I would be interested in your opinion.

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 Now due to the lessons learned from Eyjafjallajökull, it has become clear that business travel is a somewhat outdated concept.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.

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

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?

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.

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SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–RHUB Communications, Inc. (RHUB), a premier provider of Web conferencing solutions, today announced the signing of a partnership agreement with Huddle.net (www.huddle.net) a leading online collaboration provider. Under the new licensing agreement, Huddle will have the full rights to integrate RHUB’s award-winning TurboMeeting technology into their enterprise networking platform to deliver interactive, real-time, synchronous conferencing collaboration to their customers.

With Huddle, work teams are able to enjoy secure online workspaces that give them the ability to manage projects, share and store files online, schedule phone conferences and host online discussion groups. Now, with the integration of TurboMeeting, Huddle.net users will have the added benefit of enjoying synchronous conferencing that allows for real-time interaction and immediate feedback among group members while they engage in online collaboration.

“The ability to enjoy instantaneous feedback and interaction while managing projects delivers tremendous value to our customers,” said Alistair Mitchell, co-founder and CEO, Huddle. “The addition of TurboMeeting technologies to our platform strengthens Huddle’s position as a single place online that offers all the necessary tools to get stuff done, where teams can work effectively across all boundaries.”

“Virtual solutions, like conferencing and collaboration, are simply a part of the new way of doing business,” said Larry Dorie, CEO of RHUB. “Through our involvement with Huddle.net, we are giving customers the enhanced collaboration solutions that they need to effectively work across dispersed environments, as they continue to manage business in this growing and interactive Web solutions marketplace.”

Huddle.net is anticipated to rollout the new integration of TurboMeeting into its online workspaces for its users in the US and in Europe by end of October 2009. For a full listing of TurboMeeting appliances and specifications, visit www.rhubcom.com.

About RHUB Communications

RHUB is a premier provider of on-premise Web conferencing, remote support and remote access appliances, based on the Company’s TurboMeeting software, that meet the needs of any organization. The Company’s end users total over 8,000 in a variety of market segments including services, manufacturing, and government. RHUB is privately-owned and headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. For more information, visit www.rhubcom.com.

ABOUT HUDDLE.NET

Huddle.net (www.huddle.net) is a network of secure online workspaces where you can share files, collaborate on ideas, manage projects and organize virtual meetings. Huddle enables teams to work more effectively across boundaries, both inside and outside the enterprise. Its customers include P&G, Pearson, Panasonic and UNICEF and a number of UK and US government departments. Huddle is available in English, French, German, and Italian. In addition to www.huddle.net, it can be accessed via major social networks including LinkedIn, Ning, XING and Facebook.

Iphone – the feature rich device that has taken the world by storm has entered another arena, web meetings. According to news reports a new application was recently created for this popular smart phone that allows users to schedule online meetings and view meeting agenda among other features.
The application was created by TimeBridge, a company that specializes in software for setting up and running meetings online. One of their more popular offerings issues a SMS reminder prior to when a scheduled meeting is about to start. This is known as the Meeting Time Messenger SMS notification tool. (This new application won’t be available until October and is currently going through Apple’s approval process.)

Apple has always presented itself with something akin to an air of exclusivity. Owners of Apple computers have for years seemed to be part of an unofficial club. Given that their prices tend to be higher than PCs that trend has continued, although they have trotted out smaller laptops in recent years that are a bit easier on most pockets. The iPhone however is a bit different. Not everyone who owns one is necessarily an Apple devotee. Many computer users who insist they will never trade in the reliable PC for a Mac are huge iPhone fans.

What will this do for web conferencing? It seems that many have embraced this new idea. Larger players in the market are already making online meetings a relatively simple and convenient procedure by integrating web conferencing with the iPhone.

We at RHUB have developed a universal attendance technology that allows for anyone to join a meeting as long as they can open up a browser and have access to the internet. What does this mean for phones? As long as your phone has 3G capabilities, you are able to attend the meeting. Therefore, there are never any issues with attending meetings when using TurboMeeting. Like what the spokesman for the Men’s Warehouse says: “I guarantee it!”

This morning at the Pentagon, President Obama was introduced by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who spoke of the “great pinnacle of sacrifice” shown that day.

“Eight Septembers have come and gone,” Obama said. “Nearly 3,000 days have passed, almost one for each one who has been taken from us.”

“We recall the beauty and meaning of their lives. No passage of time, no dark skies can dull the meaning of that moment.”

9/11 Memorial Website

Sept 11 Digital Archive

One way that many businesses are achieving the virtualization is by utilizing web meetings. With the improved capabilities of web conferencing security and integration, interacting with clients or employees in diverse places is now a breeze. Having  meetings online helps companies cut down on travel, which in turn cuts down on fuel usage and vehicle emissions. In fact many companies such as Fujitsu have started using web conferencing as a way to reduce their carbon footprint.

Proper use of internet web conferencing not only help companies protect the environment but can make better use of workers’ time and save resources. Developing a company strategy that mandates a set percentage of business meetings being held using web conferencing software is a start. This is especially beneficial if attendees have to drive or fly in to meetings from other locations.

Online meetings have in many cases been shown to run for shorter times than face-to-face meetings. This will free up time for more productive activities. This goes a long way also towards improving a company’s profitability. On-site meetings, especially if employers from other locations attend, can be costly. Expenses in monetary terms include gas, air travel, hotel accommodation, food and presentation material and handouts. Web conferences eliminate all that.

All of these methods of working and communicating cut down on travel. While travel by itself does not negatively impact the environment, it is a contributory factor. Web conferencing is thereby a viable alternative for those companies that are serious about being environmentally friendly.

Many companies are taking note. With this renewed drive for sustainability, RHUB has made a 4-in-1 web conferencing and remote support appliance that runs on only 4.5 watts. Goooo green!