Google is once again hiking up the number of people you can video chat with on Duo, only three months after updating the limit to 12 from eight in March. On Google Chrome for desktops, users can now have as many as 32 people in a single group Duo call.
The new 32-person Duo calls are restricted to Google’s own browser since they leverage the latest issue of a technology called WebRTC for offering end-to-end encryption, which is only available on the latest versions of Chrome. Google hasn’t commented on whether it plans to eventually roll it out for other browsers like Firefox yet. We’ve reached out to the company for more information and we’ll update the story when we hear back.
As for mobile, Sanaz Ahari, a senior director of Product & Design at Google, said the new group call limit will arrive for Duo’s Android and iOS apps “over the next couple of weeks.” The new update will put Google Duo on par with FaceTime’s 32-person limit as well.
To make group video calls, all users need to do is head over to Duo’s web app, sign in with their Google accounts, and tap the Create group link button. You can share that link directly with participants or invite them manually.
As demand for video calling platforms spikes across the world, Google has actively rolled out updates for its consumer-facing Duo platform. Two months ago, Google claimed Duo was hosting 10 million new sign-ups per week and that there had been an 8-times surge in video call usage in “regions particularly impacted by social distancing.”
In late April, the company made calls more reliable with a new video codec technology and added a quick button to capture a snapshot of the video call. It also eliminated the mandatory phone number requirement, and users can now have the option to sign up with a Google account. Last month, it rolled out a “family mode” that allows you to apply goofy augmented reality effects and doodle live in one-on-one group chats. In addition, Google is reportedly developing the ability to share your screen on video calls for both Duo’s mobile and web clients.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.