Majdy Al-TaroutiMarsha Luckett

Neema NdosiMansoor Syed

Company Profile� AT&C is a middle sized web development firm, who

provides web designing and development services to small and medium size firms. Their core competencies include: web designing and development in various include: web designing and development in various technologies, state-of-the-art graphics, e-commerce, encryption, and flash presentations.

Scenario # 1� John, Ada, Mark and Lu work at AT&C Co. They need to meet urgently

in 2 hours to discuss the details of a contract.� During the meeting , they need to :

� Exchange documents (pictures, MS Word and MS Excel Documents) and

� Have real time text chat and Voice if possible. � After the meeting is concluded; they have to submit a meeting transcript to the � After the meeting is concluded; they have to submit a meeting transcript to the

CEO.

� John is attending a friend’s birthday party in San Diego, and is using his PDA, which runs on MS Windows Mobile OS.

� Ada is on a business trip in Sydney, Australia, and she is using her Notebook running a Linux OS.

� Mark is New York City and is using a Mac running Leopard OS.� Lu is at the company’s offices in Hong Kong and is using her desktop

PC running Windows Vista OS. � What IM tool can they all use? What will be the advantages and

disadvantages of each tool?

Scenario # 2� An email was sent out to AT &C developers that they needed to meet

and provide a rapid prototype for a client in less than 24 hours.

� The prototype has to be approved by their Manager before presented to the client. They were required to respond back as soon as they receive the email with some suggestions about tools that they can use for their the email with some suggestions about tools that they can use for their urgent meeting.

� Joe, one of the developers was on a road trip along the Mississippi river with his family when received this email though his backberry

� Joe responded via Blackberry and will be accessible for 3 hours.

� Jena/Ann have a phone and internet connection in Europe. Tammy is in the field and has her laptop.

Suggest a tool that can get all of them in a conference call and how?

Scenario # 2 (cont)

Requirement for the selection:

� Document capabilities

� Clear and reliable audio

� Multiple platform

� Legal status

� Cost efficiency

Skype was used for a conference call. Jena/Ann initiated it and called Joe on his

Blackberry and Tammy dialed in from her laptop…

Scenario # 3� Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty are the Web

Design/Developer Executives for AT&C. AT&C is a Web Development firm that will launch a new web campaign for a client in a extremely competitive campaign for a client in a extremely competitive market in one week. Fred has just received call that the company’s strongest competitor has somehow obtained the campaigns details and will attempt to mirror AT&T’s campaign.

Scenario # 3 (cont)

� Tomorrow, mid-day, is the deadline for any changes to be made. Fred makes some modifications to the new campaign and needs to share it with his team, receive feedback and agreement from the team by tonight in feedback and agreement from the team by tonight in order to have this approved. However, not everyone has telephone access.

Scenario # 3 (cont)

� Fred is still in the office with LAN and internet access.

� Wilma is at Starbucks chatting with friends via Yahoo Messenger on her iPhone because she is stuck at LAX with a flight delay. Also, she only has one bar left on her iPhone. a flight delay. Also, she only has one bar left on her iPhone.

� Barney is at home however, he is very frugal and does not have a home telephone and only uses his cell phone in small increments because he doesn’t want to waste billed minutes. He is always chatting online via Gtalk.

� Betty is at home but, her teenage daughter stays glued to the phone after 7pm. There is a computer available in the house and the family utilizes AOL.

Scenario # 3 (cont)

�What IM tool can they all use?What will be the advantages and � What will be the advantages and disadvantages of each tool?

List of Text/Audio Chat Tools

Audio Chat ToolsAIMAIM

Desktop Services:• Trillian (for windows)• Adium (Mac)•Other open source software

Web based:• Meebo• eBuddy

MESSENGERMESSENGERWeb Messenger:• Say2Go• MSC (for windows)• tokBox• InSpeak Communication• Imo. IM (facebook yahoo, gtalk etc)

ENTERPRISEENTERPRISE• Oneteam• Brosik• Skype (Both for enterprise/office and individual)• Wimba ( Both for enterprise/office and individual) • eBuddy

• gTalk• Zipit wireless messenger for MSN, Yahoo etc.

Mobile:• Twenty08 Mobile Chat (iPhone)• ApolloIM (iPhone)• Flick IM

Mobile Messenger:• Whizzper• iChabber• Fring• Mumble (Game players)• loudTalk• vbuzzer

Desktop:•EarthLink MindSpring

individual)

VOIPVOIP• Yabb (Publish voicemail on Skype)• Vonage• Easy Voip recorder used in Skype, Gtalk, Yahoo, MSN conversation etc. • CuPhone (USB phone) It allows a user to make international call from landline phones

Text Chat ToolsMOBILEMOBILE

• Blackberry Messenger• MySpace Chat• Cellular Text Messaging (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, TMobile, etc)• MSN Mobile Web

MOBILE (Desktop to Mobile)MOBILE (Desktop to Mobile)

DESKTOPDESKTOP• Gmail Messenger (Google)• Yahoo Messenger (Yahoo)• Windows Live Messenger• Facebook Chat• MySpace Chat• Skype

GAMINGGAMING

ENTERPRISEENTERPRISESametime (Lotus Notes)Skype

MOBILE (Desktop to Mobile)MOBILE (Desktop to Mobile)• AnonTxt (Desktop to any mobile phone)• OnlineTextMessage.com (Desktop to any AT&T mobile phone)• Text4Free (Desktop to any mobile phone)

GAMINGGAMINGPlaystation Network (PS3 Online Chat)Wii Online Chat

Evaluation Criteria� Accessibility

� Ease of installation

� Functionality

Usability� Usability

4 Selected Tools� Meebo

� MSN

� Trillian

Vonage� Vonage

1. Meebo� It emulates the look and feel of similar software

services, yet requires no download or installation.

� Meebo is a free universal IM service that supports AIM, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ, AIM, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ, plus the Jabber service (which Google's Gtalk uses).

� Meebo is a multi network IM service that runs in your browser window.

1. Meebo� There is no software to install—chat from any

computer with an internet connection. Use your existing IM account, or get a free Meebo login to chat across all networks with a single id and add even more across all networks with a single id and add even more functionality.

1. Meebo (cont.)

Pros� Ability to use Meebo without creating a Meebo account and without

installing any software� Ability to manage and access all your IM network accounts (Yahoo, MSN,

AIM, GTalk, ICQ and Jabber) from one place� Automatic login to all your IM network accounts if you wish� Automatic login to all your IM network accounts if you wish� Ability to save chat log history� Ability to transfer files � Ability to customize your meebo page with our themes and skins� Ability to create meebo me widgets� Ability to create and configure your own meebo roomsCons� Cannot do audio/video chat� Limited IM network accounts are available. � Experienced frequent network disconnections.

1. Meebo Features

Turn your web page into a chat page

� Meebo Me lets you chat with anyone who comes to your blog or Web page. Visitors show up in your Meebo buddylist so you can strike up a conversation, Meebo buddylist so you can strike up a conversation, answer questions, or just keep tabs on guests. Publish your online status so friends can see if you're available when they visit your site. Get real-time chat integrated seamlessly into your website, blog, or social network page.

1. Meebo Features

1. Meebo Features

Live chat with site visitors

� Guests can ask questions, shoot the breeze, or even leave a message if you're offline, even if they don't have leave a message if you're offline, even if they don't have an IM account. You can see visitors to your site, let them know when you are available to chat, and include an optional status message.

1. Meebo Features

1. Meebo Features

Meebo for iPhone

� Instant messaging at your fingertips. Meebo brings IM to the Apple iPhone. Just point to www.meebo.com on point to www.meebo.com on the iPhone or iPod touch and chat on the go. Effortlessly flick through your buddies—the smart buddylist makes it easy to keep up with all your conversations No downloads are required and it’s free.

1. Meebo Features

Meebo Firefox Extension

� Instant messaging across all the major IM networks is now built right into your browser. The Meebo Firefox Extension The Meebo Firefox Extension gives you a sidebar with a smart buddylist and visual notifications when your friends IM you. Drag internet links and images directly to your buddies, all while surfing the Web.

2. MSN� MSN Messenger is the most popular instant messaging client,

with more than 204.6 million users .� Allowing users to share files.� serves up the usual animated emoticons, winks, and buzzes,

along with free PC-to-PC Audio and Video calling, mobile phone messaging.messaging.

� It adds VoIP capabilities that allow users to call telephones around the world for a fee

� Windows Live Messenger displays a drop-down menu of features along the top, contacts within the centre pane, a search box on the bottom, and tabs for eBay, Rhapsody, and other services along the left.

� It’s linked with MSN Spaces and the company's other properties � Microsoft includes a free file scanner (Windows Live OneCare

safety scanner) to check Sharing Folders for viruses and other potential threats.

2. MSN (cont.)

Pros� Free for PC. � Pre-installed in Windows Vista OS. A client version of Windows Live

Messenger Mobile is included with the Windows Mobile 6 operating system. is available for open-market Nokia Series 60 devices like the Nokia N95 deviceNokia N95 device

� Easy to setup and use. � Available for Windows, MAC and Linux.� Ability to communicate with Yahoo messenger users.Cons� The audio and video chatting is limited to one contact at a time. � Some features like SMS messaging and Phone calls to mobile phones

require subscriptions and fees.� Mobile Client does not include video chatting features.� Mobile client is not free.

3. Trillian� From Cerulean Studios, Trillian is a fully featured,

stand-alone, skinnable free chat client that supports multiple chat clients (AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, Jabber, Google Talk, and IRC).Messenger, Jabber, Google Talk, and IRC).

3. Trillian

3. Trillian� Has one central login that will give the user access to

the entire application and as well as to his/her accounts on various chat clients, history, and user preferencespreferences

3. Trillian (cont.)

Pros

� Has a Free version

� One program to connect to many chat clients (AIM, Yahoo, MSN, ICQ, IRC, Jabber)

� Tabbed chatting & File Transfers� Tabbed chatting & File Transfers

� Contact Message History

� Supports Text/SMS/Audio/Video chat

� Supports Skins, Notifications, & Alerts

Cons

� Free version does not support video chat

� Free version does not have advanced features of the program

4. Vonage� VOIP phone

� Leading US provider of VOIP Phone services� For residents e.g Vonage, Skype, Global Telecom, freePhoneNet,

Earthlink� Business

Virtual eg. 2NNetstar (Private brunch Exchange PBX)� Virtual eg. 2NNetstar (Private brunch Exchange PBX)� http://www.2n.cz/products/pbx/2n-netstar-pbx-

communication-system.html� USB phone

� “Nancy White” � Speakerphones� Quality headsets

� Preloaded software

4. Vonage (cont.)

Vonage V-Portal : $ 10 after rebate� Connect up to 2 phones� LCD screen� It allows to use phone and pc at the same timeA router: Free after rebateA router: Free after rebate� Certified reconditioned device� Connect up to 2 lines� Use PC and phone spontaneouslyVonage V-Phone: $ 39.99� Use in any PC (Broadband)� Extra storage 250 MB� V. Talk Software Preloaded� No restart your PC� E-911 (EXPLAIN)

4. Vonage (cont.)

Pros� Vonage is less expensive because the user makes calls from the Internet and not

phone line� International calls� * If internet service goes out, one can still receive their phone call, this takes a

few more steps during sign up but it is worth itfew more steps during sign up but it is worth it� One can travel with their phones and can use them from anywhere give that

you have broadband connection� E-199 capabilitiesCons� Must have a broadband- high speed internet connection to use it� This phone uses headphones and cannot be heard through the speakers� The device breaks easily, just like the USB driver; one can break it by stepping

on it, or knock it against something, and lose it.

More Information� http://msyed500.tripod.com/PM440/