| By :
Jamie Simpson
Recently a State did a survey of all the Agencies Chief Information Officers to see what emerging technology they plan to adopt in the next 12 months or if they had adopted it in the past six months. Video conferencing was number two of the emerging technologies planning to be adopted within the next six months. Almost half of the State Agencies had already adopted it as part of their IT infrastructure. Unfortunately, today's economy has cut the travel budgets significantly for meetings. However, with the use of video conferencing, face to face meetings can still take place and at the same time save a lot of money. The investment in the cost of video equipment can easily be recouped in a short amount of time. If you were sending ten people to a meeting from one coast to the other, the cost of airplane tickets, hotels and meals is a big tab. You can also cancel out unproductive work time due to no travel time. No wonder, companies are requiring their personnel to attend meetings by video. Companies are not the only folks who have found a use for video conferences. Many laptop computers come with webcams built into them. Quite a few video companies offer webcams that can be purchased separately. Webcams are no longer just used by crazy teenagers doing things to put on the web. You may have a son or daughter going to college a long way from home. People have discovered using video as a method of being able to see and talk with each other. The cost can even be free or minimal using web services that are readily available. Setting up a video conference call gives new meaning to the old phrase of "reach out and touch someone". Our military service personnel have found using video conference as a means to talk with family members at home. Imagine being stationed thousands of miles away overseas, when service personnel get a break, they can log into their computer and setup a video conference to talk with their loved ones back home. Video calls with their families can be a real morale booster. Just some face time with a loved one can uplift their spirits. How many stories have you read about the soldier going off to war and leaving a pregnant wife at home? In the past, he would have to wait for his tour of duty to be up before he could see his new son or daughter. It is pretty cool if you think about it. Smartphone's are multiplying like rabbits. The new Smartphone's from Apple and Androids have built-in web cameras that allow mobile video conferencing. You can do a video conference anywhere you have cell service. Using the webcam, you could do a guided tour of your home to show your loved one where you live. Using the video conference capability of the phone, you could be a tour guide when travelling to exotic places to show the folks at home what you are seeing.
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