Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts are an awesome free communications tool for meeting with people remotely via video, phone or message. There are third party premium versions available for businesses which I have licenses for which extend the functionality while utilizing the infrastructure and core features of the Google Hangouts platform. But the free version for conversations up to one hundred people is great considering the price tag. It's cool you can create a hangout link automatically for each event in your Google calendar. The integration of Google Hangouts into your main account with so many other tools freely available is tremendous value for anyone. Google provide features and value with their Hangouts software you must pay for in many other similar software systems. Not to mention the world class infrastructure, hosting and software they provide you that all works together to make life easier. I like that google calendar automatically creates a hangout link for every event placed on your calendar, making it very easy to find and access the video conference. I also like that it is in the same place as many other products I use, such as gmail, Google Docs, Drive, and Google calendar so I don't have to log in to something separately. I makes it a lot easier to keep track of all the programs I use that way. That it comes built into Android devices is cool and it works with IM and text. You can make phone calls using if you install the Hangouts Dialer app in your Google Chrome internet browser extensions. Video chatting to me is so much more personal than by phone or text and Google makes this easy for friends, family and colleagues around the world which I sincerely appreciate.

In my opinion, Google Hangouts has yet to fully be embraced the masses in popular culture for personal use compared to Skype. In that, perhaps Google hasn't done enough to promote it. This really isn't a negative but a suggestion that Google would benefit from TV ads, display ads and overall visibility. As it would simultaneously draw interest in their Google Apps for work which includes it's functionality. And that aside, it's not clear on the Google Apps for Business feature and 'Choose A Plan' page that it is fully included. The features on the 'Choose A Plan' page for their Apps for Business solution pricing page is lacking in detail generally speaking. It would be nice to have an option to use remote mouse or keyboard. And better to have the option to automatically close when everyone has left the hangout. There is a limitation to fifteen attendees for one hangout and you cannot record them. The Hangouts On Air feature allows for unlimited attendees but they cannot become interactive in the hangout. While the $1000 Google Chromebox does not make it simple to host Hangouts On Air. So using Google tools it's tough to hold and record large group meetings. There are third party software which allows all of these challenges to be overcome easily for use with large meetings and webinars. I suppose this software is somewhat limited by the fact you need a Google account to access it. I just thought of that now though because I'm so accustomed to having Google in my life daily it's easy to take for granted. And really there's not a lot of people regularly online without a Google account so it's not a major issue. But it would alienate some and create a learning curve for others who must first learn Google before they can confidently join a Google Hangout.

It's tough to complain about real free value which Google gives in spades. Google Hangouts is another example of a world class tool available to freely use anytime. It has it's limitations but there are relatively inexpensive third party software upgrades in the internet marketing industry which can sync to the Google Hangouts platform and enable it to become a full blown email list building webinar recording software very quickly. Nonetheless I highly recommend it for personal use to friends and family quite often.