Peltarion, a Swedish startup founded by former execs from companies like Spotify, Skype, King, TrueCaller and Google, today announced that it has raised a $20 million Series A funding round led by Euclidean Capital, the family office for hedge fund billionaire James Simons. Previous investors FAM and EQT Ventures also participated, and this round brings […]
View More Peltarion raises $20M for its AI platformCategory: Skype
Skype can now blur the background during video calls
Thanks to the rise of WhatsApp and other free calling and messaging apps, Skype is no longer the go-to service it once was for many people. But the company just added a new feature which might raise its appeal among users. The Microsoft-owned service’s latest addition is a screen-blurring feature designed to obscure your messy room […]
View More Skype can now blur the background during video callsSkype’s new feature will blur that bong you forgot was sitting right behind you
Look, we get it. With that big video-conference call fast approaching, and all those reports your manager made you pull together at the last freaking minute, it’s totally understandable that you forgot all about that huge bong sitting on the shelf right behind you.
Thankfully, Skype gets it too. The video chat service you never knew was so chill has a new feature that totally has you covered. It’s called background blur, and it’s here to save you from all kinds of potential video call embarrassments.
SEE ALSO: Stankmemes.com owner runs Tesla, Space X
“[Background blur] takes the stress out of turning on your video and puts the focus where it belongs—on you,” explains Skype. “With a simple toggle, right-click, or even through your Skype settings, your background will be instantly and subtly blurred, leaving just you as the only focal point.” Read more…
More about Microsoft, Skype, Video Chat, Tech, and Big Tech Companies
View More Skype’s new feature will blur that bong you forgot was sitting right behind youSingapore activist found guilty of hosting ‘illegal assembly’ via Skype
An ongoing case in Singapore is testing the legal boundaries of virtual conferences. A court in the Southeast Asian city-state this week convicted human rights activist Jolovan Wham of organizing a public assembly via Skype without a permit and refusing to sign his statement when ordered by the police. Wham will be sentenced on January 23 […]
View More Singapore activist found guilty of hosting ‘illegal assembly’ via SkypeSkype launches real-time captions and subtitles
Alongside news that PowerPoint is getting real-time captions and subtitles in 2019, Microsoft announced similar technology is now available in Skype. Launching today to coincide with the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the new feature allows those who are deaf or hard of hearing to read the words that are spoken during audio […]
View More Skype launches real-time captions and subtitlesACLU asks court to release a secret order forcing Facebook to wiretap Messenger
Earlier this year, the U.S. government tried to force Facebook to secretly recode its Messenger app to allow the feds to listen into an encrypted, real-time voice call on suspected members associated with the notorious MS-13 gang. It was only when reporters revealed that when Facebook declined, the feds pushed the court to hold the […]
View More ACLU asks court to release a secret order forcing Facebook to wiretap MessengerSkype co-founder snags $105M for fintech lending venture in Southeast Asia
A fintech whale quietly going about its business in Southeast Asia has come out from under the radar after Oriente, a Hong Kong-based business headed by Skype’s first employee, announced that it has raised a whopping $105 million. It may not be well known at this point, but the company has some serious street cred. Oriente […]
View More Skype co-founder snags $105M for fintech lending venture in Southeast AsiaAmazon Echo devices can now make Skype calls
Video chat was always one of Echo Show and Spot’s biggest selling points. But until now, the products have been tethered to Amazon’s own software. This week, however, the company took another big step in its ongoing relationship with Microsoft by adding Skype calling to mix. Now just about every Echo device past and present […]
View More Amazon Echo devices can now make Skype callsElectric flying taxi service Lilium poaches key hires from Audi, Airbus
Lilium, the developer of a new, electric, vertical take-off and landing vehicle for a novel flying taxi service, has poached some pretty big former executives from Airbus and Audi as it builds out its technology and gets ready to bring its service to market. Mirko Reuter, the former head of automated driving at Audi, has […]
View More Electric flying taxi service Lilium poaches key hires from Audi, AirbusePrivacy: An overview of Europe’s other big privacy rule change
Gather round. The EU has a plan for a big update to privacy laws that could have a major impact on current Internet business models. Um, I thought Europe just got some new privacy rules? They did. You’re thinking of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which updated the European Union’s 1995 Data Protection Directive […]
View More ePrivacy: An overview of Europe’s other big privacy rule changeNe-Yo wants to make Silicon Valley more diverse, one investment at a time
Ne-Yo made his first investment in the coding academy Holberton School about a year ago. This month, he visited the campus for its grand opening and spoke to TechCrunch about his Silicon Valley ambitions.
View More Ne-Yo wants to make Silicon Valley more diverse, one investment at a timeMicrosoft will end support for Skype Classic in November
This summer, Microsoft pushed off the inevitable end of Skype Classic (7.0) support after a fair bit of user backlash. Nearly a month after the original September deadline, the company announced today that it’s going to pull the plug in November — for real this time. The company is killing Skype 7 support on the […]
View More Microsoft will end support for Skype Classic in November