Source: voipcentral.org

Yugma as we know is a free and popular desktop sharing application enabling people to instantly connect to their friends, families and relatives over the internet to communicate and share content and ideas. It supports Windows, Mac and Linux. Yugma has now launched a Skype version of its free web conferencing service offering quick desktop sharing applications to millions of Skype users in the world.

Karel Lukas, COO of Yugma,

Skype makes it easy for people to stay in constant contact and to communicate with one another spontaneously. We believe collaboration needs to move in the same direction, which is why it was natural for Yugma and Skype to come together.

With this integration, the millions of Skype users will be able to join Yugam directly from their Skype accounts and enjoy a number of services:

1. Instant real-time desktop sharing

2. Virtual meetings and web conferencing

3. Whiteboard, annotate and share files.

The Yugma Skype Edition operates seamlessly between Mac and Windows. It allows users to invite up 10 other friends and colleagues any time. The service is free and secure.

Yugma Skype Edition is also available for download for Skype users in the Skype Extras section. It is also free.

Image:

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

VoIP IP Telephony
FaceTime Communications has announced software that will make Skype easier to manage. The company will release GEM (Greynet Enterprise Manager) 3.5 next month.
FaceTime Enterprise Edition creates a framework for authorized access to IM and other greynet applications outside the perimeter, coupled with a mechanism for detecting and preventing rogue or unauthorized access. The result is comprehensive protection without compromise on cost, performance or operational considerations. With the recent addition of Greynet Enterprise Manager (GEM), enterprises can now manage security policies and aggregate reporting for IM, P2P, web conferencing and VoIP chat threads across distributed enterprise environments. GEM extends enterprise anti-spyware to include targeted remediation and repair of infected endpoints, without the need to deploy client software.
Here are some of the functions of GEM;
Comprehensive Coverage

* Widest support of IM applications – public and enterprise IM networks, and professional community networks
* Extensive controls over the productive use of P2P and VoIP applications such as Skype, as well as WebEx web conferencing
* Proactive protection against a wide range of spyware and other inbound malware threats

Research-driven

* FaceTime Security Labs is the world’s largest greynets research operation
* Global team of researchers plus a two-million-strong user community and a worldwide honeypot network
* Sponsored by industry leaders, including Symantec, McAfee, Sophos, Microsoft, Yahoo, VeriSign, and Webroot

Identity-based Management & Compliance

* User/group level policy based access control and management
* File transfer archival support for EIM networks
* TrueCompliance™ supports the strictest interpretation of compliance regulations and e-Discovery requirements
* Tamper-proof archival and integration with enterprise messaging archival compliance solutions
* Seamless integration with all major corporate directories, email and WORM storage systems

Links;
Read more about GEM here

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Since VOIP is all about communication medium, many a solutions like call center, VVOIP, Video conferencing are growing around the core VOIP solutions. A few such applications I already covered such as lightspeed, 1bizcom.

There is another aspect to this, web conferencing. There are many a solutions that aid and provide web conferencing. I like the all aspects of remote communications. Video, telephone and web has bought all of us lot closer than ever before. Other than the social aspects of communications NG (New generation) there is also a business aspects to all these. We do not have to run to Tokyo to have a meeting but combined Voice Video will bring us as close as possible.

The reason I spoke of web conferencing is that I would like to bring to you knowledge a web conferencing product, DIMDIM. Although I support all types of products that bring us a better communication mediums, I have a soft spot for Open Source Products. Some of them may as successful as Digium’s Asterisk and some of them might be just emerging from enclaves that they thought bout and built. If not for OpenH323 and OpenGK, I would have never gotten in to VOIP, almost a decade ago.

So what is this DIMDIM thing? Of all things, it does not dim any thing. One thing is sure it will light up some lives and people and of course some business meetings.
So how does DIMDIM do it? Well look at it’s feature and versions should give you a picture.

DIMDIM current Features;
* Presentation and Document sharing: Interactive real-time Collaboration over documents and presentations allows enhanced expression and exchange of ideas.
* Audio and video sharing: High-quality multi-party video and audio sharing can be used to personalize meetings with a face-to-face approach.
* Application sharing: Full screen as well as specific application sharing from a Presenter’s computer can be used to show and educate even a novice audience. This is in keeping with the "show, don’t tell" principle.
* White board and Annotations: Realistic interactive collaboration which involves a lot of annotations, corrections, group drawing (and doodles in the margin) is enabled through digital whiteboard and annotations feature of Dimdim. These features are possible on existing documents too leading to seamless distributed brainstorming.
* Chat: As in any real world meeting there will be sub-groups of people engaged in conversation and exchange of ideas (some serious ones others more like “kicks under the table”) within the larger assembly in a web conference. This is facilitated through the multi-user chat feature.
* Polls: Polls enable the presenter to gauge the mood of the participants and to take decisions considering the opinions of many.
* Question manager: Question manager which is like a moderated Q&A setup enables the presenter to better manage the interaction.
* Record and Archive: All the interaction is recorded and archived for sharing with non-attendees and to reach a broader audience.
* E-Learning: Teachers can conduct classes as web conferences so that physical presence of the teacher as well as students is not necessary. Also the archived sessions can be used by students for later reference as well by the teacher as a teaching tool.

There are more to the features and editions. I think in order to get an idea what DIMDIM is really like, follow the links below.

Links;
DIMDIM Home
DIMDIM feature Matrix
DIMDIM at Sourceforge