Zoom Video Communications, the online meeting software that boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, is aiming for a new burst of growth. Analysts are divided on how likely Zoom Video will get it.

Zoom Video Hunts for New Growth. Analysts Say It’s Possible but Not Certain. - Barrons

Zoom Video Communications raised its annual revenue and profit forecasts on Monday, as hybrid work trends and the integration of artificial intelligence technology into its products boosted demand.

Zoom lifts annual results forecast as AI features boost demand | Reuters

Bloomberg delivers business and markets news, data, analysis, and video to the world, featuring stories from Businessweek and Bloomberg News

Zoom Reports Sales That Beat Estimates on Business Customers

Shares of Zoom Video Communications Inc. moved higher in after-hours trading on Monday after the videoconferencing platform raised its full-year sales and...

Zoom shares jump after company raises sales and profit forecast - MarketWatch

Zoom Video Communications Inc (NASDAQ:ZM) shares remained on the front foot, up 0.5% in premarket, as upgraded guidance offset some disappointment over the...

Zoom trades higher thanks to guidance upgrade | NASDAQ:ZM

The stock of Zoom Video Communications Inc (ZM) has seen a -3.48% decrease in the past week, with a -14.45% drop in the past month, and a -14.18% decrease in the past quarter. The volatility ratio for the week is 2.44%, and the volatility levels for the ...

Zoom Video Communications Inc (ZM) Stock: A Study of the Market Performance

Managers are right, back-to-back Zoom calls really are less useful than in-person meetings - and the latest scientific research backs this.

Zoom calls are an ‘impoverished’ communication system that don’t light up the brain like in-person meetings, scientists say

Your brain activity literally drops when you have a Zoom meeting, research from Yale scientists finds

Video interface innovator Magewell today announced that the company’s popular USB Capture HDMI and USB Capture HDMI Plus external video capture devices have been certified by Zoom for wired content capture with Zoom Rooms.

Magewell Earns Zoom Certification for Popular USB Capture Devices

Collaboration and communications company’s generative AI assistant sees expanded support for 32 more languages and added capabilities for events, in-meeting questions and meeting coaching.

Zoom extends AI Companion as it hits million meetings milestone for summaries

Zoom Video Communications

zoom-video-communications

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues in several countries, causing notable modifications to occur in workplaces; organizations are grabbing on to artificial intelligence, IoT services and as-a-service (aaS) models to conform to the fast-emerging realities. Therefore, only an alternative approach of collaboration can stimulate the clattered productivity and effectiveness of the global workforce in an enterprise, as these changes are sure to have a lasting influence on future workplace practices. Enterprises are looking for a method of transferring employee dependence on physical hardware and allocating increased investment into the software sphere, this is where UCaaS is implemented. What Is Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)? UCaaS is an enterprise-focussed service dedicated to streamlining the transmission of communication through cloud-based services. Unified Communications as a Service offer organizations innovative features, integration potentialities and functionality that would not have been feasible with conventional communication systems. While “UC” stands for Unified Communications, the 'as a service' features of the technology implies that it can administer unified communications anywhere, at any time, over the cloud. UCaaS eradicates the necessity for expensive IT infrastructure and the support of a full IT team by implementing UC on the back-end which can be done by Cloud service providers. Before the cloud-integrated technologies, telecom service providers offered IP Centrex and Hosted communications services. These were practically similar to the current UCaaS capability, except for the fact that “virtualization” has determined that the distribution of unified communication as a service is so much more compelling. A few examples of prominent UCaaS providers include Twilio, Voxbone, 8x8 and Zoom Video Communications. How The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Accelerating Cloud Adoption The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is proffering a unique possibility where business administrators, globally, have to promptly enable their workforces to operate remotely for an extensive period. Consequently, enterprises are including remote work practices, where collaboration holds the solution to meet the expectations among the administration and employees. According to Future Market Insights, the Coronavirus pandemic is anticipated to expedite cloud adoption, not only as a technological adaptation but also as an operating model. Several large and medium enterprises all across the globe are acknowledging the boundaries of their current environments and struggling with the effect of the pandemic on their businesses. In response to the current scenario, UCaaS solution providers and companies are taking appropriate actions to satisfy consumer demand for cloud usage, due to the sudden shift to a remote-first workforce. Moreover, Unified communication as a service (UCaaS) market is expected to grow exponentially and witness an upsurge in demand citing the Coronavirus pandemic, as remote working has become the current norm. The Benefit Of UCaaS Under The Current Scenario By implementing unified communications through cloud-based services providers, an enterprise can minimize hardware expenses, improve work from home efficiencies, therefore enhancing employee productivity. As is oft-touted, UCaaS enables businesses the possibility to: Promptly achieve advanced features and functions with moderate CAPEX Integrated connection center and quicker customer management capabilities Diminish the hazard of technology obsolescence Gain access to proficient outsourcing organizations, bypassing ownership and operation Software development companies can enhance team collaboration and workstream collaboration specialities Change IT staff responsibilities to more substantial projects Increase resource collaboration when working away from the office and keep them updated with business developments AI and machine learning with advanced features such as intelligent call routing Enterprises can remotely manage and administer systems, users, and employee work collaboration Workplace management with IoT services, multimedia messages and online messaging How Different As-a-Service (aaS) Products Are Emerging Nowadays The COVID-19 has thrust the “future of work” to the forefront of revolution with shocking speed, from the rise of robots and the trends in IoT services to machine learning and Artificial Intelligence. All these inclinations point to an innovative world that’s shaping up quite distinctively from anything we’ve ever seen, or worked in, before. While Unified Communications evolves, its main objective currently is to integrate enterprise communication tools so that collaboration can be made simple. These tools combine real-time monitoring, video calling, instant messaging, desktop sharing, and web/mobile applications. With the use of UC, all these technologies can be combined into one neat little but major package. Here are the different As-a-Service (aaS) products that provide a consistent user experience. United Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Just like SaaS, UCaaS empowers enterprises to only spend on what they require and utilize. In essence, UCaaS presents both communication and collaboration by cloud integration, thereby experiencing instant connections across several devices. Communications Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) Along with UCaaS, enterprises are now considering CPaaS, the Communications Platform-as-a-Service technology. CPaaS provides several of the communicative tools as the UCaaS framework but grants them as objects that can be integrated via APIs into the core applications of an enterprise. Contact Center as-a-Service (CCaaS) CCaaS, as the name indicates can develop enhanced customer service experience. As a result, some collaboration technologies featured in UCaaS and CPaaS typically overlap with the features by CCaaS. By using all three 'as-a-Service' models, enterprises can overcome the impact COVID-19 has on the interaction and collaboration between employees or businesses. The Rise of Technology During Covid-19 Pandemic The intense competition and increasing consumer expectations are reconstructing the dynamics of Unified communication as a service (UCaaS) technology, encouraging solution providers to innovate and enhance their customer engagement. The prompt transition among consumers towards cloud communication is stressing for the necessity for improved customer productivity and network flexibility and is proposing possibilities for exceptional communication and collaboration tools. The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as an unprecedented challenge for humankind as various sectors, industries, and individuals attempts to mitigate the uncertainties associated with it. From a business perspective, it bodes for enterprises to switch to remote working, , and implement the different models of Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS). adopt the latest IoT services The impact is felt everywhere, right from human interactions, workplace practices, remote working, and has also affected our leisure time. The circumstance has driven various sectors into a novel era whether it’s how to manage collaboration while working remotely, how to minimize interaction with trending IoT services and also how to minimize the spread of COVID while keeping the workforce engaged and operational in general.

How the Pandemic Has Driven the Rise of Collaboration Through UCaas

I have news for you: the epidemic of the COVID-19 will pass. Like other global shocks and disasters, it has its expiration date. But, like all significant events, it will change our life. You can argue for a long time about the degree of its danger, the need for certain measures, but one thing is obvious: it has already influenced our everyday life, current business models, made us overestimate the importance of science and individual areas of medicine. Augmented Reality What will our world become after the end of the epidemic? We must ask ourselves this question today. COVID-19 dared the barriers to translating our communications on the Internet. Often, the introduction of truly useful online tools has been slowed down by cautious bureaucrats and a reluctance to relearn. For example, . Many private clinics in the world have introduced or increased the number of online consultations. telemedicine gained rapid development Some educational institutions conduct distance learning, although traditionally homeschooling was not held in high esteem. I am not saying that the overwhelming majority of personnel in companies have been transferred to remote work. Can we put this Gene back in the bottle when it's over? Will students want to pay for expensive housing or prefer to study remotely? Will companies start spending money on office rental when telecommuting is already in place? Will employees spend time and money travelling to the office for traffic jams or will they replace their jackets and ties with comfortable home clothes? Of course, everything will not change dramatically in one day, but many will ask themselves these questions. We will see the effectiveness of some changes and the problems that were usually discussed at the meeting will be solved by simple correspondence in the messenger. It’s not for nothing that the Zoom video Communications Inc. video conferencing platform shares on March 23 jumped 40% in price. Online Only All these processes have been going on for several years, but it was this situation that showed their relevance. One of the main areas of work of our investment group is the development of fintech projects in online lending, e-commerce and IT. The ideas of a “state in a smartphone” also appeared before quarantine, but how much easier it would be for people today if digitalization processes started earlier. Today we are talking not much about rapid growth, but about the effectiveness of the online business model, not only in peacetime but also in unprecedented quarantine measures. This model will not lose its relevance even after the “corona crisis”, digital technologies will help to deal with its consequences. So, in the USA, for participation in the state plan to stimulate enterprises suffering from recession after coronavirus. The industry group Financial Innovation Now (Square, PayPal, Intuit, Stripe and other non-banking financial companies) sent a letter to Congress asking them to be included in the development of anti-crisis financial measures. innovative lenders are coming together Fintech companies are confident that their technology-oriented underwriting approach can transfer funds to small businesses faster than commercial banks. Time is key to this segment. According to a survey of small enterprises conducted by JP Morgan Chase Institute, half of them have a cash buffer of less than one month. The speed of financial processes plays a decisive role here and this will become an incentive for the development of fintech. What will alm my Heart? Small and medium-sized businesses have found themselves in an extremely difficult situation and will need fast money. No less difficult times will come for the tourism, restaurant and other industries affected by forced restrictions. In turn, this will have significant implications for the financial services industry. Companies and banks involved in mortgage lending, car loans, student loans and credit cards should be ready to help borrowers who are already late with payments or expect this to happen. In addition, it is important to provide people with the opportunity to resolve their financial issues remotely, without having to go to the department. The epidemic and the ensuing crisis will be a serious test for the . The companies that deal with microloans are most at risk, as unemployment is growing, and any benefits from the state will only partially mitigate the situation for borrowers. financial services market It remains to believe that an outbreak of coronavirus is an event that will not happen again soon. As an industry, we are likely to be able to learn many lessons. Looking back, we will probably see that we have made remote work available to a larger number of employees, online loans are even more efficient and convenient for customers, and we also used our resources to solve other unforeseen problems. A negative experience will also teach us a lot. However, now it is important that your customers and employees know that we have plans to solve problems and provide services with a minimum break in work.

Life Online: How will COVID-19 Affect Digital Lending?

Right now, many Americans are facing difficult times, with more than 33 million people filing for unemployment over the last eight weeks, the US economy is feeling the pressure. We are currently in one of the most difficult economic periods we have ever faced. What’s baffling most people is why the stock market is up almost 30% since March lows. How could that be with the economy shut down due to the coronavirus, oil reaching negative prices, and with so many people out of a job? And that’s not even taking into consideration the possible renewed trade war between the US and China… If you have concerns about putting your money back to work in the market, I don’t blame you. Fortunately, there is also a lot of opportunities out there if you know where to look. Companies that are not only following the market momentum but are also set to benefit from the ongoing coronavirus difficulties that we all face. The Big Shift into Tech As a coronavirus worked its way around the world, a new reality after the pandemic has become the norm. The trends that were already in motion have been sped up dramatically, giving people no choice but to rely on modern-day cutting-edge technology to survive. For those who have been following the markets, the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite index has been outpacing the S&P 500 index, as well as the Dow Jones industrial average since March 23 lows. That’s no accident. The coronavirus has changed how we do things. Some companies are feeling the wrath of change while other companies are relishing in the new tech-driven economy. Let’s take a closer… The Amazon Affect It’s no secret that Amazon (AMZN) was a favorite among many families before the pandemic. The ability to order nearly everything from the comfort of your own home and have it delivered directly to your doorstep in one or two days has been disrupting the shopping industry for decades. However, now, by being forced to stay inside, there is no choice when it comes to acquiring necessities. If we ever needed a kick in the butt to try Amazon Fresh, Amazons food delivery service, there would never be a better time. The advantages are pretty clear, not only do we get to avoid coming in contact with people who might be infected, but we also get to skip those long lines at the register. It seems like we weren’t the only ones to notice as Amazon the selling out of food quite rapidly. The technology giant was trading at a high of $2180 before the pandemic started. However, after a temporary setback to the market selloff in March, it exploded back up to a new all-time high $2475. And why not it had first-quarter revenue totaling $75.45 billion, blowing past the estimate of $73.69 billion. Should we have known when the company was scrambling to hire 175,000 new workers? Amazon has so much demand, its famous prime day, originally scheduled to happen in July, has been postponed because it doesn’t think he can handle the demand. A New Way to Work and Play With a shelter in place order in the works, how are kids going to attend school and parents work? Another company that became an instant winner right out of the gate Zoom Video Communications (ZM). Most of us likely never heard of Zoom Video Communications before the pandemic, but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone now who doesn’t have someone in their household using the remote classroom and work platform. Both the kids in my household are using it as a remote classroom, while my friends and I used it to talk smack to each other during our online poker games. According to Zoom, they saw a 50% increase in business by the first week of April. They are now hosting more than 300 million daily meetings for its users. Easy Collaboration Advancements With more people working from home, tools that make collaboration easy among colleagues is a must. This is where Slack Technologies (WORK) can thrive. Slack’s enabled users to get only information that was relevant only to them, which dramatically speeds up communication and efficiency. The company’s chief executive, Stewart Butterfield, stated the company had 7000 new users in the first quarter, then just one week later added another 2000 users. Butterfield added that existing customers are expanding their usage and more “Enterprise deals are getting done. More new teams are signing up. More upgrading to paid plans.” Do people and companies want better collaboration tools… You bet! The Giants Gets Bigger All the companies growing in today’s environment need new technology to expand their business, this means they also need an increase in storage in a higher demand for data. Someone has to supply that. Video companies need to store their shows, supply chains require a place to keep up with their inventory, and everyone wants to keep a database on their customers and their past purchases. This is precisely what the companies building the cloud supply. Push button storage is what companies need to build out their data infrastructure without having to continually be reinvesting in additional servers. This is where companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet take the reins. Cloud service enables companies to concentrate on what they do best instead of putting time, money, and people into maintaining their data. Microsoft has stated that they saw a growth of 59% just due to the coronavirus. Amazon Web Services also reported that revenue rose by 33%, while Google Cloud saw sales growth of 52%. Microsoft also has a similar story to Slack when it comes to their Team collaboration service. According to the technology giant, Microsoft said it had a 775% jump in demand in Italy. Overall it added as many users in a week as Slack has added since our inception. Technology is Quickly Changing the Way We Live All of these changes are happening in front of us right now. You can let them pass you by, or you can jump on board and profit along with the new economy. There are many potential winners out there, so far, I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. Companies like Smartsheet (SMAR), sells affordable productivity tools, or BlackLine (BL), which provides automated accounting software, or Chewy (CHWY), that allows pet owners to order pet supplies online, just to name a few. With so many people being forced into a new reality, those who would typically be laggards to adopt new technology are now being forced to expedite their path to innovate, thus causing a dramatic surge in the technology sector. Don’t get me wrong, price still matters, so investors need to walk a tightrope between growth and attractive capital gains. Going forward, our lives will be more technology-driven, and the stock market is going to reflect that. For those looking to step in and benefit from the new reality, the best advice I can give you would be to look at applying the right to the stocks that are reflecting the technology demand of the new economy. The trends we see playing out today represent the vision of the world to come. option strategies -- To take advantage of the new world landscape and learn options trading for free visit OptionStrategiesInsider.com

The Coronavirus Has Forced Us into a Tech Reliant World

The coronavirus has challenged all aspects of our lives. Healthcare notwithstanding, one of the biggest challenges has been in trying to keep as much of our lives as possible running as normal. Technology might already have altered the way we work, rest and play for good – but it’s been even more crucial during a period where people are working from home and avoiding large gatherings in the US and the rest of the world. In this post I’ll look at how tech is rising to the coronavirus challenge to keep the world moving. The Zoom Boom Video calls are finally having their moment in the sun. While some might have been reluctant to rely on these calls pre-crisis – fearing glitchy footage, poor sound, heavy breathing or all of the above – there’s been little choice but for many businesses and workers to put their faith in technology. Skype, for example, has seen a in users over the last month – and a 220 percent jump in calling minutes. Microsoft Teams, which offers workers the chance to share files and chat as well as jump on video calls now has – up from 20 million in November. 70 percent jump a daily active user base of more than 44 million people Yet the breakout star has been Zoom. A relative new kid on the block – especially compared to Skype – this was downloaded a whopping 2.13 million times worldwide on March 23 alone. The parent company – Zoom Video Communication – has seen its share price rocket from about $70 in January to more than $150 by the end of March, giving it a market value of $42 billion. It has been good for founder and chief executive Eric Yuan too. With 20% of the company’s shares in his ownership, he’s seen his net worth jump by more than $4 billion to just under $8 billion. In COVID-19 difficult times, preserving the health of your loved ones should understandably your number one priority. Social distancing may place much of normal life on pause, but that does not mean it’s also a time that you can let your business down. You should contact to guide and help with taking appropriate actions. SEO companies Yuan now predicts that the post-crisis world will have got the video call bug and that they technology will continue to play a big role in our lives. : “I hope this crisis can be over very, very soon, but one thing I know for sure is that companies will learn this is the way to work. He said “I am pretty sure almost every company will be thinking about it and [will] say, ‘hey, maybe working from home makes sense’, and maybe let every employee work from home, maybe once a week. Previously, a lot of businesses didn’t even want to try.” Rediscovering the joy Technology isn’t just helping to keep business meetings on track with the help of and other apps, however. There’s been something of a retro feel to the way many people are using the internet and, particularly, social media during the time of crisis. Starved of human, face-to-face contact, we’re using technology to keep in touch but also share tips and support. Whether that’s moms looking for educational resources to keep their kids occupied, people looking to so their savings and investments survive the storm, single people looking for some company or communities getting together to support the vulnerable, the internet is acting as a connecting force, bring people together and tackling loneliness, confusion, vulnerability and isolation. Microsoft calendar brush up on their financial knowledge Writing for Metro, clinical psychologist Dr Roberta Babb : explained “Social media allows us to be connected to others in the next room (if we are in isolation) and all over the world. The feeling of mass connection and sense of belonging can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation which is vital during a global pandemic. “Social distancing, social isolation and quarantine can leave us feeling disconnected, neglected, undervalued, unimportant, helpless and worthless. “Positively engaging in social media can ease stress, anxiety, and depression, boost feelings of self-worth, creativity and a sense of personal agency during a time when we can feel extremely helplessness and powerlessness.” This sharing-and-caring vision is a reminder of the way people thought about the internet before the era of fake news and cyber crime. While misinformation or news-induced anxiety are still clearly dangers, recent positive use of the internet has been a useful counterbalance to the negativity that all-too-often is the main focus of attention by the media. Inventions galore While some technology is finding it has an increased role in the circumstances of the coronavirus – such as video conferencing – other entrepreneurs are putting their pioneering spirit into new technological innovations that will fulfil the demand of the world during and after the crisis. We’re seeing, for example, increased automation in some industries – especially manufacturing settings that previously require a densely-populated workspace – and an increased use in robo-assistants to ensure people can keep their ‘social distance’. But, most of all, we’re seeing new products that will be necessary as businesses look to return to ‘normal’ as quickly as possible. These include that can quickly and safely provide the sort of deep clean workplaces might well need to safely reopen their doors – likewise air purifiers. disinfectant spray guns Thermal scanners are proving popular in a bid to ‘vet’ people before they can safely enter buildings, for example. FLIR, a company that makes thermal cameras for military intelligence, has said that it has had an rise in interest from customers who want to use their equipment to scan employees for fever. Casino chains, airlines and even a grocery store chain are already looking to use such cameras in the bid to combat the crisis, although as to how well such technology can work for the desired purpose. ‘exponential’ experts are torn Whatever happens next in the coronavirus story, however, it’s likely that there will be a heightened focus on the way we clean public environments and screen individuals to ensure they’re ‘safe’. Both of these trends need nifty and affordable technological solutions and the people who provide them can expect to reap the rewards. Challenges and perceptions Tech might be helping to keep our lives on track – but this crisis is also exposing some frailties in the infrastructure that underpins our use of technology too. Writing for Forbes, how the current conditions will put strain on the system right across the US. He argued: “The US digital infrastructure is at risk. It was never designed for the current demand. It’s just another infrastructure in need of repair and investment. It’s a hodge-podge of components: broadband service, big pipes to companies, small pipes to homes, cheap Wi-Fi routers with limited ranges, and diverse connected devices in various states of repair, updates and security. All good – except when it’s stressed. A classic “multiple-points-of-failure” scenario.” Steve Andriole noted The case for investment in technological infrastructure might well be clear but, as Andriole notes, this crisis also opens up a fundamental debate about how we see the internet. Is it a right or a privilege? It’s a question that has been raised before but has now gone mainstream – and global. When we rely on the internet for banking, teaching or ordering food doesn’t it become more than just a ‘nice to have’ convenience? And, if so, what does that mean for the provision of services, the companies that provide this service and, ultimately, the end users. By laying the foundations for ‘working from home’, knitting together otherwise isolated workers and pioneering new inventions to meet the needs of the coronavirus, technology is rising to the challenge these times present. It now remains to be seen whether infrastructure and legislation can keep pace with those times too.

Have You Thanked Technology Today?

The corona virus has challenged all aspects of our lives. Healthcare not with standing, one of the biggest challenges has been in trying to keep as much of our lives as possible running as normal. Technology might already have altered the way we work, rest and play for good– but it’s been even more crucial during a period where people are working from home and avoiding large gatherings in the US and the rest of the world. In this post, we’ll look at how tech industry is rising to the corona virus challenge to keep the world moving. The Zoom Boom Video calls are finally having their moment in the sun. While some might have been reluctant to rely on these calls pre-crisis – fearing glitchy footage, poor sound, heavy breathing, or all of the above – there’s been little choice but for many businesses and workers to put their faith in technology. How much has the usage of video conferencing platforms increased since the outbreak of coronavirus? Skype, for example, has seen a in users over the last month – and a 220 percent jump in calling minutes. Microsoft Teams, which offers workers the chance to share files and chat as well as jump on video calls now has – up from 20 million in November. 70 percent jump a daily active user base of more than 44 million people Yet the breakout star has been Zoom. A relatively new kid on the block – especially compared to Skype – this was downloaded a whopping 2.13 million times worldwide on March 23 alone. The parent company – Zoom Video Communication – has seen its share price rocket from about $70 in January to more than $150 by the end of March, giving it a market value of $42 billion. It has been good for founder and chief executive Eric Yuan too. With 20% of the company’s shares in his ownership, he’s seen his net worth jump by more than $4 billion to just under $8 billion. Yuan now predicts that the post-crisis world will have got a video call bug and that the technology will continue to play a big role in our lives. : “I hope this crisis can be over very, very soon, but one thing I know for sure is that companies will learn this is the way to work. He said “I am pretty sure almost every company will be thinking about it and [will] say, ‘hey, maybe working from home makes sense’, and maybe let every employee work from home, maybe once a week. Previously, a lot of businesses didn’t even want to try.” Rediscovering The Joy Technology isn’t just helping to keep business meetings on track, however. There’s been something of a retro feel to the way many people are using the internet and, particularly, social media during the time of crisis. Starved of human, face-to-face contact, we’re using technology to keep in touch but also share tips and support. Whether that’s moms looking for educational resources to keep their kids occupied, people looking to so their savings and investments survive the storm, single people looking for some company or communities getting together to support the vulnerable, the internet is acting as a connecting force, bring people together and tackling loneliness, confusion, vulnerability, and isolation. brush up on their financial knowledge Writing for Metro, clinical psychologist Dr. Roberta Babb explained : “Social media allows us to be connected to others in the next room (if we are in isolation) and all over the world. The feeling of mass connection and sense of belonging can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation which is vital during a global pandemic. Social distancing, social isolation, and quarantine can leave us feeling disconnected, neglected, undervalued, unimportant, helpless, and worthless. Positively engaging in social media can ease stress, anxiety, and depression, boost feelings of self-worth, creativity, and a sense of personal agency during a time when we can feel extremely helplessness and powerlessness.” This sharing-and-caring vision is a reminder of the way people thought about the internet before the era of fake news and cybercrime. While misinformation or news-induced anxiety is still clearly dangerous, recent positive use of the internet has been a useful counterbalance to the negativity that all-too-often is the main focus of attention by the media. Inventions Galore While some technology is finding it has an increased role in the circumstances of the coronavirus – such as video conferencing – other entrepreneurs are putting their pioneering spirit into new technological innovations that will fulfill the demand of the world during and after the crisis. We’re seeing, for example, increased automation in some industries – especially manufacturing settings that previously require a densely-populated workspace – and increased use in Robo-assistants to ensure people can keep their ‘social distance’. But, most of all, we’re seeing new products that will be necessary as businesses look to return to ‘normal’ as quickly as possible. These include that can quickly and safely provide the sort of deep clean workplaces might well need to safely reopen their doors – likewise air purifiers. disinfectant spray guns Thermal scanners are proving popular in a bid to ‘vet’ people before they can safely enter buildings, for example. FLIR, a company that makes thermal cameras for military intelligence, has said that it has had an rise in interest from customers who want to use their equipment to scan employees for fever. Casino chains, airlines, and even a grocery store chain are already looking to use such cameras in the bid to combat the crisis, although as to how well such technology can work for the desired purpose. ‘exponential’ experts are torn Whatever happens next in the coronavirus story, however, there will likely be a heightened focus on the way we clean public environments and screen individuals to ensure they’re ‘safe’. Both of these trends need nifty and affordable technological solutions and the people who provide them can expect to reap the rewards. Challenges and Perceptions Tech might be helping to keep our lives on track – but this crisis is also exposing some frailties in the infrastructure that underpins our use of technology too. Writing for Forbes, how the current conditions will put a strain on the system right across the US. He argued: Steve Andriole noted “The US digital infrastructure is at risk. It was never designed for the current demand. It’s just another infrastructure in need of repair and investment. It’s a hodge-podge of components: broadband service, big pipes to companies, small pipes to homes, cheap Wi-Fi routers with limited ranges, and diverse connected devices in various states of repair, updates, and security. All good – except when it’s stressed. A classic “multiple-points-of-failure” scenario.” The case for investment in technological infrastructure might well be clear but, as , this crisis also opens up a fundamental debate about how we see the internet. Is it a right or a privilege? It’s a question that has been raised before but has now gone mainstream – and global. When we rely on the internet for banking, teaching, or ordering food doesn’t it become more than just a ‘nice to have’ convenience? And, if so, what does that mean for the provision of services, the companies that provide this service and, ultimately, the end-users. Andriole notes By laying the foundations for ‘working from home’, knitting together otherwise isolated workers, and pioneering new inventions to meet the needs of the coronavirus, technology is rising to the challenge these times present. It now remains to be seen whether infrastructure and legislation can keep pace with those times too.

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