“What’s your Facebook name?” is not a question you’re often asked when someone needs your contact details. In the first place, Facebook messaging isn’t everyone’s voice call app of choice, especially for group conversations. As of now, Skype rules that arena, especially for business communications. However, once the social media giant has put the finishing touches on its desktop-capable group voice calling, you can expect to hear “What’s your Facebook name?” a bit more. It might even become the norm. No one gets left behind In group chats, there’s always that one person who gets the joke last, or reads it last, and so feels left out. With Facebook’s group video chat, this never has to happen as every participant in the group can be connected at the same time. The functionality is still in the “small test” phase, which means certain details are still being ironed out. When it fully launches, though, expect a considerable portion of Facebook Messenger users to consider moving their Skype group video conversations to Facebook. Potentially compelling benefits Since introducing its audio calling capability in 2013, Facebook has worked hard to keep up with the competition. Facebook’s introduction – and potential domination – of desktop group video calling might signal the end of times for Skype and other players. For one, Facebook and social media user growth hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. Moreover, most users of internet telephony might inevitably see the advantages of using a single platform for their social media activity and online communications. Possible user reservations Users who prefer a communication tool that creates zero distractions in their chats might not opt for Facebook when conducting group video conferences. Facebook is, first and foremost, a social media platform, which serves as a springboard for important news updates, personal anecdotes, and funny cat videos. Not everyone will prefer all those distractions while in a business meeting. Those looking for a clean communications tool might find the wealth of content a bit overwhelming. In addition, employees of small companies in need of a free communications tool might not immediately warm up to the idea of surrendering their Facebook profile as an official point of contact. If there’s anything Facebook has proven, however, it is the ability to improve upon previous versions by adding or removing details to enhance user experience. Users may not always be pleased with the updates, but that hasn’t slowed down the billion-user company’s popularity. If the newly introduced desktop group video calling function proves efficient, Facebook might persuade even more users to lean towards its messaging tool. With many options to choose from, the only thing left for people to do is discern which platform best serves their communications needs. For advice on which VoIP platform is best for your business, contact us today.

Young workers are more gullible to tech scams, well that is what the latest studies show. The old cold-call scam is still a popular way for fraudsters to dupe people out of their money. But now they're taking their tactics to the computer generation, and it can be surprising just who is falling for the new tech-related fraud. Read on to find out how scam artists are targeting the younger generation -- and succeeding. Results Conclude Youth is more Gullible Microsoft recently conducted a survey of 1000 computer users of all ages and from many of the largest countries in the world to find out how many of them had been scammed by phony "technicians" claiming to be employees of Microsoft or other major computer conglomerates. The results were startling when studied demographically. Researchers discovered that seniors, who were traditionally viewed as the major victims of such fraudulent schemes, were not the most likely group to fall for the scam. Research indicated that although seniors were most likely to buy into a telephone scam, they still did not fall for the act as much as younger age groups. The study found, in fact, that between the ages of 18 and 24, people were 2.5 times more likely to fall for the scam than seniors. Those between the ages of 25 and 34 were three times more likely than seniors to be tricked. The scam that the Microsoft company recently studied involved the following scenario: Either a person calls claiming to be a technical support technician, or an email or pop-up alerts you that your computer is locked or otherwise compromised. In order to fix the problem, you need to call someone and pay for a program or provide access to your computer so some purported technician can solve the problem "remotely." If you fall for this scam, you are giving them funds for a false program or access to your computer -- which also allows them access to your personal data and the ability to install malware onto your system. The study revealed that two-thirds of those surveyed (around 660 people) had experienced the scam first-hand. One in five had listened long enough to hear the story, and 1 in 10 actually gave the scammer money. Why the Younger Demographic Became Easy Victims While older adults often respond more to phone calls, younger people have learned to ignore phone calls, saving them from being phone victims. However, because younger adults spend the majority of their time online and often remain acutely aware of the status of their computer and online presence, they are more prone to react to a pop-up or email claiming that their computer is in danger. Nearly 60% of the adults aged 18-24 in the study say they were exposed to the scam through pop-up ads or online correspondence. The takeaway here is simple: Cyber-security is about more than just firewalls and antivirus software. You need to shore up the human side of your protection protocols. The best way to start is by doing some quick research on social engineering in our previous blogs, but ultimately you’ll need something a little more thorough. Contact Multi IT & Telephony Solutions today for more tips and to ask about scheduling a cyber-security training for your employees.

The internet’s impact on people's lives keeps growing by the day. People use the web for different reasons and access it any time, and the availability of smart gadgets makes it possible for the people to enjoy the internet from any location. However, the resourcefulness of the internet can be hindered by having a slow web browser. Fortunately, a modern and highly efficient browser like Opera 41 guarantees you fast connectivity to the internet. The newest browser in the market, Opera 41 promises to take your browsing experience to new levels. It has the following features that guarantee a pleasant experience online: Multiple tabs Opera 41 has a wonderful start-up sequence. Upon launching the browser, it automatically opens the tab you were using the last time you were online. Pinned tabs will then open along with any others depending on priority. This process is performed at a very high speed no matter how many tabs you have opened. It has been tested and found that the time taken to open tabs using Opera 41 has improved by 86 percent when compared to other browsers with similar features. Longer battery life Older versions of the Opera had features that enhanced the life of the battery. The new Opera 41 does it again with features built to be less demanding on the hardware, ensuring your device doesn’t need charging any time soon. The same function is used when on chat using WebRTC. If your device is on battery-saving mode, Opera will use video codec. This arrangement ensures the resources on your system are used efficiently, thus extending battery life. Additional benefits: The pixel count increases the usage of your CPU on the screen. Opera 41 reduces the pixel count on your screen, thereby saving the usage of your CPU when the battery-saving mode is connected. The pop-out video has been in use since its introduction in May. This feature is available in Opera 41 and allows you to access content sites such as YouTube and view them in a different window. Because Opera 41's browser pop-out video feature also reduces the use of CPU resources by up to 30 percent, your CPU will also last longer and run more efficiently. Despite being relatively new, Opera 41 has features that make browsing more enjoyable. The achievements made so far show that it has the potential to change how people access the internet. For more information about how Opera 41 can positively impact your online experience, please contact Multi IT & Telephony Solutions.