iLinc, a leading provider of web conferencing software and online collaboration services announced that iLinc has partnered with 24×7 Learning, a Talent Lifecycle Management Company. 24×7 will provide iLincs web and video conferencing software as part of their “Learning’s Enterprise Talent Enhancement solutions” offering to customers.24×7 Learning provides technology-based solutions to corporations across vertical industries, government institutions and universities. 24×7’s continuing education initiative AVAGMAH offers recognized degree and post-graduate programs for working students. Through new iLinc partnership, 24×7 Learning will integrate web conferencing products with its enterprise learning solutions.

iLinc VP of sales, Jason Walker:

Recent studies predict enormous growth for conferencing in India. We look forward to a very successful relationship and the opportunity to have 24×7 Learning’s clients benefit from our online meeting software solutions.

Recent and significant improvements in the broadband infrastructure, an increase in travel costs, green initiatives and globalization are influencing demand for web conferencing software solutions and driving expansion collaboration technologies in India. A supporting advocate for green initiatives, iLinc’s patent-pending Green Meter tracks carbon emissions along with fuel and travel costs saved per meeting. Adopting conferencing on the web with video, and implementing eLearning initiatives will increase an organization’s Green Meter score.

IBM’s new web conferencing product, called OpusUna was discussed at the AJAXWorld RIA Conference and Expo in San Jose, California last week. The collaboration product allows all participants the ability to collaborate using the same Web pages and features audio and video.IBM Emerging Internet Technology CTO, David Boloker:

Really, what we’re looking at is how I extend the whole concept of AJAX to allow multiple-user interactions. It’s all about a next-generation collaboration capability where you’re really looking at how people interact with one another in a very different way.

OpusUna allows online meeting participants to work and communicate from within the same browser space, combining widgets, audio, and video cameras to display themselves on the screen. The difference between OpusUna and other collaboration platforms is with OpusUna, all participants can contribute content as opposed to having one person serving as a sole presenter. This enables true collaboration, and not just the typical presentation format where all other participants direct their input to the presenter.

IBM hopes to show OpusUna to customers in early 2009 before deciding on how to proceed with the technology. OpusUna is a Latin expression for “work as one.”

Today the web conferencing service, Mikogo, announced the release of Mikogo Skype Extra, creating a complete free web conferencing solution. The service requires a single download, that automatically installs upon download and now allows Skype users to collaborate via 4 different communication mediums: voice, chat, video, and now screen sharing.

Mikogo Co-founder, Mark Zondler:

Regardless of whether it’s for business or private purposes, Skype users now have the complete Web conferencing package completely free. Free screen sharing combined seamlessly with Skype’s free calls, free chat, and free video, really give the Mikogo Skype Extra users the perfect means of Web collaboration.

While not as robust and comprehensive as other corporate web conferencing services, Mikogo Skye Extra is a complete solution for small web conferences, and best of all, it’s free. Mikogo free screen sharing, was created by BeamYourScreen, to allow users to host professional online meetings allowing them to collaborate easily with colleagues, clients, suppliers and friends and family.

The addition of Mikogo’s user friendly, free screen sharing services will make online communication more convenient and affordable. By eleminating travel costs and saving time for all parties involved, Mikogo could change the way people and businesses worldwide correspond and collaborate over the internet.

Vyew, provider of browser-based web conferencing services announced today the release of VyewMyPC, a quick desktop sharing, whiteboarding and web conferencing solution for any browser running on Windows, Macintosh or Linux operating systems.

Vyew CEO, Henry Hon:

With a slowing economy, high travel costs and increasing environmental concerns there is a market need for an intuitive, free and feature-rich solution for web conferencing, whiteboarding and desktop sharing that works on any platform with any browser and requires no software installation. VyewMyPC meets that need and also serves as a gateway to the advanced features of Vyew such as its clear-view workspaces for persistent, always-on collaboration and content review.

Vyew is a fast and simple solution for conducting online meetings, storyboarding, sharing ideas and presenting anything on your desktop. VyewMyPC supports voice over IP for free worldwide audio conferencing. VyewMyPC is a free service from Vyew and the first in a series of quick-start solutions that the company is currently developing for desktop sharing, content review, screen capturing, and session recording. VyewMyPC provides the same desktop-sharing and conferencing functionality found in expensive solutions for free with no software to install.

VyewMyPC is available for free at www.vyewmypc.com

Today, MTP announced the addition of VOIP and web conferencing services to its suite of current offerings in the conferencing market. MTP’s hosted VOIP service and web conferencing solution will add greater depth and interactivity to MTP’s existing teleconferencing application.

Etelos President & CEO, Jeffrey Garon:

MTP has seen the value that the Etelos Marketplace provides not only for application providers, but for application users. Etelos is out to create a Marketplace that is capable of addressing any issue or problem a business may face and address it with the best possible solution.”

MTP Hosted VoIP Service, powered by Global Phone, is a business-grade hosted PBX system using Voice Over IP that provides businesses with reliable alternative to costly PBX, IP PBX or Centrex lines. MTP’s web confererencing services are powered by Dimdim, an open source Web conferencing service that supports desktop sharking, file sharing, chat and video conferencing without requiring an additional download for meeting participants.

MTP CEO Thomas Capone:

MTP has been selling IT and telecom solutions since 1983 so we have first-hand experience with every type of sales channel imaginable. Etelos provides MTP with an efficient way to deliver best-of-breed solutions to clients anywhere in the world, with excellent customer service and support. Half the battle in selling any type of IT product or service is getting customers to experience the savings, and the promised ROI of the offer. Etelos makes that problem disappear from the sales cycle.”

For more information about MTP’s products or the Etelos Marketplace, visit www.etelos.com.

InstantPresenter, an industry leader in web conference, video conference and webinar services now offers expanded webconferencing and webinar registration services. These new registration services allow the online presenter to find out exactly what their audience is interested in before the presentation, and allows them to customize their presentation to their interests.

Registration features include fully customizable forms for invitations, RSVP information or any other information the presenter would like to collect about your audience prior to the event. Data can be exported and downloaded directly into Excel in .CSV format. InstantPresenter registration services start at only $29 per month.

Along with new registration services, InstantPresenter introduces its new Content Library. The InstantPresenter Content Library allows the online presenter to store up to 100MB of presentation material on InstantPresenter’s high speed web conferencing servers. Presenters can instantly switch between content that is already available and ready to be presented. The content library allows the presenter to store PowerPoint files, Flash presentation data, images, movies and audio files. Content is now always available and ready to present.

For more information about InstantPresenter and its services, contact:

Contact:
TJ Davis
Director of Sales
InstantPresenter.com
Phone: 714-890-3008

http://www.instantpresenter.com

Polycom, a web conferencing and video conferencing service provider, this week reported its second quarter results, which beat revenue estimates but missed earnings estimates by only a single cent. Revenue grew 16% to $271.6 million. Net income grew 77% to $17.8 million. Polycom is just one of many video conferencing service providers to see sales increase as the price of travel makes web conferencing and video conferencing an attractive alternative.

In a recent study, Gartner expects web conferencing and video conferencing solutions to generate $600 million in annual equipment revenue and $1.5 billion in revenue including services by 2010. In addition, in an IT budget priority survey for enterprises, online collaboration moved up two slots to number eight.

Web conference and video conference services are growing rapidly, most notably outside of the United States. North America revenues were up 7% for the year, Europe grew by 36%, Asia by 20%, and Latin America by 36%.

Polycom expects its telepresence and high definition video conference business to continue to benefit from the increasing costs of travel, particularly during this economic slowdown. It is also increasing its marketing and research spending to increase the financial benefits from the trend. For the third quarter, Polycom expects revenue to increase 3%.

Video conferencing services and web conferencing have become a vital part of many American and international companies. Video conferencing and web conferencing are convenient and lower operational costs.

Because of the millions of dollars that videoconferencing services have saved U.S. firms, the web conferencing and online collaboration industry expanded by about 30 percent in 2007. In 2008, the total income of all audio conferencing, video conferencing and web conferencing technologies is expected to hit $8 billion and is forecast to further increase to $10 billion by 2012.

Although videoconferencing services have been around for several years, during its early years early adopters of the technology claimed that in many cases the video quality was so poor or too choppy, and would often opt to meet important clients in person. New advances in high definition video conferencing services have remedied the issue.

Installing high definition videoconferencing services can be a major investment, with initial expenses for software and hardware averaging $200,000 and maintenance costs of 15 percent a year. However, with the ever-rising costs of fuel, and the related increase in travel, video conferencing technology can quickly pay for itself. Video conferencing also lowers the carbon footprint that companies create while using conventional travel.

With the newest releases of both Citirix GoToMeeting and new GoToWebinar applications, Citrix is throwing in a few free online collaboration tools. Free VoIP and audio conferencing for both Mac and PC are now integrated to deliver a seamless experience with the newest releases the company’s webcasting and webinar applications. One-click online meetings are now possible with this new combination of VoIP, phone and web conferencing for small-group online meetings and large-group webinar events.

Citrix Online (a division of Citrix Inc.) flagship product, GoToMeeting can accommodate up to 25 attendees and it’s newer online application: GoToWebinar can accommodate up to 1,000 attendees simultaneously

Vice President of Citrix Online, Elizabeth Cholawsky:

[With the new releases of GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar], every feature is based on extensive user feedback, from full Macintosh access to this new total audio solution.

Citrix Online sells direct via a sales force and online, but also has a channel program that offers incentives to resellers who recommend Citrix products to clients. Citrix has approximately 7,680 channel and alliance partners in more than 100 countries world-wide.

Dimdim, an open source web conference firm, has just announced it has raised $6 million of Series B funding, led by existing investors Index Ventures, Nexus India Capital, and Draper Richards, out of the US, Europe and Asia. Having launched its private beta nearly a year ago at DEMOfall 2007, Dimdim’s open source web conference project has grown to reach hundreds of thousands of users, and has been downloaded over 250,000 times.

Being an open source project, Dimdim is free for users, providing an alternative to other web conference tools that dominate the space. Dimdim features the tools you’d expect from a prominent web conference tool, including the ability to share desktops, chat and video conference via webcam. Dimdim hasn’t released specifics about what aspects of the company or product the latest round of funding will go towards, however, it is likely the company plans on building out its feature set, and further marketing its service. Dimdim works closely with developers and potential user bases to find better ways in which to implement its free web conference service.

Dimdim has promoted the cost-efficient aspects of its open source product, as it competes with web conference giant WebEx, and has been steadily rolling out updates to keep its product competitive. Dimdim’s latest project, Project Eagle, was a direct offering to the developer community. The result has been some interesting applications that aren’t even tied in with business use for web conferencing.