access. Especially with remote and hybrid work options here to stay, the importance of faster internet will continue to grow.

  • Microsoft Releases Windows 365 Cloud PC

    Microsoft Releases Windows 365 Cloud PC

    Microsoft may have upended the virtualization market with its latest product, designed to let anyone with a web browser run Windows.

    Users of other operating systems, such as Linux or Apple’s macOS, rely on virtualization to run Windows and its applications. Such a solution can be costly and resource-intensive. Microsoft is looking to make virtualization much easier, with users able to run a version of Windows in their browser.

    “With Windows 365, we’re creating a new category: the Cloud PC,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “Just like applications were brought to the cloud with SaaS, we are now bringing the operating system to the cloud, providing organizations with greater flexibility and a secure way to empower their workforce to be more productive and connected, regardless of location.”

    The solution should be a boon to remote workers and hybrid workforces.

    “Hybrid work has fundamentally changed the role of technology in organizations today,” said Jared Spataro, corporate vice president, Microsoft 365. “With workforces more disparate than ever before, organizations need a new way to deliver a great productivity experience with increased versatility, simplicity and security. Cloud PC is an exciting new category of hybrid personal computing that turns any device into a personalized, productive and secure digital workspace. Today’s announcement of Windows 365 is just the beginning of what will be possible as we blur the lines between the device and the cloud.”

    Apple users, in particular, have had their workflows disrupted with the move to Apple’s M1 processor. Apple previously included Boot Camp with Intel-based Macs, a way to install a full copy of Windows and boot from it. The new Macs don’t include Boot Camp, forcing Apple users to rely on Parallels. Using a third-party solution can sometimes lag behind, as developers work to support the latest versions of Windows.

    Windows 365 should be available to all businesses on August 2.

  • Senior Google Exec’s Remote Plans Anger Employees

    Senior Google Exec’s Remote Plans Anger Employees

    Google senior executive Urs Hölzle has angered employees with his remote work plans, prompting calls of hypocrisy on the part of the company.

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai outlined the company’s remote work strategy in May. Employees will be required to spend three days in the office, with two allocated to remote work. Employees also have the option of changing the office they work out of, as well as applying for permanent remote work.

    Urs Hölzle angered employees when he sent an email to employees announcing he would be working remotely from New Zealand, according to CNET. Employees believe Hölzle is receiving preferential treatment, while the average employee has to wade through a frustrating application process to be granted permanent remote work status.

    The controversy surrounding Hölzle is just the latest HR difficulty Google is facing. The company has been accused of marginalizingwomen and minorities, has disenfranchised researchers over academic integrity and engaging in gender bias when it comes to employee compensation.

    According to CNET, Google’s payment policy has further exacerbated the issue. While some companies, such as Reddit, have unified company pay — regardless of where an employee lives — Google has chosen to adjust pay according to the cost of living in various locations. This has led some employees to wonder to wonder if Hölzle is subject to the same rules, or if his pay will remain the same as if he were living in the US.

    Some employees have already quit over the controversy, and there will likely be many more in the weeks to come.

  • Verizon Doubles LTE Home Internet Coverage

    Verizon Doubles LTE Home Internet Coverage

    Verizon has announced a major expansion of its LTE Home Internet coverage, doubling its footprint, in addition to bringing 5G Home Internet to 7 new cities.

    Like T-Mobile, Verizon is working to bring its network to bear on the home internet market, providing LTE and 5G solutions. The company says it has brought its 5G Home Internet to 7 additional cities, including:

    • Akron, OH
    • Ann Arbor, MI
    • Columbia, SC
    • Durham, NC
    • Fresno, CA
    • Spokane, WA
    • St. Petersburg, FL

    In addition, Verizon’s LTE Home Internet has now doubled its coverage area.

    “With the expansion of LTE Home Internet and 5G Home Internet to more and more customers across the country, the options for fast, reliable internet have never been better. We continue to lead the industry by expanding broadband options for our customers. And with the new Verizon Internet Gateway device, our customers will have a head start to take advantage of a new era of experiences in the comfort of their home,” said Frank Boulben, Chief Revenue Officer, Verizon Consumer Group.

    5G and LTE home internet options are increasingly important resources for families in under-served areas and communities. Especially as remote work and education has become more common during the pandemic, wireless home internet has provided viable options to help people stay connected in areas where traditional broadband is not available.