Zoom may be the leading choice for video conferencing in our world fighting COVID-19 But rivals like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet continue to add unique features that appeal to families looking for ways to stay connected And Microsoft may have added a feature that many users would embrace for socially distant holiday gatherings

The Microsoft team has added a new video calling option that is free all day long Users can open the Microsoft Teams app on their desktop, browser, or mobile device and keep it open all day for up to 300 friends and family members to join while active

Participants in a call do not need a Microsoft account or the Teams app; they just need a browser and a link to a conversation started by someone registered in Teams This means they can chat for free all day long without having to download anything extra

To host a Microsoft Teams meeting, all you need to do is open a room from the new Teams web destination, sign in with your Microsoft account, and share the link to the new room with friends and family From there, everyone can join without the hassle that always comes with signing up for a new service

Microsoft Teams offers the longest call option currently available among video conferencing services, which makes sense given the timing of this release so close to the holidays; Zoom typically imposes a 40-minute call limit, which will be lifted on Thanksgiving; and Google Meet typically imposes a 60-minute limit, which will be lifted on December 31, Google Meet typically imposes a 60-minute call limit; other services such as Skype do not require users to disconnect after a certain amount of time, but so many users seem eager to use these conferencing services, which have boomed since the coronavirus outbreak forced evacuations

Microsoft Team

Microsoft Teams not only allows for large calls, but also supports placing up to 49 friends and family members in a gallery view through the Together mode feature This allows everyone to appear side-by-side in a virtual area, giving the feeling that everyone is in one large room

It's no secret that the holiday season is fast approaching, and with so many users already casually logging into Zoom every day, Microsoft, Google, and other platforms are quickly finding ways to attract other users to their video conferencing software trying to find Microsoft offering this massive video calling option for free is a smart move, especially given that this year's Thanksgiving gathering has been endorsed by the CDC