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For both individuals and business, online video conferencing is definitely the wave of the future. In the next decade, expect the number of everyday online video conferences to skyrocket. While it’s already quite prevalent today, the trend will just grow and grow.

In the business world, online video conferencing will be able to save businesses around the globe billions of dollars. Whereas currently, a lot of businesses have to fly representatives around the globe to interact with clients, online video conferencing will make that much easier. All a business has to do is setup an online video conference and then it will be virtually the same as meeting face to face. No paying for airline tickets. No paying for hotel rooms. No paying for expenditures out on the road. The only thing that will have to paid for is the online video conferencing software.

When it comes to businesses holding meetings that don’t include clients, video conferencing makes even more sense. Currently, if branches from different parts of the world want to get together, they have to pick a specified location in the world and all fly there to hold their meetings. With online video conferencing, employees from around the world can hold an online video conference easily, quickly and for a lot less money.

Businesses have already started mastering the online video conferencing software options. However, there is still a lot of room for growth as a vast majority of businesses still rely on older methodologies. While obviously there will be times and places where business travel is still the better way to go, a lot of business traveling done today can be eliminated. For everyone involved, from the company to the employee, this will make life a lot easier.

Individuals will also begin to tap into the online video conferencing market. If you have a family that is always on the go or a family that is separated for any reason, getting together to speak and see each other will be as simple as a few clicks of the mouse. Want to hold a family reunion, online video conferencing will also be able to do just that. No matter how far away a family member lives, this technology will make it feel like the family member lives next door.

Another exciting possibility including online video conferencing is education. Nowadays, college students have to drive to school, sit in a classroom and then go back. One day, it’s quite likely that a lot of educational classes will be taught via online video conferencing. Thanks to online video conferencing, students will be able to see and hear their teacher just like they would if they attended a class. The teachers will also be able to see and hear the students. All boundaries will be eliminated and classes will be much more convenient for everyone involved.

Want to interact with new people? One day soon, you won’t be limited to going to a nightclub or other sort of social gathering establishment. You can turn on your computer, open your online video conferencing software and connect with people from around the world. Socializing will have never been easier – not to mention safer!

When it comes to online video conferencing software, you have a variety of options to choose from. Depending on many factors including your budget, desired picture quality and the required number of simultaneous connections, you can pick between the following choices.

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Skype
Skype has revolutionized communication between people all over the world. By using Skype, two people can communicate on their computer free of charge. This service has been used by millions of people all over the world. Want to call your grandmother in Germany? All you have to do is download Skype, have your grandmother download Skype and then place a call. You’ll be able to talk to your grandmother over the internet without having to foot the bill for a large international call. In fact, it’ll be absolutely free.

In addition to free internet based phone calls, Skype also allows free online video conferencing. However, the online video conferencing that comes with the Skype software only allows one-to-one conferencing. The good news is that third party vendors have come up with products that allow you to use Skype to video conference with a number of people on the same time. The third party vendors charge a fee – but usually the fee is small.

In summation, if you just want one-to-one online video conferencing, Skype is your best bet. If you want to use Skype to hold a multi-person online video conference, you will need to download software from a third party vendor to complement Skype’s built in service.

SightSpeed
If you want to use a Skype alternative, SightSpeed is the way to go. With free one-to-one online video conferencing, SightSpeed offers a similar service to Skype. However, the picture quality on SightSpeed is rated higher than Skype’s picture quality. The drawback is less people use SightSpeed than Skype, so it could require an extra download for a lot of people who don’t already have it installed.

SightSpeed offers up to four people on the same online video conference. For small to medium sized businesses, this could be enough for you. And since SightSpeed is relatively inexpensive, you don’t have to break your budget to use this online video conferencing software.

If you are looking for a basic service to handle all your needs, SightSpeed and Skype are the two best options. Skype might be more popular but SightSpeed also has its advantages. Check out both before deciding on which one to go with.

Microsoft Live Meeting
If you love Microsoft products, you will really enjoy Microsoft Live Meeting. This piece of software is Microsoft’s answer to online video conferencing. If your company uses a lot of Microsoft products, Microsoft Live Meeting will fit seamlessly into the mix.

While this software has a very professional feel, it isn’t overly expensive. You are billed on a monthly basis per connection. Compared to other options, Microsoft Live Meeting is extremely affordable. While its settings and options are fairly basic, this is a good option for those looking for cheap yet professional software.

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Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional
This is a very slick piece of software. For large meetings, Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional is extremely powerful. With great options and settings, you can control every aspect of the conference easily and quickly by pushing a few buttons. Adobe is famous for featuring smooth interfaces on their products, and this one is no different.

The main drawback is price. Be prepared to pay a lot of money for this service. Also, Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional relies on other Adobe products, so you may have to purchase additional software to make it functional.

LifeSize Room
If video quality is your main concern, LifeSize Room may be the option you want to look into. When you buy the LifeSize Room bundle, you get all the equipment to have high definition online video conferencing. The resulting picture is stunning clarity – even if you don’t have the world’s fastest internet connection.

However, if you want to go with LifeSize Room, be prepared to spend more than $1,000 for the software bundle. Additionally, you can only connect with up to four people at the same time.