Technical Rotary (RotoTechie) No 1, September 16, 2012
A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to a Rotary District Committee Meeting
In our Rotary club, there are many of us who no longer have a day to day need for conference calling, business travel, document delivery, faxing, or some of us even some types of phones (hard wired or cell). At the same time, new and improved (and free) means of doing many of these things have appeared, and are being used very effectively, for business, family, hobby and Rotary Committee meetings.
Our 2012-2013 District 5450 Governor, Mike Klingbiel, happens to be in the technology business, and for him, using these things, and finding out about them, are a daily occurrence. He is a founding part of the District Technology Committee (http://www.clubrunner.ca/Portal/SitePages/SitePage.aspx?did=5450&pid=71395), and while nothing is totally free or perfect, some interesting tools have been/are being put into use. Since there are no licensing deals, or donations involved, here is my first installment to talk about what we are and/or could be using.
Video Conferencing:
Most everyone has heard of Skype. (www.skype.com)
What is it? It is a “free” video conferencing system.
What does it cost? You need a microphone/video webcam ($40 plus or minus depending on quality), a Smart Phone or Computer or Internet enabled T.V ($who knows) and the Skype program ($0.00 if you just want to video conference with one other Skype subscriber at a time).
What can you do with it? You can talk to other users and see them on your monitor. (It’s Dick Tracy’s wrist phone on steroids. (Demo YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWq7n4w3cq4)
Calls with multiple participants (which does have an additional subscription cost attached), like your family in 4 countries are possible. You can call any working telephone in the world from your computer (may have additional cost). You can send and messages by text to/from any subscriber. You can also have (for an additional cost) a phone number assigned to you that will ring on your home, office or cell phone but is accessible from any phone or Skype subscriber (like having Century Link, but not them or their charges.)
Why would you want it? In the lingo of my teenage years, “It’s, like man, really cool.” Seeing family and friends far away, not just hearing them or reading their letters and e-Mails, is a wonderful experience. Besides, Dick Tracy could only communicate with his team. George Jetson has it in everything, including his head set, and you can now get computers built into your sunglasses (assuming you would want that.)
My Skype address is SkypeTJ, and feel free to try it out and connect with me my fellow Rotarians.