…Conduct a virtual meeting

By Levi Sumagaysay

1. Instant messaging If your group simply wants to communicate casually online in real time, instant messaging is one of the easiest ways to do it. For example, in Google Talk, click the “group chat” button and you’re set. There’s no limit to the number of people who can participate. You can even send files back and forth using the free service. In Yahoo Messenger, which works much the same way, you can use the Conference feature to communicate with a group. Click the Webcam button to enable video.

2. Webinars If you want to share not just a conversation, but also charts, files, figures and applications running on your computer, check out the webinars offered by specialized services such as Yugma. You can share your computer screen with others, no matter which applications are running. Yugma’s other features include a shared whiteboard, Skype capability, free teleconferencing or recorded sessions. Prices range from free to hundreds of dollars for a yearly subscription. Similar services are offered by Qwaq and Hewlett-Packard.

3. Videoconferencing Does your group want to feel like you’re in the same room for a meeting? You can simulate the sort of high-tech videoconferencing done by big companies using a Webcam, audio and an online service such as Windows Live Meeting. High-end systems combine the Internet, high-definition video, audio and other technology and are often used by companies that have a lot of money to invest in a dedicated room or system. If you want to use someone else’s equipment, FedEx Kinko’s offers videoconferencing sessions for a few hundred dollars an hour, depending on how many points or locations need to be connected. The sessions allow you to talk to and look at each other as if you’re face to face. You can give presentations, access the Internet and record the sessions for future viewing.