Teleclasses A New Century A Unique Way Of Learning

Writen by Rick Sherrell

If you think continuing education, or lifelong learning, is important to the success of your business, then you need to think about how much time you, or your staff members, spend on attending a traditional class or seminar. First you've got to get into your car and drive to wherever the meeting is, wasting precious hours in traffic. And being on time just isn't enough! You'd better arrive early so you can get a good parking spot, register, and get a halfway decent seat. Then you can twiddle your thumbs or reread the agenda five or six times while you sit there and wait for the course to begin. And when it's over you've got to walk back to your car, despite inclement weather, and drive back to your office. So, now you've spent three or more hours of your busy day to attend a one-hour class.

Whether it's making the leap from employee to entrepreneurship and starting your own business, excelling in your current career, seeking a better job, motivating your staff or managing your time and money -- there is a way to gain access to personal and professional knowledge, camaraderie, and one-to-one interaction simply by using your telephone. Teleclasses are a great way to effect positive change in your life. Telecommunication is the buzzword – and virtual classrooms, teleclasses, tele-seminars, tele-learning or conference call classes are the wave of the future! Teleclasses are offered on a wide range of business and personal development topics and are an exciting, innovative way to attain valuable information, explore new ideas and gain new skills. You can examine your spirituality, inspire your life through the arts, learn a craft, dialogue on best places to travel, learn to create better relationships, learn to eat better or exercise to improve your health and fitness, or just simply have fun.

A teleclass is much like a regular class – except it brings the classroom to your doorstep! The technology is as simple as punching the digits on a telephone and the returns are immense! You simply dial into the conference call at a designated time; announce yourself to the other class participants, and the program begins. The facilitator/teacher makes a presentation and there are usually questions and comments, followed by a lively and robust exchange of ideas. A major perk is that most teleclasses are offered at a variety of times and dates, allowing you to schedule them at your convenience.

Usually one-hour in length, and fully interactive, teleclasses can be accessed from your desk, your home, your car, a pay phone or even your hotel room. Best of all, the cost is significantly less than a traditional class or seminar when you consider travel and time; making tele-learning an extremely affordable knowledge tool. Teleclasses offer positive and essential education, using technology as a tool for communication with strong and consistently positive results. And when the program ends, you hang up the phone. And guess what, your one-hour class took exactly one hour!

One distinct advantage is that you can interact with other people that have different ability levels, skills and backgrounds, who can be from almost anywhere in the country or the world. You can take a class just for yourself or you can set up a teleclass that everybody in your company can take simultaneously. The groups are usually small, 20 or less, so everyone gets individual attention through instruction that is both topical and focused.

Teleclasses are a hassle-free, money saving alternative to traditional "in person" seminars and classes. NO Travel – NO Parking fees and you get cutting-edge, innovative and customized learning in an informal setting with a select group of people who, like you, want to take command of their learning experience and aren't afraid to take risks to increase their knowledge base and accelerate their development! So the next time you contemplate taking a seminar or a class to improve your business, personal or interpersonal skills -- you might want to make it a teleclass.

Rick Sherréll is the founder of Pro Speakers Bureau (http://www.ProSpeakersBureau.com), an Atlanta-based agency that delivers high-quality speakers, trainers and subject matter experts as well as a variety of teleclasses, seminars and special events. For list of available teleclasses visit http://www.ProSpeakersBureau.com/Teleclasses

Web Conferencing The Virtual Global Office Enabler

Writen by Vinodh Pushparaj

Online collaboration has begun to evolve from just being the Wow factor to something core that every business has to invest and have a plan for. Internet has changed the way we work and live, it has made virtual offices and work from homes possible. Web conferencing is one big tool that increases the productivity of the employees and the company as such. There are multiple products in this web collaboration segment out there from companies starting with Cisco, Microsoft to PresentPlus.com. These online conferencing products enable live meetings to happen in a virtual conference room. This is a Sci-Fi dream just a few decades ago, now it is a reality in high resolution video beamed across continents. The advent of high speed Internet and fantastic QoS (Quality of Service) implementations in the backbone networks has enabled these highly productive multimedia conferences. Typical conferences has always included a dull one way non-interactive lecture style over the phone meetings, remember Charlie's Angels. Now it has evolved into something highly feature rich and highly productive.

Web conferences "NOW" enable online sharing of your presentation material and additional documentation that is needed for the meeting. Additionally it provides the collaboration aspects like shared white boards and live synchronized presentations. The other main core components are the audio, video and text collaboration. The traditional PBX audio has been replaced with the reach VOIP audio features and video has evolved from dull one ways to active speaker- grid solutions. Video has evolved so well that now you can have custom views for each person in the conference, each person can choose the endpoints or cameras they want to watch in addition to the capabilities like automatically getting the video from the active speaker in the conference. One of the much used features is the integrated text chats with emoticons. What a fantastic feature this is, along with the public chat modules the users get to have their own private chats. While you are in the online meeting you can chat with your co-worker on specific questions and get something cleared without interrupting the overall meeting. This is one thing that is uniquely possible in online conferences which is really an annoyance in real face to face meetings. How many times have you really wanted the mute button for the private conversation between 2 guys in a group meeting in parallel to the main speaker? This text capability has found really some interesting and useful twists like real time polling and online question submissions. Think about it, you can keep sending the questions you want to be answered in the final Q/A as and when it strikes you. These are typically added to a queue which can feed as the source for the Q/A session that typically follows the preso or meeting. This is very useful in lecture style meetings. Enough said about the features and let's take a quick look at the business side of things.

Web conferencing products allow the businesses to setup virtual global office ready to meet with business prospects and clients at any time anywhere. When I say anywhere I mean contact any one through these online collaboration products having a rich experience like the face to face meeting without the costly Flight and Hotel expenses. These also present a great opportunity to telecommute without distancing yourself from your colleagues. More so often it happens that folks who telecommute are forgotten by most colleagues, these video and other real time capabilities gets these telecommuters closer to the rest of the team. One of the killer uses is webcasting which is organizing live events and broadcasting these events to employees and customers who are not able to attend the event. This is added with the capability to record these meetings with unlimited playbacks. Without much investment in terms of capital equipment you can get them as online services on a need basis from some of the good companies. One such company with many web conferencing offerings is presented to you below.

Author suggests PresentPlus.com as one of the key enablers for your company to get web conferencing products and web conferencing services. This web conferencing superstore sports many great offerings like the ultimate visual teleconference which you need to take a look to see how these would make your company more productive. Author does freelancing for many great companies and can be reached at "indyan @ gmail .com" for all your content needs.

Getting The Right Bandwidth For Your Video Conferencing Applications

Writen by Michael Lemm

Video conferencing actually encompasses a range of technologies used in a wide range of situations, often it is not just video and audio that is transmitted, but also data, allowing collaborative working though shared applications. All of this means having sufficient bandwidth supporting your network is the critical performance factor.

Video conferencing may be......

* One-to-one meetings, also known as point to point communications, usually involving full two-way audio and video.

* One-to-many involving full audio and video broadcast from the main site, where other sites may be able to send audio. For example in a lecture situation, students could ask questions.

* Many-to-many, known as multi-point communication, provides audio and video between more than two sites. With most multi-point systems only one site in a conference can be seen at time, with switching between sites either controlled manually or voice activated (i.e., the loudest site is on screen).

Physically, the most common scenarios of video conferencing are:

* desktop video conferencing - usually a small camera is located on top of the PC or workstation monitor. The actual video is usually displayed in a small window, and shared applications, such as a shared whiteboard are often used.

* studio-based systems - a studio is specially equipped for video conferencing. This will normally include one or more cameras, microphones, one or more large monitors, and possibly other equipment such as an overhead camera for document viewing. Usually used for more formal meetings

In practice a 'studio' may not be a dedicated room, but a standard seminar room with portable equipment that can be set up when required.

Bandwidth and Compression......

The bandwidth, or baud rate, is the amount of information which can be transmitted every second. The higher the bandwidth, the better quality the signal that can be transmitted. For a video conference audio and video signals must be transmitted in real time, i.e., a lot of information has to be sent every second, requiring a very high bandwidth. For example a 'true colour' image will need 24 bits (3 bytes) per pixel. A full screen image might be 640x480 pixels, over 7 million bits. For full motion video, the image is refreshed 25 times per second. This adds to over 184 million bits per second. It is not realistically possible to transmit this amount of information, and your PC certainly could not receive it at this rate. Therefore for digital video some form of compression is required. The type and degree of compression used varies from system to system. It is interesting to note that for most uses, we are more tolerant of poor video than poor audio, and so some systems concentrate on providing consistently good audio.

How To Get The Right Bandwidth To Meet Your Needs.......

Don't take a chance at guessing what bandwidth you'll need.....or in selecting the provider for that bandwidth. You may need a fractional, full, integrated, or bonded T1, DS3, or OC3 network depending on many factors. Solutions offered by providers will vary by cost, Quality of Service (QoS), and Service Level Agreement (SLA). I strongly recommend you use the services of an independant Telecommunications Consultant to help you assess your needs and find the provider who best meets your requirements. For unbiased free advice....as well as real time rate quotes from multiple providers, indepth research, and negotiations with providers on your behalf....I recommend you use FreedomFire Communications.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Web Conferencing Services Meetings In Cyberspace

Writen by Jay Moncliff

Many firms today are looking to cut costs wherever they can. Annual meetings, trainings, product launches, employee meetings and other similar corporate events are traditionally expensive propositions. Web conferencing services can reduce the costs of these meetings and gatherings drastically.

A web conference allows groups of individuals in different locations to have online meetings and discussions via the world wide web. Large corporations, small businesses, families and educational institutions are all taking advantage of this new form of communication. However, most web conferencing is currently done in the business sector.

By reducing the amount of face-to-face meetings, companies are able to reduce travel expenses, meeting costs and overhead. Web conferencing provides the same business to business or business to client interaction at a fraction of the cost.

Utilizing web conferencing services reduces lateness and absenteeism to company meetings, since the meetings are easier and quicker to attend. Employees can view the web cast at a common location or at their own personal computers, depending on how the conference is configured. Additionally, materials and information can be shared equally, making participation more uniform and useful.

Companies that specialize in providing web conferencing services abound on the internet. There is a software and application for almost every size business, and prices vary as widely as the sophistication of the software. Most companies charge per minute, per person, or on a flat rate basis, so be sure to review the rate structure as it pertains to your business.

Some of the companies that provide web conferencing services limit themselves to Windows and Internet Explorer, but others are expanding into Firefox and some of the other browsers. Webex works with the Internet Explorer browser and Windows and is one of the most popular web conferencing services out there. You may also want to check out other providers who charge a flat monthly fee like eBoardroom Suite at about $250 per month if you are planning on heavy utilization.

Microsoft Office LiveMeeting offers any user visiting its website a free 2 week trial. You can have your first web meeting on them. The trial includes meetings with up to 10 attendees for the first 14 days, the ability to embed a web page into your meetings and have all of the participants view it, application sharing and live polling capabilities. After the free trial, you may decide to purchase the software or go with another carrier. With their full software you can even choose to record or archive your meeting.

Whatever software you choose, investigate costs carefully. Price plans vary widely, so decide how you'll be using the software in advance and choose a plan that will allow you the most access at the least cost. Since some plans charge per participant and others charge per minute, preplanning and choosing the correct plan can make web conferencing services a bargain!

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.webconferencingsolutions.info a website specialized on Web Conferencing, resources and articles. This site provides updated information on Web Conferencing. For more info visit his site: Web Conferencing

Video Conferencing An Affordable Medium

Writen by Jason Morris

Just like prices for computers and telephone systems have reduced, so too have prices for video conferencing systems. Video conferencing was once a hugely expensive technology, but is now available to almost any sized company, large or small. Video conferencing equipment is now so cheap, that is becoming standard equipment in many meeting rooms around the world. The conference room is where video conferencing technology really shines. Video conferencing allows users to connect audibly and visually in offices around the world as well as with people who may be located at remote sites.

Typically the ISDN line is used to call video phones that are outside your company and the IP connection for those that are inside a company network. Video conferencing systems hugely reduce the need for travel. Because of the savings involved through the need for less travel, the units pay for themselves many times over in a very short period of time.

There are many video conference units available on the market. it is best to establish the maximum number of users you are ever going to need and then purchase a suitable system accordingly. Don't forget when choosing the right video conferencing unit for you, to take into account future company expansion and system compatability.

Thank you for reading this article, please feel free to rate it.

Jason

Jason Morris is co-author, search engine optimization and marketing consultant of Business Phone Systems Direct. Specialists in the supply and installation of business phone systems and accessories.

Choosing An Audio Conferencing Company

Writen by Steve Valentino

An audio conferencing company is one that offers teleconferencing software, equipment, set-up, continuing service, and follow-up for companies and other groups. Audio conferencing can save people unlimited amounts of time, energy, and travel costs. Instead of driving to your next meeting, why not participate in a teleconference? All you need is a television, speakerphone, headset, Internet computer, and software. It is essential that every member of the group use the same software.

When buying software for your company, first take a look at some of the audio conferencing companies. By comparing what they offer, you will be able to know which one is right for you. You should feel that you are getting timely, pleasant, and effective service.

Here are a few companies to check out:

Citizens Conferencing

Citizens Conferencing offers a full line of video, web, and audio conferencing. Their claim to fame is their personalized service. You can sign up for a free 14-day trial on their website, www.citizensconferencing.com

Avaya/Spectel, Inc.

Avaya, Inc. is a video, web, and audio conferencing company that designs, builds, and manages communications for over a billion businesses, including 90% of the Fortune 500R. You can't find a better endorsement than that. Total business integration is their goal, meaning that you can access a teleconference at any time during your workday or personal day. Their website is www.spectel.com

InterCall

InterCall is a division of West Corporation. They are the largest service provider in the world that specializes in conferencing solutions. With InterCall you can do just about anything having to do with communications. They provide both software and services, as per the industry standard. www.intercall.com.

LiveOffice

LiveOffice Teleconferencing provides full, 24-hour service via an 800 number, charging as little as 4 cents per seat per minute. (A "seat" is a user in a web conference.) It's a basic, easy-to-set-up audio conferencing service. www.imconferencing.com.

MCI Conferencing

MCI Conferencing is the world's largest audio conferencing company, offering a full line of services. You can visit their website to get a travel vs. teleconferencing cost comparison generator: www.e-meetings.mci.com.

Audio Conferencing Info provides detailed information about audio conferencing services, equipment, software, companies, plus online audio conferencing, and more. Audio Conferencing Info is affiliated with Original Content.

Video Conferencing The Essential Ingredients

Writen by Frank Owen

The Tools and Supplies Needed for Video conferencing

In order to take advantage of video conferencing you need the right ingredients or tools. There are some basic components that anyone, whether an organization, educational facility or individual needs before they can communicate with others using video conferencing technology.

Of course the most basic piece of equipment necessary is a camera. A camera will allow a user to capture video information at their site and transmit it to someone at another site. Parties using video conferencing will also need a video display to display the video at their site, a microphone to hear the video and speakers to play the audio material.

Video conferencing Equipment

Most video conferencing terminals also require what is called a codec or Compressor/Decompressor interface. This piece of equipment helps compress information being passed from audio to video to make transmission of materials feasible over the Net. Without this piece of equipment most files would be too large to send from one computer to another. The process of compression data using a codec machine is often referred to as decoding and encoding information.

Finally, a computer and reliable internet connection are also necessary to facilitate video conferencing. A high speed connection is recommended to make the video conferencing experience not only endurable but also enjoyable. The actual computer you have is not as important as the size of your display. Remember that when using video conferencing equipment, the larger your display the better your picture and the more easily a time you will have 'conferencing' with other people on the Web.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on video conferencing for more information on video conferencing http://www.videoconferencinginsider.com

Video Conferencing Examining The Virtual Field Trip

Writen by Frank Owen

Video Conferencing Connects People From Around The World

Those familiar with video conferencing might describe it as a virtual field trip around the world. Video conferencing has the ability to connect consumers, employees and employers and students from around the word. Corporate representatives can use video conferencing to meet with world class experts or business executives in multiple fields, locations and within many different industries to expand their knowledge base, network and improve their strategy and procedures.

Students can use video conferencing to meet with experts and instructors in various fields to enhance their understanding of a particular subject or area of interest. Consumers can use video conferencing to explore exotic locations, vacation spots or perhaps investigate a new area to live in.

Benefits Video Conferencing

More and more individuals and organizations alike are starting to realize the benefits video conferencing has to offer. Video conferencing can increase a non profit organizations ability to extend knowledge of their programs and engage in outreach efforts. Healthcare providers can use video conferencing to communicate with experts in their field from around the world, to solve a new case or come up with new treatment ideas or research areas.

Perhaps the biggest advantage video conferencing has to offer the world today is its ability to connect people from around the world so face to face communication results. This will dramatically increase man's networking ability and our ability to explore, conquer, understand, learn and succeed for years to come. Video conferencing truly is the wave of the future, a method for engaging in virtual field trips to any location in the world.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on video conferencing for more information on video conferencing http://www.videoconferencinginsider.com

Video Conferencing How It Works And Why You Should Use It

Writen by Steadman Issenburg

The internet has made possible several marvelous technologies that enhance our lives in many ways. One very useful technology that has been gaining ground recently is video conferencing over the internet. Let's examine what it is and how it can be used effectively.

Video conferencing essentially allows a group of individuals anywhere around the world who have internet access to be able to hold a simultaneous meeting together without having to physically meet one another in any specific location. It's a method of combining simultaneous video and audio so that a meaningful discussion or meeting can take place in real-time over the internet.

So what do you need in order to have a video conference? Successful video conferencing components include video cameras, microphones, video conferencing software, and the computer equipment necessary to connect to the internet and process the sound and video data.

In order to accomplish the transmission of the video and audio portions of the meeting, the video conferencing software that is used must take the input from the microphones and cameras, convert them into digital signals that are encoded and then transmitted across the internet where they are received and decoded back into images and sound on the other end.

So who can make use of this advanced communications technology? Well, almost anyone who needs to meet with a group of other people who may not be local to them. Quite a few businesses are adopting this technology because it allows them to be able to communicate with personnel and offices no matter where they are located around the world, and share important ideas and planning strategies. And the biggest advantage for business is that they don't have to pay for the travel costs necessary to bring all of those people together at one time, and they don't lose productivity spent during the travel time to get there. So for many businesses it's a very positive solution for office related communications.

Schools are also starting to use video conferencing quite a bit as distance learning over the internet continues to rise in popularity. It enables them to be able to teach subjects, and hold classes over the internet for their students without them having to be physically present.

There are many other ways to make good use of internet video conferencing, as they can be beneficial for almost any group of people that needs to meet and discuss important topics in real-time without physically gathering together in the same place.

Hopefully the information presented in this article will help you understand more about how video conferencing actually works, and who can best make use of this marvelous technology.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including communication. You can find online teleconferencing and online web conferencing and more by visiting our communication website.

Video Amp Web Conferencing How To Choose The System That Is Best For You

Writen by Dan Richmond

Video conferencing, web conferencing and online meetings are fast becoming important tools for organizations that must communicate with staff, clients or students in different geographical locations. If you have been thinking about using this technology for your enterprise, it is important to first outline your needs and then match them with the various online conferencing systems that are being offered in the marketplace. Here are a few things to consider when you shop around for the system that is best for you:

1. Do you need to communicate with one static location or with a variety of possibly changing locations? Some conferencing systems are designed to connect two or more specific locations. If you have a head office and a fixed branch office that you want to communicate with, then a fixed connection system could work for you.

However, if you want to connect with a variety of locations or allow people anywhere to join your conferences or meetings then you should choose a system that allows you to add users no matter where they log in from.

2. Do you want a browser based system or can you work with proprietary software? A few of the original web and video conferencing applications had their own software and even specific hardware to install. Now it is possible to use conferencing systems that run on all browsers and all operating systems without the need for special hardware. Take a look at the various systems being offered and choose the one that would fit in with your organization's technical capabilities.

3. Are some of your participants behind firewalls? These days many, if not most offices, and even individual computers connected to the Internet are protected by firewalls. The firewalls keep hackers out, but they may also pose a problem for some conferencing systems. Check to see if the conferencing system of your choice can deal with this problem.

4. How important is video to you? If you would like to see your colleagues and staff as they participate in your meetings, then you will need a system that allows some locations to hook up to the meeting with a web camera. Check to see how many individual video windows are allowed by the various applications that you consider, and choose the one that best meets your needs.

5. What features do you need? Do you want to poll attendees and get immediate results while you are online? Some systems allow the host to present a question and then all the participants can vote or give an answer with the click of their mouse.

Do you want to share applications online? If your conferencing system allows application sharing then it is possible for the host to present PowerPoint presentations, for example, that will visible to all the attendees.

Make a list of the communications features that you need and match them to the capabilities of each system that you consider.

6. What is your budget? Of course you want the most features that are possible but you also have to weigh-in the costs. When you make your decision, keep in mind the benefits that you will get by communicating online, think about the cost of doing this offline and then look at the fees charged by the conference technology providers. Choose a communications package that will give you a good return on your investment.

Now, armed with this checklist, go online and do a search for web or video conferencing and pick out a system that will allow you to conduct your meetings online at a price that you can afford.

Dan Richmond is Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides web & video conferencing services for individuals & businesses. For more information, please call 818.783.4311 or Visit http://www.MegaMeeting.com.

Audio Visual Equipment

Writen by Jimmy Sturo

Whether you are in the media industry or simply need to make effective presentations either in school or at work, you need some basic know-how of different types of audiovisual equipment in order to use them to your advantage. Read on to find out what the latest audiovisual presentation tools are and to see how they can work for you.

The latest in audiovisual presentation technology is the plasma monitor, which is now common not only in advertising agencies but in boardrooms and university halls. These monitors are cleverly thin but never fail to deliver clear images and clear sound in any setting – whether it is a crowded theater or a private conference room. Many plasma monitor models feature very useful on-screen menus that let you easily adjust images. They also come with built-in speakers that can stand alone but can also be augmented with external high-fidelity units for bigger presentations. What's more, a plasma monitor is highly compatible with any computer system – just hook it up to your laptop and flash your audiovisual presentation clearly, so that even audiences from a distance can appreciate your work.

An LCD projector is an upgrade to the old acetate projector; LCD projectors allow even rookies to share professional-looking presentations anytime, anywhere. Gone are the days of heavy, overheating LCD projectors – they now come in lightweight models that are perfect for an active lifestyle. Most of these powerful yet portable LCD projectors easily connect to any kind of computer, whether it is Windows based or a Mac. Instantly project any presentation from your hard drive or from an external storage media (such as a CD or DVD).

Digital video cameras allow you to shoot, edit, and present instant audiovisual presentations. These nifty gadgets let you easily transfer your videos onto your computer for manipulation. They also hook up easily to both LCD projectors and plasma monitors for quick presentations. It's very easy to convert digital video into any format, making the possibilities for your audiovisual presentation virtually limitless.

Audio Visual provides detailed information on Audio Visual, Audio Visual Equipment, Audio Visual Rentals, Audio Visual Presentations and more. Audio Visual is affiliated with Alpha Numeric Pagers.

Video Conferencing Hardware And You

Writen by Mark Walters

If you are new to the game there is some video conferencing hardware to consider.

Gone are the days when you had to fly across the country and drain your company's expense account just to attend a two-hour meeting. Now, all you have to do is turn on your computer and you're ready to go.

But if you are new to the world of video conferencing online, it may not be that easy. You might not have any idea of the different video conferencing hardware components that you will need to get started. To make things even more difficult, a quick Internet search for the phrase "video conferencing camera" brings up more than 42,000 entries. Yikes!

In the interest of protecting your sanity and boosting your status in the eyes of your boss, we've provided a brief list of the basic pieces of equipment you'll need to get conferencing and good places to buy them:

Personal Computer

Most offices these days are equipped with personal computers (PC). These temperamental creatures are a necessary evil to keep your business organized and competitive in the twenty-first century market. A PC is also completely essential to video conferencing, as your computer hooks up with other computers so that you can conduct your meetings online.

Modem

Whether DSL or dial-up, most offices these days are connected to the Internet. The web is a valuable tool in business today and almost everyone has a website - even your neighbor's dog. Internet connection is a must for online conferencing, as you actually have to be online for this type of conferencing. Dial-up services will work for video conferencing online, but your images will be less clear. ISDN connections work best as they provide the fastest connection speeds and clearest pictures.

Camera

A video conferencing camera is an important piece of hardware as it enables you to talk face to face to your colleague or customer across the country. Without them, you're just audio conferencing. Prices for video conferencing cameras range from a basic IBM model going for $40 to a snazzier PolyCom model that runs about $499. Logitech sells a model specially designed for laptops or notebooks.

Cables and Stuff

You will need a USB cable to convert the images that your camera records to a format that your computer can understand. USB Gear provides several different types of equipment that take up minimal space on your PC and will get the job done.

Microphone

Unless you want your video conference to become just a visual conference, some type of microphone is necessary for each participant to communicate with the others. Wideband Solutions sells different microphones designed to cover both small and large boardrooms. If you just need a microphone to cover you and your desk, Phoniex Audio sells a microphone that will do the job.

Headset

While not completely necessary, a headset is a convenient piece of equipment for any savvy video conferencer. Imagine trying to crunch some numbers on a spreadsheet and carry on a conversation about your budget with a phone awkwardly cradled in the crook of your shoulder, while your boss looks on from 300 miles away. Not exactly the put-together professional image you want to convey.

Time to Shop!

Ebay and Amazon are good spots to go for used equipment, but buyer beware - you never know what condition it might reach you in. Always be sure to use reputable sellers with good customer ratings. PolyCom is well known in the industry and sells top-of-the line equipment. You can also try NexTag. This site that provides a search of the best prices on whatever electronic equipment you specify.

Mark Walters manages http://www.VideoConferencingStar.com and suggest you learn how to choose a Internet Webcam here.

Video Conferencing How Law Firms Can Benefit

Writen by Harold German

Video conferencing has been used by law firms for many years, but only until recently has it become affordable for even the smallest of firms. Equipment that cost tens of thousands of dollars only a few years ago, can be purchased for a fraction of that cost today. The products have become more reliable, easier to use, more compact, even portable, and their capabilities and features have been enhanced drastically. Popular thinking seems to indicate that now is the time to get your firm started with video conferencing, but not surprisingly, many firms encounter unnecessary technical obstacles and set backs due to poor planning. The following are important points you should keep in mind before getting started with video conferencing:

How you will use the technology
For many law firms, video conferencing is first used as a way to reduce traveling for internal meetings between practices located in different cities. But there are other factors to consider. How far are the courthouses your firm serves? Do they allow video depositions or other video-based communication for legal procedures? If the addition of video conferencing will save many, or all, of your attorneys significant amounts of time in commuting and improve the productivity of their work day, then video conferencing will definitely help to grow your practice.

The resources you'll needed
IP (Internet Protocol) networks are superior to ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). If you have 384 kilobytes of bandwidth available to and from each video conferencing device, you should be able to enjoy a good quality video call. Realize however, that if your network is shared with other resources, it may compromise the quality of your conferences. A dedicated network specifically for video conferencing, or a managed IP video network like IVCi's IntelliNet, would ensure the best user experience.

Once you define your network, you need someone to manage it. Although your firm's technical staff may be able to manage your conferencing network, there are more efficient ways to ensure steady and healthy performance of your video conferences. Some conferencing providers perform 'managed services' that take all of the work out of your hands. Do a search in Google for "managed conferencing services" and you'll find a list of companies that will allow you to reap all of the benefits of video conferencing while eliminating your need to purchase expensive network equipment and hire additional support staff.

The following are steps you can take to be ready for your video conferencing implementation:

Talk with your attorneys and identify those individuals who are ready to reap immediate benefits from the technology; those who would be ready and willing to start using video conferencing right away.

Once you define the extent of usage, you can calculate the amount of time that your attorneys will be freed up to work on other cases. In many instances, the time saved adds up to dozens of hours per month, per attorney. With more time available, they can work on additional cases, thus growing the practice.

Video conferencing is best executed in phases. Features that satisfy the most important needs of the practice should be implemented in the first phase. Define what you need, find out what it costs and budget for that phase. As need and demand grow, you can budget for future implementations as they arise. Always work with conferencing providers that create scalable solutions.

Do some simple math. Once you define how much usage your firm will have, you can compare that figure to your budget. It's as easy as that.

Copyright © Harold German, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

For many years, Harold German has been recognized as a knowledgeable source for information on corporate branding methodologies. Mr. German is a renowned author and contributor, with appearances in noted international publications such as The Economist, and on news stations such as CNN. Mr. German is a former director of IVCi, LLC, is the director of marketing at Innovative Stone, and is proprietor of Wainscoting Long Island.

Flat Rate Conference Call Services The Hot Zone

Writen by Roy Copeland

Although it isn't necessary to buy the latest and greatest system, in general you really do not want to buy something based solely on one factor such as the price. Because if you had any experience at all in this free-market economy price does not always indicate quality.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but you get the idea. This tidbit is especially true if you're planning to implement this teleconferencing system within a hot zone. Or in other words, if you're planning to use it with real clients, supply chain partners, and stakeholders.

Then you have a vested interest to provide the best presence as well as sense of professionalism in front of these constituents. Otherwise it may be OK to go with a lesser costing system, if you're only planning to use it with some of your employees and those that you're managing within the organization. Anything used on an ad hoc or informal nature can be used on a free teleconferencing or cheap conferencing solution.

From that starting point you will at least have a point of reference to decide where you want to steer your communications strategy- by upgrading certain components on a needed basis. This gives you maximum flexibility.

Flat rate conference call services will get you up to speed quickly. http://www.totalteleconference.com has more information for you.

Conferencing Solutions Navigating The Maze

Writen by Richard Rojas

Businesses, both large and small, utilize a conferencing solution of some nature to conduct business at one time or another. Today there are several types of conferencing solutions an organization may choose from. The choice to use conferencing is clear. What's not so clear is which one best fits the needs of your organization.

There are currently 3 basic types of conferencing solutions:

--Audio Conferencing Solutions
--Video Conferencing Solutions
--Web Conferencing Solutions

To make things even more interesting, it is also possible to mix and match amongst the three solutions. Let's take a look at each one in turn and then see how they can be combined to extend their utility.

1. Audio Conferencing –- audio conferencing solutions have been around the longest. They range from simple conference calling features on most PBX systems that bridge 3 phone lines to sophisticated outsourced services. In addition to the conferencing feature on a PBX is the very low cost 2-party conference call using speakerphones with the participants on each end sitting around a conference table.

You no doubt have probably participated in one of these conference calls on more than one occasion. These types of conference calls can be very effective, but they also have some major limitations. They are just an ordinary telephone call between two parties. It can often be difficult to hear all of the participants if they don't speak up or are too far from a microphone. Long distance charges may be incurred by one of the parties unless an 800 number is available.

A hosted audio conferencing solution provides an added level of convenience and professionalism. They allow the bridging of multiple parties via telephone lines. These services my be either operator-assisted or what is known as "reservationless" where the client has an account and schedules the call themselves. An operator-assisted conference call has some advantages such as transcription and translation services, but the trend is to save cost and opt for reservationless conference calling services.

2. Video Conferencing -– video conferencing solutions are the next best thing to being there. However, they require specialized systems and support and can be difficult to setup and use. On the other hand, when compared to the costs and lost productivity associated with travel they can be a very cost effective alternative.

This is especially true where geographically dispersed divisions or partners must collaborate on a regular basis. In this case the ability to see and speak to one another in real time using a video conferencing solution is ideal. Video conferencing systems also provide rich media and conferencing tools to further enhance the conferencing experience.

3. Web Conferencing -– Web conferencing solutions are at their most powerful when computer desktop applications need to be shared. Web conferences are great for demonstrating software products to customers or sharing spreadsheets and other applications amongst the participants.

Web conferences also typically have an audio component, which is either a separate audio conference or integrated into the web conferencing system via an audio conferencing service or over the Web using a digital voice solution such as VoIP.

Unlike video conferencing solutions, Web conferencing solutions use a familiar desktop interface and are easy to setup and use. They provide meeting tools such as white boarding and document sharing. The best-known and most popular provider of Web conferencing services is WebEx.

Choosing among the various conferencing solutions comes down to what your organization hopes to accomplish with the conferencing solution. In many cases a simple audio conferencing solution is sufficient.

If you need to demonstrate a software product or require a more interactive conference, then a Web conferencing solution is probably what you need. For extended, mission-critical projects that require regular interfacing with a remote office, then video conferencing solutions are definitely worth considering.

The important point to bear in mind is that whatever conferencing solution you choose, it is a tool used to meet the business objectives of your organization. Towards that end, don't choose a tool that's more than you need, which is wasteful or is inadequate just to save on cost.

Richard R. Rojas researches and writes on trends and technologies within the conference calling industry. You can read more about business conference calls and conferencing solutions at http://www.onlyconferencecalls.com

Audio Conference Services

Writen by Kevin Stith

Some people who use audio conferencing for personal or non-formal meetings do not need to engage the services of professional audio conferencing service providers. There are many services available via chat services. Some can be obtained for free if all users are using the same chat service, like Skype, Hotmail Messenger or Yahoo Messenger, just to name a few. However, if you wish to make calls from your computer to a landline or mobile phone then you would need to purchase an online calling card, which are available at affordable prices, and there are many providers to choose from.

The above options may not be the best, if other facilities are needed. They may lack the vital information that you require for work or reporting purposes. This is when professional services provider are highly desirable. Some of the extra services that service providers offer include call recording (where the entire conference will be recorded for the benefit all those who cannot attend), call recording playback, live queued question and answer program, online call scheduler, permission-based users (where access is allowed to people selected by the user to access their account), online billing account, call record history and other services which you may require.

Audio conferencing service providers can also provide similar services, like the conventional conference or exhibition service providers, who can take care of the entire organization of the conference, from sending invitations to the participants, informing the participants on how to go about using audio conferencing, preparing welcome speeches with the help of an emcee, coordinating the 'arrival' of the participants and also arranging for hold music if an interval is necessary.

The services for audio conferences can also be custom-made to suit the needs of the individual or the company. This is a very cost-effective and innovative method of organizing conferences and meetings. This could be the number one choice for conferencing methods in years to come!

Audio Conferences provides detailed information on Audio Conferences, Audio Conference Calls, Audio Conference Companies, Audio Conference Services and more. Audio Conferences is affiliated with Online Audio Conferencing .

Web Conferencing Best Way Of Communication

Writen by Sardool Sikandar

Web conferencing or computer conferencing is a way to hold live presentations over the Internet. Generally it is used for group discussions or business conferences. Each member of web conference sits at their PC and can be easily connected to other members through Internet. It may be accompanied either via telephone or VoIP; sometimes text chat is also used instead of voice. It is an easy method to save money as well as time.

Nowadays web conferencing is one of the basic requirements of each organization. Web conferencing is of several types such as web meeting, the Webcast, the Webinar, online presenting, and online collaboration. Users can choose any of them as per their needs. It refers to audio, video or text-based conversations that are conducted in real time.

It is the best for the people who deal within global market place. Web conferencing enables you to be in two places simultaneously. You can attend business meetings while sitting at your home or office. Microsoft NetMeeting or Yahoo Messenger are free downloads forms of web conferencing. Users can invite their dear ones to participate in text-based chats for real time communication. It allows holding seminars and presentations for hundreds of delegates at same time. You can transmit files, documents and slide show presentations with web conferencing.

Web conferencing cuts traveling costs such as tickets, accommodation, subsistence etc. It allows you to meet a person regularly without any expenses. It is also a great way to do work more efficiently and accurately. Cost of web meeting depends on your requirements. You can choose any type of web conferencing that suits your budget.

About Author: The author presents a website on Web Conferencing. Website provides information about web conferencing services, web conferencing software, web conferencing tools, and affordable web conferencing. Offers some tips for selecting Web Conference Company. You can visit his site Cheap Conferencing Web.

A Teleconferencing Primer

Writen by Jay Stockman

Communication began with simple, one-on-one, in person-based interactions, primitive yet effective. Today there is an explosion of technology that allows groups of individuals to communicate worldwide without leaving their offices. This is the technology of teleconferencing, which literally means, "conference at a distance". Initially teleconferencing was conducted via a telephone network, and was limited to voice only. Computers have given a new meaning to the term, they allow more than just talk. Once a teleconference is established, these groups can share video, applications, presentations, and a host of other multimedia experiences.

Teleconferencing permits participants to meet in a virtual conference room, and communicate as if they were sitting right next to each other. Until the mid 90s, the hardware costs made teleconferencing exceedingly expensive for most businesses, and individuals, nevertheless this situation is changing rapidly. Most experts believe that teleconferencing will be one of the fastest growing segments of the computer industry.

In its basic form, teleconferencing uses communication means that range from simple telephone lines to sophisticated satellite links. The only requirement is that the conditions be interactive, allowing participants at each location the opportunity to actively participate in the meeting. As equipment and high-bandwidth cabling become more commonplace, it's possible that sophisticated, multimedia teleconferences can be held from your own computer or even in a mobile setting. Recent developments include improved equipment, more transmission options, the introduction of digital devices, and the integration of teleconferencing technologies with the desktop through personal computers. Additionally, there is a trend toward using teleconferencing for more international applications. As more international services have become available, this segment has seen significant growth for teleconferencing.

The advantages of teleconferencing are obvious, and numerous. However, there are some disadvantages that should be bought to light. Technical failures may occur when trying to establish a conference or during a conference, which would terminate the meeting prematurely. Socializing is less than a face-to-face meeting, and it would be difficult to build close relationship between group members.

An individual's capability to progress culturally is unified in their ability to expand potential through innovative technology. Teleconferencing appears to address this progress, by enhancing productivity, communications, information management, continuing education, and travel and lower energy costs.

Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for Teleconference Services Visit http://theteleconference-service.com/ for more information.

Conference Call Centers

Writen by Damian Sofsian

There are a number of agencies and companies who provide conference call hosting, and conference call technology. A company may need these services since they are cheaper and efficient and an alternative for conferences that cost a lot to hold. The call conference call center is also ideal for companies with overseas partners or branches who need fast ways to communicate. Conferencing is a fast and very convenient way to converge with employees or clients in different parts of the country and obviously cut down traveling the expenses.

The conference leader will normally ask the service provider for a reservation and then inform the other party about his conference schedule. The rest is left to the provider. Call center conferencing is another technological convenience brought by the boom in the call center industry and development in communications technology.

Participants in a call center conference can be at home connected via phone or playing golf with a headset. The possibilities provide a convenience for the clients, but they are far from cheap. However, when considering the cost of travel, they are reasonable. In this age of companies wanting to do more with less, time and costs often make travel prohibitive for many businesses.

Independent service bureaus and long distance telephone call service providers who offer audio conferencing use hi-end call connection "bridges" to unite telephone call patches into one single conversation. Service providers are catching up on the personal feel of actual physical conversation with continuous technology development. The limit for the number of people included in a conference is over a hundred and the cost is as cheap as 10 cents per conference participant.

Call Centers provides detailed information on Call Centers, Inbound Call Centers, Outsourcing Call Centers, Conference Call Centers and more. Call Centers is affiliated with Call Center CRM Solutions.

Free Phone Conferencing

Writen by Alison Cole

These days, when every business wants to score an edge over its rival, businesses are making maximum use of cutting-edge services like Free Phone Conferencing. Free Phone Conferencing helps you avoid mammoth telephone bills. Generally, whenever you use a Phone Conferencing service you are made to pay a set monthly fee or rent, which depends upon how much you use it. With a Free Phone Conferencing service you have to pay a low monthly fee. Herein you get a dialer code along with a password, which lets you go into a conference according to your choice and will. You also get a toll free number with which you can call in the US or Canada at the same rates. The Free Phone Conferencing service is so flexible that you can also use it for personal business, too.

The way Free Phone Conferencing works is, you dial the toll-free number on your moderator card and, by using your conference ID and PIN, you can begin the conference right away. This makes you avoid all hassles with reservations, canceling or changing the time of the conference. The majority of Free Phone Conferencing service providers also provide you with twenty-four hour technical support.

So if you're a frequent user of conference services then this service is best suited for you. By using this service you can remain in constant touch with your clients as well as your friends. And free phone conferencing is applicable to large and small companies alike, so go ahead and embrace this popular trend in the business world.

Phone Conferencing provides detailed information on phone conferencing, audio conferencing, free phone conferencing, phone conference services and more. Phone Conferencing is affiliated with Audio Teleconferencing.

Phone Conferences Via Web Conferencing Prescreening Questions

Writen by Roy Copeland

The decision to select a teleconferencing system should be made by the big wigs of the organization and not merely by the chief technology officer for instance. This will be a decision that will impact everyone within your organization. Therefore, it needs to have some strategic backing behind it, otherwise it will be just another useless tool sitting in a dusty corner gathering dust and mold and being taken for granted for what it's truly worth.

A few basic question you should ask is, what you hope to be accomplishing within these teleconferencing sessions? For instance, would you like to be able to share documents and manipulate them in real time almost like in a classroom session? This will be called a graphic audio setup, where essentially you'll have verbal communications as well as visual white board or blackboard type communications which are auxiliary tools that will help you to communicate a point across to a larger group, much more clearly. Sometimes a picture is definitely worth at least a thousand words.

On the other side of the coin, would you rather instead of having these dynamic images on the screen while talking out loud, would you like to actually see the person you're talking to and vice versa? Would you like to have some hand motions and incorporate body language and facial expressions to enrich and enhance the overall experience of the conference call? If you are pursuing more than those two components, you are seeking a conference solution that contains a mixture if audio and video features.

Phone conferences via web conferencing doesn't have to be complex. Check out http://www.totalteleconference.com to learn more about teleconferencing solutions that can benefit your organization.

Science Learning From Nature

Writen by Lance Winslow

We are sure seeing a lot of scientific research trying to copy nature. We see non-technology copying birds, insects, spyders, animals and MIT and AUVs-Underwater Autonomous Vehicles copying fish. And before you try to catch a Tuna for Sushi better check out what it is made of first. RoboTuna has arrived;

http://www.mit.edu/afs/athena/org/t/towtan...robotunaII.html

All this in efforts to build the AUV for the US Naval Research Group.

These vehicles can detect sea mines, guard harbors, remain dormant and then when needed do their needed duty. But think of the commercial purposes, finding the King Crabs, inspecting ice pack for navagation, monitoring fish populations, tracking whales, dolphins, finding sunken treasure, finding thermal vents at depths of 30,000 plus feet below sealevel. AUVs are also available in tethered forms which are called ROVs which can be lowerd from platforms.

Finding oil and natural gas deposits are just one of the solutions which will be relatively easy for the AUVs. And just when you thought this was the only idea of copying nature check out RoboLobster too;

http://www.onr.navy.mil/media/release_display.asp?ID=105

And RoboPike;

http://web.mit.edu/towtank/www/projects.html

In a quest for efficiency and in an attempt to learn what the organic machines have modified themselves to do to stay within niches in the environment, we can learn things which may well propel us to the innovations of the future to keep mankind on the technological edge as we take our own ideas of nature and modify them to fit our needs.

Lance Winslow

How Web Conferencing Is Going To Revolutionize Our Future

Writen by Amit Laufer

A researcher studying future trends once said that our society is transforming from Atoms into Electrons. What he meant to say by that is we are moving from the physical substance like a real brick & mortar business (The Atoms) to the virtual stores and business on the Internet (The Electrons).

From paper books to ebooks, from paper manuals to CDs, from a human teachers to virtual presentations and video clips. From film cameras to digital cameras, from drawing by hand to designing on computer screens and it goes on and on.

So what is it exactly "Web Conference Call", web conferencing is when two or more users who are all connected to the Internet share information.

Web Conference Call is in-line with this trend of digital, virtual, electronic world we are all living in the western world.

My father came to visit us and saw my five years old son playing with my laptop, he smiled and said, well, first they minimized the computers now I see they started to minimize the users as well... :-)

This amazing technology of web conference calls is taking a huge leap towards the creation of the world as a one small village that is very efficient and saving much time, money and energy.

These technological advances have tremendous impact on our economy, environment and our lives. The Web Conference Calls technology is strengthening the tendency to allow employees to work from home, and in the future to cut on commuting, save time and money, reduce the amount of cars on the roads, to lower the death rates on the roads, to cut on pollution, gasoline consumption, amount of flights etc'.

One CEO of large corporation estimated that Web Conference Calls technology is saving his organization more than 40 million dollars per year on travel and accommodations alone.

Web Conference Calls is taking advantage of the Internet's two most notable qualities of sharing information and connecting people from around the globe.

Imagine, ten people need to meet at an office in NY at 9:30 am sharp. Each one of them is driving his own car or fighting to find a cab, they drive during rush hour surrounded by many nervous drivers around them, they arrive to the building area and there is no free parking around.

They park at the first free parking lot they can find and they pay anywhere from $25 - $75 an hour. They walk ten minutes by foot during the humid summer or rainy winter.

Then there is a delay because not every body made it on time. They drink coffee and chat and the meeting that was supposes to be 90 minutes is becoming two and a half hours. When it finally ends, each participant need to drive back to his office and waste some more time...

Now compare all that to a Web Conferencing virtual meeting!

Whether it's joining an online training session, initiating an online brainstorming session, or reviewing a meeting that was missed, conferencing and "meeting" online has never been easier.

=============This Resource Box must be included with the Article copy!=============

Amit Laufer is a writer and Internet Marketer. MBA - International Trade & Finance. Bsc. Computers and Information Systems. Owner Editor of: Web Conference Call

Benefits Of Webbased Conferencing

Writen by Dan Goggins

I recently graduated from college, and instead of taking a corporate programming job, my friend and I started our own web development company. Everything was going great...we were both working from home and enjoying small successes. However, we soon realized that text messaging could only go so far, especially when we hired several employees. Text messaging was slow, and was "noisy" when several people were in a chatroom. We quickly needed a solution.

Fortunately, we discovered web-based conferencing. Web-based conferencing has several flavors, including peer-to-peer direct conferencing, remote server hosting, and shared remote hosting. They all have their own benefits and disadvantages, which will be explained. First, general web-based conferencing has several advantages over call conferencing, which is done on phone lines. Web based conferencing includes audio and video, and displaying presentations such as powerpoint, making it far superior to call conferences.

However, web-based conferencing does have several drawbacks. If users in your internet meeting dont have sufficient bandwidth, the call conference can become laggy for all participants. Fortunately, broadband penetration is growing by leaps and bounds throughout each country yearly. Throughout the coming years, this issue will slowly disappear, as less and less dial-up accounts are used, especially in business settings.

As stated, web-based conferencing does come in several flavors. The cheapest is peer-to-peer direct conferencing, in which one computer acts as the host and others connect to that computer. This is a great solution for a business in which the main office has an excellent internet connection that can be utilized. However, direct hosting usually does not support as many features such as powerpoint sharing among clients, that remote hosting can offer. The big disadvantage of remote hosting is the cost, which can be hundreds of dollars a month in membership fees.

Whichever conferencing solution you find will surely increase productivity for your online meetings. Web-based conferencing is a huge improvement over chatrooms, due to audio, video, and slide sharing. It has greatly helped my business, where all programmers work from home, and can surely help for you as well.

Dan Goggins is an entrepreneur who is interested in real estate, computer programming, and family life. You can read about his experiences and advice about Video Conferencing.

Video Conferencing Usage Fueled By Rising Gas Prices

Writen by Harold German

The first noticeable surge in usage was due to concerns over terrorism. The second was due to concerns over diseases such as SARS. The latest appears to be tied directly to the rising costs of gasoline. For the third time in this young century, organizations from various sectors, including education, government, legal and manufacturing, are making the move to video conferencing in droves. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, gasoline is consumed at an alarming rate of 65 billion gallons each year in the United States, and that number is projected to increase by 2.6 percent each year. But with the price for gas soaring, more companies are looking for a more economical way to get from point A to point B for their business meetings. Yet again, video conferencing has become the solution of choice, and as a result, profits are once again soaring at IVCi, a Hauppauge, NY-based conferencing technologies provider.

There are many good reasons why organizations of all sizes are turning to service providers like IVCi for video conferencing solutions. Make that many "green" reasons. Video conferencing is an environmentally-friendly technology with a wide range of benefits for employers, individual employees and the community at large. The employer saves money every year on the organization's travel costs. By bypassing work-related travel, employees can be less stressed and much more productive throughout the year, and the environment is spared from having tons of pollutants released into the air. As companies become more environmentally conscious, they understand that there is a measurable return on their investment by developing an effective video conferencing program.

The Numbers

Using data compiled by factoring in results from the latest surge, research houses such as In-Stat and Wainhouse have come up with some fascinating projections:

According to In-Stat/MDT……

The number of remote workers in the United States will reach 51 million by 2008.
By 2010 more than 70% of work will take place at a different time/different place or same time/different place.
82% of workers collaborate with people in other locations.

According to Wainhouse Research……

More than 40 percent of people in the U.S. workforce are taking fewer trips.
More than 70 percent are interested in alternatives to travel.
63 percent rate access to collaboration technology (such as voice, web and video conferencing) as very important, as opposed to 44 percent prior to Sept. 11, 2001.

According to the Motorcycle Industry Council……

Sales of motorcycles increased by 8.5 percent in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period last year.

That's right; more people are buying motorcycles as a way to save on gas! The saying is, "America loves its cars," but when gas prices climb out of control, Americans are not shy about looking at other alternatives. After all, love is a two-way street. The soaring prices for gasoline have even made some companies employ some rather unorthodox technologies. A well-known shipping company has recently implemented a technology that prints out routes for its truck deliveries featuring only right turns. This way the trucks are not left idling, and wasting gas, while waiting for left-turn signals. If companies are willing to go to those extremes, it's easy to understand why video conferencing is becoming a popular solution.

The thinking is, if you can have a face-to-face meeting with a business partner from the comfort of your office or conference room, why lose hours on the road and spend on gas? Apparently, sitting in a traffic jam is losing its appeal. So is emitting tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Therefore, video conferencing is an easy and very justifiable way for companies to become more environmentally-friendly.

The fact is that many businesses are becoming more proactive about creating efficiencies in different parts of their organization. Many have found that they can actually improve the way they collaborate internally, as well as with partners and customers, while eliminating costs and productivity losses associated with road and air transportation. Since many organizations have branch, partner and customer offices located throughout the country, they sometimes spend tens, even hundreds, of thousands of dollars each year in business travel costs. The considerable improvements to the clarity and reliability of video conference technology, as well as its lower cost of entry, has placed it atop of the list of solutions that are helping companies survive the Great Gas Gouge.

The Next Surge

This latest surge in video conferencing usage teaches us an important lesson: never underestimate human ingenuity and our ability to rebound from difficult conditions. The fact is that, despite the trials of the last few years, organizations have learned to become more efficient and productive. They've emerged smarter than ever before. However, smart companies don't wait for tragedies or difficult economic/environmental factors to call them into action. As it appears, the next surge may ultimately be due to common sense.

Copyright © Harold German, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

For many years, Harold German has been recognized as a knowledgeable source for information on corporate branding methodologies. Mr. German is a renowned author and contributor, with appearances in noted international publications such as The Economist, and on news stations such as CNN. Mr. German is a former director of IVCi, LLC, is the director of marketing at Innovative Stone, and is proprietor of Wainscoting Long Island.

The Evolution Of Audio Video Conferencing

Writen by Steve Valentino

Audio video conferencing is a shorthand way of describing a virtual conference where no one has to leave her office to meet up with the rest of the group. A virtual conference may use telephones, televisions, computers, conferencing software, collaborative software, file sharing, headsets, the Internet, or any combination of these equipments and tools. Slide presentation, streaming audio, and document sharing are some of the extras you can incorporate into this conferencing method. The ultimate goal is to make the meeting as realistic as possible, where everyone can see each other, hear each other, view and modify projects, and so on – all at a cost that eventually pays for itself in travel savings.

The audio video industry has yet to work out all of the kinks. As you can imagine, there can sometimes be technical difficulties in which lines can get torn down in a storm, computers and other equipment can malfunction, and so on. Furthermore, audio video conferencing doesn't work very well for complicated communication techniques, such as those used in closing a sales deal. Audio video conferencing lends a rather impersonal air to meetings, and socializing and bonding don't take place as they would in the real world.

You can set up for audio video conferencing in a number of different ways. The older method, still great for a wide variety of teleconferencing purposes, is to have one group in one room, another group in another room (perhaps in another city or country), and have them talk to each other. Each of the two groups utilizes a television, a video camera mounted on the television, a speakerphone, and perhaps some file sharing software for collaboration on computer projects. The newer style is online audio video conferencing, wherein each participant has her very own station in her very own office. This utilizes a computer, the Internet, a web cam, a headset, and file sharing software. This new method allows for even greater ease of planning and attendance, applicability to collaboration, and mobility. You could attend a web conference on the beach while the other attendees are on a train, at home, in a restaurant, or anywhere else.

Audio Conferencing Info provides detailed information about audio conferencing services, equipment, software, companies, plus online audio conferencing, and more. Audio Conferencing Info is affiliated with Original Content.

Video Conferencing Basics

Writen by Navneetkumar Kumar

This article will provide you a brief introduction about what actually video conferencing is. By video conferecing we can connect with some other identity and also can see the video online in real time. It is now useful and very interesting technology and widly used worldwide.

What is Video Conferencing: Video conferencing is the integration of video, audio and peripherals to enable two or more people to communicate simultaneously over some type of telecommunications lines. By video conferencing you are transmitting synchronized images and verbal communications between two or more locations in lieu of them being in the same room.

Video conferencing ingredients: The main ingredients of successful video conferencing are video cameras, microphones, appropriate computer software and computer equipment and peripherals that will integrate with the transmission lines to relay the information.

How video conferencing works: The analog information recorded by the microphones and cameras is broken down into discreet units, translating it to ones and zeros. A Codec encodes the information to a digital signal that can then be transmitted to a codec at the other end, which will retranslate these digital signals back into analog video images and audio sounds.

In the earlier days, video conferencing was very much expensive than today. Some time back video conferencing was used by T1, ATM and ISDN lines. These all process were very costly for video conferencing. Since internet is very cheap and it is a very good medium for video conferencing. The TCP/IP connections of the Internet are much less expensive and can carry large quantities of information for video conferencing, including video packets for conferencing, relatively easily. Because of this, video conferencing has become much more prevalent in small businesses and in desktop packages that can be set up with software for computer-to-computer networking.

The problem faced was in video conferencing was that when we convert analog to digital for transmission then it is the loss in clarity of image. The most important factor in video conferencing is the compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio, the more quickly the information is capable of being transmitted. In many cases, however, this also means some loss in clarity or audio/video quality.

Advantages of video conferencing: Using video conferencing you can communicate with whole groups of people at once either through networking a group of computers or by form of broadcast. This is a huge step forward for both companies and for schools. video conferencing is very useful for students in their studies. Students can enjoy learning this way much more than from a textbook. Informed people can talk to classes and help them learn, where otherwise they wouldn't be able to because of time and distance restrictions. This is also a bonus for children who have different learning styles. The more visual types who understand better when they can see what they're working with.

Author is an engineer and is running a website http://engineering-updates.com, you can reproduce this article if all the link are alive.

Web Conferencing Software Choosing Your Application

Writen by Diane Parker

It is worth bearing in mind that, when you are deciding which web conferencing application to utilize, none of the applications currently available will do everything well.

Each system has its own strengths and weaknesses and it is therefore important for you to identify what you hope to gain from your web conferencing application. The first step you should take is to draw up a list of essential features - decide what the most important aspects of web conferencing are to you and what you hope to gain from your system.

By identifying what is most important to you, you can narrow down your field of selection to those vendors who are supplying a product that most closely matches your requirements. By immediately discarding those that do not match your criteria, you will find yourself considering a far more manageable number of applications.

Communication: Meetings, Webcasts and Webinars For example, if the key function you want your web conferencing application to perform is that of communication then you require an application that will allow you to exchange with others. An application that has the capability to host meetings, transmit webcasts and hold training seminars will be required.

Different web conferencing applications have different capabilities, some allowing you to invite hundreds of delegates to your seminar, others allowing a maximum of say, ten. Levels of interaction vary too so be very clear about what functions you will need your application to be able to perform.

Before investing in your new system you should thoroughly review exactly what each provider is offering to ensure it meets with your requirements.

Vendors:

Vendors of this type of application include:

* Centra

* Netbriefings

* Placeware

* Smiletiger

* Spartacom

Online Collaboration and Project Management

Online collaboration software is particularly effective for project management. These applications allow users to share files and documents, to view files at the same time and update documents in real time. Previously, this level of collaboration could only be achieved by being physically present in the same location but online collaboration applications are extremely effective.

Vendors:

Vendors of this type of application include:

* Genesys

* Interwise

* Viditel

* WebEx

You need to consider too, whether or not your chosen application will be compatible with your existing software and operating platform. This information will be readily available from the application vendor. Also, do you have sufficient broadband capability to run your chosen application?

The cost, of course, is a major consideration when deciding upon your web conferencing application and will undoubtedly influence your ultimate decision. Applications range from the elementary (some can even be set up with a plug-in the likes of Yahoo Messenger) to the most sophisticated systems that will allow broadcasting to hundreds of delegates.

When deciding how much to spend, take into account how much money you are already spending in terms of time and money on travel. The chances are, if you choose your application sensibly, you will earn back its cost in a relatively short period of time.

Diane Parker is a freelance writer and technology enthusiast providing valuable information including: web conferencing software, choosing a web conferencing tool and internet conferencing.

Wireless Video Conferencing How The Smithsonian Went Wireless

Writen by Harold German

Nestled modestly along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) goes about its daily business of finding solutions to grand environmental challenges that the world faces in the 21st century. SERC is the Nation's leading research and education center dedicated to understanding ecological processes that sustain life on both land and the ocean. Over 70 percent of the world's population lives in the coastal zone, which includes the Earth's most biologically productive ecosystems, supports the majority of the world's fisheries and provides vast reserves of oil, gas and other non-living resources. The SERC Campus serves as a central campus for exploring the environment with other research that extends throughout the world. SERC educators provide rich content to the public based on their research through distance learning, web-based programs and on-site visits.

Recently, the institution concluded that they could improve their ability to research the environment with the help of a technological upgrade. "What we really needed was a wireless, mobile video conferencing solution so that we could bring the unit wherever our subject matter was," said SERC director of education Mark Haddon. SERC's research projects are comprised of a variety of outdoor studies, which include shoreline and marine life research. "We wanted to maintain the integrity of the program, which focuses on learning about Science outdoors, so we were particularly interested in bringing the students right to the scene of the research, for maximum impact and an enhanced educational experience," said Haddon. "The only way we could visualize this type of format was through video conferencing, but we were unsure about what would be involved from a product standpoint. We tried to set it up by using one of our old systems but it wasn't practical. A wireless, mobile solution is what was needed but we didn't know if such a system was available so we contacted our vendor IVCi and they configured and installed our Mobile Video Interactive Companion II (MVIC II). We use the system out in the water, specifically, on the boat and on the shore to study marine life; things like shells, crabs, plant life, etc. We also have future plans to begin extending our studies into the forest."

The MVIC II is a mobile, wireless video conferencing system that provides two-way, high-end quality and performance in a compact wireless mobile offering. The MVIC II can act as a stand-alone video conferencing system or work as an extension to existing video systems. The MVIC II system that was configured for SERC can be rolled about the campus freely and uses a Polycom unit as the video codec.

Even before the wireless video conferencing installation, SERC had always relied on technology to improve the way they worked and shared knowledge with other institutions. "We are, in essence, a content provider to schools that have invested in video conferencing technologies, continued Haddon. " It gives students from these schools the ability to visit the Smithsonian and learn all about different types of life forms found throughout our environment, without leaving their classrooms. The fact is that many school districts are looking for content providers with good equipment because it justifies usage and encourages more schools to get involved in video conferencing. Video conferencing has developed into an excellent way for schools to provide quality education for their students, regardless of where the subject matter is located."

SERC has been using video conferencing for ten years but the wireless feature opens up a new world of possibilities. "The great thing about our current usage of this technology is that we really have access to true 360 degree video conferencing," said Haddon. "We have the unobstructed ability to share what we see and hear in real time. I've never heard of anyone anywhere with this type of application."

Recent improvements by equipment manufacturers and enhancements to related technologies, such as IP networks, have made video conferencing more reliable and affordable. As a long-time user of video conferencing systems, Haddon is very pleased with the changes. "There's no question that the technology has gotten much better, said Haddon. "We no longer experience the types of connection problems we used to encounter. At one time, video conferencing was a very unreliable way to meet. Those issues are gone." Added Haddon, "We've also learned that it is very important to work with companies that are highly knowledgeable in this technical area. It's a specialized technology; therefore, you should only seek out specialists with the right experience and industry certifications."

Copyright © Harold German, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

For many years, Harold German has been recognized as a knowledgeable source for information on corporate branding methodologies. Mr. German is a renowned author and contributor, with appearances in noted international publications such as The Economist, and on news stations such as CNN. Mr. German is a former director of IVCi, LLC, is the director of marketing at Innovative Stone, and is proprietor of Wainscoting Long Island.