Majdy Al-Tarouti Marsha Luckett Neema Ndosi Mansoor 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 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 CEO. John is attending a friends 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 companys 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 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 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 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 market in one week. Fred has just received call that the companys strongest competitor has somehow obtained the campaigns details and will attempt to mirror AT&Ts 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 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. 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 doesnt 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 disadvantages of each tool?

List of Text/Audio Chat Tools

Audio Chat Tools

Text Chat Tools

Evaluation Criteria Accessibility Ease of installation Functionality Usability

4 Selected Tools Meebo MSN Trillian 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, 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 installchat 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 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 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 rooms Cons 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, 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

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 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

Meebo for iPhone Instant messaging at your fingertips. Meebo brings IM to the Apple iPhone. Just point to 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 its 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 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 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. 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. Its 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 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).

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 preferences

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 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) 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 time A router: Free after rebate Certified reconditioned device Connect up to 2 lines Use PC and phone spontaneously Vonage V-Phone: $ 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 it One can travel with their phones and can use them from anywhere give that you have broadband connection E-199 capabilities Cons 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.

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