Telepresence makes way in 2009

It isn't hard to figure: higher energy costs, unstable gas prices, reduced travel and expense budgets, and the need to make more happen in less time with fewer dollars. The cherry on top is that flying just isn't fun - or even really pleasant - anymore.

Put it all together, and it spells fewer in-person meetings, fewer conferences, and less travel. Yet, somehow, more contacts, more connections, more partner projects need to get done? The pressure is on for electronic meetings to become a normal and usual part of modern business. It's been trying to come into regular use for some 15 years, but now finally have both the technology and the demand for it to happen.

We all like meeting people in person, there's no doubt about it. And I believe more can get done on more levels in person. However, if that isn't an option, we can still coordinate projects, exchange information, and get to know each other via these electronic methods. Once they make their way into the daily lives of business people, they won't go away. Five and ten years from now, knowing how to use these tools effectively will be a required business skill, just as email is today.

The best way to get good at using these technologies is to jump in and start using them. Pick out one or two you haven't used, and find an excuse to try them out. Take things a little at a time, trying one new feature or function out at a time, and over time, it will all become familiar and second nature.

Skype

Free phone calls via your computer and the Internet. It doesn't use a regular phone, though, like VOIP services. Instead, it uses your computer's microphone and, for best results, headphones plugged into your computer. Free software does Skype-to-Skype calls for free, Skype-to-phone calls for pennies per minute (overseas as cheap as 2 cents a minute!), conference calls, and now video calls (one-to-one only for now; video conference calls are in development). Send files, record chats (text and audio). You can leave Skype running on your computer to receive calls, or quit the program and be off the Skype network.

iChat / AIM

iChat software is for Macintosh computers (comes with OS X), PCs can use AIM (America Online Instant Messenger) software. Both use the AIM network for calls, so iChat users can call and communicate with AIM users and vice-versa. Text, audio and video are supported and are pretty good quality. Send files and record chats (text and audio). You'll need to get an AIM account & AIM ID, then you sign in and leave the software running to receive calls. You'll also need the good old microphone and headphones to remove echo.

Second Life

Free virtual world and software for meetings, audio and text chat & conferences, virtual meeting environments and the new virtual workspaces. Operating in a 3D virtual world is a complex skill, so give yourself plenty of time to get oriented (I'd say you'll want 8-10 hours over several 2-3 hour sessions).

Second Life is still rough compared to how virtual worlds will operate in ten years, and it may or may not be the king of business virtual work spaces, since IBM has created its own 3D virtual business world (still not available, though). Second Life is here now, it's free, it's fun and it will give you the skills you'll need for any of the future MUVE's (Multi-User Virtual Environments).

There are already experiments going in Second Life with virtual meditation centers and hypnosis, including the AAPH virtual conference and events center.

Virtual Conferences

You may be noticing in-person conventions being cancelled as 2009 rolls onward; I sure am. This will be the first big year for the online virtual convention services that mix certain events, speakers and booths happening in real-time with virtual attendance. You can attend in your pajamas at your home computer!

For an example of this, check out this year's Global Hypnosis eSummit, and try the demo. Impressive, and kudos to Scott Sandland, C.Ht. of Hypnothoughts.com for being the conference organizer! I'm quite looking forward to seeing how it all works.

There are more tools that I'll cover in future posts. Until then, try things out and have some fun exploring and discovering these nifty new avenues of meeting with people.