Homes are selling during the coronavirus crisis, despite heightened unemployment, widespread business losses, a whipsawed stock market and stay-at-home orders.

The number of Portland metro residential properties that traded hands in March -- 2,356 -- was 7.9% more than March 2019 and a 24.2% jump from the 1,897 closings recorded in February 2020, according to the local listing service RMLS.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

In the last three weeks, precautions to reduce the spread of the deadly virus have altered almost every aspect of a real estate deal, from seeing a property to signing the deed. (Read details).

Not only are real estate agents showcasing properties through 3D imagery and video tours instead of widely marketed open houses, they have also shifted focus on the homes benefits that they promote.

Hunker down here," states Bonnie Roseman of Living Room Realty about her listing at 8064 S.E. 19th Ave., in Southeast Portlands Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, which is priced at $749,900. Room for your whole brood. Be close and have privacy."

She also underscores that there is a guest room and a self-contained smaller home, an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU.

She added that the house "will be sanitized for you at closing.

Roseman received an accepted offer three days after she listed a 2013 Craftsman-style house at $599,900 on April 3: 113 N.E. Fargo St. in Northeast Portlands Eliot neighborhood has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,042 square feet of living space including a bonus space and a private patio on a 2,178-square-foot lot.

On Friday, her listing, a 1971 ranch-style house on a third acre at 12004 S.E. Henderson Dr., near the Leach Botanical Garden, was put on the market, priced at $379,000. Its an urban retreat with a small home but theres value in having woody space around you, she says.

A sale of hers that fell through due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is back on market: The 1929 English-style house at 1334 N.E. 51st Ave. is listed $549,000.

Here are Portland-area homes that sold during the coronavirus:

8443 N Hartman St. in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood sold for $511,000 on March 30 by Cody Gibson with David Girard of Keller Williams-PDX Central.Keller Williams-PDX Central

8443 N. Hartman St. in North Portlands St. Johns neighborhood sold for $511,000 on March 30. The house, built in 1955 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,346 square feet of living space.

Convert 12x20 structure to office, playhouse, ADU (accessory dwelling unit)," says listing agent Cody Gibson with David Girard of Keller Williams-PDX Central.

7523 SE 120th Place in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley sold for $515,000 on March 12 by Scott Shannon of Premiere Property Group, LLC.Premiere Property Group

7523 S.E. 120th Place in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley sold for $515,000 on March 12. The two-story contemporary house, built in 2005 on a 7,405-square-foot lot, has hardwood floors, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and 2,996 square feet of living space, including a second family room.

The fourth bedroom and full bathroom are on the main level, says listing agent Scott Shannon of Premiere Property Group, LLC.

See more listings

3934 NE 78th Ave. in Northeast Portlands Roseway neighborhood sold for $523,000 on March 26 by listing agent Janet Fisher-Welsh of Coldwell Banker Bain.Coldwell Banker Bain

3934 N.E. 78th Ave. in Northeast Portlands Roseway neighborhood sold for $523,000 on March 26. The English-inspired house, built in 1928 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has original woodwork and hardware, built-in cabinets, hardwood floors, three bedrooms, one bathroom and 2,230 square feet of living space, including a bonus room with a vaulted ceiling.

Remodeled kitchen features ample cupboard space, granite counters, ceramic tile and stainless-steel appliances. There are many other upgrades in the last 10 years, says listing agent Janet Fisher-Welsh of Coldwell Banker Bain.

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11239 SW Capitol Hwy. in Southwest Portlands Far Southwest sold for $510,000 by Jennifer Bolen of Premiere Property Group, LLC.Premiere Property Group

11239 S.W. Capitol Hwy. in Portlands Far Southwest sold for $510,000 on March 11. The updated bungalow, built in 1955 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,019 square feet of living space, including a finished basement with a family room and bonus room/office.

"The private yard is the perfect canvas to create your personal oasis, says listing agent Jennifer Bolen of Premiere Property Group, LLC.

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1518 N Webster St. in North Portlands Overlook neighborhood sold for $509,500 on March 11 by listing agent Shelle Zimmer Angell Realty.Angell Realty

1518 N. Webster St. in North Portlands Overlook neighborhood sold for $509,500 on March 11. The two-story, remodeled house, built in 1915 on a 3,484-square-foot lot, has refinished hardwoods, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,132 square feet of living space.

There is a full, unfinished basement plus a newly built studio and deck.

"Roof replaced in 2017, new windows, new paint inside and out, too many upgrades and updates to list, says listing agent Shelle Zimmer of Angell Realty.

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4667 NW Buckboard Dr. in Northwest Portlands Stoller Farms sold for $509,888 on March 31 by listing agent Bret Crawford of Residential Realty Northwest.Residential Realty Northwest

4667 N.W. Buckboard Dr. in Northwest Portlands Stoller Farms area in the Bethany neighborhood sold for $509,888 on March 31. The two-story contemporary house, built in 1997 on a 6,534-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,114 square feet of living space.

There are vaulted ceilings in the foyer. The stunning remodeled kitchen has wraparound counters, granite and a gas stove. The family room with a gas fireplace looks out to a private backyard, says listing agent Bret Crawford of Residential Realty Northwest.

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9504 SW 54th Ave.in Southwest Portlands Ashcreek neighborhood sold for $500,000 on March 17, 2020 by listing agent Teri Toombs with Reg Martocci of Living Room Realty.Living Room Realty

9504 S.W. 54th Ave. in Southwest Portlands Ashcreek neighborhood sold for $500,000 on March 17. The contemporary house, built in 1978 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has bamboo floors, skylights, a central kitchen, three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,724 square feet of living space, including a family room that opens to a deck.

"The updated, terraced landscaping sits among Douglas fir trees on a quiet cul-de-sac, says listing agent Teri Toombs with Reg Martocci of Living Room Realty.

3807 SW Corbett Ave. in South Portland sold for $519,000 on April 2 by Xan Gale of Urban Nest Realty.Urban Nest Realty

3807 S.W. Corbett Ave. in South Portland sold for $519,000 on April 2. The tri-level townhouse, built in 1990 on a 2,613-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,998 square feet of living space.

This refreshed and move-in ready end unit row home boasts walls of windows, new carpet throughout and hardwoods on the main level, says listing agent Xan Gale of Urban Nest Realty.

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300 NW 8th Ave #807 in Northwest Portlands Pearl District sold for $549,900 on April 8 by listing agent Andrew Galler CRS of Realty Works Group.Realty Works Group

300 N.W. 8th Ave. #807 in Northwest Portlands Pearl District sold for $549,900 on April 8. The condo, built in 1909 on the southeast corner of the eight floor, has high ceilings, wood floors, one bedroom, one bathroom and 956 square feet of living space.

Stunning, unobstructed city, mountain and bridge views, window walls and wraparound balcony, says listing agent Andrew Galler CRS of Realty Works Group.

See more listings

--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

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On the market: 10 Portland-area homes that sold during the coronavirus - OregonLive

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FOR BIDS

Sealed Bids for the Door, Window, and Fence Replacement project at Clinchview Apartments in St. Paul, Virginia, Litchfield Manor Apartments in Coeburn, Virginia, Monte Vista Apartments in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and Ridgeview Apartments in Appalachia, Virginia for the Wise County Redevelopment and Housing Authority will be received by Mr. Monty Salyer, Executive Director, at the Housing Authority Office at 107 Litchfield Street SW, Coeburn, VA 24230 on Tuesday, May 05, 2020 until 2:00 PM, local prevailing time, and then publicly opened and read aloud. The procedure for withdrawal of bids shall be according to provision (i) contained in 11-54, Code of Virginia (1950) as amended.

The project is generally described as window replacements, door replacements, and fence replacements at four separate apartment locations. Incidental interior work is required.

The Contract will be awarded on a lump sum basis.

All Bidders shall comply with Section 1605 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) as relates to Buy American.

Bid security is required to be submitted with each Bid in the amount of five percent of the Bid. Bid security may be in the form of a certified check or a bid bond secured by a surety company.

A Performance Bond and a Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent of the Contract amount will be required on this Project. The Contractor shall also provide Liability Insurance coverage.

The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is: The Lane Group, Inc., 310 West Valley Street, Abingdon, Virginia 24210, Phone 276.206.8571, e-mail

wrobinson@

thelanegroupinc.com

Prospective Bidders may examine and obtain the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office on Monday through Thursday between the hours of 7:30 am 5:30 pm and Friday between the hours of 8:00 am 12:00 pm. Prospective Bidders may also examine copies of the Bidding Documents provided by the Issuing Office at the locations identified below.

The Lane Group, Inc. Abingdon, Virginia

Wise County Redevelopment Housing Authority Coeburn, Virginia

AGC Blountville, Tennessee

Builders Exchange Association Knoxville, Tennessee

Printed copies of the Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Issuing Office, during the hours indicated above, upon payment of $200.00 non-refundable for each set. Digital Copies of the Contract Documents are also available on DVD for $50. Checks for Bidding Documents shall be payable to The Lane Group, Inc. Upon request and receipt of the document deposit indicated above plus a non-refundable shipping charge, the Issuing Office will transmit the Bidding Documents via delivery service. The shipping charge amount will depend on the shipping method selected by the prospective Bidder. The date that the Bidding Documents are transmitted by the Issuing Office will be considered the Bidders date of receipt of the Bidding Documents. Neither Owner nor Architect will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive any informality in the bidding.

No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of thirty (30) days subsequent to the opening of Bids without the consent of the Owner.

Due to the Governors directive relative to COVID 19, a pre-bid conference is not currently scheduled.

If a contract is for one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000) or more, or if the total value of all construction, removal, repair, or improvements undertaken by the bidder within any twelve-month period is seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) or more, the bidder is required under Title 54.1, Chapter 11, Code of Virginia (1950) as amended, to show evidence of being licensed as a Class A Contractor. If a contract is seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) or more but less than one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000), the bidder is required to show evidence of being licensed as a Class B Contractor. The bidder shall place on the outside of the envelope containing the bid and shall place in the bid over his signature whichever of the following notations is appropriate:

Licensed Class A Virginia Contractor No. _______

Licensed Class B Virginia Contractor No. _______

Wise County Redevelopment Housing Authority

Mr. Monty Salyer, Executive Director

(Owner)

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ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS - Door, Window, and Fence Replacement - Coalfield.com

Apr 1, 2020

Sam Bruce

Brittany Mitchell

It looks increasingly unlikely that the July Test window will take place across the rugby world.

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading by the day and countries around the globe increasing restrictions at - or closing - their borders, it's apparent that the northern hemisphere nations will probably not be heading south at the end at what would have been their domestic club seasons.

Australia were due to play Ireland, twice, first in Brisbane and then in Sydney, before a one-off Test against Fiji at the new Bank of Queensland Stadium in Townsville.

Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle on Monday admitted that any Test rugby in July was now extremely unlikely. Castle also revealed there was a possibility that Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship could be played during the November Test window.

1 Related

But that is still some seven months away. The immediate priority should be securing some form of rugby content, both for Australia's sidelined Super Rugby players, the broadcasters and supporters -- fans will surely be tiring of re-runs by the time July rolls around.

An RA spokesperson told ESPN that there were "a number of possibilities being discussed" when it came to contingency planning for what is looking a sparse rugby calendar.

The spokesperson also confirmed that while no "serious consideration" had been given to a situation where Wallabies coach Dave Rennie was unable to enter Australia, assistants Matt Taylor and Scott Wisemantel would be equipped to handle such a turn of events.

That got us thinking here at ESPN.

Given the current predicament, we debated how RA could put on some meaningful matches that would not only engage broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel 10, but also put the Wallabies in good stead should the Rugby Championship proceed at some point later in the year.

With an NRL-style State of Origin concept not serving the wider Australian rugby community, and possible vs. probables not an option given this is the start of a new era under Rennie, we decided the best way to organize the nation's leading players would be through age.

Imagine a three-game series, in those locations originally set-down for July, or in more intimate suburban venues should restrictions on crowd gatherings still apply, that pitted Australia's stars of the here and now and future, against some of the older heads who may just be looking over their shoulder, or late-bloomers who might suddenly be back in contention under a new coach.

RA could call on some great Wallabies of the past to be team mentors while Wisemantel and Taylor could coach a side each.

Each coach could name an extended squad of 28 players or so and then make changes from week-to-week due to performances or injury.

It would certainly give us folk in the media something to break down.

So, to some potential starting XVs, then.

[NB: Age cut-off April 1. No player currently overseas was considered.]

Sam Bruce 26 and over Wallabies XV:

Dane Haylett-Petty [30], Henry Speight [32], Tevita Kuridrani [29], James O'Connor [30], Marika Koroibete [27], Matt To'omua [30], Ryan Louwrens [29], Pete Samu [28], Michael Hooper [28], Michael Wells [26], Matt Philip [26], Cadeyrn Neville [31], Alan Alaalatoa [26], Anaru Rangi [31], Scott Sio [28].

Additional players: Damian Fitzpatrick [30], Robbie Abel [30] James Slipper [30], JP Smith [30], Tetera Faulkner [31] Rob Simmons [30], Angus Cottrell [30], Jed Holloway [27], Jake Gordon [26], Billy Meakes [29], Kurtley Beale [31], Karmichael Hunt [33], Toni Pulu [31].

Let's start in the back three, which is loaded with experience. Dane Haylett-Petty has so often been shafted to the wing at Test level, but he is more comfortable at fullback and is in excellent form this season. Marika Koroibete had a breakout World Cup and proved himself among the best wingers in the world, while Henry Speight has relished an offseason move to the Reds.

I went for James O'Connor and Tevita Kuridrani in the midfield with both men enjoying solid Super Rugby seasons; I'd love to see them go head-to-head with say an Irae Simone-Jordan Petaia combination. I feel Karmichael Hunt still has something to offer in the shorter term, too, so he is among my additional players.

In the halves, it's the Rebels pairing of Ryan Louwrens and Matt To'omua. South African-born Louwrens has never really been on the Wallabies radar, but at 29 years of age he has more rugby experience than you might think, and would obviously have the familiarity of playing with To'omua from Melbourne.

Pete Samu and Michael Hooper were automatic selections in the back-row but finding a No. 6 in the 26+ age range wasn't easy. It's evident that our best big back-rowers are younger which is a great position to be in. Eventually, I settled on the Rebels' Michael Wells. I always thought he was a player worth persisting with at NSW and while he probably hasn't hit his straps quite yet in Melbourne, I'd like to see how he goes playing in nearly a full team of Test regulars.

Cadeyrn Neville and Matt Philip have been two of the form locks in Super Rugby this season; the Brumbies forward perhaps on the cusp of a Test debut at the ripe old age of 31 after previous stints at the Rebels and Reds.

Scott Sio and Alan Alaalatoa are automatic selections in the front-row, split by uncapped Rebels rake Anaru Rangi. The 31-year-old New Zealand-born hooker brings a real energy to the game and has been in excellent form this season; I think he's earned the right to test himself at a higher level.

Brittany Mitchell 25 and under Wallabies XV:

Tom Banks [25], Jack Maddocks [23], Hunter Paisami [21]/Jordan Petaia [20], Irae Simone [25], Mark Nawaqanitawase [19], Noah Lolesio [20], Tate McDermott [21], Harry Wilson [20], Liam Wright [22], Lukhan Salakaia-Loto [23], Harry Hockings [21], Izack Rodda [23], Taniela Tupou [23], Folau Fainga'a [24], Angus Bell [19].

Additional squad members: Alex Mafi [23] Jordan Uelese [23] Harry Johnson-Holmes [23], Tom Robertson [25], Angus Blyth [22], Jack Dempsey [25], Rob Valetini [21], Fraser McReight [20] Isi Naisarani [25], Joe Powell [25], Will Harrison [20], Reece Hodge [25] Jock Campbell [24].

Before COVID-19 resulted in the suspension of the Super Rugby season, we had seven rounds of action that gave us a good look at the young players who will be suiting up for the Wallabies, if not this year, in coming seasons. Luckily for Australia, even in a 25-and-under XV, there's still plenty of experience across the board with the forward pack boasting 51 caps.

Several players up front are clear walk-up starts. Folau Fainga'a and Taniela Tupou need no reasoning for their selection, they've easily been two of Australia's best this season. A player of real promise, Angus Bell rounds out the front-row after his impressive performances so far in 2020. Despite having just seven Super Rugby caps to his name, Bell personifies the new age prop; he is a strong scrummager with a lovely offload game and a nice turn of pace -- for a prop.

I've gone with an all-Reds back-row, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto at blindside, Liam Wright openside and Harry Wilson at No.8. Salakaia-Loto brings 11 international caps of experience, his hard-running and heavy tackles beating out his competition, while Wright has proven himself as one of Australia's best scavengers at the breakdown. With just a few Super Rugby caps to his name, Harry Wilson earns his place in the No.8 jersey after several eye-catching performances. One of the clear standouts for the Reds so far this season, he's received praise from his own coach Brad Thorn and Crusaders guru Scott Robertson. Wilson could easily make his way into the Wallabies jersey this year.

The lock positions were perhaps the hardest to determine. Although he has only played a handful of games this season, Izack Rodda really started to come of age as a Test lock over the last 18 months. Unfortunately, Rodda's selection pushes Angus Blyth out of frame for the moment. Partnering Rodda is Reds teammate Harry Hockings. A giant of a man, Hockings has used his time on the field to make an impression on both his coach and selectors with impressive ball skills and strong lineout work.

Tom Banks faced little competition for his place, standing head and shoulders above his fellow Australian fullbacks. Noah Lolesio earns the No. 10 jersey as Australia's best up-and-coming playmaker with his impressive work with the Brumbies in his debut season, while Tate McDermott partners Lolesio in the halves in what could be a glimpse at a future Wallabies halves duo.

Jack Maddocks and Mark Nawaqanitawase sit on the wings. Both have great aerial skills and find plenty of the space when they get their hands on the ball, while Maddocks also has a sound kicking game. Young Reds duo Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia duke it out for the outside centre role. With Petaia potentially ruled out for the rest of the season, Paisami has provided the Reds a hard-hitting ball runner and more than made up for Petaia's absence. Partnering Paisami, Brumbies' Irae Simone earns his place with his consistent performances over his past two seasons in Canberra, especially following his impressive start to 2020.

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The Wallabies trial to replace the July Test window - ESPN

Jackson, Miss. | $459,000A 1916 Tudor Revival-Craftsman house with four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, on a 0.75-acre lot

This is one of two houses on Gillespie Street designed by Noah Webster Overstreet (1888-1973), a local architectural engineer and designer, and built on what had recently been farmland. Today, the house occupies 2 1/3 lots in the Belhaven neighborhood, a historic district about two miles northeast of the center of Jackson, the states capital, and minutes from schools (Belhaven University, Millsaps College) and health care facilities (Baptist Medical Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center).

Decorative exterior features include clay tiles inlaid in stucco, Craftsman brackets supporting the eaves, restored window boxes, accessible through upstairs windows, and hand-stenciled concrete walkways. After the roof was damaged in a storm four years ago, the owners replaced the French clay tiles and copper gutters to match the originals. They also updated the plumbing and electrical systems.

Size: 3,120 square feet

Price per square foot: $147

Indoors: The entrance is on the side of the house, through a door the owners had locally milled. To the left of the vestibule is a red living room with white-painted molding, original heart-pine floors and built-in bookshelves. This room flows through a lofty doorway with a transom window into a sunroom with arched windows, stucco walls and clay-tile floors.

Straight ahead of the entrance is a family room with a decorative brick fireplace and its own sunroom access. On the right is the updated kitchen, which has original heart-pine floorboards, subway and pressed-tin accent tiles, laminate-topped cabinetry and stainless steel appliances, including a Viking gas range. The kitchen is connected to a butlers pantry with a wall of vintage cabinets; this area flows into a sunny dining room with more examples of the robust Craftsman-style molding found throughout the main floor.

Leading out to the backyard is a large windowed room with linoleum floor tiles, built-in cabinets and a full bathroom. Currently used as a crafts room and laundry room, it could easily be converted into a bedroom. There is also a half bathroom next to the staircase, with dog-patterned wallpaper.

The second-floor landing wraps around the upper part of the staircase with the original Craftsman banister. The four bedrooms radiating from it include a master with banks of mullioned windows, a niche with a window seat, two closets and a bathroom with a combined tub and shower. One guest room is currently used as a study and has a built-in cupboard. A corner guest room has a window seat with storage and built-ins. There is also an upstairs sunroom with two walls of windows and built-ins, and a hall bathroom with a claw-foot tub.

A door in the downstairs butlers pantry opens to a staircase descending to the basement. What were once maids rooms are currently used for storage. A fireplace and the remains of a bell system to summon the staff are still there.

Outdoor space: The house has a remote-controlled driveway gate, a fenced front porch and a side garden with a gazebo and paths; it is fully enclosed in the back. The sunroom walks out to a back deck that descends to the yard, with additional multilevel decks on the other side of the house. Parking is in a rear carport, with plenty more room in the driveway.

Taxes: $2,150 (2019, with exemptions)

Contact: Lynn Fillingham, RE/MAX Marketplace, 601-941-1105; lynnfillingham.com

This third-floor unit in the Sophian Plaza, a luxury building across from Southmoreland Park, is in the heart of Kansas Citys cultural district, less than five minutes on foot from the Nelson-Atkins Museum and Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, which it overlooks, and the same distance from the Kansas City Art Institute and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. The historic Country Club Plaza shopping center is about a half-mile away.

Size: 1,850 square feet

Price per square foot: $270

Indoors: The main entrance to the eight-story brick building with limestone and terra-cotta detail is approached through a columned forecourt. The grand lobby is clad in black-and-white marble and hung with brass chandeliers and wall sconces.

This particular unit, which is on the northeast corner and has been updated in the last decade, opens to a hallway with hardwood floors and charcoal-gray walls with white picture rail molding. (A second, service entrance was blocked to create closet space, but could be reopened.) At the end is a sitting room with the same features and color scheme; it connects through two doorways to a carpeted living room (previously a third bedroom and a sunroom that were combined) with an antique marble fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves. On the other side is a formal dining room. All of the rooms, except the bedrooms, have plantation shutters on their large windows, and there is a built-in sound system with speakers in every room.

The kitchen has countertops and floor tile of marble, and Bosch appliances. There is also a small, marble-topped breakfast bar.

Turning left from the front entrance takes you into the master bedroom. The marble fireplace here and in the living room are gas powered and have television screens above the mantels that appear as mirrors when not in use. The en suite marble master bathroom has a waterfall shower, heated floors and another mirrored television. There is also a Bosch washer and dryer in the unit, supplementing free laundry facilities in the basement.

The guest bedroom is off the kitchen; it is carpeted and has three closets and dark-painted molding. Its en suite bathroom has Nero Marquina marble tile walls and a combined bath and shower.

Most of the furniture in the unit is for sale.

Outdoor space: A side terrace encircled by a portico offers communal seating. This unit has a deeded parking space and basement storage. (Additional parking spaces rent for $100 a month.)

Taxes: $4,885, plus a $985 monthly homeowner fee covering heat and water

Contact: Judy Rea, Brookside Real Estate Company, 816-210-7730; brooksiderealestate.com

Quaker Hill is a 12-mile-long ridge in eastern Dutchess County, N.Y., that was a mid-20th-century retreat for New York power brokers and is still popular with writers, actors, artists and gentleman farmers. In 1926, the writer and radio broadcaster Lowell Thomas bought 350 acres there and sold off parcels to his acquaintances. In 1948, Mr. Murrow paid $47,500 for this five-bedroom weekend house, which his son called Rumblewood, after the sound of the wind sweeping over the surrounding pastureland. Originally designed by George Kosmak and Ernst Payer for Charles E. Murphy, a lawyer, it was built by carpenters who worked on the Finnish Pavilion at the 1939 Worlds Fair.

The house is 5.5 miles northeast of Pawling, a village of about 8,300 people with a Metro-North stop. The area includes parks, conservation lands and a trail system including the Appalachian Trail. New York City is about 70 miles south.

The proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Face-to-Face Project, a nonprofit that helps poor communities in Africa plant and maintain victory gardens.

Size: 2,700 square feet

Price per square foot: $183

Indoors: The seller bought the property in 2015 from the estate of Cliff Carpenter, a radio, television and film actor who was blacklisted in the 1950s. He renovated the kitchen and bathrooms and replaced the windows (the roof is 15 years old). He also conducted soil testing and replaced the oil tank.

Designed to comfortably accommodate children and guests and exploit western views, the house is entered through one of two doors at the edge of a large gravel auto court. A hallway bench and open staircase were kept simple to avoid the appearance of clutter. The living room at the end of the entrance hall has a vaulted ceiling, a wood-burning stone fireplace, a long window seat and a dining area with direct access to an outdoor patio.

Around the corner of the dining area is a kitchen with skylights, red subway-tile backsplashes and a built-in banquette.

The main floor has an office (it could also be used as a bedroom or studio) with a full bathroom to the left of the entrance. A studio with views to the west and a vaulted master bedroom with a full bathroom are on the other side. A pair of bedrooms on the second floor have a Jack-and-Jill bathroom.

Outdoor space: Parking is in an attached two-car garage. The property has a 10-acre easement and offers frequent sightings this time of year of bluebirds and woodcocks.

Taxes: $21,000 (estimated)

Contact: Adam Hade, Compass, 914-804-1754; compass.com

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.

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$500,000 Homes in Mississippi, Missouri and New York - The New York Times

Various people have suggested in the past that Apple should allow FaceTime for Android and Windows, in an attempt to make it the default standard for consumer video calls. That idea gained new impetus when Apple launched the Group FaceTime function for calls between up to 32 people.

But the coronavirus outbreak has taken consumer group videoconferencing to a whole new level. Back in February, most non-techies had never done it in their lives. Fast-forward to now, and Zoom conferences are a completely normal thing for everyone

But Zoom is coming under increasing scrutiny and criticism over its security or lack of same.

Now, I should preface this by saying that not all of that criticism is fair. Zoom made a deliberate decision to prioritize ease of use over security, and it did so knowing that this approach made sense for most users. It also made higher security available to those who wanted it.

For example, one criticism is that, by default, all meetings organised by the same host have the same meeting ID, and thus the same joining link. This means that anyone who has ever joined one of your meetings could try the link another time and be joined to any meeting currently in progress. That is true, but hosts have the option to create a meeting-specific ID (and thus link) if they choose.

Another criticism is that meetings have no password. That is again true by default, but there is the option to set one.

So effectively, Zooms default is to make it really easy to host a meeting, but with some security holes. In practice, not huge security holes for the average virtual get-together with family or friends, because theres not much incentive for a bad guy to try to join, and the small numbers of people mean that an unfamiliar name joining is going to be spotted. All the same, the company should flag these to new users, and highlight the more secure options.

A third criticism is that Zoom calls dont use end-to-end encryption. Thats not unusual: most videoconferencing apps dont, because its extremely difficult to implement without compromising ease of use. What is bad, however, is that Zooms marketing materials lie about it. The company claims to offer end-to-end encryption when it doesnt.

Theres other undeniably bad stuff.

Zoom was, for example, using an extremely sketchy method to make browser sessions easy. The result was that a website could potentially activate your Mac webcam even if you removed the Zoom app. That was fixed, but Zoom shouldnt have been taking that approach in the first place.

Zoom was also using a Facebook API which sent data to the service. Lots of apps use Facebook analytics, but Zoom was breaking the rules by not declaring this in its privacy policy. This too has been fixed.

All of which means that, as more people learn about the issues, theres increasing opportunity for a secure, privacy-focused alternative.

For an all-Apple chat, Group FaceTime is the obvious answer. Its almost as easy to use as Zoom, but has much better security. All participants, for example, need an Apple ID, and all need to be explicitly invited to join the call. And FaceTime, impressively, does use end-to-end encryption.

But FaceTime is currently useless for most family and friend get-togethers because you cant use it unless everyone you want to include owns Apple kit. Thats almost never the case.

If Apple offered FaceTime for Android and Windows, it could easily replace Zoom right now as the go-to option for most consumers. It would also be a huge win for Apples customers, as we would then be able to use our (likely) favourite video chat app with everyone.

Of course, a couple of immediate objections come to mind.

First, FaceTime is one of the benefits of the Apple ecosystem. Its one of the reasons to buy an iPhone rather than an Android phone, for example.

Second, there isnt time for Apple to do it now. It takes time and resources to create FaceTime for Android and Windows apps, and assuming that Apple has never played with the idea internally before now, it would be starting from scratch. You might argue that by the time Apple had the apps ready, the lockdowns would be all over and the need for them would be much reduced.

But Id counter both arguments. On the ecosystem front, Apple could turn this into a big PR and marketing opportunity. Create the apps, and announce that they are being made available for free for the duration of the crisis, however long that might be. Thats good PR.

Then, if it really wants to, switch off access when things are back to normal, and suddenly you have a bunch of Android and Windows users who really love a feature they can only get using Apple products.

Alternatively, and better for Apples PR and bottom line, offer it as a low-cost service for non-Apple users. Say $1.99 a month. Or how about this: the non-Apple versions can receive calls free of charge, but need to pay a monthly fee to be able to initiate them? Voila, another string to Apples Services revenue, and an incentive to switch to an Apple device.

On the time front, Apple likely has a lot more time than most people think. While governments are currently talking about lockdown periods of a few weeks, no health professionals believe that is a likely scenario. The consensus view among medical experts seems to be that the lockdown is likely to be in place for around three months with perhaps even a second lockdown over the winter. So Apple has time.

Thats my view, then: that Apple should seize the opportunity to create FaceTime for Android and Windows apps, and make it the new default consumer videoconferencing app. What say you? Please take our poll, and share your thoughts in the comments.

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Opinion: FaceTime for Android and Windows could make it the new default - 9to5Mac

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic raging all over the globe, some malware authors have developed malware that destroys infected systems, either by wiping files or rewriting a computer's master boot record (MBR).

With help from the infosec community, ZDNet has identified at least five malware strains, some distributed in the wild, while others appear to have been created only as tests or jokes.

The common theme among all four samples is that they use a coronavirus-theme and they're geared towards destruction, rather than financial gain.

MBR-rewriting malware

Of the four malware samples found by security researchers this past month, the most advanced were the two samples that rewrote MBR sectors.

Some advanced technical knowledge was needed to create these strains as tinkering with a master boot record is no easy feat and could easily result in systems that didn't boot at all.

The first of the MBR-rewriters was discovered by a security researcher that goes by the name of MalwareHunterTeam, and detailed in a report from SonicWall this week. Using the name of COVID-19.exe, this malware infects a computer and has two infection stages.

In the first phase, it just shows an annoying window that users can't close because the malware has also disabled the Windows Task Manager.

While users attempt to deal with this window, the malware is silently rewriting the computer's master boot record behind their back. It then restarts the PC, and the new MBR kicks in, blocking users into a pre-boot screen.

Users can eventually regain access to their computers, but they'll need special apps that can be used to recover and rebuild the MBR to a working state.

But there was a second coronavirus-themed malware strain that re-wrote the MBR. This one is a far more convoluted malware operation.

It posed as the "CoronaVirus ransomware" but it was only a facade. The malware's primary function was to steal passwords from an infected host and then mimic ransomware to trick the user and mask its real purpose.

However, it wasn't ransomware either. It only posed as one. Once the data-stealing operations ended, the malware entered into a phase where it rewrote the MBR, and blocked users into a pre-boot message, preventing access to their PCs. With users seeing ransom notes and then not being able to access their PCs, the last thing users would thing to do is to check if someone exfiltrated passwords from their apps.

According to analysis from SentinelOne security researcher Vitali Kremez and Bleeping Computer, the malware also contained code to wipe files on the user's systems, but this didn't appear to be active in the version they analyzed.

Furthermore, this one was also spotted twice, with a second version discovered by G DATA malware researcher Karsten Hahn, two weeks later. This time, the malware kept the MBR-rewriting capabilities but replaced the data wiping feature with a functional screen-locker.

But security researchers have spotted more than coronavirus-themed MBR-rewriters. They also spotted two data wipers.

Both were discovered by MalwareHunterTeam.

The first was spotted back in February. It used a Chinese file name, and most likely targeted Chinese users, although we don't have information if it was distributed in the wild or was just a test.

The second was spotted yesterday, and this one was found uploaded on the VirusTotal portal by someone located in Italy.

MalwareHunterTeam described both strains as "poor wipers" because of the inefficient, error-prone, and time-consuming methods they used to erase files on infected systems. However, they worked, which made them dangerous if ever spread in the wild.

It might seem weird that some malware authors create destructive malware like this, but it's not the first time that this happened. For every financially-motivated malware strain that security researchers discover, there's also one that was created as a joke, just for the giggles. Something similar happened during the WannaCry ransomware outbreak in 2017, when days after the original WannaCry ransomware encrypted computers all over the world, there were countless of clones doing the same thing for no apparent reason.

Originally posted here:
There's now COVID-19 malware that will wipe your PC and rewrite your MBR - ZDNet

A Whiteinch social enterprise company is desperately seeking funds to help feed people affected by the lockdown.

Well-Fed Scotland is turning out 1,500 meals a day for self-isolating and vulnerable groups even though its income has all but dried up.

The community interest company was set up in 2017 and operates out of The Whiteinch Centre in Northinch Court.

The enterprise company operates from the Whiteinch Centre

Managing director Chris Gray said the enterprise had been forced to switch its trading model entirely following the coronavirus outbreak.

It runs a cafe and childrens clubs and does catering with all profits going back into the community.

It has now set up a Crowdfunder page and is seeking to raise 20,000 to keep serving its meals.

Chris said: When this outbreak started to have an impact we saw a sharp decline in sales which was replaced with an enormous increase in people looking for support.

On the 14 March we made the decision to stop all our trading and focus solely on providing meals to people in need.

We have seen a lot of change. We have gone from helping people suffering financially or with mental health or through addiction, to anyone and everyone across society who are either too scared to go out, are self-isolating or are vulnerable with underlying health conditions.

We are working with a whole range of different people.

Today we provided 1,500 free meals.

The Well-Fed cafe

Well-Fed is also offering emergency food parcels.

Supermarkets such as Morrisons are helping out with things like bread.

The social enterprise firm typically covers Whiteinch, Scotstoun, Knightswood, Drumchapel, potentially Maryhill.

But its meals are now being delivered to Lambhill, Milton and Cadder and also areas in the south, Govan, Cardonald, Mosspark.

The team is made up of 13 staff members and 12 volunteers some of whom are chefs who are giving up their time to cook meals.

Chris said: We have benefitted massively from donations from some of the restaurants that have closed in the last few weeks.

When this out break started to have an impact we saw a sharp decline in sales which was replaced with an enormous increase in people looking for support

Chris Gray

Those donations are starting to dry up but supermarkets like Morrisons and Sainsburys have been donating things.

We have managed to keep the food stock going but in terms of the meal production we pretty much buy everything, including all the plastic packaging and labels.

He added: We set the Crowdfunded up as a stop gap up until we can access the governments support package.

The Crowdfunded if successful would give us about a four-week window to allow us to continue to operate and reach out to people who need help.

Chris said they were keen to hit their target within the time to allow them to access the money for when it is needed.

* The campaign runs out at midnight on Friday April 3. The Crowdfunder page can be found here.

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NEWS: Well-Fed Scotland needs 20,000 to feed people in lockdown - Glasgow West End Today

Renewal by Andersen is a Proud Supporter of the American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society is leading the fight for a world without cancer. Renewal by Andersen is proud to be a supporter of ACS.*ACS does not endorse or promote any products or services.

The Signature Service Award is given to retail locations that have a high response rate on post-installation surveys and maintain an excellent customer-satisfaction ranking throughout the year. With Renewal by Andersen Signature Service youll get the perfect combination of the best people in the industry, a superior process, and an exclusive product. From design and sales through installation and service, we own the entire processgiving you a single point of contact and helping make your experience the most streamlined home-improvement project youve ever done.

ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The HOS Award is given to retail locations that have a high response rate on post-installation surveys and maintain an excellent customer-satisfaction ranking throughout the year. With Renewal by Andersen Signature Service youll get the perfect combination of the best people in the industry, a superior process, and an exclusive product. From design and sales through installation and service, we own the entire processgiving you a single point of contact and helping make your experience the most streamlined home-improvement project youve ever done.

The HOS Award is given to retail locations that have a high response rate on post-installation surveys and maintain an excellent customer-satisfaction ranking throughout the year. With Renewal by Andersen Signature Service youll get the perfect combination of the best people in the industry, a superior process, and an exclusive product. From design and sales through installation and service, we own the entire processgiving you a single point of contact and helping make your experience the most streamlined home-improvement project youve ever done.

The HOS Award is given to retail locations that have a high response rate on post-installation surveys and maintain an excellent customer-satisfaction ranking throughout the year. With Renewal by Andersen Signature Service youll get the perfect combination of the best people in the industry, a superior process, and an exclusive product. From design and sales through installation and service, we own the entire processgiving you a single point of contact and helping make your experience the most streamlined home-improvement project youve ever done.

The HOS Award is given to retail locations that have a high response rate on post-installation surveys and maintain an excellent customer-satisfaction ranking throughout the year. With Renewal by Andersen Signature Service youll get the perfect combination of the best people in the industry, a superior process, and an exclusive product. From design and sales through installation and service, we own the entire processgiving you a single point of contact and helping make your experience the most streamlined home-improvement project youve ever done.

The HOS Award is given to retail locations that have a high response rate on post-installation surveys and maintain an excellent customer-satisfaction ranking throughout the year. With Renewal by Andersen Signature Service youll get the perfect combination of the best people in the industry, a superior process, and an exclusive product. From design and sales through installation and service, we own the entire processgiving you a single point of contact and helping make your experience the most streamlined home-improvement project youve ever done.

Winner of the 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Product Brand Owner Award for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing energy-efficient products and educating consumers about energy efficiency. Andersens leadership in energy efficiency is exemplified through products that have helped set industry standards for minimizing environmental impacts while maximizing energy efficiency, performance and durability for customers. Andersens dedication to promoting the ENERGY STAR program is centered on advancing energy-efficient products within its four major brands, and educating all stakeholders about the benefits of ENERGY STAR certified products and programs.

More than 3 million households nationwide check Angie's List reviews to find the best local service providers in the home improvement industry. Reviews include details about how the project went and grade the company's response time, price, professionalism, and quality of workgood or badon an A-to-F scale. The Angie's List Super Service Award is given to companies that meet exceptional criteria in regards to review rating (dating back 3 years) and are also in good standing with Angie's List.

For more than 20 years, Angies List has been a trusted name that consumers depend on. More than 3 million households nationwide check Angie's List reviews to find the best local service providers, in the home improvement industry.There are three different A-Rating classifications. Overall Grade, which averages all reviews received (3.5 GPA)Recent Grade, which averages reviews from the last three years (3.5 GPA)Review Period Grade, which averages reviews received since the previous November 1st to October 31st (GPA varies)

Formed in response to the energy crisis in the 1970s, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) NFRC develops and administers energy-related rating and certification programs that serve the public by providing fair, accurate, and credible information on the energy performance of fenestration products, including windows, doors, skylights, and similar products.

The SCS Indoor Advantage Gold certification program, developed by SCS Global Services (SCS), certifies compliance with rigorous indoor air quality emission requirements. The program is designed for interior building materials, furnishings, and finish systems.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to transforming the way buildings are designed, constructed, and operated through LEED the top third-party verification system for sustainable structures around the world. Members of the Council are committed to making impact within their spheres of influence and advancing the movement for a more sustainable built environment.

The Alliance to Save Energy and its member Associates promote energy efficiency to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy security.

Renewal by Andersen attracts and hires the best installersprofessional craftspeople who are experienced in installing windows in homes of all shapes, sizes, and styles. We bring on people who are proud of the work they do and the products they install, and who are dedicated to working with individual homeowners and going the extra mile whenever necessary. Certified Master Installer training is only available to eligible locations that have consistently received high customer satisfaction ratings on surveys administered by a third party. The certification teaches not only technical skills, but also customer-focused training to provide a distinctive window replacement experience.

Excerpt from:
Window Replacement - NY & North Jersey - Renewal By Andersen

Apple has done a lot over the last couple of years to make the iPad more attractive as a laptop replacement, and many of those improvements center on multitasking. Thats great, but the problem is figuring outhow to use all these multitasking tricks.

Were here to help. Below, well show you all the multitasking features that work with most current iPads as of iPadOS 13.4, ranging from relatively familiar concepts like Split View and Slide Over to trickier features like Picture in Picture. Once you learn them all, Apples tablet can feel like a vastly different device.

Keep in mind that not every app supports all these features (although plenty do). In other words, if youre having trouble, say, getting an app to work in Split View, that may simply be because the app doesnt support it.

Split View multitaskingor split-screen, as youll often hear it calledis probably the most common means of multitasking on the iPad, as it allows you to view two apps side-by-side. It doesnt work with every app, and you can only use it with apps you have in the Dock: either in the permanent library on the left side or in the recently opened section on the right. Fortunately, you can add many apps to the Dock now by dragging down their icons from the home screen and the following pages of apps.

In some cases, you can even open two windows from the same app with Split View. Unfortunately, you generally wont know if this works without experimenting. Heres how Split View works.

First, open any app. This app doesnt have to be on the Dock to begin with, although if its already open, its going to end up appearing on the right side of the Dock anyway.

Make your iPads Dock appear by slowly swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

Once the Dock appears, press down on the apps icon and hold your finger there for a fraction of a second. Then drag the little preview window that appears over to either the far right or left side of the screen. If youve done this properly, the existing app will scootch over to make room for the new one.

Drop the new app in place. You should then see the two apps side by side.

In this screenshotwhich corresponds with Step 3Im about to open Ulysses in Split View to the right of Pages. I know it will work because of the blurred interface and the way that Pages has moved over to the left.

To adjust the sizes of the windows in Split View, press your finger on the vertical thin gray line between the windows and move it to the right or left as desired.

To replace one of the apps in Split View with another app, simply repeat the steps above, but remember to drag the new app into the middle of the window for the app you want to replace.

In the middle of the Split View interface, youll see a divider that lets you adjust the sizes of the app windows. Put your finger on the thin gray line in the middle of the divider and push it toward the app you want to closeand keep pushing it off the screen until the app vanishes.

In this screenshot, I want to close Safari in Split View, so Im about to pull the divider all the way to the right.

Slide Over lets you open some apps in a narrow sliver of a window that floats on the left or right side of your screen. Its a little tricky to use, and it frequently ends up covering up key parts of whatever youre watching or reading in the app behind it. Still, its a nice option to have, especially for apps like Music that you might just want to glance at quickly. Heres how to use it.

First, make sure you already have at least one app open. For the screenshots below, Ive used Pages.

Make the iPad dock appear by slowly swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Dont do this too quickly, or you might accidentally go to the Home screen.

Find the app you want to use with Slide Over on your dock. Press and hold the apps icon for a fraction of a second, and then gently pull it up to generalmiddle of your iPads display. Dont go too far to the right or left, or youll activate Split View. (Also, dont press it for too long, or youll make the apps Extra Actions menu pop up.)

In this shot, which corresponds to Step 3, Im opening the Music app in Slide Over while looking at Apples site in Safari. I want the Slide Over window to appear on the right, so Ive pulled it over there without going too far.

The app should immediately appear in a Slide Over window, either to the left or right of the screen, depending on which direction you trended toward as you pulled it from the dock.

To move a Slide Over window to a different side of the screen, place your finger on the thin gray horizontal line at the top of a Slide Over window and pull the window to the left or right.

To make a Slide Over window disappear, hold your finger on the thin gray line and swipe it toward the nearest edge of the screen. You can make the same Slide Over window reappear by swiping away from the edge toward the middle of the screen roughly in the same spot where the thin gray line was before you removed it.

You can also convert a Slide Over window into a Split View window by pressing down on the thin gray line and then dragging the window to either lower corner of the screen. To make a Split View window go back to being a Slide Over panel, press the thin gray line and then drag the app window to the middle of the app thats on the other side of the screen.

You can also use Slide Over to multitask with three apps at once by opening two apps in Split View and then opening the third app with Slide Over. This is especially useful for apps like Music, which dont have to be on the screen the whole time for reference.

To do this, first open two apps at once with Split View. Then drag the new app directly over the thin gray line in the middle of the divider for the two apps. Release your finger, and the third app will appear in a Slide Over window.

Youll know the third app is going to make a Slide Over window if the preview before you release your finger looks like this. If its wider, its just going to replace one of the Split View windows.

Features like Split View and Slide Over arent just useful for comparing notes and the like: You can also use them to share information between two apps. This works with text, images files, and all kinds of other options, and in many cases it saves a little bit of time compared to copying and pasting. For the purposes of this how-to, Ill use text as an example.

Open two apps side by side in Split View or Slide Over. For this how-to, Ive used two word processing apps: Pages and Google Docs.

Select a snippet of text from one app.

Hold your finger on that selection and then drag it over to the app on the other side.

Release your finger. The text should then appear in the other app.

This screenshot is essentially Step 3 in action.

The App Switcher allows you to easily switch between all other open apps, roughly like Expos on the Mac. To use it, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, butwhile still holding your finger downstop somewhere around the middle of the screen. Then lift your finger. You should then see previews of all the apps you have open, and you can sift through them by swiping to the left or right. Press the preview of the app you want, and the app should open.

If youre on an iPad that still has a Home button, you can also just press the Home button twice to make the App Switcher appear. Also, its tricky, but you can also make the App Switcher appear by putting four or five fingertips on the iPads screen and beginning to pinch them together. Release them when the App Switcher appears. Dont pinch all the way, though, as youll just make the Home screen appear.

Note that the App Switcher will also show you which apps are currently paired with other apps through Split View. This allows the App Switcher to be a handy way of working with other apps without losing your Split View pairing.

In this preview, you can see that Ulysses and Safari are paired in Split View.

You can also just swipe through every open app while each app is in full-screen mode by placing four fingertips on the screen and then swiping left or right. As we saw above, you can also change to the App Switcher proper by pinching those four fingers together.

Picture-in-Picture mode lets you keep watching a video or a FaceTime call in a small window even when youre using another multitasking feature like Split View. Unfortunately, it doesnt work with every app, and that includes popular ones like YouTube. Its relatively simple to use, but the features existence isnt terribly obvious. Heres how to use it.

When watching a video or FaceTime call, you should see an icon that looks like two rectangles of different sizes. Press this icon.

The video should immediately shrink down to a corner of the screen.

You can move the Picture-in-Picture display to another part of the screen simply by dragging it aroundand you can also swipe it off the screen, if necessary. You can also make a Picture-in-Picture window go back to full screen by pressing the icon with the two rectangles again.

Picture-in-Picture mode on an iPad.

Apple enhanced the iPad multitasking experience by introducing support for its Magic Trackpad. I recommend looking at our full how-to for more information, as many of the gestures are the sameyoure just making them on the trackpad instead of the screen.

There are some differences, though. For example, if you want to swipe through all the open apps without using the App Switcher, you need to use three fingers on the trackpad and swipe left or right. To perform the same action on the iPad screen itself, as weve seen, you need to use four fingers.

Im not sure why anyone would want to do this, as its hard enough to turn on the above features even intentionally, much less accidentally. But Apple gives you the option, anyway.

To do so, go to the Settings app, press Home Screen & Dock in the panel on the left, and then press Multitasking. From there, you can toggle off Allow Multiple Apps (i.e., Split View and Slide Over), Picture-in-Picture, and gestures.

Read the original post:
How to multitask on the iPad: Split View, Slide Over, and more - Macworld

Microsoft on Monday teased a few future features of its Edge web browser and Teams slack-killer. It also announced the rebranding of its cloud productivity suite Office 365 as Microsoft 365 a subscription offering that already included Office 365, alongside Windows 10 Enterprise services and security features.

The Windows-and-cloud biz halted Edge stable channel updates ten days ago when Google's Chromium team did the same. This latest Edge revision, 80.0.361.69, for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, was released on March 19 and Microsoft is only now getting around to shining a spotlight on its work.

The Edge update incorporates several previously trumpeted features. There's Collections, a form of rich media bookmarking; InPrivate mode, which gets rid of history, cookies, and site data when a session is closed; and Immersive Reader, a clutter suppression tool to make web pages more readable and accessible.

While the Stable update channel is on hiatus, Microsoft is promising features that haven't yet been fully baked. At some point in the not so distant future, we're assured, InPrivate mode will hide Bing searches, users will be able to display browser tabs vertically, Smart Copy will allow copying and pasting content in a way that retains rich web formatting, and there will be a Password Monitor service (similar to Chrome's and Firefox's) to notify users when credentials auto-saved in Edge show up on the internet.

In a blog post, Liat Ben-Zur, corporate VP of Microsoft Edge, said these features can be expected to appear in Edge Insider builds "in the next few months."

Like the Paul Masson Mountain Winery, which long ago via spokesperson Orson Welles proclaimed, "We will sell no wine before its time," Ben-Zur offered reassurance that Microsoft will ship Edge code only when it's ready.

"We will continue to be quality driven as we release new features," said Ben-Zur. "That means that all features will be tested in the Insider channels, starting in Canary and progressing to Stable only when we are satisfied with the level of stability and quality. If you downloaded the new Edge, all you have to do is wait."

Those who can't wait can try Edge 83.0.461.1, which debuted on Friday, via Microsoft's Edge Dev channel.

Microsoft however did have more present-focused news, by which we mean taking place only three weeks hence: On April 21, Office 365 will become Microsoft 365.

That means Office 365 Personal and Office 365 Home subscriptions will be replaced by Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions, $7 and $10 respectively per month. These represent the first consumer-focused Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

The company also announced two Microsoft 365 additions: the Microsoft Family Safety app and Microsoft Teams for consumers, which should show up in preview "in the coming months." Hopefully then coronavirus lockdowns will have abated, which means Redmond has missed another opportunity to expand.

The reason for the name change has something to do with AI: "An evolution of Office 365, Microsoft 365 builds on the foundation of Office infusing new artificial intelligence (AI), rich content and templates, and cloud-powered experiences to empower you to become a better writer, presenter, designer, manager of your finances, and deepen your connection to the people in your life," explained Yusuf Mehdi, corporate VP for modern life, search, and devices at Microsoft, in a blog post.

In practical terms, that means those crafting documents or other media in Microsoft 365 can get help from AI tools like an expanded version of Microsoft Editor. Accessible via Word and Outlook.com, and as a separate browser extension for Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, Microsoft Editor does algorithmically-assisted spelling and grammar checking, as well as plagiarism detection. It can also offer Rewrite suggestions for those who can't come up with a suitable way to rephrase a particular passage.

The Family Safety app, for Android or iOS users with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, can manage screen time on Windows PCs, Android and Xbox, location sharing, and notifications. It will also provide parents with driving reports on inexperienced drivers without Microsoft promises ratting out careless kids to insurance companies and potentially inflating premium payments.

Alongside the consumer-oriented rebranding, some of Microsoft's small business-oriented offerings will get new names: Office 365 Business Essentials will become Microsoft 365 Business Basic; Office 365 Business Premium will become Microsoft 365 Business Standard; Microsoft 365 Business will become Microsoft 365 Business Premium; and Office 365 Business and Office 365 ProPlus will both become Microsoft 365 Apps.

But not all of them: Office 365 for Enterprise, Office 365 for Firstline Workers, Office 365 for Education, and Office 365 for Government will continue to be known by their birth names.

"Were always looking for ways to simplify," explained Jared Spataro, corporate VP for Microsoft 365 in a separate blog post. "This new approach to naming our products is designed to help you quickly find the plan you need and get back to your business."

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Official: Office 365 Personal, Home axed next month... and replaced by Microsoft 365 cloud subscriptions - The Register