New Meta certificates, Excel collaboration in MS Teams and new limits on free Zoom calls were the most-read stories on TechRepublic this week.
Too busy this week to catch all of the latest tech news? Have no fear: We’ve compiled and summarized TechRepublic’s top stories for July 14 – 21.
Meta launches entry-level developer courses through Coursera
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has released five new certificate programs through Coursera, the online learning platform. All of these are entry-level development courses that require no previous coding experience or degrees. The courses last around eight months beginning Aug. 22, 2022.
TL;DR: In addition to the final portfolio project, which can be used to prove skills to potential employers, those who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate they can add to their resume and exclusive access to the Meta Career Programs Job Board where they can connect with over 200 employers looking to source talent from the Meta certification programs.
Read the full article by Brenna Miles here.
Microsoft Inspire 2022: Introducing Excel Live
During their annual Inspire conference this week, Microsoft announced Excel Live, a tool that lets people collaborate directly on Excel spreadsheets within Teams. The new features are powered by the Fluid Framework, a browser-first framework that currently powers the new Loop components in Outlook and Live Share within Teams and is designed for real-time collaboration. Microsoft Office 365 users will be able to preview the tools as early as the end of August 2022 if they’re enrolled in the preview program.
TL;DR: These new features and the Fluid Framework are bringing Microsoft into the world of collaborative cloud software, where Google Workspaces and Google Suite have long dominated. Microsoft is adapting to today’s collaborative-yet-often-distributed workplace by not only bringing desktop software into the browser but maintaining the software’s intricacies at the same time.
Read the full article by Simon Bisson here.
Tech companies pledge free cybersecurity training during White House summit Tuesday
At Tuesday’s White House National Cyber Workforce and Education Summit, (ISC)² announced the (ISC)² One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program, which pledges to provide free, entry-level cybersecurity certifications for one million people. Further, (ISC)² has pledged that 500,000 of the certification will go to diverse and underrepresented communities, including students of historically black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, tribal organizations and women’s organizations across the U.S. and the globe.
TL;DR: Cisco and Fortinet have both stepped up to help in the efforts. Cisco pledged 200,000 newly certified students in the next three years, and Fortinet has offered to provide its information security awareness and training program for free to schools in the US. The combined power of (ISC)², these two prominent tech companies and the White House may provide the movement needed to fill the over 700,000 open cyber-enabled jobs in the coming years.
Read the full article by Esther Shein here.
Updated: iOS 16 Cheat Sheet
The public beta of iOS 16 was made available on July 11, 2022. This release is available to anyone who is signed up for Apple’s public beta testing program. Because iOS 16 is still in the testing phase, users will be asked to back up their devices before downloading and using the software. It should be noted that because of potential unforeseen bugs, users should not download the software to devices with vital information stored on them.
TL;DR: Apple developers can sign up through the Apple Developer Program, and non-developer customers can access the iOS features announced at WWDC in June including privacy improvements, Quick Note, improvements to images and the new lock screen.
Read the full article by Cory Bohon here.
Zoom now limits free one-on-one meetings to 40 minutes
Zoom announced this week that they were limiting meetings of all sizes on their free plan to 40 minutes. Previously, those on the free plan could hold one-on-one meetings for a near-unlimited amount of time, a helpful workaround for companies and individuals who use the video conferencing tool but don’t want to pay for a plan. The 40 minute timer begins as soon as the first person enters the call, whether or not that person is the host.
TL;DR: Zoom’s claim on the video conferencing and collaboration market share may be diminishing, along with the corporate support for people and companies struggling to cope with the early days of lockdowns and remote work. Thankfully, Lance Whitney’s article on the new limits contains a quick workaround to extend a meeting without needing to generate a new link.
Read the full article Lance Whitney here.
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