Video conferencing

Today I want to talk about some other tools you may need in order to work remotely. In the last article, we discussed how to go about getting your documents into the cloud using Microsoft OneDrive and G-Suite Google Drive. If you missed that article you can find it here.

Video conferencing has suddenly become the big buzzword in these strange times. Being able to meet and collaborate with one another is essential to any business. In this rapidly changing landscape, we are fortunate that we can leverage existing technology to hold meetings, chat with one another, and collaborate all from remote locations.

There are literally dozens of video conferencing applications on the market, and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. I want to make you aware of two that you already have as part of either your Microsoft or Google subscription, namely, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.

Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams allows you to chat, meet, call, and collaborate all in one place. It is currently one of the most popular apps in the enterprise market and is built around the Office 365 framework, so collaborating and sharing files is made easy. If needed, there is a desktop app that you can install on your computer. With Teams, you can start a meeting immediately with co-workers or you can schedule meetings for a later date and time. Given that it’s built around office 365, it is fully integrated with many of its services, such as Skype and SharePoint. Microsoft Teams is also available on Android and iOS (audio only). It is also highly customizable. To read further information follow this link: https://products.office.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software

Google Meet.

As with Microsoft Teams, Google Meet is the business version of Google Hangouts. If you have a Gmail account with a domain and are a paying G-Suite customer, then you have Google Meet as part of your subscription. Google Meet allows you to create meetings on the fly or schedule them via your calendar for certain times and dates. It also has a chat feature as well as the ability for you to share either your entire screen or just a certain app on the screen. This is a great way for you and your team to work together. Google Meet is simple to use and no further software is required to install. Google Meet is also available on Android and iOS.

To read further information follow this link: https://gsuite.google.com/products/meet/

Some additional applications:

The applications below also allow for video conferencing and are good alternatives to the options from Microsoft and Google. They also have free versions available.

Zoom - https://zoom.us/

Skype - https://www.skype.com/en/

Facetime - Built into the Apple ecosystem. Available only within the Apple ecosystem.

Google Duo - Available for Android and iOS

While each of these video conferencing applications have their own advantages, given that you already have either Microsoft Teams or Google Meet, I would start there and see if they work for you.

As always, I hope that this information gives you a better understanding and a starting point for video conferencing for you and your team.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please feel free to contact me.

Stay Tuned and Stay Safe,