Tag: iOS

Tech Tip : Alternatives To Microsoft Lens

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Microsoft is retiring its free Lens scanning app, so now is the time to secure your documents and switch to a reliable alternative without losing functionality or control.

Microsoft Lens To Be Removed From iOS and Android App Stores

Microsoft has confirmed that Microsoft Lens will be removed from iOS and Android app stores and eventually disabled for creating new scans, although existing files will remain accessible if the app stays installed and you remain signed in.

Originally launched as Office Lens in 2015, it became widely used in business because it was free, simple and reliable. It allowed users to scan documents, whiteboards and business cards, convert them into searchable PDFs using OCR, and save them locally or to OneDrive, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote.

Microsoft is now directing users towards scanning within Microsoft OneDrive or Microsoft 365 Copilot. However, these do not fully replicate Lens. Features such as business card scanning to OneNote, read-aloud and Immersive Reader integration are not currently available.

For businesses, this means:

– Reviewing document workflows before scanning is disabled
– Exporting important scans before access becomes limited
– Deciding whether cloud-only storage via OneDrive is acceptable
– Considering alternative scanning apps for flexibility.

What to do now

– Export your existing scans
– Open Microsoft Lens
– Save each scan as a PDF
– Store a local copy
– Back up to your chosen cloud storage
– Confirm files open independently of the app.

Switch to OneDrive scanning

– Open the OneDrive app
– Tap the + button
– Select Scan
– Capture your document
– Save to your chosen folder.

Be aware that OneDrive does not support local-only storage.

Use a free alternative – here are some options (please note, these are suggestions and not recommendations).

Adobe Scan

– Download the app
– Sign in with a free account
– Scan documents using the camera
– Save as PDF
– Export to local or cloud storage

Genius Scan

– Install the app
– Capture documents
– Adjust borders
– Export as PDF
– Save locally or to your preferred cloud.

Google Drive (Android)

– Tap +
– Select Scan
– Save as PDF.

The key point is portability. Export everything as standard PDFs, keep copies outside any single app, and avoid relying on proprietary storage. That way, when Microsoft Lens closes, your documents and your workflow remain firmly under your control.

Tech Tip – Filter WhatsApp Chats with Custom Lists

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Need to organise your chats more effectively? WhatsApp now lets you create custom filters like “Clients” or “Team” so your most important conversations are always easy to find.

How to:

– In WhatsApp, go to the ⋯ menu (Android) or Settings (iOS).
– Tap ‘Chats > Filter chats > Custom List’.
– Select the chats you want included and give the list a name.

What it’s for:

Keeps client or project conversations instantly accessible so there’s no scrolling through dozens of unrelated chats. Ideal for busy professionals managing multiple threads.

Pro‑Tip: You can update or rename lists as your work changes so your filters stay relevant and easy to use.

Security Stop-Press: Privacy Concerns Over Apple’s Photo Analysis

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Apple is under fire for enabling its Enhanced Visual Search feature by default on iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 devices, analysing users’ photos for landmarks without prior notice or consent.

The feature uses local machine learning to identify landmarks in photos, encrypts the data, and sends it to Apple’s servers for matching against a global database. Apple claims privacy is safeguarded through homomorphic encryption, differential privacy, and Oblivious HTTP (OHTTP) relays, ensuring it cannot access photo contents or user data.

Critics, however, have flagged transparency and consent issues, suggested that Apple has taken the choice out of users’ hands, and expressed frustration over an alleged lack of timely communication. Concerns have also been raised about metadata possibly being processed before users can disable the feature, even for non-iCloud photos.

Businesses can prevent similar privacy issues by communicating transparently about new features, requiring explicit consent for data sharing, and giving users clear control over their data to build trust and ensure compliance.

An Apple Byte : New Features In Upcoming iOS 18.2 Update

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Apple is set to release a new wave of AI-powered features in its upcoming iOS 18.2 update, with a focus on enhancing Siri and other key apps through advanced intelligence tools.

The new “Apple Intelligence” features will be available on supported devices later this year, with iOS 18.2 marking the introduction of several key enhancements. While some features will roll out in iOS 18.1, the more highly anticipated tools, such as advanced image generation and personalised Siri requests, are expected in later updates.

Among the standout features arriving in iOS 18.2 or later is “Genmoji”, which allows users to create custom emojis through a simple text description. There’s also ChatGPT integration, which will enable more intuitive and natural responses from Siri, as well as the use of AI writing tools. Another exciting feature is the “Image Playground”, which offers users the ability to generate original images in various styles. This set of tools could fundamentally reshape the way users interact with their devices.

Siri is also receiving significant upgrades. For example, users will soon be able to reference personal context in requests, like asking about a specific meeting or book recommendation. A new “Siri on-screen awareness” feature will allow Siri to act on the information currently displayed on the screen, making it even more intuitive. Also, hundreds of new in-app and cross-app actions will enhance Siri’s versatility, giving users more control over their apps.

The iOS 18.2 update will also introduce better organisation features in the Mail app, with automatic sorting of emails based on their content into different categories. On the visual intelligence front, iPhone 16 users will benefit from “Camera Control”, a tool capable of identifying real-world objects and providing key details.

Looking ahead, Apple has committed to expanding its Apple Intelligence features to more languages. While iOS 18.1 will only support US English, iOS 18.2 will extend this to other English-speaking regions like the UK, Australia, and South Africa. Further language support is expected to arrive in 2025.

With iOS 18.2, Apple is laying the groundwork for a more intelligent, user-centric iPhone experience. As the company plans regular updates, users can expect these AI-driven features to evolve quickly, especially for those participating in the beta programme.

Summer Apple Pips : 10 Top iPhone Tricks

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Here are 10 top iPhone tips / tricks you may not know about that could make your life easier and help you to be more productive:

1. Digitally Sign Documents

Gone are the days when you needed a printer or scanner to sign important documents. With your iPhone, you can quickly add your signature to any document. Simply take a screenshot of the document, tap the preview thumbnail that appears, and select the Plus icon on the bottom right. From there, choose “Signature” and either draw a new signature or use a stored one. Once you’ve positioned and resized your signature, save the document to share it digitally.

2. Set Up Keyboard Shortcuts for Frequently Used Phrases

If you find yourself repeatedly typing the same phrases, save time by setting up keyboard shortcuts. Navigate to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap the plus icon to create a new shortcut, then enter the phrase and a corresponding abbreviation. Now, when you type the abbreviation, your iPhone will automatically expand it to the full phrase. This is especially useful for commonly used business phrases or contact information.

3. Turn Your Keyboard into a Trackpad

Need to edit a text message or email with precision? You can convert your iPhone’s keyboard into a trackpad (like a mousepad on a laptop) by holding down the spacebar. As you press, the keys will disappear, allowing you to move the cursor with your finger. This feature makes it easier to navigate and edit text without having to tap directly on the screen.

4. Extract Text from Photos and Videos

With iPhone’s Live Text feature, you can quickly extract and interact with text found in photos or paused video frames. Simply open the image or video, tap the Live Text icon, and the text will be highlighted. You can then copy, paste, or interact with the text—whether it’s translating a foreign language, dialing a phone number, or visiting a URL. This is a powerful tool for capturing and utilising information on the go.

5. Broadcast Your Screen During Presentations

When you need to share your iPhone screen during a virtual meeting, you can easily do so by using the screen recording feature. Access the Control Centre and long-press the Screen Recording button. You’ll be able to choose an app like Zoom, Google Meet, or Skype to broadcast your screen directly. This is a seamless way to share presentations, demonstrate apps, or provide training sessions remotely.

6. Enhance Audio Quality in Voice Memos

If you often use the Voice Memos app to record meetings, interviews, or notes, you can significantly improve the audio quality by reducing background noise. After recording, tap the equaliser icon and toggle on “Enhance Recording.” This feature filters out ambient noise, ensuring your voice is clear and professional, making your recordings more useful for later reference.

7. Customise Safari Settings for Specific Websites

Not all websites are created equal and some may require different settings for optimal viewing. In Safari, you can tailor the appearance and functionality for individual sites. While browsing, tap the AA icon in the address bar to adjust the font size, enable Reader mode, or choose to always view the desktop version of the site. This feature ensures a consistent and comfortable browsing experience, especially when working with content-heavy websites.

8. Efficiently Move Multiple Apps at Once

Reorganising your home screen doesn’t have to be a tedious process. Instead of moving apps one by one, you can select multiple apps simultaneously. Press and hold one app until it starts to wiggle, then tap additional apps with another finger to create a group. You can then drag this group to a new location or page on your home screen, saving you time and effort.

9. Scan and Save Documents with the Notes App

The Notes app on your iPhone doubles as a portable scanner, making it easy to digitise documents. Open a new note, tap the camera icon, and select “Scan Documents.” The app will automatically detect the edges of the document and capture a clear, high-quality scan. This feature is invaluable for quickly saving and sharing contracts, receipts, or any other important paperwork while on the move.

10. Silence Unknown Callers to Minimise Distractions

If you’re tired of being interrupted by unwanted calls, you can enable the “Silence Unknown Callers” feature. Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers, and any number not in your contacts will be automatically directed to voicemail. You’ll still receive a notification of the missed call, and the number will appear in your Recents list. This feature helps you stay focused on important tasks without unnecessary interruptions.

These 10 tips should help you make the most of your iPhone, boost your productivity, and streamline your daily tasks.

Featured Article : Apple Avalanche!

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Following Apple’s 5-day Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24) last week at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, we take a look at the many new products announced and their key features.

Showcasing New Products 

At Apple’s WWDC24 from June 10 to June 14, Apple showcased a variety of updates and advancements across its software platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Key announcements included significant updates for iOS 18 and macOS 15, as well as new AI integrations and improvements to built-in apps like Photos and Apple Music. Crucially, the conference also highlighted Apple’s commitment to AI technologies and its plans to integrate generative AI capabilities into its devices.

Let’s take a look at the key product and other announcements from WWDC24:

iOS 18 

iOS 18, Apple’s latest iOS for iPhones introduces several significant updates, including a more customisable home screen, a redesigned Photos app with AI-powered editing tools, RCS support in Messages for improved cross-platform communication, and enhancements to the Mail, Calendar, and Maps apps. All these improvements are around making the iPhone more intuitive and powerful for users. Also, the Control Centre has now been revamped to feature a multipage layout with third-party widgets.

One other fun new feature for iOS 18 around user-personalisation will be the ability for iPhone users to make their conversations more enjoyable by creating AI images of people they’re messaging with in a way that’s similar to an AI-upgraded Bitmoji.

iPhones To Use Satellites 

There was also the announcement at WWDC 24 that with iOS 18, iPhone users will be able to send messages via satellite. This feature, available on iPhone 14 models and later, expands upon the existing Emergency SOS via satellite capability. It allows users to send and receive iMessages and SMS texts, including emoji and Tapbacks, even when they are out of range of cellular and Wi-Fi networks.

macOS Sequoia 

Apple’s macOS Sequoia, the latest version of its OS for Macs has been given a range of new features including a new Passwords app, redesigned Reader view in Safari with machine learning integration, upgrades to Messages and Notes, and improved window management. The update also includes enhancements to Continuity, such as iPhone Mirroring. With iPhone Mirroring, (through macOS’ Continuity feature), users can mirror their iPhone’s screen and control it from their Mac laptop or desktop.

All this should mean enhanced user productivity and convenience (better password management), a smarter browsing experience, more efficient multitasking, and improved messaging and note-taking capabilities

iPadOS 18 

iPadOS 18 brings updates to the Notes app, including support for Math Notes and a new Calculator app that supports Apple Pencil. It also introduces a floating tab bar for better navigation and similar home screen customisation options to iOS 18.

watchOS 11 

watchOS 11, the latest version of Apple’s operating system for Apple Watch, adds a redesigned Photos face, a new Translate app, and enhancements to the Fitness app, including a Training Load feature and a customisable Summary mode. It also introduces the Vitals app for health monitoring. The hope is that these new features will provide users with a more personalised and comprehensive fitness and health tracking experience, and a more intuitive and visually engaging interface.

tvOS 18 

tvOS 18, the latest version of Apple’s OS for Apple TV includes AI-enhanced subtitles, Amazon X-Ray-style information while watching, and clearer dialogue options, improving the viewing experience on Apple TV 4K.

‘InSight’ For Apple TV+ 

Those who use Apple TV+ may be pleased with the new InSight feature that displays actors’ names and song titles as they appear on the screen and is similar to Amazon’s X-Ray technology. Also, like Shazam, it highlights the song playing in the TV show or film and, as you may expect, then gives the user the option to add it to their Apple Music playlist.

visionOS 2 

Apple’s OS for the Vision Pro headset, visionOS 2, has received upgrades to enhance the Vision Pro experience with new developer frameworks, an international launch schedule, and improved virtual display features. It also introduces new gestures and SharePlay support in the Photos app. For example, it will allow photos to be transformed into interactive experiences using AI. Notably, users will be able to turn existing images into spatial photos (including photos captured on older devices).

New navigation gestures are also being introduced, and it supports higher resolution and larger virtual displays for connected Macs.

Improvements also include new developer tools like volumetric APIs and TabletopKit for games, adds train support in travel mode, and expands content with new 180-degree 8K video formats through partnerships with content creators.

New Markets For Vision Pro Headsets Announced

Accompanying the news of the upgraded features in visionOS 2, Apple has also announced that it will be making its Vision Pro headset available in eight new countries – China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the UK, and that the first release of the headset will be in China, Japan, and Singapore on June 28.

Apple Intelligence 

The most significant announcement from WWDC24 is the introduction of Apple Intelligence, a new AI initiative aimed at integrating personal and private AI capabilities across Apple’s ecosystem. There was some concern that Apple has fallen behind in AI and its announcement that it is partnering with OpenAI to include its technology and ChatGPT, which prompted an angry reaction on X by Elon Musk (citing privacy concerns – although possibly more about competition concerns) is a significant strategic shift for Apple.

Apple Intelligence includes, for example, significant upgrades to Siri (as outlined below), making interactions more natural and advanced, and other functionalities with advanced, personal, and private AI capabilities. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, described Apple Intelligence as “the next frontier” in personal AI and explained that the reason why it is so effective is that it will be able to “understand you and be grounded in your personal context, like your routine, your relationships, your communications and more”. 

Siri Upgrade 

The new Apple Intelligence AI initiative has meant that Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, has received a substantial upgrade. The AI enhancements make Siri more conversational and contextually aware, so it can handle more complex tasks and understand a wider variety of requests. This should include being able to summarise incoming messages, executing commands across multiple apps, and integrating more naturally with users’ daily activities. Apple has also emphasised how most processing will be done ‘on-device’ to help user privacy.

One significant announcement is, of course, that Siri will also be one of the apps that will be able to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT for “expertise”. Tapping into ChatGPT will also mean that users will also be able to include photos with questions for ChatGPT (via Siri) and even ask questions related to docs or PDFs.

Developers And Siri 

It’s also worth noting here that Siri’s new capabilities will also allow developers to enable voice command access to any app menu items and displayed text without additional coding. This means users can issue commands like “show my presenter notes” in a slide deck or “FaceTime him” from a reminder, enhancing app functionality through natural language interactions and improving user experience.

Next-Generation CarPlay 

Apple provided an updated look at the next-generation CarPlay system, the in-car system that allows users to integrate their iPhone with their vehicle’s infotainment system. The improvements include new Vehicle, Media, and Climate apps, designed to offer a more integrated and enhanced user experience.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The WWDC24 announcements appear to signify a transformative phase for Apple, with their belated yet determined and substantial adoption of AI all the way through their entire estate standing out as a strategic pivot. This initiative, which includes a partnership with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enhances Siri’s capabilities, making it more contextually aware and conversational. For business users, this means more efficient and natural interactions with their devices, potentially improving productivity and streamlining workflows.

The upgrades across iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS collectively may create a more cohesive and powerful Apple ecosystem. For instance, iOS 18’s customisation options and AI-powered tools should make iPhones more versatile and user-friendly, while macOS Sequoia’s new features may enhance productivity through smarter password management, improved multitasking, and seamless integration with iPhones. These improvements could help businesses better manage their digital environments, ensuring that employees can work more efficiently and securely.

The introduction of Messages via satellite with iOS 18 is significant for businesses operating in remote areas or in sectors where connectivity is often an issue, such as logistics, construction, and outdoor events, i.e. ensuring continuous communication, which is crucial for operational efficiency and safety.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset and the enhanced visionOS 2 signals a move towards more immersive and interactive experiences. For industries such as design, training, and presentations, the ability to turn photos into interactive experiences and use spatial navigation may offer new ways to engage and educate. The expanded international availability of the Vision Pro headset may also open up new markets and opportunities for businesses worldwide.

The updates to watchOS 11, with enhanced fitness and health tracking capabilities, emphasises Apple’s commitment to health and wellness, which may be particularly beneficial for businesses focusing on employee well-being and productivity. The new features in tvOS 18, such as AI-enhanced subtitles and detailed information while watching, enhance the user experience for both personal and professional usage, perhaps making Apple TV a more compelling option, e.g. for business presentations and entertainment.

Overall, Apple’s latest announcements reflect a strategic effort to integrate advanced AI and machine learning technologies across its product range. This not only addresses fears of Apple lagging behind in AI but this could even position Apple as a leader in the AI space. It also offers business users innovative tools to enhance productivity, connectivity, and user-engagement. By leveraging the advancements outlined by Apple at WWDC24, businesses could improve their operational efficiency, employee satisfaction, and customer interactions, which may ultimately give Apple a stronger foothold in the competitive tech marketplace.

An Apple Byte : New Standalone Apple Password Manager App

Posted on by Paul Stradling

At Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24), the company announced the launch of its new, standalone, homegrown, password manager app for iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, Mac and Windows.

The free app, simply called ‘Passwords’, an extension of Apple’s iCloud Keychain feature, is set to debut with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15, and is designed to streamline and enhance password management for Apple users.

The ‘Passwords’ app can store and sync passwords, passkeys, and two-factor authentication codes across Apple devices and Windows PCs, organise logins into categories, autofill usernames and passwords, and generate new passwords. Apple’s new ‘Passwords’ app is already being hailed as a rival to password managers like 1Password, LastPass, and Dashlane.

Tech News : Microsoft/Truecaller Now Answers Phone Using Your Voice

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A new partnership means that Truecaller’s AI Assistant can use Microsoft Azure AI Speech technology to enable Truecaller to answer your phone (via the Truecaller app) using an authentic AI version of your voice.

Truecaller 

Truecaller is a mobile app, available on iOS and Android, that offers caller identification, call blocking, and spam filtering services. It also provides features like call recording, chat, and contact management. Truecaller is based in Stockholm and was founded in 2009 and is now believed to have over 383 million users globally.

Microsoft’s Speech Technology – Answers In Your Voice 

The Microsoft Azure AI Speech technology (that as part of the new partnership enables Truecaller to answer the phone using an AI version of the user’s voice) is Microsoft’s ‘Personal Voice’. Launched in November 2023 and updating the existing ‘Custom neural voice’, the new ‘Personal Voice’ feature means that paid users of Truecaller’s Assistant (AI) “can get AI replicating their voice in a few seconds by providing a 1-minute speech sample as the audio prompt, and then use it to generate speech in any of the 100 languages supported”. 

Integrated With The Truecaller Assistant – How It Works 

Microsoft describes how ‘Personal Voice’ works when integrated with Truecaller’s Assistant, saying: “The Truecaller Assistant answers users’ calls and asks questions for the users, detecting spam and letting the users know if the call is worth answering.” 

Truecaller’s Product Director & General Manager, Raphael Mimoun, explains that “The personal voice feature allows our users to use their own voice, enabling the digital assistant to sound just like them when handling incoming calls.”

Why? 

Truecaller says being able to use an AI version of the user’s voice “adds a touch of familiarity and comfort for the user”, and Microsoft says it “provides a fully personalised voice experience” and it will “will revolutionise the way our users manage their calls and elevate their overall experience with Truecaller Assistant”. 

Limitations 

It’s been reported that although Truecaller’s Assistant usually gives the option to edit the introductory greeting template for callers, this option will be restricted if users opt for their personal voice instead of a system-generated one. That said, it’s understood that follow-up responses can be customised, based on user preferences.

Introduced in China Too 

Microsoft’s Personal Voice feature was developed with Haier, a leading IoT Smart Living brand in China, and the new Personal Voice feature has now been added to Haier’s service so that its users can create AI versions of their family’s voices to control and use home appliances via intelligent speakers.

Truecaller – More In Future 

Truecaller has indicated that it intends to work with Microsoft in future to enhance its products with AI. For example, Truecaller’s Raphael Mimoun said: “We look forward to further exploring the potential of AI-powered voice technologies in partnership with Microsoft and delivering even more innovative solutions to our global user base.”   

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

The collaboration between Truecaller and Microsoft to integrate Azure AI Speech technology into Truecaller’s app can be seen as a significant advancement in AI-driven customer interaction tools. For Truecaller, this partnership enhances its service offering by leveraging cutting-edge AI to create a more personalised and seamless experience for users. The ability to replicate a user’s voice with AI not only adds a unique touch of familiarity but also sets Truecaller apart from its competitors in the call management and spam detection market. This innovation also aligns with Truecaller’s commitment towards continually improving its user experience and expanding its global reach.

For Microsoft, this partnership underscores the versatility and power of its Azure AI Speech technology. By enabling Truecaller to offer AI-generated voice capabilities, Microsoft showcases its ability to provide scalable, advanced AI solutions that can be integrated into various applications. This collaboration not only strengthens Microsoft’s position in the AI market but also opens up new avenues for the deployment of its technology across different industries and usage cases.

For businesses using Truecaller, the integration of AI-generated personal voices could transform how they manage incoming calls. For example, this technology allows for a more efficient and personalised customer interaction, potentially reducing the burden on customer service teams and improving the overall customer experience. By ensuring that calls are answered in a familiar voice, businesses can also maintain a personal touch, even when calls are handled by an AI. Also, the continued partnership between Truecaller and Microsoft hints at the possibility of even more sophisticated AI-driven features in the future, which could further streamline communication processes and enhance business operations.

Looking ahead, the potential for further AI integrations is vast. Businesses might see developments such as AI-driven analytics providing deeper insights into call patterns and customer behaviour, or enhanced automation features that could seamlessly integrate with other business systems. The ongoing advancements in AI technology promise to bring about more intelligent and adaptive solutions, helping businesses stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape. As Truecaller and Microsoft continue to innovate, businesses can look forward to leveraging these technologies to enhance efficiency, improve customer engagement, and drive growth.

Tech News : Chrome’s Real-Time Safe Browsing Change

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Google has announced the introduction of real-time, privacy-preserving URL protection to Google Safe Browsing for those using Chrome on desktop or iOS (and Android later this month).

Why? 

Google says with attacks constantly evolving, and with the difference between successfully detecting a threat or not now perhaps being just a “matter of minutes,” this new measure has been introduced “to keep up with the increasing pace of hackers.” 

Not Even Google Will Know Which Websites You’re Visiting 

Google says because this new capability uses encryption and other privacy-enhancing techniques, the level of privacy and security is such that no one, including Google, will know what website you’re visiting.

What Was Happening Before? 

Prior to the addition of the new real-time protection, Google’s Standard protection mode of Safe Browsing relied upon a list stored on the user’s device to check if a site or file was known to be potentially dangerous. The list was updated every 30 to 60 minutes. However, as Google now admits, the average malicious site only actually exists for less than 10 minutes – hence the need for a real-time, server-side list solution.

Another challenge that has necessitated the introduction of a server-side real-time solution is the fact that Safe Browsing’s list of harmful websites continues to grow rapidly and not all devices have the resources necessary to maintain this growing list, nor to receive and apply the required updates to the list.

Extra Phishing Protection 

Google says it expects this new real-time protection capability to be able to block 25 per cent more phishing attempts.

Partnership With Fastly 

Google says that the new enhanced level of privacy between Chrome and Safe Browsing has been achieved through a partnership with edge computing and security company Fastly.

Like Enhanced Mode 

In its announcement of the new capability, Google also highlighted the similarity between the new feature and Google’s existing ‘Enhanced Protection Mode’ (in Safe Browsing) which also uses a real-time list to compare the URLs customers visit against. However, the opt-in Enhanced Protection also uses “AI to block attacks, provides deep file scans and offers extra protection from malicious Chrome extensions.” 

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

As noted by Google, the evolving, increasing number of cyber threats, the fact that malicious sites are only around for a few minutes, and that many devices don’t have the resources on board to handle a growing security list (and updates) have necessitated a better security solution. Having the list of suspect sites server-side and offering real-time improved protection kills a few birds with one stone, allows Google a more efficient (and hopefully effective) way to increase its level of security and privacy. It’s also a way for Google to plug a security gap for those who have not taken the opportunity to opt-in to its Enhance Protection Mode since its introduction last year.

For business users and other users of Chrome, the chance to get a massive (estimated) 25 per cent increase in phishing protection without having to do much or pay extra must be attractive. For example, with phishing accounting for 60 per cent of social engineering attacks and, according to a recent Zscaler report, phishing attacks growing by a massive 47 per cent last year, businesses are likely to welcome any fast, easy, extra phishing protection they can get.

Tech News : Google Waits On Hold For You Until A Human Answers

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Google’s new “Talk to a Live Representative” feature will call a business for you, wait on hold for you, and call you when a human representative is available.

Being Tested 

Similar to Google Pixel’s existing “Hold for Me” feature, “Talk to a Live Representative” is currently in testing in the US by Google’s Search Labs members (those who experiment with early-stage Google Search products) on the Google app (Android and iOS) and desktop Chrome. Following (successful) testing it’s been reported that the feature will be made available for all search users, i.e. on all devices, not just on Google Pixel phones.

Improved Version of Hold For Me 

Although “Talk to a Live Representative” is similar to “Hold for Me,” where the Google Assistant waits on hold for you and notifies you when the support representative is ready to speak with you, it’s slightly improved in that it handles the entire process and shortens it. For example, “Talk to a Live Representative” proactively calls the business on your behalf in the first place and asks you the reason for the call so the customer service representative will already know why you’re calling.

In short, the one major time and hassle-saving point of the “Talk to a Live Representative” feature is that you only need to actually pick up your phone when a human at the company is available to talk to you.

‘Request A Call’ Button 

Users will know if they can use the feature to call a business’s customer service number because Google will display a “Request a call” button next to its search listing if that business is supported. The button can then be used to select the reason for your call and Google texts you with updates about its progress and calls you when a human customer representative becomes available.

Some Companies Already Supported 

Although the customer service numbers for some companies are already supported by the new feature, it’s perhaps not surprising that these few are large, mostly US-based companies such as airlines (Delta and Alaska Airlines), retail giants (Costco and Walmart) and others including Samsung, ADT, UPS, FedEx, DHL, and more.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

Although this is an updated/improved existing product being rolled out to a much wider market beyond Pixel phone users, it will be easy for any businessperson to see its potential value. Most of us will have experienced the frustration and inconvenience of having to be made to wait a long time on hold on customer service numbers (often being cut off) whilst also being distracted, having our attention divided, and feeling stressed by having to monitor the phone to make sure we don’t miss the opportunity when it’s answered.

Provided it gets successfully through the testing phase and does what it says on the tin, “Talk to a Live Representative” sounds like a feature that could be of real, practical use to UK businesses large and small. It sounds as though it could save businesses time, hassle, and stress and help them to concentrate more on their work, and help minimise disruption. Unfortunately, there’s no clear date for its general roll-out … if only Google could call us when the feature’s ready to use.