Videoconferencing in the time of coronavirus

Lo smart working è diventato una realtà piuttosto velocemente. E la nuova abitudine di collegarci da casa con il mondo esterno per portare avanti le nostre attività, per frequentare le lezioni scolastiche And per "incontrare" parenti ed amici ci ha fatto scoprire nuovi strumenti digitali che ci aiutano a farlo. Scopriamo in primis quella che è diventata la piattaforma di videoconferenze online più scaricata, ma anche possibili alternative.

ZOOM

The video conferencing app Zoom has become a popular way to stay in touch in an increasingly isolated world during the coronavirus pandemic, both for personal and professional meetings, thanks to its ease of use and intuitive interface. Access to the platform is completely free and can be done directly from your browser if you're on a PC or via mobile devices by downloading the app, which runs on both iOS and Android operating systems.

With the free version, I can access group calls with up to 100 people and the time available for each video conference is 40 minutes, while if there are only two of you, the time is unlimited.
To involve participants, you don't need to be already connected (a very important aspect that differentiates it from Skype), but simply send the invitation link via email or any type of digital message.

With the paid versions accessible via a monthly subscription, however, the number of participants allowed increases to 1,000 (Enterprise Plus version), the conversation time becomes always unlimited as is the space for storing recordings, in addition to being able to access some control tools, such as the ability to mute the microphone of other participants or create a personalized invitation link.

But Zoom is also a preferred tool for distance learning during this time of crisis, and the company has decided to offer all schools in the countries most affected by the rapid spread of the coronavirus (including Italy) the opportunity to use it free of charge for an unlimited period. To access the service, simply register your school using the form.

BETTER ALTERNATIVES

All of the apps we reviewed have free versions, and some offer temporary access to additional features for those currently working from home or wanting to check on friends and family online.

We have not included,  Facebook, WhatsApp And FaceTime, which allow video chatting, but require all participants to be members (Facebook, WhatsApp) or to use a specific type of device (FaceTime, which is Apple-only).

The following list includes the most popular applications that allow you to participate in video conferences without actually having to register with the app.

SKYPE MEET NOW

Skype è stata la piattaforma di riferimento per le conversazioni one-to-one da quando la versione beta è stata rilasciata nel 2003. La sua funzione Meet Now (a cui si accede scegliendo il pulsante "Meet Now" sul lato sinistro dell'app) consente la videoconferenza; il numero massimo di partecipanti può variare, a seconda della piattaforma And del dispositivo.

CHARACTERISTICS 
Record the call for up to 30 days
Can blur the background (if you have the app)
Share presentations

CISCO WEBEX

Webex is a video conferencing app that has been around since the 1990s; it was acquired by Cisco in 2007. While it's primarily known as a business application and continues to focus on serving businesses, it has a fairly comprehensive free version that's worth trying. For the current emergency, it has expanded the freemium version's capabilities from 50 to 100 participants, eliminated the 40-minute meeting limit, and added calling capabilities.

CHARACTERISTICS 
Up to 100 participants
Unlimited time for each meeting
Call for audio

STARLEAF

StarLeaf; a platform for large businesses, but is now offering its basic video and messaging products for free for those trying to stay connected during the pandemic.

CHARACTERISTICS 
Up to 20 participants
Forty-six minutes for each meeting

JITSI MEET

Jitsi Meet è una piattaforma open source che consente di incontrarsi facilmente online semplicemente navigando sul sito And facendo clic su "Vai". Se sei più tecnicamente preparato, puoi crearne uno tuo tramite Jitsu Videobridge, ma la maggior parte delle persone apprezzerà la versione web veloce, che offre molte funzionalità presenti in app più famose, come chat, registrazione di sessioni (su Dropbox ) And la capacità di "espellere" i partecipanti indisciplinati.

CHARACTERISTICS 
Up to 75 participants (up to 35 for the best experience)
Public or private chat
Can blur the background (currently in beta)
Integrates with Slack, Google Calendar, and Office 365

WHEREBY

La versione gratuita è piuttosto limitata rispetto ad altre citate; permette l'uso di una singola sala riunioni con un massimo di quattro partecipanti, insieme alla possibilità di bloccare le stanze (i partecipanti devono "bussare" per ottenere l'ingresso). Ogni stanza ha il suo URL ed ha anche una funzione di chat, che consente di condividere uno schermo, disattivare l'audio o espellere gli utenti. Inoltre ha alcune emoji divertenti.

CHARACTERISTICS 
Up to four participants in the free version
Screen sharing
YouTube Integration
Possibilità di "chiudere" le stanze

HANGOUTS

Google Hangouts is still available, though it's not being advertised by the company, which is currently pushing Hangouts Meet for G Suite users and enterprise customers.
You can use Hangouts for video chats with up to 10 people. There aren't many additional features. You can add text messages and share screens, but that's about it. It's still a quick and easy solution.

CHARACTERISTICS 
Up to 10 participants
Voice conversations can have up to 150 participants

OTHER ALTERNATIVES

There are a wide range of other Zoom alternatives, but some don't have a free version.

Special mention should be made of Houseparty, una popolare app consumer che consente a otto persone di usare una stanza virtuale per chattare. In effetti, chiunque può entrare nella sessione online di un amico senza un invito (anche se puoi "bloccare" la tua stanza per prevenire intrusi). Tuttavia, richiede che tutti i partecipanti si registrino per poterlo utilizzare - And la registrazione include nome, indirizzo And-mail, data di nascita And numero di telefono. Quindi non l'abbiamo incluso tra i nostri consigli.

SLACK
Slack is primarily designed for text chat, but it also offers voice and video calling. If you use the free version, you can only make a video call to one person. 

MICROSOFT TEAMS
Microsoft Teams was obviously created as a competitor to Slack. Since it's part of the Microsoft application ecosystem, it's a good choice if you want to collaborate on various Office documents, for example, and it offers video conferencing capabilities. Microsoft is currently offering educators and those who pay for G Suite the opportunity to use Office 365 E1 for free for six months. People who simply use Gmail or other free apps are being diverted to Skype.