12 Tech Devices for Virtual Meetings, Brainy Meetings

twelve Tech Contraptions for Virtual Meetings

By Susan Jacobs on March 04, 2016

While no one denies that face-to-face meetings suggest intrinsic benefits, sometimes it is just not practical. Work teams may be spread across the country or around the world, operating out of offices, hotel rooms, coffee shops or homes. At such times, technology can be a planner’s best friend.

Beth Ziesenis, an author, tech guru and self-described nerdy BFF, points out that there are many virtual meeting solutions available—nearly all of which suggest free or reasonably-priced versions. Next time you are planning an event and need to get feedback or input from others who are not in the near surroundings, consider organizing a virtual meeting with one the following twelve tech instruments:

Slack

This team messaging contraption brings all types of communication together seamlessly, eliminating the need for long email threads and links. Slack users report a forty nine percent reduction in internal email, helping them streamline work and become more productive. Team conversations can be organized into open or private channels for particular departments or projects. The app, which can be loaded onto both computers and mobile devices, integrates with all social media platforms, as well as file sharing programs such as Dropbox. Users simply haul, drop and share pics, PDFs, documents and spreadsheets. Colleagues can add comments or flag messages for future reference, and the fully searchable platform instantly synchs with other programs. The basic plan is free; three paid upgrades suggest enhanced features and controls. Special pricing is available for qualified nonprofits.

Join.me

This versatile, easy-to-use program can be loaded onto desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Join.me permits up to ten individuals to view your screen at the same time, fostering collaboration for idea generation, sales demos and presentations. The online device ranked No. One in customer satisfaction for ease of use, speed, and reliability in a two thousand fourteen survey, and was used to facilitate thirty million meetings last year. The affordable program has three levels. The free version features instant screen sharing and movie conferencing with VoIP; Pro adds online meetings with unlimited audio conferencing and costs less than $20 per month with an annual contract; while Enterprise offers advanced management capabilities and costs less than $25 monthly with an annual contract.

Dropbox

Dropbox co-founder Drew Houston developed the Dropbox concept in two thousand seven after repeatedly leaving behind his USB flash drive while he was a student at MIT. Elementary and effortless to use, the file hosting service has won many awards. Suggesting cloud storage and file synchronization, it can house documents, photos and movies. Your team can access this material from anywhere, as the material will automatically display up on all synched devices, as well as the Dropbox website. The device is particularly helpful for sharing large files and backups. A basic account featuring two GB of free online storage and twenty GB of traffic per day is free; users can upgrade their accounts to provide more capacity. For Pro and Business accounts, the limit is two hundred GB per day.

Google Drive

Launched in 2012, Google Drive is a file storage and synchronization service created by Google that permits users to store files in the cloud, share files and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations photos and audio files. Many view it as the king of real-time document collaboration. Individuals can write and edit on the same document, at the same time, with talk and comment features. All switches are automatically saved. Users can access the documents anywhere, at any time, from their smartphones, tablets or computers. The program is compatible with Microsoft Word, providing editing and styling devices for formatting text and paragraphs. Links, pics, drawings and tables can be added. Users get fifteen free GB of storage that is collective across three of its most used services: Google Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. If that is not enough, they can purchase more storage for a monthly fee.

FaceTime

FaceTime is a movie talking device for Apple users. With a ordinary tap, users can make movie calls over Wi-Fi from their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac desktop or laptop to someone else’s, using cameras on the devices. Availability over a cellular network depends on carrier policies, and data charges may apply. The picture-in-picture view permits individuals to see how they emerge to the person they are calling, using the front or rear camera, in portrait or landscape mode. Albeit groups can gather around the Mac screen or integrate the power of Apple TV, FaceTime does not support group conferencing. Unluckily, FaceTime is incompatible with non-Apple devices. Alternatives for Android users include Google Hangouts, Skype and Viber.

Skype

Skype, which was founded in two thousand three and is headquartered in Luxembourg, is a division of Microsoft Corp. Many consider it the granddaddy of videoconferencing instruments, and millions use the implement on a daily basis to network with colleagues around the world. The app can be loaded onto smartphones, computers or even televisions that will support it. Free HD movie calls can be made and broadcast to groups of up to twenty five individuals; Skype can also be used for group talks. Photos and files of all sizes can be transmitted using the contraption. Skype to Skype calls are free, anywhere in the world. Calls to mobile and landlines worldwide are charged at low rates. The program supports instant messaging, texts and emojis. A special translator feature permits users talking with someone who speaks another language to translate calls and instant messages.

Periscope

Periscope is a live streaming app for iOS and Android. Users broadcast live movie from their phones, in real time. Planners could use it for a live interview that is then streamed to Twitter. During a conference, the planner could give those who could not attend the event a taste of what they missed.

Zoom is an online movie conferencing service that permits users to pull in up to fifty HD movie rivulets at the same time. Zoom’s engineers have more than nine hundred years of combined practice working on real-time collaboration software. More than 200,000 businesses, including the California State University system, use it. It offers movie, audio and screen sharing, as well as group messaging, on all sorts of devices. Meetings have a time limit for the free version, but the system can be upgraded for $14.99 per month.

Freeconferencecall

This aptly-named contraption provides free online teleconferencing for up to twenty five people. Calls can be recorded, collective or saved to be heard later on-demand. Free international service is suggested to fifty eight countries, making hosting a global conference call a breeze. The company claims that it has hosted a billion calls. The meeting wall can be customized with a headshot or logo. Apps for mobile Apple and Android devices are available.

GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar

Business travel by plane or car is expensive and time consuming. Companies can significantly decrease costs using meeting/webinar devices. GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar is a supple, professional and reliable platform used by three million users around the world per month. The company says it hosts fifty six million online meetings annually. Some attractions of this instrument are live 24/7 support, and the fact that the number of online meetings a company can hold each month is unlimited. Privacy is protected with end-to-end encryption and strong passwords. Pricing for GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar ranges from $24 to $49 per month.

WebEx

This product, produced by global leader Cisco, is used by many Fortune five hundred companies. The company states that fifty one million people per month attend a WebEx meeting. The free version permits users to meet and work with two other people; the premium version offers tiered platforms ranging from $24 per month for up to eight people, to $Sixty-nine per month for up to one hundred people. Features in the paid subscription models include numerous feed or side-by-side with screen sharing viewing modes, the capability to sketch ideas on a virtual whiteboard or annotate documents, and the capability to record meetings.

GroupMe

GroupMe is a free mobile messaging app that planners can use to coordinate private talks among coworkers. It works on all device platforms. Users can talk on the go, or from their office computers or from tablets at home. It can incorporate pictures, emojis and movies, and has other features such as location sharing and direct messaging.

12 Tech Implements for Virtual Meetings, Clever Meetings

twelve Tech Devices for Virtual Meetings

By Susan Jacobs on March 04, 2016

While no one denies that face-to-face meetings suggest intrinsic benefits, sometimes it is just not practical. Work teams may be spread across the country or around the world, operating out of offices, hotel rooms, coffee shops or homes. At such times, technology can be a planner’s best friend.

Beth Ziesenis, an author, tech guru and self-described nerdy BFF, points out that there are many virtual meeting solutions available—nearly all of which suggest free or reasonably-priced versions. Next time you are planning an event and need to get feedback or input from others who are not in the near neighborhood, consider organizing a virtual meeting with one the following twelve tech contraptions:

Slack

This team messaging contraption brings all types of communication together seamlessly, eliminating the need for long email threads and links. Slack users report a forty nine percent reduction in internal email, helping them streamline work and become more productive. Team conversations can be organized into open or private channels for particular departments or projects. The app, which can be loaded onto both computers and mobile devices, integrates with all social media platforms, as well as file sharing programs such as Dropbox. Users simply haul, drop and share pictures, PDFs, documents and spreadsheets. Colleagues can add comments or flag messages for future reference, and the fully searchable platform instantly synchs with other programs. The basic plan is free; three paid upgrades suggest enhanced features and controls. Special pricing is available for qualified nonprofits.

Join.me

This versatile, easy-to-use program can be loaded onto desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Join.me permits up to ten individuals to view your screen at the same time, fostering collaboration for idea generation, sales demos and presentations. The online instrument ranked No. One in customer satisfaction for ease of use, speed, and reliability in a two thousand fourteen survey, and was used to facilitate thirty million meetings last year. The affordable program has three levels. The free version features instant screen sharing and movie conferencing with VoIP; Pro adds online meetings with unlimited audio conferencing and costs less than $20 per month with an annual contract; while Enterprise offers advanced management capabilities and costs less than $25 monthly with an annual contract.

Dropbox

Dropbox co-founder Drew Houston developed the Dropbox concept in two thousand seven after repeatedly leaving behind his USB flash drive while he was a student at MIT. Elementary and effortless to use, the file hosting service has won many awards. Suggesting cloud storage and file synchronization, it can house documents, photos and movies. Your team can access this material from anywhere, as the material will automatically showcase up on all synched devices, as well as the Dropbox website. The device is particularly helpful for sharing large files and backups. A basic account featuring two GB of free online storage and twenty GB of traffic per day is free; users can upgrade their accounts to provide more capacity. For Pro and Business accounts, the limit is two hundred GB per day.

Google Drive

Launched in 2012, Google Drive is a file storage and synchronization service created by Google that permits users to store files in the cloud, share files and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations photos and audio files. Many view it as the king of real-time document collaboration. Individuals can write and edit on the same document, at the same time, with talk and comment features. All switches are automatically saved. Users can access the documents anywhere, at any time, from their smartphones, tablets or computers. The program is compatible with Microsoft Word, providing editing and styling devices for formatting text and paragraphs. Links, pictures, drawings and tables can be added. Users get fifteen free GB of storage that is collective across three of its most used services: Google Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. If that is not enough, they can purchase more storage for a monthly fee.

FaceTime

FaceTime is a movie talking contraption for Apple users. With a elementary tap, users can make movie calls over Wi-Fi from their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac desktop or laptop to someone else’s, using cameras on the devices. Availability over a cellular network depends on carrier policies, and data charges may apply. The picture-in-picture view permits individuals to see how they emerge to the person they are calling, using the front or rear camera, in portrait or landscape mode. Albeit groups can gather around the Mac screen or integrate the power of Apple TV, FaceTime does not support group conferencing. Unluckily, FaceTime is incompatible with non-Apple devices. Alternatives for Android users include Google Hangouts, Skype and Viber.

Skype

Skype, which was founded in two thousand three and is headquartered in Luxembourg, is a division of Microsoft Corp. Many consider it the granddaddy of videoconferencing devices, and millions use the device on a daily basis to network with colleagues around the world. The app can be loaded onto smartphones, computers or even televisions that will support it. Free HD movie calls can be made and broadcast to groups of up to twenty five individuals; Skype can also be used for group talks. Photos and files of all sizes can be transmitted using the instrument. Skype to Skype calls are free, anywhere in the world. Calls to mobile and landlines worldwide are charged at low rates. The program supports instant messaging, texts and emojis. A special translator feature permits users talking with someone who speaks another language to translate calls and instant messages.

Periscope

Periscope is a live streaming app for iOS and Android. Users broadcast live movie from their phones, in real time. Planners could use it for a live interview that is then streamed to Twitter. During a conference, the planner could give those who could not attend the event a taste of what they missed.

Zoom is an online movie conferencing service that permits users to pull in up to fifty HD movie flows at the same time. Zoom’s engineers have more than nine hundred years of combined practice working on real-time collaboration software. More than 200,000 businesses, including the California State University system, use it. It offers movie, audio and screen sharing, as well as group messaging, on all sorts of devices. Meetings have a time limit for the free version, but the system can be upgraded for $14.99 per month.

Freeconferencecall

This aptly-named instrument provides free online teleconferencing for up to twenty five people. Calls can be recorded, collective or saved to be heard later on-demand. Free international service is suggested to fifty eight countries, making hosting a global conference call a breeze. The company claims that it has hosted a billion calls. The meeting wall can be customized with a headshot or logo. Apps for mobile Apple and Android devices are available.

GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar

Business travel by plane or car is expensive and time consuming. Companies can significantly decrease costs using meeting/webinar implements. GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar is a limber, professional and reliable platform used by three million users around the world per month. The company says it hosts fifty six million online meetings annually. Some attractions of this instrument are live 24/7 support, and the fact that the number of online meetings a company can hold each month is unlimited. Privacy is protected with end-to-end encryption and strong passwords. Pricing for GoToMeeting/GoToWebinar ranges from $24 to $49 per month.

WebEx

This product, produced by global leader Cisco, is used by many Fortune five hundred companies. The company states that fifty one million people per month attend a WebEx meeting. The free version permits users to meet and work with two other people; the premium version offers tiered platforms ranging from $24 per month for up to eight people, to $Sixty-nine per month for up to one hundred people. Features in the paid subscription models include numerous feed or side-by-side with screen sharing viewing modes, the capability to sketch ideas on a virtual whiteboard or annotate documents, and the capability to record meetings.

GroupMe

GroupMe is a free mobile messaging app that planners can use to coordinate private talks among coworkers. It works on all device platforms. Users can talk on the go, or from their office computers or from tablets at home. It can incorporate pictures, emojis and movies, and has other features such as location sharing and direct messaging.

Related video:

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