This much-anticipated update to Live Meeting faces stiff competition from WebEx and GoToMeeting.In a Web-conferencing market dominated by WebEx and GoToMeeting, Microsoft is late to the table with this much-anticipated update of Live Meeting, the online Web-conferencing app the software giant bought from PlaceWare back in 2003. The new version features tighter integration with Microsoft Office System 2003, better audioconferencing options, and some non-Windows OS support. It also includes SSL encryption and limited VoIP.
Upside: The new Live Meeting is available either as a downloadable Windows app or as a browser-based applet for those using Mac OS or Solaris workstations. The Live Meeting Windows app includes toolbar plug-ins for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and Project, allowing you to instigate collaboration with others from within those apps. Plus, the software lets you convert existing appointments scheduled in Outlook into Live Meeting invitations.
And you can forget toll-free teleconferencing numbers and conference codes; within the Windows app, Live Meeting lets you type in your own phone number so that the app can call you back and include you in the current meeting. The new version provides limited VoIP capability, allowing one presenter to broadcast a presentation to large numbers of people via one-way audio onto PC desktop speakers. Live Meeting also now includes language support for seven languages (English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean).
Downside: While the above enhancements sound great, existing Live Meeting subscribers will have to wait. Beginning March 11, new subscribers will receive the updated package, but existing customers will have to wait to be included within Microsoft's current Live Meeting upgrade cycle. Also, while talking up its support for non-Windows operating systems and use with Apple's Safari browser and Solaris browsers, Microsoft was exceptionally vague about Live Meeting support for Linux OS distributions -- many of which are growing in popularity. Finally, there is limited VoIP capability (one-way, presenter to audience) offered in Live Meeting.
Outlook: Those who have already used the PlaceWare Live Meeting version and have since moved on to competing apps may be slow to return to try the new Microsoft Office Live Meeting. Check back soon for full review of the new Live Meeting Web-conferencing service.
NOTE: Microsoft Office LiveMeeting will be available as a hosted service for all customers from March 11 and as a guide for Australian costs, the pricing is 55 cents per minute.
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