Online Meeting
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Fluid functionality with nice collaborative tools; great for sales professionals and companies of all sizes |
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A pricey but robust and full-featured solution for larger workgroups; great video chat and iPhone app |
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Very affordable; social networking and branding make this ideal for presenters, salespeople |
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A great choice for multimedia collaboration; has iPhone support; robust file storage |
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Very clear audio through VOIP; no collaborative functions, great for companies; limited functions for Mac users |
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Has live support and options for custom branding, but you pay for it with high setup fees |
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Low-priced but frustratingly slow; better for small workgroups |
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Good feature-set, but bad UI, frustrating set up and control |
NextAdvisor Blog Headlines
Apple iTunes: Ping privacy
It's "Facebook meets Twitter meets iTunes," that's how Steve Jobs explained Ping, Apple's new social networking addition to iTunes. When Jobs announced Ping yesterday, he made a big point about how easy the privacy is to manage. Having covered Facebook privacy on this blog before, we were curious to see how Apple's Ping would avoid [...]
Q: Do I have to leave my computer on for MagicJack to work?
The following is an actual user-submitted question: Q: Do I have to leave my computer on for MagicJack to work? A: Yes, you do. Alas, the MagicJack is not really magic at all (though it is a jack, so they're half right). While the MagicJack uses VoIP (Voice of Internet Protocol) technology, it's different from [...]
Exclusive Online-Only Trusted ID 10% Discount
NextAdvisor.com has partnered with Trusted ID to offer an exclusive 10% discount on their identity theft protection service. This is an online-only, limited time offer, and there is no coupon code required. All you need to do is click on any Trusted ID link on our site. Trusted ID is one of our top reviewed [...]
Does the Trusted ID family plan include my partner and myself? Also, does Tru...
Q. Does the Trusted ID family plan include my partner and myself? Also, does Trusted ID offer monitoring of public records and the Internet black market? A. The Trusted ID family plan includes all household members living at the same address, related or not. So you and your partner are eligible, as long as you [...]
I don't have a computer, is there a number I can call for a free credit report?
Q: I don't have a computer, is there a number I can call for a free credit report? A: Yes, there is. You can request your free annual credit report by phone or by mail, as well as online at annualcreditreport.com. If you prefer to call, the number is 1-877-322-8228. If you'd like to mail [...]
Kaspersky 2011 reviewed by NextAdvisor
We've spent some time with Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, the first of our Internet security vendors to release an update. We installed it on two machines and ran scans, did some web surfing, and played around with its special features. The verdict? Check our review of Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 to find out.
The great iTunes-PayPal hack that mightn't be a hack at all
Many iTunes customers are finding their PayPal accounts suddenly drained of cash due to unauthorized charges. No one knows the cause, but that doesn't stop people from guessing. Some blame Apple (because people love blaming Apple), some blame a Microsoft vulnerability, and some blame iTunes users themselves. We'll withhold judgment, but all are possibilities, and [...]
Q: I am interested in having Yahoo! host my website. I am currently using Ho...
Q: I am interested in having yahoo host my website. I am currently using Homestead, or Intuit. Can you advise me? A: We think Yahoo! is a great choice for web hosting. If you're coming from Intuit, you'll be right at home with the interface. We were generally unimpressed with Intuit's web hosting, finding it [...]
My daughter is 21 years old and attending college out of state. Can she be in...
Q: My daughter is 21 years old and attending college out of state. Can she be included along with myself and wife on a single identity theft family plan? Would there be additional costs or limitations? A: Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your daughter will need to sign up for her [...]
The NextAdvisor guide to parental control software setup
Parental control software allows parents to monitor the Internet activity of their kids, set online time limits, as well as institute blocking policies for forbidden content. Not all parental control software is created equal, of course, and our rigorous review process really sorted the good from the bad. But even the best parental control software [...]
Facebook will let your friends say where you are (whether you are, or not)
Facebook is entering the location-sharing game to compete with the likes of Foursquare, meaning you can now add your location to the list of things you're oversharing. But as with all Facebook features, the devil is in the details. Because Facebook wants to do more than just let you check into a location. They want [...]
I had to uninstall Carbonite, so I was not connected for a day. Will this cau...
Q:I had to uninstall Carbonite, so I was not connected for a day. Will this cause an issue with Carbonite when I reinstall? A: It shouldn't make any difference to Carbonite. When you reinstall, you will likely need to enter your username and password again. Other than that, it will be almost as if you [...]
NextAdvisor reviews HostNine web hosting, offers discount code
We've just completed our review of HostNine web hosting, and we're pretty impressed. In many ways it's not too different from other web hosts we've reviewed. It uses cPanel and Fantastico scripts to run things. It offers unlimited storage and data transfer. What is different is its no-commitment hosting plans and inexpensive pricing. You can [...]
NextAdvisor quick guide to identity theft protection for college students
School is just about starting for millions of college students across the country. We would guess that most of those students aren't thinking much about identity theft. But that doesn't mean that they shouldn't. Identity theft among college students is also known as "friendly fraud" because the perpetrators are often casual acquaintances or room mates. [...]
My credit score isn't that high. I have a lot of credit, and I'm never late ...
Q: My credit score isn't that high. I have a lot of credit, and I'm never late on payments. Should I cut back on the credit cards and just cancel those I don't need? Does the amount of credit available affect the score? Since I have a lot of credit, and pay on time and [...]
Online Meeting Benefits
Online meetings save time, money, and the environment. Even the most expensive online meeting solution is a bargain compared to airplane fares and hotel bills. Online meeting company DimDim estimates that "a typical 30 minute virtual Dimdim web meeting with 5 attendees can eliminate about 1.3 metric tons of CO and save $810 in expenses required to attend face-to-face."
VoIP vs Bridge
Online meetings are one part visual and one part audio. The audio part is accomplished with either VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or a bridge teleconference number. Some services even offer both. VoIP transmits voice data over the Internet and uses the computer's speaker and microphone, or a headset. A bridge number allows your participants to call in to a central number using a regular telephone. Each has its advantages. VoIP is cheaper for your participants, since most bridge numbers are toll numbers. A bridge number, on the other hand, can be called from nearly any phone (including mobiles), and doesn't depend on the speed of your network for performance. For the most flexibility, look for a web conferencing service that offers both.
Whiteboards
Real whiteboards have replaced chalkboards in most meeting rooms and many schools and universities. Now virtual whiteboards are beginning to replace real whiteboards as more companies go virtual with online meetings. An online meeting solution's whiteboard allows you to draw with your mouse or trackpad right on a space viewable to all participants. It's a great way to illustrate ideas.
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