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Festoon (formally vSkype) offers Internet video conferencing software to the masses
May 17, 2006
By: Alice Osborn
Given the recent success
vSkype Beta, Internet video
conferencing may finally become a mainstream consumer
technology. vSkype is a free video conferencing software
plug-in from Santa Cruz Networks (SCN) that is being
marketed to Skype subscribers, who use Skype's free
peer-to-peer calling service over the Internet. With vSkype,
one can hold a video and data conference over the Internet
using their existing Skype service, a webcam, and a stereo
headset (for better sound quality as compared to a
microphone and speakers alone).
For now, vSkype is only compatible with PCs and only
supports Windows 2000 and XP, but the company may consider
Mac compatibility if there's enough demand. By the end of
2005, the company plans to develop a software plug-in for
AOL instant messaging users, and then develop one for MSN
and Yahoo IM users.
Online video conferencing applications
Through vSkype, a video conference can take place between
two to two hundred people where PowerPoint presentations,
spreadsheets, and photos in synchronous time can also be
displayed on their PCs. Since the release of the vSkype
video conferencing application in June, 410,836 users have
downloaded the free video conferencing plug-in. As a result,
SCN predicts the Internet-based vSkype software has a vast
potential for enriching family and alumni connections, for
teaching, for online groups and for Internet dating
services. Although small businesses may find that vSkype
meets their conferencing needs, this web conferencing
solution will be most likely embraced by friends and
associations who want a cheap and reliable video
conferencing solution.
vSkype software and conferencing features
One of the best features of vSkype software is that it is
a free service and like regular Skype, its popularity will
grow and spread because friends will encourage their friends
to subscribe to it. SCN plans to generate income by offering
premium services that include video effects and exotic
backgrounds. For a fee, the company will also offer
professional conferencing services such as call controls,
interactive whiteboarding, meeting moderation, bandwidth
control, and archiving tools.
vSkype is able to produce a quality video image by using
elastic bandwidth, which is a method that makes use of all
the available bandwidth the system can carry. In addition,
this video conferencing solution is entirely encrypted with
a 128-bit key that securely passes through firewalls. When
more users join a conference, vSkype automatically
redistributes its bandwidth usage to accommodate the
increased traffic through its built-in QOS (Quality of
Service) for the Internet.
This next year will be a big one for Santa Cruz Networks
as they make available products that will likely change the
way businesses and individuals use computers for video
conferencing. The SCN CEO, Stuart Jacobson, believes that by
the end of 2006,"Millions of users on all of the presence
networks throughout the world will be using our products to
communicate visually, meet in groups, play games online, and
show their friends what they are doing right now!"
Interested vSkype software users may download the free
software at
http://www.vskype.com/download/setup.exe.
Article was updated on May 17, 2006. vSkype is now
called Festoon. Visit their new website at
http://www.festoon.com to download the latest version of
their software.
About the Author
Alice Osborn is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Conferencing-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to everything you need to know about video driven communications, including multi-view video conferencing solutions for business, broadband video phones and personal webcam chat rooms.
Also See: [
Classroom video conferencing to enhance distance education
courses ]
[ Internet video phone --
the new IP video telephony service from Skype ]
[ Video
conferencing and telemedicine tackle today's healthcare
challenges ]
Home Page:
[ Video-Conferencing-Guide.com ]
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