Virtual Meetings

• Videoconferencing - Shows live video feeds of presenter, participants or both. Used to be delivered by ISDN but now, more often, use Internet Protocol. Usually use services like Polycom, Tandberg, Cisco, etc. Participants and presenter do not require their computer. The conference room facilities provide the user with a meeting room equipped with the audio and video technology needed to conduct an interactive conference. As another option, roll-around units contain the needed audio and video equipment but are designed to be moveable. We recognize that Telepresence provides more features and functionality although, we are including it in this category for simplicity purposes.

• Web Conferencing - (sometimes called colaborative workspace or shared workspace). Web conferencing is conducted at the individual computer level and used to interact with other participants. Attendees use either a Web application or an application downloaded into their computers. May include webcams for video. Web conferences can be seen as “collaborative,” or a way of sharing information among the participants. Web conferencing offers advantages over traditional room-based videoconferencing because applications such as collaborative web browsing, file transfer and application sharing are easily supported over the Internet. Communication usually conducted by voice over IP through computer or telephone. By nature, web conferences are meant for less than 25 people although some may disagree. They can handle more, but it becomes more complex if all want to actively engage and discuss, e.g. similar to a conference room with many people trying to interject.

• Webinar - a form of web conferencing, webinars are more designed to have a moderator present content using a computer and the Internet. Often, attendees log on and communicate with the moderator often by telephone but there are some technologies that offer voice over IP. Often, webinars are more interactive than webcasts.

• Webcast - broadcast live or delayed audio and/or video similar to television or radio broadcasts. It is more like one presenter to many attendees and communication is usually one way or two way using chat features. The presenter often uses the application to communicate rather than a separate telephone.

• Virtual Business Environments - An almost "3D" environment of a conference or convention shown on your computer. In contrast to the last three methods above, a virtual business environment attempts to replicate either a Convention Center, Exhibit Hall, presentation, board or show room. Users are able to watch videos, download brochures, send e-mails, or visit the company's web site from the hall.

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