Thing 21 2014: Hangouts, Skype and more

6691744587_bb59f7aba1As research collaboration becomes increasingly common, more and more researchers need to communicate with one another via web conference tools that allow them not only to talk but also to share screens, collaborate on documents and share files. There are a many tools available. Most have the ability to share the screen, and to connect via webcam and microphone.

Skype
Cost: Free (basic version – paid versions provide more features)

Skype is undoubtedly the most well known and most popular web-conferencing tool currently available. Even if you haven’t used it in a professional setting, you’ve probably used it to contact friends and family. Signing up for an account is free and very easy: just enter your details and download the software, which is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. There are paid (‘premium’) versions of Skype available but the additional features on offer change quite regularly, so it’s worth checking the Skype website to keep up-to-date.

Once you’ve set up an account and installed Skype, you can connect to other Skype users, anywhere in the world, free of charge. You will of course need a microphone and audio output; your computer’s speakers and microphones might be fine for casual use but if you’re contacting professional colleagues it would be worth investing in a headset and a web-camera, which applies to all the web-conferencing tools discussed here. You can connect with more than one Skype user at a time and create a large-scale web-conference; a maximum of ten simultaneous users is recommended. You can also send files—such as PDFs, Word documents, or PowerPoint presentations—and share your screen with both individuals and groups. Although Skype does require each user to have a Skype account, it is so commonly used that this is rarely a problem. Nonetheless, in a university setting your contacts may not have access to Skype at their workplace. If you’re planning on using Skype for professional web-conferencing, have a look at this really handy blog post from the University of Melbourne for a comprehensive introduction.

Google Hangouts
Cost: Free (up to 10 attendees and requires a Google+ account)

Google Hangouts has quickly gained a foothold – it’s free and it’s easy to use. Every participant needs to have a Google + account to be able to join the hangout but sessions can be streamed publicly via YouTube using the ‘Hangouts on Air’ feature.

You can use Google hangouts on your mobile or tablet, or by adding an extension to your browser. Simply ‘start a new hangout’, search for users and add them to your conversation.

WebEx
Cost: Departments (or individuals) pay for accounts.

WebEx is supported by the University’s IT Services, and it allows you to share presentations, applications and your entire desktop. It does not require your attendees to have an account; you just share the URL of your session.

Adobe Connect
Cost: Paid

Adobe Connect is a web-conferencing tool that runs via Adobe Flash. It allows you to host an online conference with multiple participants who can view your desktop and communicate with one another simultaneously. Adobe Connect gives you the option to share your whole desktop with the meeting or just one application and it’s also possible for the attendees to view the application you are sharing in full screen while you’re doing something else on your desktop. Like WebEx, it does not require your attendees to have an account; you just share the URL of your session.

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Have you ever used any of these tools? If so, what are your thoughts on them? If not, can you think of a time when you might?

Thing 21 2013: Using Doodle and other online scheduling tools

This week’s Things are about organisation and productivity, especially when it comes to collaborating with others. Online scheduling tools are a great way to schedule events for several people.

Task
One of the most popular scheduling tools is Doodle. Doodle is free, easy to use and doesn’t require any registration (although it offers added features to registered users). For this week’s Thing, please explore Doodle and, if you can, give it a try for scheduling something.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Go to http://www.doodle.com/.
  2. Click on the Schedule Event button.
  3. Follow instructions for Steps 1-4 each time clicking ‘next’ to get to the next page. Decide on the dates that you are free and the time slots within each date that you are free and add them in the chart.
  4. At Step 4 you need to decide whether you want to send an email to your colleagues yourself or whether you want Doodle to do this.
  5. If you have chosen to send things out yourself then check your emails from Doodle and follow the clear instructions in them.
  6. Send the link out and wait for response!
Doodle
A sample doodle poll

Exploring further
You can integrate Doodle with other online tools, including your Microsoft Outlook calendar, Google calendar or iCal; Doodle can sync meetings you set up with these calendars and update based on poll results. Doodle’s calendar integration page provides more info on how to set these up.

Doodle isn’t the only online scheduling tool, although it is one of the most popular. You might want to explore other options such as Meet-o-Matic or Scheduly.

Blog post
Did you try to schedule a meeting using Doodle? Do you think you would in future? Tag your post Thing 21.

Thing 21: Using Doodle and other online scheduling tools

This week’s Things are about organisation and productivity, especially when it comes to collaborating with others. Online scheduling tools are a great way to schedule events for several people.

Task
One of the most popular scheduling tools is Doodle. Doodle is free, easy to use and doesn’t require any registration (although it offers added features to registered users). For this week’s Thing, please explore Doodle and, if you can, give it a try for scheduling something.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Go to http://www.doodle.com/.
  2. Click on the Schedule Event button.
  3. Follow instructions for Steps 1-4 each time clicking ‘next’ to get to the next page. Decide on the dates that you are free and the time slots within each date that you are free and add them in the chart.
  4. At Step 4 you need to decide whether you want to send an email to your colleagues yourself or whether you want Doodle to do this.
  5. If you have chosen to send the poll out yourself then check your emails from Doodle and follow the clear instructions in them.
  6. Send the link out and wait for response!
Doodle

A sample doodle poll

Exploring further
You can integrate Doodle with other online tools, including your Microsoft Outlook calendar, Google calendar or iCal; Doodle can sync meetings you set up with these calendars and update based on poll results. Doodle’s calendar integration page provides more info on how to set these up.

Doodle isn’t the only online scheduling tool, although it is one of the most popular. You might want to explore other options such as Meet-o-Matic or Scheduly.

Blog post
Did you try to schedule a meeting using Doodle? Do you think you would in future? Tag your post Thing 21.