Virtual Meetings Tools: Skype & iMeet

The internet has made possible global communication in real time. Applications like Skype made it efficient and easy. I'm a huge fan of skype a FREE service that allows multiple users to interact as a group, see each other if they choose to, post comments and send files. If you haven't tried it, sign up for a free account and give it a spin. It's the perfect tool for grandparents who want to keep in touch and watch the grandkids grow across country and for small bootstrapping businesses in need of a collaboration tool.

If you're an established business, however, you might want to consider using iMeet. In addition to having the best promotional material I've even seen, iMeet one-ups skype in a number of ways that will provide a much more professional experience for users. Most significantly is ease at which guests can use the service. According to the iMeet web site; "Just send out your own web address, all your guests join the meeting room for free and iMeet connects the phones. No downloads or membership.". I'm also a fan of the simple slick interface and really like the way the person speaking has a glowing cube that can be expanded to show a profile and photo. All very professional, which is what a small and growing business wants. And at $39/mo. is a low cost image upgrade that should ne considered.

https://imeet.com/

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home

As always, I'm open to suggestions and eager to learn from others about their favorite small business apps and tools.

A Virtual Google Office

I just completed a virtual program from Northeastern University in Boston that has taught me a great deal about working virtually with teams as well as alone. My favorite tools were, SKYPE, Sugarsync, Evernote and the Virtual Google Suite of tools. I'll deal with each one in separate posts. Today, let's look at Google Docs.

Google docs allows users to upload and download files to a cloud that serves as a secure backup and a virtual office where users can edit online and download to any computer with a browser and internet connection. What's even cooler is that you can share the document with others as a view only or edit and view document. This allows for a team to work on their individual parts of the same document and view changes as being made by each. I use it for presentations to others as we talk via skype. Document format is in text document, presentation and spreadsheet format. You have the option upload ing as a a WORD, EXCEL or PowerPoint format or in Google's format for each.

If you're on a tight budget, the FREE online Google docs application can serve as your office applications software suite entirely.

Want more, it's fully integrated with gmail which is integrated with Google Calendar. No purchase full scaled virtual office with collaboration. Go Google!

Late breaking addition to the story is that I just downloaded Google Drive. It allows for sycncing of folders and files from device to the google cloud with the benefit of all the great service listed above. Only downside is that you have to drag files and folders into the Google Drive app for sync to work. Sugarsync allows for syncing without moving anything. You get 5 Gbytes free with either service and similar low cost charges for extra space.

I have some video How-Tos and more on my Pinterest account here:

http://pinterest.com/georgeconstance/virtual-tools-video-how-tos/

We'll look at SKYPE for collaboration next time.

Is MAC a Rotten Apple?

I recently upgraded from the Leopard to Lion operating system on my MacBook Pro. Now consider that I've been a huge apple fan for the past 7 years when I say, "What a miserable mistake that was"! Thanks to this new and unimpressive upgrade, my $500 suite of Adobe CS2 software no longer works. Yes, I paid about $40 to render $500 worth of software useless. AND I don't see the benefit of Lion over Leopard. When I called apple support, they were sympathetic and suggested there's a newer CS5 out there anyway. "But the CS2 was working just fine!", was my response. Then they tell me that I'll have to perform a complete reinstall of the operating system to reinstall the older Leopard version to regain functionality in the Adobe software. It gets better.

The same day I discover that my 3G iphone no longer syncs with my calendar, contacts or email as icloud doesn't work with iphone 3G. Again, apple support was sympathetic and suggested a $199 iphone upgrade would correct the issue.

Summary, for only $700 I can make my $40 upgrade work for me. OR, I could spend that $700 on a PC based laptop and go with google everything. That's tomorrow's post: "Is MAC Worth it Anymore?" where I'll discuss a total non-mac small business alternative that cost less and, for me, functions better.

SmartDraw is a Smart Purchase

I wish it was cheaper, but I also wish Porsche and Cadillac made a cheaper car. For what you get, SmartDraw is a good investment. If you;re new to the tool, SmartDraw is a super easy to use business drawing tool that comes loaded with all the templates you'd need to organize thoughts, teams, plan and present business operations. It's excellent for a business consultant that is required to deliver on all these fronts. And it's compatible with lots of other business tools like MS Powerpoint, Visio, Sharepoint and more. Click through for the tour.

http://www.smartdraw.com/

Pinterest for Small Business

There's a lot out there about how useful Pinterest is for small businesses. And it is. However, what isn't covered and should be is how useful Pinterest is for a small consulting business like mine. As a completely graphic oriented ADD individual, I've found Pinterest to be the perfect means of capturing data and storing for later use. Specifically, I just started collecting business strategy graphics that I use as visual cues for my business and a means of organizing my thoughts and for planning future actions. To that end, I've created the following board:

http://pinterest.com/georgeconstance/bus-develop-strategy-tools/

It's a wonderful tool that allows me to collect on the go and save to a single location for later reading. What's even cooler is that the location I found the graphic is automatically attached. I use it for myself and point potential clients to them. It' working so well that I'm starting a few more next week: Book collection with images of books I use, need and refer to, hotels I'd recommend while traveling etc...

If you have any other ideas about Pinterest and consulting, please let me know.

Five Lessons About Women in Business - The Source - WSJ

Five Lessons About Women in Business - The Source - WSJ:

'via Blog this'

I have 4 daughters and are suddenly very concerned about women in the workplace. I'll be posting inks to interesting related articles regularly. If you have any to suggest, please let me know.