Web Conferencing Blog » New / updated evaluations

Microsoft looses ground while GoMeetNow leaps into our top 5

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:15:54 +0000

We have done a lot of testing in the last couple of weeks including one of our top-5 old timers.

Every tool in our top 5 undergoes close scrutiny at regular intervals. They really have to earn it! Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007 couldn’t cut it any more and has lost its top 5 ranking. The solution is still one of the better ones on the market, but the other vendors are not keeping idle and have made greater improvements to their software than Microsoft.

Fuze Meeting has improved its ranking. The new version 3.1 includes significant enhancements. A “remote desktop control” functionality has been added and the invitation process is a breeze.

RHUBS’s solution GoMeetNow has made the biggest jump in our ranking: From number 11 to number 4! This online collaboration tool offers a load of functionalities without cluttering the interface, and keeps usage easy and intuitive. And it runs on Windows and Mac. Really an impressive job by the developers.

Just as an aside: RHUB has developed the appliance TurboMeeting which is the base for its hosted web conferencing service RHUB GoMeetNow 4.2.

You can have a look at our ranking and detailed evaluations of the online conferencing tools here.

Good looks aren’t enough – PGi Netspoke is a bit too demanding of users

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:55:00 +0000

Our first impression of PGi Netspoke was: Wow! Neat interface, easy to use, and a feasible set of functionalities. Also, PGi Netspoke is one of the few web conferencing solutions that include a specific contingent of audio minutes in its pricing.

When looking more closely we noticed that pricing information is only available for the American market. That was the first turn-off. Other discoveries followed.

E.g. the invitation process is a bit complicated, there being no possibility for integration into Outlook. The tool can only be accessed by logging into the online portal, instead of offering access through the toolbar or a desktop-shortcut.

So PGi Netspoke really is a decent tool for online meetings, but not top-ten-material.

Read the whole evaluation.

Dimdim 5.5 boasts a number of useful enhancements

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 08:44:22 +0000

A new release can actually bring improvements. Dimdim’s ease of use has really been spiced up. Screen sharing is now possible with a single mouse click. Ad hoc invitations via mail or chat are also effortless, all it takes is a little plug-in that needs to be installed locally.

A meeting-independent URL is another new feature which didn’t convince us, though. It does allow attendees to quickly join meetings, but the host has less control over who is actually attending. The new “action” buttons that have been included on Dimdim’s online portal are also a wee bit too large, but hey, they do get your attention.

More about Dimdim here.

MegaMeeting and InstantPresenter are new in our ranking

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:48:12 +0000

We have just finished our last round of testing new web conferencing solutions. Here are the results:

MegaMeeting is a good solution for online collaboration. The handling of the tool is a bit complicated, though and there is no real transparency in regards to pricing on the website. InstantPresenter offers functionalities that are central to holding webinars and neglects important features essential to web conferencing, such as transferal of mouse and keyboard control in desktop-sharing mode.

BeamYourScreen makes a huge leap – from rank 18 to 6

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:48:06 +0000

Well done! After re-evaluating BeamYourScreen, which is now available in version 3.0, we found great improvements in ease of installation, structure, and security. The missing chat function is a big turnoff though. Still, if the overall trend is carried on with future developments, BeamYourScreen might very well find itself in our top 5 after the next evaluation.

Check out the complete test results here.

GoMeetNow and VIA 3 – two solid solutions for web conferencing

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:05:03 +0000

RHUB now provides users with GoMeetNow, an online meeting solution remarkably well suited for desktop sharing. The tool made the top ten of our ranking.
VIA3 Professional only makes it into the top twenty. The main reason is its restriction of only allowing users of a VIA3 account to participate in online meetings.

IBM LotusLive Meeting – formerly IBM SameTime Unyte Meeting – is now in our ranking

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:41:33 +0000

Previously we had included IBM Sametime Unyte Share in our ranking. Since this software does not match all of our criteria for evaluation we have removed it. At the same time we re-evaluated IBM SameTime Unyte Meeting which is now called IBM LotusLive Meeting. The tool showed a solid performance during our tests. The integrated webcam functionality caught our eye, as well as the fact that only the current presenter’s webcam can be displayed.

You can find all other details about the tool here.

Elluminate vOffice replaces vRoom

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:59:13 +0000

We have taken Elluminate vRoom out of our ranking and replaced the tool with Elluminate’s vOffice. vOffice is an interesting web conferencing solution since it originated from an eLearning environment. The tool offers a good solution for virtual team work but has its downsides, e.g. too many features which make usability awkward.

Read the full evaluation.

We have a new number two!

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:58:37 +0000

Netviewer Meet is now available in version 6.0 and has beaten WebEx Meeting Center 8.5 to the second place.

Previously the number three in our ranking, Netviewer Meet has improved its features, especially regarding security. The setup of online meetings is now also easier to handle so that the overall user experience definitely has been enhanced.

Read the detailed evaluation here.

Saba Centra and Glance are new in our ranking

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:28:53 +0000

Until recently Saba only offered enterprise solutions. With eMeetings, Saba now offers an online meeting solution which can be utilized by small and medium sized companies. Our verdict: rank 7

Glance also made its way into our ranking. Glance offers easy access to desktop sharing and the basic functionalities you’d expect of an online conferencing tool. But that is pretty much it. Our verdict: rank 23