More and more meetings, presentations and business deals are being done online through the help of web conferencing. But with wide range of products and a relatively large array of options, you cannot help but wonder what type really fits your needs. If you are just beginning to get acquainted with the concept of web conferencing and are trying to figure out what really suits you, then this may help you find what you are looking for.
Basically, web conferencing is both an activity and a tool where two or more people interact online. This is not similar to email where there is a passive exchange of messages online. Web conferencing uses audio, video, text and interactive features to communicate in real time or in an asynchronous environment.
Products can be roughly categorized into free web conferencing and hosted web conferencing. Free web conferencing tools are readily available online for download. Some popular products are Skype for audio; Yahoo Messenger for instant messaging, audio and video (webcam required); and Vyew for text chat and slide presentation. These products are really cost-effective since you do not have to maintain an account and pay the...