Remote home guide how to tips video calls friends zoom google meet – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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The Verge Guide to staying connected

Keep in touch without actually touching

These days, while many of us are working from home and quarantining, it’s become more important than ever to keep in contact with colleagues, friends, and family. And one of the best ways to stay connected involves using technology. Videoconferencing apps such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, and Houseparty are being employed for everything from after-work hangouts to birthday parties, and chat apps like Slack and Facebook Messenger are popular for day-to-day conversations.

In The Verge Guide to Staying Connected, we give you step-by-step instructions on how to use Zoom, Meet, and other free services. We show you how you can have a movie watch party with your friends using Netflix Party and other apps. And we explain how social networks can keep us connected while waiting for social distancing regulations to ease.

How to hide your messy room for a Zoom video conference

If you’re working from home, you may not need to clean up for that meeting

Barbara Krasnoff
Microsoft Teams and Google Meet both have closed captions, here’s how they compare

They aren’t perfect, but they do let you know what’s being said

Barbara Krasnoff
How anyone can videoconference with Google Meet

If you have Gmail, you have Meet

Barbara Krasnoff
Zoom is giving fandoms a new place to hang

Fans are using Zoom to connect with people they’ve never met before

Aliya Chaudhry
How to use AirPlay to stream videos to your TV

Stream a video straight from your iPhone to your TV

Aliya Chaudhry
How to set up a Houseparty account

And add your friends to start chatting

Aliya Chaudhry
How to make group calls on WhatsApp

You can make video and audio calls with up to seven other people

Aliya Chaudhry
How to use FaceTime for group calls

Yes, you can FaceTime more than one person at a time

Aliya Chaudhry
How to use Netflix Party to stream movies with your friends

Binge Netflix together but separately

Aliya Chaudhry
How to hide your messy room for a Zoom video conference

If you’re working from home, you may not need to clean up for that meeting

Barbara Krasnoff
Microsoft Teams and Google Meet both have closed captions, here’s how they compare

They aren’t perfect, but they do let you know what’s being said

Barbara Krasnoff
How anyone can videoconference with Google Meet

If you have Gmail, you have Meet

Barbara Krasnoff
Zoom is giving fandoms a new place to hang

Fans are using Zoom to connect with people they’ve never met before

Aliya Chaudhry
How to use AirPlay to stream videos to your TV

Stream a video straight from your iPhone to your TV

Aliya Chaudhry
How to set up a Houseparty account

And add your friends to start chatting

Aliya Chaudhry
How to make group calls on WhatsApp

You can make video and audio calls with up to seven other people

Aliya Chaudhry
How to use FaceTime for group calls

Yes, you can FaceTime more than one person at a time

Aliya Chaudhry
How to use Netflix Party to stream movies with your friends

Binge Netflix together but separately

Aliya Chaudhry