Skype Meet Now is Microsoft's Answer to Zoom Concerns

It's not as easy or fun, but it's available and maybe more secure

by
Rob LeFebvre
Senior News Editor
Rob LeFebvre has been a freelance technology writer for 10 years and an educator for 20. His articles have appeared in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and many others.
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Rob LeFebvre
Published April 6, 2020 01:23PM EDT

Having another alternative to Zoom can only help those worried about privacy and "Zoombombing" issues. Microsoft steps up with its more venerable video conferencing solution in Skype Meet Now.

MacBook Pro with Skype Meet Now screen on it
Original Image: Unsplash

Those worried about Zoom security may want to try out Skype Meet Now, Microsoft's easy-to-use, no-sign-up-necessary version of its venerable video chat app.

How easy is it? All you need to do is head to Microsoft's Meet Now web page, click Create a Free Meeting, then share the link with anyone you want to join your video chat. The link will open Skype if you have it, the web version if not, with no sign-in required. Meetings won't expire, either, so you can share one link and keep it for later use.

Featuring: Microsoft promises free video calling, no sign ups, and no downloads, which could reduce some of the friction of connecting with less tech-savvy family and friends. While you can't put in a fun virtual background like Zoom, Skype's Meet Now lets you blur your background to hide the clutter. You can also record the call and share your screen with whomever is connected.

Bottom Line: In our testing, Skype's Meet Now wasn't as intuitive to use as, say, Zoom or Google Hangouts, but that could change once people use it more. There also doesn't appear to be a Brady Bunch-like grid view, something Zoom does with ease. Ultimately, though, having an alternative with (presumably) more robust security could help you connect with people while you wait for Zoom to fix things.

Via: BGR

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