Archive for November, 2009

Web Conferencing Services – Step By Step Guide

Liza Lewis asked:




Web conferencing is considered as one of the very amazing tools to almost everyone who have used it. But it is still a mystery to many, who have not yet used the online conferencing services. There are some people who have used the web conferencing services numerous time but still they come up with some or the other problem during online conferencing. This article will provide a step by step web conferencing preparation guidance to people who are a first time user and will also solve the problem of people who in spite of using the tool multiple time still experiences difficulties.

1) Proper Planning for Better Web Conferencing

When you have thought of arranging a web conference then it means you definitely have something in your mind that you would like to discuss or show others. Make a list of people or staff you want to make a part of your web conference. Create a written document and circulate the message.

2) Adjust Web Camera

Test your web camera in advance so that you don’t waste time in adjusting your camera during the crucial time, this really looks very unprofessional. Adjust the camera in such a way that you are just in the center of the screen and there will still be some 10% head room. Whatever you need during the meeting should be in front of you so that you don’t have to move from the table. Your movement will just display a blurry image, which can distract or irritate others.

3) Check Microphones, Speakers & Headphones

Lock doors and switch off TVs and radios to avoid the unwanted background noise. Use a slim trim headset microphones or earphones that looks sober and does not cover your face. Test your speakers to ensure that they are enough audible for your to hear. I will discourage usage of external speakers because that will create feedbacks. The microphone will also pick up the sound from the external speakers and distract the other participants including you.

4) Dressing up for Improving Web Conferencing Services

Though you are conferencing over the Internet that does not mean you can wear anything. Avoid wearing your bathrobe or other casuals. Get your professional look. Dress up the way you would for a meeting outside the house or in an office.

5) Better Web Conferencing – Lighting

You have already planned where you are going to sit. Keeping in mind about the part of the day your online conferencing program will take place, arrange the lighting set up. Or you can make your sitting arrangement according to the lighting system in the respective room. Considering the fact that lights from behind will make you appear darker in the screen to other participants and light in front of you will illuminate your face and the area around you, decide on your sitting arrangement.

6) Good Internet Connection

Before you think of arranging for a web conferencing program, find out the bandwidth and supporting factors for uninterrupted online conferencing services.

7) Test the Software Before Using Web Conferencing

Before finally using the software on the conference day, test it by making small calls. Learn more about the specific software and the various features available.

These small tips will surely make your web conferencing program a big hit

Leon
 

Live Web Conferencing

Nathalie Fiset asked:




When people hear of the term “live web conferencing”, the first thing that pops into their minds is a meeting composed of people who make decisions involving their collective investments. This image is a fairly common one as a lot of people believe that live internet conferencing generally occurs between heads of corporations. The need for global networking and resource gathering as well as decision making has different company leaders making compromises between staying with the company and traveling around.

Through live web discussions, people who need to travel can do so and still make effective and real-time decisions. This means that through live web conferencing, those who need to can traverse distance in the blink of an eye. Live internet conferencing empowers people to make decisions from wherever they are and still have those decisions counted. Live web meeting means people will never be helpless when it comes to business again.

However, this is not the only purpose of live internet conferencing. One common function that’s commonly overshadowed by the decision-making process is the sharing of information. Not many people realize just how vital information can be in these days. With the right or wrong piece of information, a person can bring an entire corporation to its knees. Because of this, people need to be able to gather needed information quickly. This is where live web meeting comes in.

Through live computer conferencing, people are able to transmit data and information as soon as they get it. This means that decisions can be made more quickly and accurately, thereby enabling people to make more money. Through live web conferencing, people are able to gather and transmit information in different ways, depending on which methods are the most effective.

Through live internet discussions, people are able to transmit data in different forms, such as video and audio. Depending on the nature of the data, either may be more effective in letting people understand it. Because of this variety supported by this technology, people are better able to make sure that they actually manage to communicate information properly.

Another popular use of live web forum today is the selling of ideas. Many people in the marketing business today make use of live internet presentation in order to facilitate meetings with potential clients. As you may realize, getting a potential client to take time and see you can be particularly difficult these days, with people always traveling around. By using live web conferencing, distance wouldn’t matter to those who want to sell their ideas.

Because of live computer conferencing, ideas are exchanged faster. This means that people improve faster and thus, humanity profits as a whole. Because of web conferencing, people are better able to freely express themselves to those who matter. Through this technology, distance is just another figment of the imagination- another urban legend to be dismissed without a second glance or thought.

What makes live internet conversation so popular today, however, is that it does not necessarily have to be utilized for business. In fact, a lot of people are discovering that web conferencing can lead them to tap into the world and feel the pulse of humanity. Through this technology, people are able to connect with each other and exchange ideas or just idle chatter. They are not limited to their locale in their search for friends.

With live web conferencing services, people can talk to each other from different sides of the world without increasing their phone bill. This is because communications via the internet is much cheaper than using the phone line. This ability to reach out to the world gives people an opportunity for learning.

Today, a lot of people are turning to live internet meeting services in order to learn about different topics which they may not have access to within their locality. Today, a lot of people turn to live web discussions in order to learn foreign languages from native speakers. This brings them one step closer to global integration.

As you can see, there are a lot of benefits that can be gotten from live web conferencing. Mind you, the technology is still young and this means that these uses are just the tip of the iceberg.

Rosa
 

Conferencing is Rapidly Migrating From the Business to the Consumer Market

Michael R. Burns asked:




When I first started working for the telephone company in the seventies, the only way you could have a conference call was through the phone company and you had to schedule it in advance and pay around $3.50 per minute. During the late eighties and nineties, conference bridging technology developed to where you could hold reservationless conference calls without an operator and the rate dropped to around 50 cents per minute. Businesses were slow to adopt conferencing, but once they did, their usage increased dramatically. Newer technologies such as web conferencing, using the Internet, have added even more usage and lead to a reduction in pricing. Now that desktop video conferencing technology has emerged and has become economical, conferencing has finally started to migrate to the consumer market.

Consumer markets have been traditionally tough to penetrate in the conferencing arena. Multiple efforts have been tried and most have been ineffective. Teen chat lines, family lines, school lines and patient lines have all been introduced, but very few have taken off to produce any significant amount of usage.

One of the problems has been that consumers have not seen the need for such a product. Another problem is that conferencing typically has been sold on a “paid by the minute” product and consumers have been more budget minded and worried about families running up large conferencing bills.

With the advent of desktop video conferencing, consumers can now use their webcams and the Internet to hold meetings right over their laptops or desktop computers. With speakers and headphones, the voice can be carried over the Internet, as well. With the technology based over the Internet, pricing has dramatically fallen and new flat rate, unlimited usage pricing models have developed. Now you can hold as many family video conferences with family members around the world as you want for less than $99. per month.

Conferencing truly has come a long way since the seventies. Beginning with the business markets, conferencing is now starting to gain a foothold on the consumer markets. The use of the Internet, webcams and personal computers will continue to drive conferencing to every corner of the earth.

Rosemary