12. Conducting Video Conferences and Virtual Meetings

Although the iPad isn’t designed to work as a cell phone, when it’s connected to the Internet, you can use the iPad as a Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone or speakerphone when you use a third-party app, such as Skype or Line2, which enable you to make and receive free or low-cost calls from your tablet.

Thanks to the tablet’s built-in camera, microphone, and speaker, you can also use the iPad as a video-conferencing tool when an Internet connection is available. The FaceTime app that came preinstalled on your iPad is designed specifically for video conferencing (for free) with other Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users.

To easily video conference with PCs, Macs, or other web-enabled mobile devices, the Skype or ooVoo apps offer easy alternatives that are also free, unless you utilize either service’s premium features. Several instant messaging services that are supported by the Messages app (or that have their own apps available) also offer a video conferencing via the Web feature.

You can also use your tablet for video conferencing and to attend virtual meetings using GoToMeeting or WebEx, for example, when you download apps that enable you to connect to these fee-based services from the App Store.

Using FaceTime for Video Conferencing

The first time you launch the FaceTime app, you must set up a free Apple ID account or enter your existing Apple ID username and password. You are also asked to enter an email address that will be associated with your FaceTime account.

Either your Apple ID or the email address you provide becomes your unique FaceTime identifier (which acts just like a phone number), so others can initiate connections with you when you both have FaceTime running on your devices.

When you want to call another FaceTime user, you must know the other person’s email address (the one associated with his or her FaceTime account) or iPhone phone number.

After you complete the initial FaceTime setup process (it takes less than a minute), as long as you have FaceTime running on your tablet and it’s connected to the Internet, you are able to initiate or receive calls and participate in video conferences.

After your iPad is connected to the Internet, launch the FaceTime app. As soon as it’s launched, the tablet’s front-facing camera turns on automatically, and you should see yourself on the iPad’s screen.

On the right side of the screen is a window requesting that you sign in with your Apple ID username and password (shown in Figure 12.1). Enter this information, and then tap the Sign In button.

Figure 12.1. Use your Apple ID to log in to the FaceTime service.

You’re now ready to initiate or receive FaceTime calls and participate in a video conference via the Web. Displayed near the lower-right corner of this app screen are three buttons: Favorites, Recents, and Contacts (see Figure 12.2).

Figure 12.2. When FaceTime is running on your iPad, you see three buttons near the lower-right corner of the screen.

Creating a FaceTime Favorites List

A Favorites list in FaceTime is a list you can customize to include the people with whom you plan to FaceTime video conference the most. In essence, this Favorites option serves as a one-touch speed dial list.

To add a contact, tap the plus sign in the upper-right corner of the Favorites window, and then select people from your established contacts database.

Using FaceTime’s Automatic Recents List

When you tap the Recents icon while using FaceTime, you see a list of people with whom you’ve already communicated using FaceTime. Tap any of the contacts in this list to video conference again with that person.

If this is the first time you’re using the FaceTime app, this window is empty except for the All and Missed tabs displayed at the top of the window.

After you begin using the app, the All tab displays all FaceTime video conferences you’ve participated in, as well as any incoming missed calls. Tap the Missed tab to see a list of only the incoming FaceTime calls you didn’t answer.

Choosing Preferred FaceTime Contacts

The Contacts icon that’s displayed near the lower-right corner of the FaceTime screen enables you to select any person listed in your Contacts database to call using this app.

To initiate a call with someone who also has FaceTime installed and operating on their computer or iOS mobile device, select that person from your Contacts list and tap on the email address or iPhone phone number that was used to register with FaceTime. If a connection can be made, a FaceTime icon automatically appears next to the person’s name in the FaceTime app.

When you initiate a call, at the bottom center of the screen, the FaceTime With message and the person’s name are displayed. Next to this label is the End button, which you can tap at any time to terminate the connection (see Figure 12.3).

Figure 12.3. As soon as you tap someone’s name to call from within FaceTime, the app attempts to initiate a video conference connection with that person.

Participating in a FaceTime Call

If the person you’re calling with the FaceTime app answers, your own image that was displayed in full-screen mode on the tablet’s screen shrinks. It is now displayed in the upper-left corner of the screen. The rest of the iPad’s screen displays the person you’re connected with using FaceTime (as shown in Figure 12.4).

Figure 12.4. When you’re participating in a video conference with someone using FaceTime, this is what your tablet’s screen looks like.

As you participate in a video conference, notice that near the bottom of the FaceTime screen are three command buttons: Mute, End Call, and Switch Camera. Use them for the following purposes:

• Tap the Mute button to continue the video connection, but mute the iPad’s built-in microphone so the person you’re communicating with is able to see you but not hear you.

• Tap the End Call button to terminate the FaceTime connection and promptly end the call.

• Tap the Switch Camera button to alternate between the two cameras built in to your iPad. The front-facing camera is facing toward you, whereas the camera on the back of the iPad shows off whatever it’s pointing at.

The FaceTime app is pretty simple to use, and it is a powerful tool for video conferencing. The best thing about using FaceTime is that it’s free, and you can communicate with anyone in the world who also uses the FaceTime app or software. In other words, you never have to pay long-distance phone charges, international calling fees, or cell phone roaming charges when using FaceTime. Nor do you have to worry about using up your cell phone minutes. (If you’re using it with a 3G/4G Internet connection, you do, however, need to consider your monthly wireless data usage allocation, if applicable.) The biggest benefit to using FaceTime is that you can actually see and hear the person you’re communicating with.

Participating in Virtual Meetings from Anywhere

If your company uses fee-based virtual meeting software, such as GoToMeeting or WebEx, there are apps that enable you to participate in these meetings using your iPad from anywhere an Internet connection is available (such as from your home, hotel room, poolside at a resort, or from a client’s office).

Web conferences or virtual meetings involve using the Internet to connect people at different locations, enabling them to talk while simultaneously sharing information on their computer screens in real time. This capability has changed the way many companies do business.

GoToMeeting Offers Virtual Meeting Capabilities

One of the pioneers in the virtual meeting field is Citrix Systems, Inc., with its GoToMeeting software for PCs and Macs. For iPad users, a free iPad app that enables people to attend online-based virtual meetings that are hosted by others using GoToMeeting or GoToWebinar is available from the App Store.

Attendees using a PC or Mac to participate in a meeting can utilize audio conferencing via Voice over IP (VoIP) service, using their computer’s microphone and speakers, while simultaneously being able to view whatever the meeting host is showcasing on his computer screen, such as a PowerPoint presentation or a spreadsheet report. People can also collaborate on Word documents, for example.

Thanks to the GoToMeeting app for iPad, shown in Figure 12.5, tablet users can do everything a meeting attendee using a PC or Mac can do, such as see who is presenting, who’s talking at any given moment, and who else is attending the meeting.

Figure 12.5. When attending a virtual meeting on an iPad using GoToMeeting, you can see and hear other participants, plus share what’s displayed on the host’s computer screen.

Using the GoToMeeting app, meeting attendees can also view exactly what is on the presenter’s screen and simultaneously join a voice conversation via a VoIP connection (using the iPad’s built-in microphone and speaker or a headset that’s connected to the tablet).

The GoToMeeting app was designed to utilize some of the tablet’s key features, such as its touch-screen interface, so you can zoom in on content being showcased during a meeting.

If you’re a mobile executive who wants or needs to “attend” meetings or webinars from a location outside your office, this app is ideal. When you’re invited to a virtual meeting via email, from the iPad simply tap the link embedded in the invitation email to connect to a meeting and automatically launch the GoToMeeting app. From within the app you can manually enter a meeting ID and your username to be connected to a meeting within seconds.

Another Virtual Meeting Option: The WebEx Platform

In addition to utilizing Citrix’s GoToMeeting software and iPad app, similar functionality is provided by Cisco Systems, via its popular WebEx virtual meeting solution (www.webex.com).

For businesses, consultants, or entrepreneurs who already use WebEx to host meetings, the company offers a free iPad app that enables people to attend virtual meetings from their Apple mobile devices. Users connect via a Wi-Fi hotspot or through a 3G/4G web connection.

To schedule and host a meeting using Cisco’s WebEx, the host must be using the WebEx software from a Mac or PC and be a paid subscriber to the service. Pricing starts at $24.00 per month to host an unlimited number of meetings that can be attended by up to eight people. For $49.00 per month, you can host meetings with up to 25 attendees. A free account can also be set up that allows you to host non-high-definition quality meetings, with fewer available features, with up to three attendees.

Attending meetings, however, is free and does not require a WebEx membership (but the free WebEx software for the PC, Mac, iPhone, or iPad is required). You can download WebEx for iPad free from the App Store.

Making and Receiving Phone Calls or Video Conferencing with Skype

Skype is a VoIP phone service that enables you to make and receive phone calls over the Web (as opposed to a cellular phone network or traditional telephone landline). When used with an iPad or a smartphone or computer with a built-in camera, it also allows for free video conferencing using a 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi Internet connection.

In addition to being a powerful and cost-effective communications tool for PC and Mac users, thanks to the Skype for iPad app, the service is fully functional on the iPad for both VoIP phone calls and video conferencing.

The Skype app uses your iPad’s built-in microphone, speaker (or headphone jack), and camera(s) to enable you to hear and be heard during calls, and be heard and seen during video conferences.

Making unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls is always free. However, there is a very low per-minute fee to make calls to a landline or cellular telephone from your iPad using Skype (shown in Figure 12.6). This per-minute fee is typically only pennies per minute, even if you’re traveling overseas and make a call to the United States. You can also save a fortune on international calling from the U.S. when making calls to any other country.

Figure 12.6. You can make and receive voice calls using the Skype for iPad app, or use it for video conferencing.

The video-conferencing functionality of Skype is similar to using FaceTime, but it is compatible with Skype software or apps running on any other devices, including PCs, Macs, and mobile devices (including smartphones and tablets from many different manufacturers).

Through Skype, you can obtain your own unique telephone number (for an additional fee of $6.00 per month), which comes with call forwarding, voice mail, and other calling features.

With your own phone number, you can manage incoming calls whether or not Skype is activated and your iPad is connected to the Web. You also can receive calls on your iPad from people calling from a landline who do not use Skype. Thus, people are able to reach you inexpensively by dialing a local phone number regardless of where you’re traveling. However, you can initiate calls (and receive calls from fellow Skype users) without paying for a unique local phone number.

When traveling abroad, making and receiving calls on a cell phone (such as an iPhone) costs anywhere from $.50 to $3.00 per minute because international roaming fees apply. With Skype, that same call costs just a little more than $.02 per minute. Alternatively, you can pay a flat fee of less than $20.00 per month to make and receive unlimited domestic and international calls from your iPad.

In terms of call quality, as long as you’re within a 3G/4G coverage area or Wi-Fi hotspot and your iPad has a strong Web connection, calls are crystal clear. The Skype app is easy to use, and it enables you to maintain a contact list of frequently called people, dial out using a familiar telephone touchpad display, and maintain a detailed call history that lists incoming, outgoing, and missed calls.

If you opt to establish a paid Skype account (to have your own unique phone number and be able to make non-Skype-to-Skype calls), setting up the account takes just minutes when you visit www.Skype.com. All charges are billed to a major credit card or debit card.

Sending and Receiving Text Messages with iMessage

If you use a cell phone or smartphone, such as the iPhone, you’re probably familiar with the concept of text messaging. Through your cell phone service provider, you can use your phone to send a private text message to a recipient’s phone. This text message can include a photo, short video clip, or another data attachment. Within a second or two after sending your text message, the recipient receives the message and can reply to it, which enables you to conduct a text-based conversation.

The primary drawback to text messaging via your cell phone is that your cell phone service provider typically charges extra for this feature, and/or allows only a predetermined number of text messages to be sent or received as part of your service plan per month.

Apple’s iMessage service enables any Mac or iOS device that’s connected to the Web to send and receive unlimited text messages (or instant massages) using the free Messages app that comes preinstalled on all iPads running iOS 6. Messages software for the Mac also comes preinstalled as part of the OS X Mountain Lion operating system.

iMessage has some pros and cons. On the plus side, this is a totally free service. You can send and receive as many text messages or instant messages as you want. On the negative side, the iMessage service works only with other Mac and iOS devices.

Like any messaging app, Messages for use with Apple’s iMessage service enables you to participate in multiple text-message “conversations” simultaneously, but each one is kept separate. As you participate in a text-based dialogue, the text messages you send are displayed in a different color than the messages you receive from the recipient, so tracking the progression of a dialogue is easy.

To initiate an iMessage conversation or receive messages, you must associate an email address with your free iMessage account. This email address serves as your unique identifier (like a phone number). You can use your Apple ID or any other existing email address. The email address you plan to use must be added to the Receive At option in the Messages screen of the Settings app.

When you launch the Messages app you can compose a new outgoing message or respond to an incoming message using the iPad’s virtual keyboard. To create and send a new message, fill in the To field in the New Message window (see Figure 12.7).

Figure 12.7. To create a new text message, begin by filling in the To field of the New Message window. (Shown here on an iPad 2.)

In the To field, you can manually enter the email address that the recipient has associated with his iMessage account. Alternatively, you can select this information from your Contacts database by typing the recipient’s name in the To field, and then selecting the appropriate email address from the Contacts listing.

To manually search your Contacts database, tap the blue-and-white plus sign that’s located to the right of the To field. After filling in the To field, you have the option of tapping the empty Subject window and filling it in, or you can simply compose your text-based message in the appropriate field.

To attach a digital photo or short movie clip to the outgoing text message, tap the camera icon to the left of the Subject window and select the Take Photo or Video option or the Choose Existing option.

If you select Take Photo or Video, the iPad’s Camera app launches. If you select the Choose Existing option, the Photos app launches, and you can choose a digital photo or video clip that’s stored on your iPad.

After composing your message, tap the blue-and-white Send icon to send the message via the Internet to its intended recipient.

When the recipient of your message responds, her incoming message is displayed in the window on the right side of the screen if her conversation is open. Otherwise, an incoming message alert displays on the left side of the screen (as well as in the Notification Center window). You can tap each conversation listed on the left side of the screen, one at a time, to read incoming messages from different people and respond to them.

If you send a message to someone who isn’t currently online, the message is received when that person again accesses the Messages app or uses their iOS device to access the Web. Likewise, when you turn on your iPad and reconnect it to the Web, your missed incoming messages are displayed in the Notification Center window and on the left side of the Messages app screen when you relaunch the app.