11 best Zoom tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner
Zoom became the reigning champion of communication during the pandemic. While many people are back to work in their offices, some jobs have changed forever and turned into permanently being remote.
Even as popular as it’s been, there has been a slew of security issues with Zoom. Don’t think for a moment this does not apply to you. Tap or click here for four essential Zoom security settings you should set now.
One top priority for everyone is protecting the privacy of meetings. Otherwise, a hacker, a troll, or even a well-known inventor might pop into your meeting. For a little levity, tap or click here to watch Elon Musk jump into an unsuspecting Zoom chat.
Most of us are now familiar with its basic operation, but Zoom has many tricks and shortcuts. Whether you are planning a one-on-one coffee date or an important board meeting, Zoom enables you to interact and even appear exactly the way you want.
1. Enter silently
If you’re trying to enter a Zoom call without making a ton of noise, you can opt to enter silently. This tip is especially helpful when meetings have already started and you’re trying to join late stealthily.
Open the Zoom app and click Settings. On the Audio tab, click the box to add a checkmark to Always mute the microphone when joining a meeting. To turn your microphone back on while in the call, use the button at the bottom of the screen.
You can also enter a Zoom call without video on, which is pretty helpful when you’re dealing with low bandwidth or having video quality issues.
To use this setting, open the Zoom app and click Settings. On the Video tab, click the checkbox for Always turn off video when joining a meeting at the bottom of the page under the Meetings heading. To turn your video back on, you can do so at the start or in the midst of meetings by clicking the video button at the bottom of the screen.
2. Change your background
Worried about your coworkers seeing your messy kitchen or living room? You can change the background on your Zoom call. It doesn’t even require a green screen to do so (though you can certainly use one).
Click on Settings > Virtual Background. From there, Zoom will offer you a few selections you can use, or you can upload basically any image you want.
Video doorbell settings you must change
When it comes to smart devices, you have a ton of choices. Not only are smart speakers and assistants affordable and easy to obtain, but so are smart plugs, smart lights, smart thermostats and a ton of other smart devices, too.
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Siri tech trick lets you covertly record if you're pulled over
If you use an iPhone, Siri is either your best friend or a huge annoyance. Compared to other voice interfaces like Alexa or Google Assistant, Siri’s limited capabilities can make her feel downright outdated.
But despite Siri’s limitations, there is more to Apple’s virtual assistant than meets the eye. Do you know everything Siri is capable of? Tap or click here to see five terrific Siri tricks you’ll use time and time again.
Add peace of mind to your trips with these amazing dashcam deals
Accountability is everything when it comes to driving. That’s the reason cars come equipped with mirrors, turn signals and other non-verbal ways to communicate with other drivers.
But when an accident occurs, it’s your word versus the other person’s. Your insurance can mediate between both parties, but in a complicated crash, it ultimately becomes a game of he-said-she-said. Tap or click here to see how Google’s new app can detect car crashes and call 911.
Now Facebook wants to pay you for your voice recordings - how much can you get?
In 2019, more than a few tech companies got caught abusing their users’ trust. The most notable stories involved the companies listening in on users and recording them without warning.
Thanks to the press, this practice was widely exposed and condemned by the public. Companies like Amazon, Apple and Google all admitted their mistakes and have since changed their policies. Tap or click here see how Amazon got caught.
4 settings you must change on your video doorbell
Many moons ago, we used to have peepholes. Kids, ask your parents about how they’d look through a little hole to see who was at the door to make sure it was safe to open the door.
In 2013, inventor Jamie Siminoff brought his idea for a video doorbell to TV’s “Shark Tank” hoping for a deal. All the sharks flatly rejected him, saying it was a dumb idea. But the product, Ring, became a huge hit and Amazon purchased his company in 2018 for over $1 billion.
iPhones can easily be turned into a bodycam to record police
By now you have probably had enough time to get the hang of iOS 12. You have played around with some of its new features, enjoyed its faster speeds and, despite its flaws, probably think it’s a pretty good update.
But even if you have checked out the new features you could not afford to miss or have gotten the hang of some of the things you could never do prior to iOS 12, odds are good you haven’t seen all of what the new operating system allows.