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A Web Conferencing, Remote Support, Remote Access, and Current Events Blog

Archive for the ‘Current Event’ category

Phone+ article on UC – hosted vs On-Premise

July 21st, 2010

Several days ago Doug Allen posted an article on PHONE+ about UC and debated hosted verses On-Premise. Excellent article, I recommend it to anyone interested in Unified Communications. Doug does an excellent job of showing the pros and cons of both approaches. My take is that the right solution depends on the organizational needs of the user. We provide on-premise for the segment that wants the lowest total cost of ownership and the highest possible level of access security. We do it in a dedicated, plug and play appliance to dramatically lower the cost of support – a negative that Doug brings up related to many on-premise solutions – in particular software solutions.

I would be interested in your opinion.

2 comments »

Posted in Current Event

How Web Conference Can Help During the Next Big Travel Disruption

April 29th, 2010

Eyjafjallajökull might be unheard to many of us until recently and its name may be hard to pronounce (for those who are interested, here’s a pronunciation guide from BBC) but the world has felt the effects of its eruptions over the past few weeks. None more so than airlines, carriers have taken a devastating hit as more than 100,000 flights were cancelled and passengers were left stranded. The larger business community has also felt the impact of the eruption, with workers stranded at airports around the world. using web conferencing when stranded

The Revenue Fallout

According to some reports, airlines were losing as much as $200 million a day due to cancelled flights. Business travel in the areas affected by the volcanic ash also resulted in huge losses for companies around the world. In total, the airline industry is believed to have lost $1.7 billion. This is a harsh blow for an industry struggling to get back on its feet.

How Conferencing Can Help in the Next Eruption

The halt in flights for many part of Europe left travelers stuck in airports around the world. Travelers had to pay exorbitant rates for cab and train rides to get home where possible. For others, web conferencing become a great way for stranded travelers to stay in touch with family and work. All of this means one thing; companies must explore and embrace other ways of conducting business globally, such as webinars.

As the Iceland volcano eruption has taught us, regardless of nature’s whims business has to get done. Sending employees to various destinations around the world has already lost favor with many companies. Now due to the lessons learned from Eyjafjallajökull, it has become clear that business travel is a somewhat outdated concept.

With a good web conferencing product, meetings can be easily planned and executed. File transfer, session recording, seminar with thousands of attendees are all possible with web conferencing tools.

Now that flights have resumed and special flight zones have been established, the airlines will have to dust themselves off and move on. Web conferencing companies should now be poised to further prove their worth to the modern business environment. So the next time your company outlines major travel plans, don’t hesitate to step up and save them a bundle.

4 comments »

Posted in Current Event, Web Seminars

Tags: Eyjafjallajokull flight cancellation volcano web conference

TurboMeeting 4.1 Web Conferencing Solution Supports Apple iPad

April 13th, 2010

RHUB Communications, Inc. (RHUB), the provider of TurboMeeting web conferencing solutions, announced today that TurboMeeting Version 4.1 is iPad compatible.

TurboMeeting’s Universal Attendance, the first web conferencing solution that allows attendees to join without downloading any kind of software, is completely compatible with the iPad as well as a Wi-Fi-connected iPhone. TurboMeeting enables web conference users access to view any desktop information of the presenter including presentations, applications and the presenter’s webcam. iPad’s larger screen allows users to give more effective presentations, easily attend webinars while the iPhone functions well for short meetings.

RHUB specializes in on-premise web conferencing appliances, giving users complete ownership and control of the hardware and software. On-premise appliances offer significant advantages over hosted solutions, including:

Lower Total Cost of Ownership
Enhanced Access Security
No IT support required
Integration features to enhance usability within customer environments
Customization opportunities

3 comments »

Posted in Current Event

Tags: iPad

Guaranteed Web Conference Attendance from any Platform, Even from your Future iPad

February 3rd, 2010

The iPad was finally introduced to the world last week after month of speculation. Now that the initial excitement has finally settled, somewhat, people are looking more into what iPad has to offer, or the lack thereof. When the iPad was revealed at the Moscone last Wednesday, one of feature people found lacking was that it only supports one app at a time. To add to it, iPad doesn’t support flash.

But despite its lacking in some areas, there is definitely potential with iPad being an on-the-go work tool. A portable device coveted by road warriors and frequent travelers. Given its crisp and vibrant 9.7 inch display, and a 1024×768 screen resolution, the iPad is great for browsing online and reading documents. There is already announcement made by companies about creating a remote access app for the iPad, so you will be able to access your desktop with all the different applications running on it.

But for those who are not looking for a replacement to their laptops, and will be using the iPad for mostly reading books and browsing the web, the lack of flash support is a major drawback. For business users who are frequently on the road and need to attend meeting and seminars online, they would still need their laptops in order to attend as many online conferencing services requires flash and downloads to run.

RHUB’s universal attendance technology allows for anyone to join a meeting as long as they can open up a browser and have access to the internet. And for those concerned with a lack of flash support on the iPad, not to worry. RHUB’s web-based viewing support both flash and non-flash users. So as long you’re connected to the internet, whether through Wi-Fi or the more costly 3G option, you will be able to attend meetings and webinars, guaranteed. Now whether or not you’ll be able to get connection on the AT&T network is a whole other problem.

What are your thoughts, will you be getting an iPad?

6 comments »

Posted in Current Event, Web Conferencing, webinar

Tags: apple iPad Turbomeeting web conference

Connecting with President Andrew Jackson Online

January 21st, 2010

When people hear the term web conferencing, webinars and business meetings may spring to mind, though its applications are far more than what the name implies. Doing collaboration work online, staying in touch with loved ones through video chat are some of the more common ways web conferencing technology is being used. But there are also less ordinary uses that have popped up recently. In the home of our seventh president for one. Yup, web conferencing has made its way into historic sites.

The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, now offers an interactive, online education program called Reinforcing American History through Electronic Learning; or as known as RACHEL, after President Jackson’s wife. For 60 minutes, students worldwide can participate in an interactive program about the seventh president of the United States. Teachers no longer have to worry about student safety, cost constraints, time constraints, and the endless worries that accompany a typical field trip. Instead, they can sit back and enjoy with students as they learn about topics that range from slavery to the election of President Jackson.

To sign up for an online program, all it takes is a visit to The Hermitage website and a call to set up the online tour. The participants only need to have access to a PC and good internet connection to partake in the program. To promote this new offering, the Hermitage is offering RACHEL at $30 a session, a discount from the usual $60 per session. But hurry, because is only good until February 1^st when prices will go back back to the regular standard price.

So will other museums and points of interest follow in the Hermitage’s footsteps? Only time will tell. Truthfully, it is not an option that is suited to all institutions of this type. Many may simply be unwilling to give up that personal interaction which they see as vital to the learning experience. But whether or not web conference based education programs become a standard part of education, one thing is for sure. This sure beats the alternative, watching a documentary on the life of Andrew Jackson while answering questions on the handout.