Linktivity MeetNow is a one-to-one only Web collaboration tool developed by Linktivity, a company that specializes in Web Conferencing (WebDemo) and Remote Control Software (WebInteractive).
MeetNow is offered as a hosted solution that allows a meeting presenter to collaborate in real-time with one invited participant.
The MeetNow offering allows an unlimited number of one-to-one online meetings and is nothing less than a limited version of Linktivitys own flagship product: fully-featured web conferencing server software WebDemo.
MeetNow includes the following features: Text Chat, Desktop Sharing, Application Sharing, Remote Control, Co-browse, File Broadcast, and VoIP.
The text chat facility is ready to use immediately after presenter and participant join a meeting session.
The text chat panel is undockable, which means that it can be detached from its original position. A persistent, continuous transcript of the chat session is available even if the users join the meeting late. The full chat transcript can also be saved as a standard text file.
The desktop sharing option allows the presenter to share any part of the screen very easily by using a truly best-of-industry "viewport". The viewport gives the presenter an indication of what is being broadcast while providing her with full annotation and mark-up tools.
The application sharing option allows the presenter/moderator to select which of the applications currently running on his system will be shared in full-screen with the meeting participant.
A remote control facility is also integrated in MeetNow. The presenter can allow any attendee to take control of an application by way of a simple menu selection.
Annotation tools are always available when screen/desktop/application sharing is active, and the selection of tools is effective and well thought out. Both the presenter and participant may annotate the screen by using a set of annotations such as freehand, rectangle, ellipse, eraser, clip and text objects.
Additionally, a snapshot of the entire viewport may be saved to disk in the common bitmap (.bmp) format and a tool stamps the screen with sequentially numbered arrows. This is quite useful to visually point out different steps or actions to take.
The Co-browse option allows the presenter to push web pages to the meeting participant.
The File Broadcast option, easy and straightforward to operate, allows the presenter to directly send files to selected participants during a meeting session.
MeetNow also offers a full-duplex audio over the Internet (VoIP) facility allowing both attendees to be talking live at all times. Voice quality is good.
MeetNow provides an extensive array of moderator controls that allow the host to grant specific capabilities to a meeting attendee, and also to temporarily transfer control of the entire meeting to him/her.
MeetNow is a Windows-based solution requiring an Internet Explorer browser, and Microsoft Virtual Machine 5.x, or Sun Java 1.4.x.
Overall, MeetNow is a very attractive product, and particularly suited to demonstrating software tools and applications with a flexible and reliable implementation of voice over IP and a very good set of live annotations tools.
More info:
http://www.linktivity.com/meet_now.html
Pricing: $29.95 per month.
Free trial:
https://meetnow.linktivity.com/ssl/mn_try.asp/
User guide:
http://tinyurl.com/4zdbb
