Hello and welcome to the newsletter. During this challenging time when we can’t be face to face with our friends, family, and co-workers, excellent video technology can allow us to feel a little closer.
This month I’ll highlight several video apps that help keep us connected to the outside world.
The Top-Rated Video Conferencing App
Zoom is a great video conferencing app for improved communication and increased productivity. The free version allows screen sharing, up to 100 participants and unlimited meetings but the sessions are limited to 40 min. The first tier of the paid version ($14.99/mo) gives you almost unlimited meeting minutes, the added ability to record your meeting locally or in the cloud and other perks.
Zoom is also a great company. They recently offered free accounts to k-12 schools across the globe and lifted the 40-minute meeting limit. Zoom is available on the web, Android, and iOS.
High-Quality Video Calling App
Google Duo a simplified, free video calling app that is available on the web, Android and iOS. Unlike Google Hangout, which is more intended for messaging, Google Duo only does high-quality video calls. The app allows for up to 8 people on a conference call and has a “Knock Knock” feature that gives you a live video preview of a caller before you accept the call.
Connect When You’re Ready
Marco Polo combines the best of texting, social media and video chats on one platform. The app is great if you can’t find time to chat in real time. Leave video and text messages for busy friends, and they’ll see the messages when they’re ready. Marco Polo saves all your video messages — and doesn’t limit your video time — so you can revisit past conversations. Marco Polo is free and available on Android and iOS.
Are you “in the house”?
Houseparty is a social video app focused on getting people to hang out together and have fun. Join up to eight people at a time in a “room” and see who’s hanging out in other rooms. Enjoy jumping from room to room and playing party games together like Heads Up!, trivia and Quick Draw! (a drawing game). Decide for yourself if Houseparty is “the next best thing to hanging out in person”. Houseparty is available for the web, Android, and iOS.
Contact Mike Grossman Consulting now to discuss your software project! We offer a free consultation and price quote.