Dr. Jim Anderson asked:




How many of you have seen this: you’ve called a technical face to face meeting to resolve some key product issues. You’ve carefully coordinated the meeting time with everyone’s schedules and you’ve been sure to make sure that you’ve included folks from all impacted departments. Imagine your joy when you see that just about everyone has actually shown up for your meeting. Imagine your disappointment when everyone whips out their laptops, powers up. gets a wired/wireless connection, and *poof* they mentally vanish.

So why are we having this meeting? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in one of these meetings when someone gets asked a question, looks up from their laptop and says “I’m sorry, I was working on my email. Can you repeat the question?” I generally don’t really like meetings all that much and it’s events like this that cause them to take way too long. If you introduce IM into the equation, then you have folks in your meeting merrily typing away in one or more active conversations even while your meeting is going on. Arrgh! Why did they even bother to come?

So what’s a product manger to do? Stomping your feet, rolling around on the floor, and shaking your finger at offenders are all possibilities; however, I’m not thinking that they will really accomplish the goal. What is the goal? To have a face-to-face meeting with all parties attending participating and engaged in the conversation and problem solving. This is a huge problem and we have yet to really work out the social issues that it brings up. For example, if your boss attends and opens his/her laptop, then what are you going to say to him/her?

I don’t have any magic solutions, but one powerful force that you can bring to bear is peer pressure. If before the meeting occurs you loudly and clearly tell everyone that the use of laptops and Blackberrys will be banned during the meeting, then nobody can really object. If you hold the line and actually kick out active Blackberry users that will also send a clear message. Careful though – if they don’t leave, then you will have lost face with the rest of the attendees. Finally, make you meetings exciting and engaging. People do other tasks because they are bored. If you remove the boredom, they may even forget about their laptops/Blackberrys/iPhones for at least awhile.

Louise

Ayo Brewer asked:




So you have registered for your first online degree course and the 8 or 9 week course started 2 weeks ago. You find yourself falling behind with discussion posts and assignments already, even though you promised yourself not to procrastinate, however; here it is! What do you do now? You are working full time, you have a family, you need the degree for promotion and the only available study time is after midnight!

Here are some winning strategies:

1. Invest in a laptop with wireless access that can go everywhere with you so you can post your work almost anywhere at a moments notice.

2. Take a piece of the work item and do one thing at a time.

3. Have a look at what others are saying in the discussion posts and reply to some of your peers, this will gain you your participation points already!

4. Start the week’s assignment by doing the easiest part first and leave the digital document where you can access and add to it.

5. Do not stress out on depending on last minute discussion, & posts.

6. Set an alarm clock on your cell phone for after midnight for a 15-30 minute look at the list of work items due and make a plan of action of how to meet the requirements.

7. Do something! No matter how small, in order to move the work items forward.

8. Post what you have! Even if it is unfinished you will earn some points.

You can do this!
You will succeed!

A. Brewer

Randall

David asked:


I take a few online courses and my laptop has a built in microphone that just doesn’t cut it. we use web conferencing so I dont want a headset and I dont want to hold a mic up to my face. something under 50 dollars that is either usb or analog and has a decent range. I dont want this microphone in my shot. Any suggestions? Ebay is full of mic’s but idk a acceptable type. Optimistic answers only please.

Franklin

Just Cool About Laptops! asked:


Hello, I want to get a laptop for my grandparents and i want them to use skype so i can talk to them here is the specs:

-It’s a compaq persorio v2000
-15.4 inch wide screen
-Windows XP home edition
-70 GB hard drive
-1 GB of RAM
-1.8 ghz AMD Turion x2 64 dual-core mobile processor
-Zone wireless card (note: the laptop dosen’t support wireless so it is an external card)

NOTE: it will only be used for skype and web browsing im buying it new for $250.00 it is not used!!!!!

Walter

Ken B asked:


I’m having an issue with setting up my video conference system in our conference room. A 16 feet USB is not long enough to reach the laptop hosting/displaying the video conferencing laptop. We are placing the webcam atop our flat screen.

Any solution? Are Wireless Webcams a solution? What do major companies do when dealing with video conferencing?

We will be hooking up our Webcam ontop of our flat screen that will display the video of the other party. However, running a USB down the Flatscreen and to the table is impossible because USB does not work past 16 feet and we need at least 20 feet. Anyone know of a solution? thanks.
I’m having an issue with setting up my video conference system in our conference room.

We have designed it bury wires (HDMI, VGA, 3.5 audio) coming from a Flat Screen.

We also want to have video conferencing.
We will be hooking up our Webcam ontop of our flat screen. The USB connected to the Flat Screen would then run down the wall, through our burried tunnel of wires, and into the middle of our conference table (along with HDMI/VGA/3.5 Audio jack input.)

However, we have come to find out that running a USB down the Flatscreen and to the table is impossible because USB does not work past 16 feet and we need at least 20 feet. Anyone know of a solution?

Are Wireless Webcams a solution? What do major companies do when dealing with video conferencing?

FYI: I am not an IT person, I am simply doing it myself and looking for helpful tips and guidance. Thanks.

Louis