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At Meta's first Conversations keynote yesterday, the company announced the WhatsApp Cloud API, aimed at improving the customer service experience for businesses of all sizes.

Meta already has the WhatsApp Business API, the first revenue-generating enterprise product for the otherwise free messaging app, where companies pay WhatsApp on a per-message basis and can use the platform to direct customer communications to other lines like SMS, email, other apps, and more.

It's basically another online presence where enterprises can set up shop to make it easier for customers to get in touch. But the WhatsApp Business API is on-premises and would normally need a solutions provider like Twilio to facilitate back-end integration.

WhatsApp counts big names like Vodafone, Coppel, Sears Mexico, BMW, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Iberia Airlines, Itau Brazil, iFood, and Bank Mandiri among its thousands of enterprise clientele.

The WhatsApp Cloud API is essentially a cloud-based version hosted by Meta and primarily aimed at small businesses, reducing the integration time from weeks to minutes, the company said. Like the Business API, the Cloud API is also free to use.

Opening Conversations, a set of announcements concerning Meta's growing portfolio of messaging properties, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said: "The best business experiences meet people where they are. Already more than 1 billion users connect with a business account across our messaging services every week. They're reaching out for help, to find products and services, and to buy anything from big-ticket items to everyday goods. And today, I am excited to announce that we're opening WhatsApp to any business of any size around the world with WhatsApp Cloud API."

As well as getting businesses set up on the platform faster, Meta said the Cloud API would do away with the server expenses previously needed and offer customers new features as they come online.

For those who don't want to use the API, there is also the WhatsApp Business App, launched in 2018, which provides additional functionality like automated quick replies, greeting messages, FAQs, and so on. Meta said that a Premium service with new features such as the ability to manage chats across multiple devices was incoming, with availability and pricing to be revealed at a later date.

Facebook (as was) snapped up WhatsApp in 2014 for a staggering $22 billion, considering that it is a free mobile application without ads that allows users to send unlimited messages to contacts without going through the mobile network or sustaining data fees.

Back then, the service had 450 million users and was losing millions of dollars. It now has more than 2 billion users. This explosive growth is obviously ripe for monetization and the opening up of WhatsApp as a tool for businesses of any size is a sign of how Meta intends to cash in.

Read more from the original source:
Meta to squeeze money from WhatsApp with Cloud API for businesses - The Register

May 23 (Reuters) - A small group of Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) workers voted for unionizing at a studio that works on the popular "Call of Duty" franchise, the second victory in a push to organize the video gaming industry.

Employees in the quality assurance department at Raven Software in Middleton, Wisconsin, voted 19-3 for joining the Communications Workers of America, according to a tally by U.S. National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) officials on Monday. The number of ballots received was 24 of 28 eligible voters. There were two challenged ballots, which is not enough to change the outcome of the vote.

We respect and believe in the right of all employees to decide whether or not to support or vote for a union. We believe that an important decision that will impact the entire Raven Software studio of roughly 350 people should not be made by 19 Raven employees, Activision said in a statement following the vote.

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The win comes amid a surge in labor activity by workers in the tech sector.

In December, Vodeo became the first video game studio in North America with workers to secure union representation.

Employees at an Amazon (AMZN.O) warehouse in Staten Island, New York, recently voted to unionize and workers at an Apple (AAPL.O) store in Atlanta filed a petition for a union election. read more

Workers at more than 50 U.S. Starbucks (SBUX.O) cafes have elected to join Workers United, while five stores voted against the union, out of roughly 240 that have sought to hold elections since last August. read more

"There's certainly a huge amount of energy and optimism, particularly amongst young workers at the moment," said John Logan, a professor of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, adding that there has been an upsurge in labor organizing around the country.

In Wisconsin, the organizers called for a healthier work environment with realistic development timelines, appropriate compensation and career development opportunities in an industry where quality assurance is undervalued, according to the organizers official Twitter account.

"Other workers in the video game industry will be excited and inspired by the success of the Raven Software workers in forming their union. We urge Activision to respect their decision and commit to bargaining a fair contract," said CWA Communications Director Beth Allen said in a statement before the vote.

Microsoft (MSFT.O) announced plans to acquire Activision in January.

Register

Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The rest is here:
Workers at 'Call of Duty' creator Activision Blizzard vote to join union - Reuters

The LG C1 pairs 4K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate with FreeSync and G-Sync for an amazing gaming experience. Image: LG

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval, so if you're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more, this is the place to be.

Our inaugural deals post this week is full of amazing deals, many of which are currently matching their best prices to date. Both the 65-inch and 77-inch models of LGs C1 OLED are on sale for their lowest prices ever at Amazon, for instance, with the 65-inch panel going for $1,596.99 instead of $2,499.99. Other sizes are available for a discount as well, but youll want to direct your attention to either the 65- or 77-inch models for the best value.

While weve never reviewed the C1, several staff members own the 2021 model and cant seem to shut up about it not just because it offers excellent visual fidelity but also because of its list of excellent, gamer-centric features. In addition to 4K resolution and support for Dolby Vision which allows for a spectacular depth of color the C1 has a Game Optimizer feature that allows you to switch between Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, technology that provides an ultra-smooth image for its 120Hz refresh rate. Pair that with the panels 1ms response time, and youve got one of the best TVs for gaming available today.

The C1 also has a number of excellent quality of life features baked in, including support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistants, HDMI 2.1, and Apples AirPlay 2. In total, the LG C1 features four HDMI ports, with a single eARC port, three USB ports, and a single optical audio connection.

An OLED TV loaded with features, including support for 4K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync.

Right now, you can get a free Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 when you buy an unlocked 128GB Samsung S22 Ultra for $949.51 at Amazon. The Galaxy Watch 4 typically goes for $230, and the 128GB version of the S22 Ultra is usually $1,199.99. The S22 has been subject to some fairly substantial discounts since its debut, but the addition of a Galaxy Watch 4 makes this the best value weve seen on this phone to date.

The S22 Ultra is the largest phone Samsung has offered since its Note series (RIP). The phones massive, 6.8-inch screen has a resolution of 1440 x 3088 and is powered by a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which provides excellent responsiveness and performance. The expansive display also comes with Samsungs S Pen, a stylus that conveniently docks within the chassis of the phone, and an impressive camera array that consists of a 108MP standard shooter, a 10MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultrawide. There is also a 40MP front-facing camera for snapping selfies.

Our biggest gripe aside from the lackluster night mode for selfies is the battery, which struggled to make it through the day without needing to be topped off. However, despite its drawbacks, we still consider the S22 Ultra to be an excellent phone and certainly worth a look when a free smartwatch is thrown into the mix.

Note that the model of the Galaxy Watch 4 on offer here features a 44mm face and is the Bluetooth-only configuration of this watch as opposed to the LTE-enabled version. Our consensus on this wearable was a bit mixed, namely due to its reliance on the Samsung ecosystem of apps, but it remains one of the best smartwatches available thanks to its snappy performance and robust health-tracking capabilities. Read our reviews of the S22 Ultra and Galaxy Watch 4.

This 13-inch laptop has a 2560 x 1600 Retina display, and while it may lack a touchscreen, it's still equipped with Apples True Tone technology, which adjusts the color temperature of the screen based on your current lighting environment. In addition to the speedy M1 CPU, which allows the Air to run Intel-based apps in addition to those native to macOS, the Air also includes 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The M1 CPU helps extend the Airs battery life, too, allowing it to operate for up to 18 hours on a single charge.

The slim profile of the MacBook Air only allows for a pair of USB-C ports, but they are both Thunderbolt 4-compatible, which allows the laptop to pair with a dock for additional connectivity. The 720p webcam definitely leaves a bit to be desired, but otherwise, the M1 MacBook Air remains a solid laptop, especially for the college-bound grad. Read our review.

Continued here:
LG's brilliant C1 OLED just hit its lowest price ever on Amazon - The Verge

Data security and users' privacy are the core elements that lie behind all the best VPN software. However, even the most top-notch security features can have some vulnerabilities at times.

Malicious actors can hack VPN servers to steal users' data, for example. Some governments are even passing invasive laws to force providers to hand over this information upon request - that's exactly what's happening in India at the moment.

It's in this context that our top-rated service ExpressVPN has developed its own TrustedServer technology to boost users' data protection. "Because of how it's engineered and the fact that it runs in RAM only, our VPN servers are built from the ground up to ensure no sensitive data is logged, even by accident, and thus not accessible by us or third parties, said ExpressVPN vice president Harold Li.

Let's have a better look at how ExpressVPN's TrustedServer tech works and how it differs from traditional servers.

ExpressVPN developed its own TrustedServer technology in 2019 with the aim of minimizing the risk of users' data being compromised.Not long after its release, independent audit professionals from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) confirmed that the new platform works in compliance with ExpressVPN's Privacy Policy. This means that no connection logs nor activities logs are retained.

A VPN server - whether a physical or virtual one - is a combination of pieces of hardware and software that allow users to connect to a secure private network. It's the VPN server that masks your real IP address, replacing it with one of its own. It's the software running the server, together with the VPN protocol, that's responsible for encrypting your data and traffic.

An industry-first in the market, the top provider builds its very own secure VPN servers platform - all of its 3,000+ are developed upon this technology.

ExpressVPN TrustedServer technology has essentially brought two main important innovations that set them apart from traditional servers.

1. Servers running entirely on RAM: never keep logs

Traditional servers generally run via a hard-disk system. This means that the data is locally retained until it's erased and written over. If the servers are seized or hacked, there's a risk that third parties can access users' sensitive information.

In contrast, TrustedServer technology works on Random Access Memory (RAM). Also called volatile memory, RAM needs power to store data. This means that every time you shut down your device, all the information will vanish, and in the case of servers, nothing is stored on the server after a reboot.

2. Secure and up-to-date code stack: minimize risks of bugs

Another important innovation comes with the way TrustedServers are internally built. Normal servers have their operating system (OS) and software installed the first time these are set up. Every time there's a new update, this is added on top of the existing system. This creates opportunities for differences to arise among servers, meaning that developers cannot be 100% sure that all the servers run with the same secure code.

TrustedServer intends to fix these potential vulnerabilities by running its servers via a single cryptographically signed read-only image. So, every time the server is rebooted, the newest version of the stack (the OS and the VPN infrastructure above it) is loaded as a unique block. In this way, the risk of vulnerabilities and misconfiguration is eliminated. It also means that the server owner - in this case, ExpressVPN - knows exactly how each server is running at all times.

ExpressVPN is the only provider in the market that developed its RAM-only servers in a way that the entire software stack is reinstalled at every connection. However, other services are now running their servers with volatile memory instead of a hard-disk.

It was in 2020 that NordVPN, Surfshark and Private Internet Access upgraded all their servers to be RAM-only. They took further security measures, too. NordVPN is now shipping its own hardware to data centres, for example, while PIA's staff is no longer handling the server setup.

CyberGhost is another big name that made the change from hard-disk to RAM servers. The provider went even further, though. It also offers a few NoSpy servers for extra security. These are built in their Romanian headquarters so that its team manages them internally end-to-end.

Learn how to boost your streaming experience with ExpressVPN MediaStreamer

Get today's best pricing on ExpressVPN

See original here:
ExpressVPN TrustedServer - everything you need to know - TechRadar

Revel is a flexible mobile POS system for numerous reasonsnot just because it lets you manage multiple locations from one system. You can use it on an iPad to take orders tableside, set it up as a kiosk with an iPad stand for customers to place their own orders, or accept online orders. It also works well for several types of businesses, including retail stores and restaurants.

The advanced inventory features by Revel let you manage complex inventories. So, you can manage multiple SKUs, variables, or raw ingredients. Similar to other top ranked POS systems with inventory management, youll get low-stock alerts, so you never oversell. Plus, you can turn your mobile POS system into a handheld barcode scanneruse your phone with the Revel inventory app to scan codes to update inventory quickly.

The price for Revel is a bit higher than other mobile POS solutions at $99 per month (if paid annually), but there are a few caveats. Youll have to sign a three-year contract to get that price. Plus, theres an onboarding fee that starts at $674. To be fair, Revel is a more complicated system, so youll likely be grateful for the installation and onboarding help. Revel offers its own payment processing solution, but despite what the company claims on its site, pricing isnt transparentno fees are published.

Who should use it:

Revel is a pricey mobile POS system, but it may be worth it if you have multiple stores with multiple inventories to manage. Youll have to contact them for a quote on pricing for hardware and payment processing.

See the article here:
The Best Mobile POS Systems Of 2022 - Forbes