ICT Management. > Strategy & Planning
Software > Internet Based Software

Virtual meeting tools

By Lasa Information Systems Team

Web based tools are make “virtual meetings” a more affordable replacement for physical meetings and, with the right tool, an effective way of exchanging information and networking with colleagues.

Some virtual meeting tools

These are some of the most popular tools for organising virtual meetings, with features and indicative prices at the time of writing (please see vendor website for up to date pricing information)

Skype

Skype is the most popular tool for basic instant messaging, VOIP calls, video and audio conferencing, and you’ll need to download and install Skype’s free software for Mac, PC or Linux.  Conference calls are free for a maximum of 5 people.

Oovoo

Oovoo  is Mac and PC only software you’ll need to download and install if you’re hosting the meeting.  The free version supports two-way video calls, text chat and file sending.  Only the business version at $40 per month supports screen sharing.  Participants without oovoo can join a video call from their web browser.  Critics have mentioned oovoo low sound quality and tendency to crash.

DimDim

DimDim - is web browser based and the free, ad-supported version of DimDim allows up to 20 people to participate with support for chat, slide sharing, emoticons, white-boarding, voice conferencing, video conferencing and screen sharing for Mac, PC and Linux.  Paid for versions start at $25 per month and add options for more participants, personalisation and advanced reporting.

Yugma

Yugma is browser based and the free version provides desktop sharing, chat and white-boarding and VOIP conferencing for up to 20 people.  It also allows Skype users to share their screens.  Paid for versions start at $15 per month.

GoToMeeting/ GoToWebinar/GoToTraining

GoToMeeting/ GoToWebinar/GoToTraining  -  GoToMeeting starts at $468 per year for up to 15 people.  It supports phone or VOIP conferencing, but not white-boarding or video conferencing, with full support for presenters on Window PCs and Macs.  There’s 30 day free trial version.

Adobe Acrobat Connect

Adobe Acrobat Connect - provides for desktop sharing, white-boarding, emoticons, video conferencing and VOIP conferencing for Mac, PC or Linux.  Participants can use any browser that runs Flash.  The tool is free for up to three participants, or $39 per month for up to 20. For more participants, you’ll need Acrobat Connect Pro. 

ReadyTalk

ReadyTalk provides a standard feature set of desktop sharing, remote control, chat and conference calls.  It operates on a subscription basis, with one web subscription providing unlimited meetings for up to 15 participants from $39 per month.  The free trial version provides unlimited web meetings with up to 15 people for 30 days.

Elluminate

Elluminate is feature-rich and comes with a price tag beyond the reach of most non-profits.  Elluminate says that it meets US web accessibility standards.  Prices obviously vary depending on your volume, but these seem to run in the $750 - $1000+ per month. 

Cisco WebEx Meeting Centre

Cisco WebEx Meeting Centre  - is browser based with a full set of features for business users, such as recorded meetings and advanced analytics.  Prices start at £24/month for unlimited meetings with up to 25 people at a time.  The free trial version runs for 14 days for up to 25 people in a meeting.

Live Meeting

Microsoft Office Live Meeting is an online meeting space that your organisation subscribes to or hosts internally.  Mac and Linux users will need Office Live Meeting Web Access (MWA) installed.  Prices start at $4.50 per user per month.

WebHuddle

WebHuddle - is a free open source alternative that supports VOIP calls, screen sharing for Mac, PC and Linux.

Summing Up

There are plenty of options ranging from basic audio conference calls for five people to corporate training tools for over 1,000 participants.  Skype and oovoo are fine for basic audio conference calls for five or six people, but tools like DimDim and Yugma provide a free versions with most of the features you’ll need to run a virtual meeting for up to 20 people.

Acknowledgements

  

We’d like to thank techSoup and Idealware for the inspiration and some of the content for this article.  Their work is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License and is modified here with permission.

Further Information 

For a more detailed overview you might like to sign up for the idealware webinar recording “Getting Started with Online Conferencing and Seminar Tools”.

More suggestions in the article “26 Webinar Tools for Small Business Owners”.