Webex Meetings for iPad rolls out Picture in Picture support

Source: Cisco

The feature first showed up last month, but Cisco wants you to know that its Webex Meetings app now supports Picture in Picture on iPadOS. Now, when you're in a meeting in the app, you can exit the app and still see the meeting window in PiP mode while trying to get other tasks done on other apps. To enable the feature, you just need to tap on the Picture in Picture button once, so the video screen scales down to the corner of your iPad. 

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Microsoft fixes Windows 10 October 2018 update for Morphisec, Cisco users

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Microsoft has just fixed the issues Morphisec and Cisco users have experienced with the October 2018 update of Windows 10. Those who use Morphisec’s security software and Cisco AMP can now try installing the October update again. But the company has a few conditions before users should attempt to upgrade again.

Morphisec Protector users need to have at least version 2.4.8 to update. While Cisco AMP for Endpoints users need at least version 6.2.3.10814 before reinstalling the update. The upgrade block still exists for versions earlier than these versions. If you want to see the other remaining known issues with the update, you can check it out over at this link.

Source: MSPowerUser

Cisco to lay off at least 5,500 employees

Photo courtesy of Sky News

Networking equipment company Cisco is making the shift from hardware to software and with it they’ll be losing seven percent of their workforce or at least 5,500 employees. There will be 70,000 employees remaining after the job cuts happen during the first fiscal quarter of 2017. The company made the announcement during its fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday afternoon. The layoffs could’ve been worse though as earlier claims said Cisco was supposedly going to let go as many as 14,000 employees.

Sales for the company grew two percent year-over-year (excluding a video unit) to US$12.6 billion during a quarter. Its stock was down 1.3 percent on Wednesday. It’s still going to be challenging for Cisco going forward as product or hardware make up almost half the company’s sales and three-fourths of its revenue in the last quarter. Meanwhile, its security business—which is its fastest growing segment—still represents four percent of its sales. It’s up 16 percent year-over-year or was worth $540 million during the quarter.

Source: Recode + Mashable

Microsoft, Intel, Samsung team up for smart home alliance

One of the biggest hurdles for a truly smart home is that your appliances and devices don't really talk to each other, so to speak. There are competing protocols and proprietary ecosystems by different companies, which make it hard for the devices to communicate, if they aren't from the same brand. But some big tech brands are banding together to hopefully solve this issue. The Open Connectivity Foundation includes members like Microsoft, Intel, Samsung, Qualcomm, Cisco, and GE Digital, to name a few. They want to create open-source protocols that can be implemented by any manufacturer, regardless of chipset or operating system. So, in an ideal world your different appliances from different brands can talk to each other.

A big challenge for the alliance though is that key players in the industry like Apple, Google, WeMo, and Philips are not members. Apple is pushing its own HomeKit system, which, of course, only works for iOS devices. Google hasn't gotten Brillo off the ground yet but it has its own implementation, too. We can't really say if these companies will even be willing to consider to partner up with OCF, it would be quite helpful though if they do.

Source: Engadget