Video Phones and Presence Technology

Isn't better to see a person face to face rather than just listening to them through the phone?
A video phone is a telephone device transmitting and receiving a visual message as well as sound, allows one to do that. There are many benefits of a video phone such as:

• Face-to-face interaction- One will be able to communicate verbally and non-verbally. Instead of just hearing the other persons voice you will also be able to see their facial expressions, hand gestures, and eye contact. 
• Saves money- You do not have to travel to another place/country for a meeting or conference. It allows you to see the presentation as if you are there.  
• Share events- recording and sending a video almost instantaneously makes it possible to capture an important event/moment. 
• Beneficial for the hearing impaired- Makes it much easier for those who use sign language or read lips.

Presence technology is a type of application that makes it possible to locate and identify a computing device whenever it might be, when the user is connected to a network. 

Also, presence technology helps determine the status of your contacts. For example, if a persons indicators is busy, it means that the person is involved in other activities.  Knowing if a person is available or online is beneficial however, privacy is also an issue. You may only want a few individuals to know that you are available.
To solve this problem, softwares now allow you to decide how you want your presence to be displayed to others and to whom specifically. You can block certain people or everyone from viewing your status.
Forgetting to change you status is another problem. For example, if you have your status as online and you went to go have lunch, individuals may be trying to contact you without knowing your current status.

References: 

http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/conferencing-and-collaboration/a/5-reasons-why-you-should-be- video-conferencing.htm

Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K. and P. Rogin (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Fourth Brief Canadian Edition.         Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.

Blogs, Podcasts, and Wikis

How has  collaborative technologies change the way we work together?

There is no doubt technology has changed the way we work together drastically. Instead of being face to face with your group member(s) you can work together and get the job done without seeing each other face to face. Personally, I have taken courses in which I have NEVER seen my group members, but have gotten the job completed!
Blogs, Wikis, voice mail, chat forums etc. allows one to collaborate without being at the same place at the same time. There are many advantages with collaborative technologies such as:

• Saves Money- reduced travel cost
• Less stress- you can get the job done with time that suits you
• Project are completed faster- You no longer have to arrange a meeting or make phone calls to figure out what time a person is available, instead you can complete work at your own time and place
• Easy to keep track- online collaboration tools make it easier for group member to see the development of a project 

A great example is Prezi. Prezi allows one to create creative PowerPoint presentations and since it is online, any group member can add/change the presentation at any time. 

PGI has created technologies to help individuals connect and collaborate. The video shows the benefits of collaborative technologies. 

Collaborative Advantage 

Blogs:

Over the past few years blogs, podcasts, and wikis have  become extremely popular. There are many advantages and disadvantages associated with the three but first what is a blog, podcasts, and wiki?

A blog is a website created by one person or a group of people that is arranged in chronological order. The site you are viewing right now is a blog as well! Business blogging had many benefits and a few disadvantages. The advantages of business blogging are:

• It is cheap
• Easy publicity and easy to set up
• Fast feedback
• Builds a community- exists as social networking and content sharing

The disadvantages associated with business blogging are:

• Time consuming- cannot have huge gaps between posts so you have to keep on posting or lose you will lose viewers
• Private Information- A blog is visible to everyone so you have to be careful of what you put on for the public to see

                                                 

Podcasts: 

The word "Podcasts" is the combination of the word iPod and broadcast. It is an audio file that allows you to share information through computers or portable music devices. Business may use podcasts for many reason. A few benefits of creating a podcasts are:

• Allows you to share information-  can share your industry expertise. The audience enjoys listening to a individual who knows their stuff. 
• Create a strong connection- hearing a contributors voice gives the audience a stronger connection than written word 
• Can easily show enthusiasm and emotion- Can convey emotion and enthusiasm easily which is hard to show through written words
• Multi task - you can listen to people and do other tasks at the same time
• Easy and inexpensive- all you need is a microphone and a software program for editing

                                

Wiki: 

A wiki is a web page that can be viewed and edited by anyone who has access to the internet. It is a open-ended collaborative website with many advantages and disadvantages. Some benefits of wikis are:

• It is easy to set-up and use
• Free to set up
• Allows people to share their knowledge on a topic

Disadvantages of Wikis are:

• Anyone can edit, write, or delete which can cause conflict between users
• False information can be put on, giving people inaccurate information
• If not updated content can become out dated 

                                                 

Food For Thought:
What are your thoughts? Do you think blogs, podcasts and wikis are effective for businesses?

References:
http://www.webpronews.com/blogs-and-blogging-advantages-and-disadvantages-2004-08
http://scottpantall.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/business-communication-pt2-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-corporate-blogs/
http://socialmediatrader.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-podcasting/
Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K. and P. Rogin (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Fourth Brief Canadian Edition.         Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.

Voice, Video, and Web Conferencing

Voice conferencing allows two or more callers from different locations to share the same incoming call. This is beneficial when negotiating a contract with potential clients and/ or suppliers. Communicators at both ends use enhanced speaker-phones to talk and be heard simultaneously. 
Voice conferencing is also known as audio conferencing,teleconferencing or conference calling. Voice conferencing has improved business communications and has significantly reduced the cost of conferencing.
Some benefits of voice conferencing are:
- Reduce cost
- Flexibility
- Ease of use
- Security 

Can you think of other benefits of voice conferencing? 

Video conferencing allows individuals to interact with each other in real time despite being far away. There are special rooms equipped with cameras and monitors that allow this to be possible. 2 to 200 participants are able to share Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations and Word documents from remote locations. With video conferencing, there are advantages and disadvantages and the following article lists a few advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing which most of us may not think of at first. Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Conferencing

Web conferencing only requires a PC and internet connection to hold a meeting. Skype is a commonly used web conferencing tool which allows one to share documents, chat, and application sharing. Other web conferencing services include:

GoToMeeting, WebEx, and Microsoft LiveMeeting. Here is a link which lists the top 10 ways web conferencing will benefit your company. Top 10 Ways Web Conferencing Will Benefit Your Company

Reference:
http://www.dynamiccom.co.za/audio-conferencing-2/
Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K. and P. Rogin (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Fourth Brief Canadian Edition.         Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.
http://www.videoconferencingadvice.com/video-conferencing-advantages-disadvantages.html
http://web-conferencing-services.toptenreviews.com/top-10-ways-web-conferencing-will-benefit-your-company.html

Voice Recognition and Electronic Presentations

Wouldn't it be so much easier to just say what you need to write rather than typing it all out?

Firstly, typing is time consuming especially for those who are dyslexic or have a disability and only one task can be completed at a time (all your concentration is on hitting the right keys). A voice recognition software is the idea of one speaking into a microphone that is attached to the computer and having those words appear on to the screen typed out for you. The voice recognition software is not new technology but has been around for many years and over the past few years has been becoming increasingly popular. Doctors, physicians, writers are all making use of the voice recognition system since it has many benefits.The voice recognition software is extremely helpful to individuals who have a lot of tasks to be completed but limited time, the disabled, the blind and to those with learning disabilities for example a person who is suffering from dyslexia. 


The video below is an excellent example how voice recognition has allowed individuals to complete more tasks in a limited amount of time. Stop Typing Start Doing

In today's day and age, instead of giving each employee who has attended a presentation a physical hard copy of the PowerPoint presentation, the presentation can be projected from a laptop or PDA and can be posted online for all the employees to view. Presentations can include:   
- Video  
- Audio   
- Photos   
- Animations   
- Hyperlinks    
- Sound effects      
    and MUCH MORE!! 

Here is an example of a creative PowerPoint presentation that can be made and shared with all the employees of a business in a matter of seconds!                                             Creative PowerPoint Example

Food For Thought:What are other features you can add to a presentation to make it more creative and eye catching? Feel free to leave links to creative presentations, I would love to see them! 

References: 
Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K. and P. Rogin (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Fourth Brief Canadian Edition.         Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.

Handheld Wireless Devices and Company Intranets

Today I will discuss two other communication technologies that are reshaping the world of work:
                            - Handheld Wireless Devices
                            - Company Intranets
How many of you own a handheld wireless device? 
Almost everyone's hand would be up whether it is an iPhone, BlackBerry, Samsung etc. 
Because of the new advanced technology there are lightweight, handheld devices which allow us to make phone calls, check e-mails, and browse the web ANYWHERE there is a wireless network. Businesses avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building by installing wireless Internet. Handheld wireless devices has enabled businesses to complete orders, and send out receipts without ever having to enter an office. 
Having wireless Internet, whether at home or work, has allowed individuals to complete tasks from remote locations, allowed parents the option to work from home and has not confined employees to one cubical (the concept of open office) 
   

           

To share insider company information, many companies have adapted their very own protected Web Sites called intranets. Intranets handle company e-mails, announcements, policy handbook, employee information and frequently asked questions. 

 Other benefits of company intranets are: 

1. Employees are able to collaborate and communicate with documents, people (both internal and external), teams, and projects
2. Intranet sites can connect with external data sources (Wikipedia, Google etc…) to provide additional real time data and enhanced knowledge across the business. 
3. Intranets have become the standard in managing data including; policies, procedures, guidelines, protocols, resources, corporate documents, branding and logos etc… 
4. An intranet can allow users to subscribe to information / data / groups alerting them to any changes.  

For more information visit: Company Intranets

Some employees may not be interested in using a company intranet because of the other communication methods available. The following YouTube video containing 3 easy steps an intranet manger can use to encourage employees to use the companies intranet. 

Reference:
Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K. and P. Rogin (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Fourth Brief Canadian Edition.         Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.
http://www.barclayjones.com/blog/recruitment-technology/5-benefits-of-having-an-intranet-in-your-business/

Telephony:VoIP, Open Offices and Multifunctional Printers

Technology has changed the way we interact with individuals on a daily bases. Just stop and think about how convenient technology has become for you? How would you complete these activities without technology? I know I would not be able to complete tasks effectively and efficiently without the advanced technology that is available to me! Technology has allowed individuals to communicate via text messaging, e-mail, Skype etc.

Today's workplaces have also adapted to the advanced technology to stay relevant and competitive. Wireless networks, innovative software, and numerous technologies has allowed workers to share data, information, knowledge,work from remote locations and be more productive. Technology has also allowed individuals to telecommute (work from home, work over the internet).One has to become familiar with the modern office and collaborative technologies to be successful in today's workplace.

The following is a YouTube video which shows how workplaces are evolving with technology and how open offices, collaborative technology, and communication lead to success in the global market place- 

Businesses are switching from traditional phones which are connected from a land line to telephones that use internet connection which is known as Telephony that use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). High-end VoIP systems support, voice mail, e-mail, and soft phones (phones using computer networking). Low-cost sites such as Skype are being utilized by businesses as well.

This is an example of a Telephony: VoIP

Many businesses are adapting an open office space which allows for a more flexible and communicative interaction between employees. Many businesses do not have assigned office spaces to each employees. They are encouraged to sit and communicate with each other. Small computers, flat screen monitors, boomerang shaped tables, and digital databases are all ways businesses are able to save space. 

Open Offices

Businesses are straying away from printers, fax machines, scanners to multifunction printers that will be able to perform all the above tasks with one machine. Offices are changing from a "print and distribute" environment to a "distribute to print" environment. Some security measures put into place are pass codes, thumbprint which make sure data and information from being captured, interpreted and edited. 

Multifunctional Printer

Food For Thought: 

How are other ways the three devices (Telephony, Open Offices and Multifunctional Printers) mentioned above benefit businesses? How different would the workplace have been if companies did not adapt advanced technology? 

Reference: 

Guffey, M.E., Lowey, D., Rhodes, K. and P. Rogin (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Fourth Brief Canadian Edition.         Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education.