Archive for March, 2010

Web Conferencing: Virtual Meetings Made Easy

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Lisa
 

Web Conferencing – A World Wide Web Wonder

John Eddie asked:




Web conferencing is an online-based system of interaction that utilizes modern audio-video facilities and digital compression technology to facilitate real-time and remote, face to face conferencing. This communications facility comes as an enhanced version of the video conferencing facility introduced in the 60s that was sparingly used until the late 80s due to inherent glitches in the process of converting analog data to digital format. Compression technology available at that time was deemed inefficient to result in poor picture and audio quality during the conference.

Incidentally, the infrastructure running video conferencing systems ranging from proprietary equipment such as the T1, ATM and IDSN lines were very expensive. Moreover, pertinent software and network requirements only increased cost parameters relevant to the system.

The late 90’s saw the emergence of a viable web conferencing system with the availability of Internet Protocol (IP) platforms and more reliable video compression technology. The use of “Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)” or Internet Telephony to route conversations to the internet even extended the cost-effective attributes of web conferencing. Apart from VOIP being cheaper, it is location-independent and could therefore be accessed from any global location where internet access is available. Furthermore, VOIP can be integrated with other internet services such as data or file transfer and audio-video conferencing.

Today, web conferencing has become a popular venue for the conduct of remote meetings, conferences and presentations between individuals based in different global locations. This technology also provides a host of benefits to businesses in terms of time and cost savings given a viable alternative to personal, face to face meetings.

Now, more than ever, online-based technologies such as web-conferencing are reshaping the fundamentals of global communications and commerce.

Theodore
 

Video Conferencing – How It Can Save Your Business Time And Money

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Tommy
 

Web Conferencing

Nathalie Fiset asked:




Today, the term “web conferencing” is used almost exclusively to refer to different types of business communication that occur over the internet. The roots of the term, however, indicate a past that’s radically different. Did you know that this term was actually used to refer to any type of internet communication, whether for business or for leisure?

In the dim past of the internet, people used to communicate to each other using online bulletin boards -no instant messaging, no video messaging, just posting online messages for others to read. This form of communication was the first to be dubbed with the term. Of course, this early form of online communication could barely be called better than actually talking to other people over the phone.

Nowadays, internet conversations take place in real-time, with people able to share ideas and pieces of information in the blink of an eye. The most noticeable improvement in professional internet communications today is the fact that the technology used is definitely honed for business use. This is where the rift between social internet communication and professional inline meetings occur. People today make use of the term “web conference” to refer to business communications simply because the technology is very different.

Technologies used in internet conferences are of such a level that only people involved in businesses can actually afford them -oftentimes only to rent. This is partially because businesses have very specific needs regarding communication. Information can be crucial when you are running a company and people’s ways of living hang in the balance.

This means that certain factors often overlooked by casual users of the internet need to be seriously considered by the company. They need to be able to have the type of communication which provides them with the information they need when they need it. Because of this, web conferencing technology today may also lack some of the frills enjoyed by other users of the internet.

Certain types of software used in online conferences are used in order to simulate an actual meeting. That is, people engaged in these activities are empowered with the various tools they need in order to reduce the interference caused by technology. Although people sometimes look at web technology as bridging gaps, you have to realize that there are a variety of interferences caused by the same technology. Truly, an online conference is not the same as an actual meeting. This is the problem that technology tries to eliminate.

By utilizing various types of software, people engaged in internet conversations are able to present various ideas in very interactive ways. They are able to utilize video conferencing software in order to increase he interaction between participants. Through video conferencing, people are better able to communicate ideas to each other. As we all know, a big part of communication occurs non-verbally, through various signals sent by our actions.

There are also different types of software which allow people to present their ideas in various ways. Through web conferencing technology today, people are able to pitch their ideas to others in a way which ensures that the listeners are able to understand and appreciate those ideas completely. Through animations, slideshows, video and audio presentations, people are able to ensure that they are sending their ideas effectively.

No business can be more crucial than trading. Whether people trade stocks or currency, they need information which will help them make crucial decisions which could make or break their businesses. Because of this, online communications for these people need to present them, not with video or audio but with information relevant to their trading. People involved in trading need to have information quickly and need to be able to transmit their decisions quickly, when those decisions can still matter.

The internet is just one of those pieces of technology which are able to turn themselves from convenience to need. Because of the benefits brought about by this development to businesses, people today depend on the technology in order to maintain an edge over the competition. This just goes to show you how much technology matters in the world today. Hopefully, this short article has helped you understand the web conferencing better.

Corey
 

Video Conferencing is an Asset That Many Companies are Utilizing

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Ryan
 

Use Your Video Conferencing Systems More Efficiently

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Louise
 

Internet Video Conferencing Basics For Your Business

Andrew K Long asked:




Internet video conferencing is a useful tool for business owners and corporations. At its most basic, it allows users to have real time video conversations. However, it can be much more complex and involve multi-user videos, document sharing, and digital whiteboards.

Internet video conferencing works just like a regular business conference in that people gather for a meeting or presentation. The difference is that these people gather on the internet and can be physically located any place in the world. However, they can still immediately exchange ideas, see each other, and share reports and files.

One way to hold internet video conferencing is to go through a third party provider and there a number of reputable ones around. This makes it easy enough for anyone to do. This option is a good choice for small businesses as it offers all of the basics needed to conduct business with clients and a few employees.

A more advanced way to hold internet video conferencing is to purchase your own conferencing equipment. This choice is best for large businesses and corporations that have an IT department to handle all of the details. This allows for a greater range of features that may be needed to train large groups of people or to hold frequent conferences.

Both methods are beneficial and choosing which one to use depends upon the type of activities you want to do during your conference. For most businesses, choosing an online service is a a more convenient and easier option.

You can find basic internet video conferencing services for free. As you require more functionality, you may need to upgrade to a paid service, but even when you do, the cost is affordable. There are many companies online who offer video conferencing so the best thing to do is compare prices against the details of their terms. Usually the more options and more users you want for your conference, the higher the price will be.

Internet video conferencing has really taken off in the past five years and as a result, prices for conferencing options have come down and webcams have gotten cheaper too. Due to popularity, the marketplace has become flooded with service providers, equipment suppliers, and software choices. Now is a great time to get your business into video conferencing.

You will need a webcam to transmit a video conference and you will need a microphone and speakers. A headset will usually suffice for basic use. If you plan to stand and walk around while you are speaking, you should invest in a quality microphone so attendees will be able to hear you on their computers.

Many companies today have integrated internet video conferencing into their standard business practices. It can keep you in touch with your clients and employees in a more personal way than merely talking on the phone, plus it allows for the transmission of documents and drawings.

Internet video conferencing is also a lot of fun for personal use and because you wouldn’t require options and upgrades like a business would, you can use it for free. The catch with using a free service is that it is limited to connecting with other users of the same service. If you want to talk to someone on a different service, then you must pay a small fee, but since it is VOIP, it is only a few cents per minute.

Internet video conferencing can keep you in touch with family members that live far away and visit with friends even if they live half way around the globe. If you are all on the same service, like Skype, you can talk long distance for free and see each other at the same time. With benefits like these, it is easy to see why this is so popular for business and personal use alike.

Debra