Web Conferencing

Web conferencing is one of the most advanced collaboration communication tool till now, which provides platform for e-learning, web meeting and webinar with required audience over the internet. This is possible with use of one of the following service:

• Adobe connect
• GoToMeeting
• WebEx
• Microsoft Live Meeting

To have better idea of web conferencing and Adobe connect, must watch this video:-

These services are capable of performing following functions:

• Multicast communication
• Voice or Video Chat
• Screen sharing
• Slide presentation
• Application sharing
• Text messaging

These functions are regularly used by businesses while conducting online meetings, training programs, communicating customers, etc.

I personally have experience of web conferencing. In India, i attended online classes of Chartered Accountant course by "etenca" which is a e-learning institute. Here, our teachers broadcast his/her screen, audio and video to all the online students. That was a good way of learning while sitting in home. Such technological changes in educational field help the students a lot in studying and lighten some of the burden of studies.

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Source:"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBFMQCPrjFk"

Videoconferencing

Videoconferencing is an advanced version of Voice conferencing as the main addition is that with audio, video is also transmitted. While the communication with a setup of videoconferencing, communicators can see each other live and have their audio conversation simultaneously although they may be far apart. In addition, one can share applications, files and presentations by this tool. It is widely used in business world. To do videoconferencing in professional way, special conference rooms equipped with computers, internet connection, cameras, and screens are used.

Cisco WebEx is one of the communication software used by big businesses.

Till now I use video conferencing only for social purposes like communicating with family and friends. To do this all i need is a laptop, internet connection and communication application software. There are many application software's for this, some of them which i use are Skype, Yahoo messenger and Face time.

Face time

Skype

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Source:

1. "http://www.cisco-conferencing.co.uk/endpoints/immersive.html"
2. "http://www.technitrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/facetime-for-android.jpg"
3. "http://skypefree-download.com/skype-download-free.html"

Voice conferencing

Voice conferencing is based on one of the most commonly used communication tool known as telephonic conversation. In this telephone servers allow participants from two or more locations to share the same call. Participants at both ends talk and are heard simultaneously by using enhanced speakerphones.

I use voice conferencing:

• When I am communicating with more than one friend for educational or social purpose.
• When I want to talk with my whole family once by activating loud speakerphone at other end. 
• When I talk with my two brothers who are at different places and we talk to each other at same time by activating conferencing which merge our calls.

This is the social use of this technology but this is widely used in business world too.

Various ways in which voice conferencing is used in business:

• Business meetings
• Telephonic interviews
• Communication with customers 
• Communication with remote team members

To do so in professional way various products are available in market such as Polycom HD Audio/Voice conferencing.

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Source:

1. http://www.brad.ac.uk/smart-travel/virtual_meetings/technologies/audioconference/
2. http://www.ivci.com/audio-conferencing-ivci-features-benefits.html

Blogs, podcasts and wikis

In previous blog I talk about emails and some of its advantages and disadvantages, now I want to add one more disadvantage of email i.e. Information gets lost in emails, but this disadvantage is eliminated by blogs, podcasts and wikis as they provide an easy communication and better track on what’s said.

A Blog is a website having journal entries commonly written by individuals with comments added by interested readers. When audio is added in the blog it becomes a Podcast. And a Wiki is a website that allows collaborative editing of its content by its visitors/users.

A Blog is written by an individual to express their view point or knowledge about any topic to the possible viewers, like here I am writing this blog. And businesses use blog to keep employees, management and customers informed and to receive feedback continuously. 

Application of blog in business helps company to:

• Share knowledge and expertise
• Build additional web traffic
• Connect with potential buyers

Some other advantages of blogs are:

• Blog is easy to create - There are many websites providing this feature. Some of them which I use are blogger.com, weebly.com and blog.com.
• Blog is easy to use – No need to learn html or other scripting language to create web page, just write whatever you want to post.
• Updating a blog is quick process.
• Having a blog is much cheaper than having a website.

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Source: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZIsMhBuz5s"

E-mail and Instant Messaging (IM)

Electronic mails and instant messaging are text based messaging and are one of the today's best and fastest communication tools.

I use emails for study purposes like Contacting teachers, doing projects with friends and in other areas which relates to my career and for any official works. While instant messaging is used by me to get in touch with friends and family. Not only I am using these services, Nowadays, E-mail and instant messaging are the most commonly used communication tools by everyone. It’s so common that 2.8 million emails are sent every second. To provide such a vast service there are many websites and application software’s.  Some of them which I use are:

• Gmail and Yahoo mail for emailing and
• Whatsapp, Viber and Kakaotalk for instant messaging.

Emails are used mostly for formal and business purposes while instant messaging is mostly used to do social activities like live chat with friends and family. In my opinion,

The advantages of emails are:

• It is fast
• It is easy to use
• One can attach files with them
• There is no wastage of paper.

The advantages of instant messaging are that it connects people regardless where they are actually located and get the reply from their loved ones in no time.

In spite of these pros both have some similar cons for me:

• To use these communication tools, I need to stay connected with internet.
• I receive many unwanted emails and messages, which consumes a lot of my precious time.
• It’s difficult to express emotion in the written messages.

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Source:

1. "http://email.about.com/od/emailtrivia/f/emails_per_day.htm"
2. Image-"http://siliconangle.com/blog/2013/05/23/how-to-switch-email-services-easily-keep-all-your-mails-contacts/"

Communication and collaborative technologies

Communication is the exchange of ideas, information and messages, as by speech, visual, signals, behavior and writing.

Collaborative technology is defined as a technology designed to allow a group of people to achieve common goal or to complete a common task.

So, I think collectively Communication and collaborative technologies means technological tools used to communicate with each other for personal or business application. Nowadays, such tools are wildly used in business due to need of such a flexible communication system.

Choosing a tool for supporting our communication activities depends on type of communication we want to do. Communication is divided into two types:-

·   Synchronous communication-means both sender and receiver are communicating at the same time. In other words, it means you are sending a message and receiving a reply message at the same time. E.g. - phone conversation, Video conferencing (Skype, Google talk, Yahoo messenger), instant messaging.

·    Asynchronous communication-means sender and receiver are communicating at different times. In other words, it means sending of the message and receiving of the message does not happen at the same time. E.g. - voice mail, e-mail, discussion forms, blogs, and Google forums.

After knowing type of communication, we have to select an appropriate tool for communication. Various collaborative tools are grouped as follows:-

·         E-mail, instant messaging

·         Blogs, podcasts and wikis

·         Voice conferencing

·        Video conferencing and video phones

·        Web conferencing  

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Source:-"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm8IewBwoOg"