ARE YOU FREE????????

COMMUNICATION OVERLOAD

I know that am I not alone when I say that I have have silencnd my insatiable ringing phone, or amended my status to read "busy".  Sometimes being available 24/7 can wear thin. That said its not all bad, advancements in telecommunications and IT have revolutionised the modus-operendii for business.  No longer is it necessary to travel for meetings, to catch that flight to Boston to discuss all things tea!  In todays' modern world face to face meetings go ahead on line in the virtual world thanks to free and available software. Great examples are:-

Skype (Skype for business)

Face Time Meeting

and

Google Hangouts

The aim of this weeks homework is to sample each one of the above and have a go as a group, to dip our feet in the virtual pool and arrange a rendez vous where we can meet on line at a given time and date and evaluate the available features on each one.  Before we dive in proper.... lets review each one, starting with Skype. 

SKYPE FOR BUSINESS

According to Wikipedia, Microsoft office live communications server was launched in 2003, replacing the instant messaging service.  With annual upgrades in 2015, the skype for business server was born and offering the following features:-

* Dial in audio conferencing
* Desktop sharing
* Persistent group chat
* Attendant console and delegation
* Session invitation protocol trunking
* Mobility and single number reach.

Take a look at the below video which takes the novice by the hand and walks them through the software - a simple "how to" clip.  Fingers crossed when the time comes, lets hope that as a group..... we can!




Lets now review the competition .. starting with FaceTime.

FaceTime is a video telephony product developed by Apple Inc.  Available on supported mobile devices and unlike Skype - Face time does not support group conferencing (However if you have more than one mobile device you can answer multiple face time calls simultaneously creating your own version of the conference call.  Other limitations presented are geographical.  As of 2016, FaceTime is not enabled in the UAE, KSA and Pakistan due to the regulations in those countries that restrict IP based comms.  It would seem that one would need to revert to old school methods of e mail, voice calls etc when communicating with certain sectors of the Middle East!

During the last few seconds of the above video you will have seen a pie chart depicting the estimated active users of top video conferencing apps - top of the league was Google hangouts,.... lets briefly review why....

According to Wikipedia, Google Hangouts is a communication platform which includes IM, Video chat, SMS & VOIP features.  Hangouts allows conversations betweene 2 or more users.  A service that can be assessedd on line through GMail or Google+ or through the mobile app available for Android users.

Chat users are saved on line, allowing them to be synced between devices,photos can be shared during conversations which are uploaded and automatically saved into a private google + album.  Users can also perform a group video chat with up to 10 users at a time....

WHAT NEXT?

 Well, they are all good it would seem but what will we think when we put each one to the test??? We already know what their limitations are having done some background work, but when we are hands on what will our reviews be?  Do certain comms platforms suit certain audiences better?  Is one best for individual use, another for buisness?  perhaps one for education and teaching?  What are their real limitations................. lets see

SKYPE - WHAT CAN IT DO?
Screen Share - Yes (entire screen or just a specific window)
Present - Yes, and share photos or show someone how to do something on your PC
Let you Record - No, skype does not support recording, however for a price some software applications are available that plug into your PC.
VOIP - SKYPE is mainly a VOIP service allowing users to make very cheap calls locally and internationally.


FACETIME

Screen Share - No
Present - No and as a result your are unable to share photos or show someone how to do something on your PC
Let you Record - No, facetime does not support recording, however for a price some software applications are available that you can download (Display Recorder and Call Recorder)
VOIP - With the iOS7, apple will introduce \face time audio, a first party voice over IP extension.


GOOGLE HANGOUT - In brief yes to everything!!!!!
Screen Share - Yes, during a hangout chat, you can let others see your computer screen.  Useful for presentations, sharing docs, photos, diaries, spreadsheets or any other content.
Present - Yes, See above
Let you Record - Yes you can record your conversations using Hangouts on air - the live broadcast will be sent to your You Tube Channel or Google+ accounts or homepage.  If you would prefer  a private hangout you can purchase an external app.  Snaggit and Camtasia will do the job nicely.
VOIP -  Google Hangouts & Google Voice amalgamated in 2014 and now offers text, video and voice calls.

IN CONCLUSION
SKYPE, FACETIME and GOOGLEHANGOUTS are really shaking things up in the Mobile industry.  Bringing free long distance and international calling to I phone and Android users around the world.  Currently access to Wifi is required but this will change with future upgrades allowing functionality using 3G only.

Take a look at the figures! The world is changing.... perhaps in the future students will never need to leave home or require student loans - instead they will attend lectures from the comfort of their arm chairs and Google hangout presentation on lap! Watch this space...........