Google Meet as an alternative to Zoom

Google Meet as an alternative to Zoom

Due to political and other reasons many people are weaning away from using Zoom as the preferred platform for video conferences and online meetings. Google Meet is emerging as an alternative. Here are some details.

Google Meet is actually a part of Gsuite, a fee based service for educational institutions and companies. Others who are having just Google accounts, say gmail, are also allowed to use free basic version of Google Meet with some limitations.

Google Meet is free for an hour long meeting for basic plan where no payment is involved.

You need to have a google account, say gmail if you want to join a meeting. You need a laptop or a PC, smartphone, OR ipad  with internet connection. Microphone and speakers and camera are essential. It will be a video meeting where all participants  can be seen. Smartphone is convenient as it has audio and video built in.  Persons using Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari browsers will have no problems. If you are using Internet Explorer, please download “Google Video Support plugin or App” from Play Store.  If using smartphone, downloading Google Meet APP will be useful but not essential. Headphone with in built microphone  is also very useful. If speakers on your pc or laptop are of low sound you may attach external speakers.

Even Gmail only users can also start or host a meeting. Such a host has certain advantages. He has to send the meeting ID to all whom he wants to participate. This may be done via WhatsApp, SMS, Email etc. Anyone so invited can join the meeting by clicking the link having meeting ID. 

Meeting participants may speak, chat using text messages among themselves and share their screen. The last one is very useful. You can share a tab from your browser. For instance you may run a short video from YouTube so that everyone can watch it. From your computer you can make a PowerPoint presentation.   Sharing a tab from your browser automatically turns on the audio playing if any.  One might turn captions on: this makes a running narration of the speech in text format on the screen. Those having hearing problem may benefit by this.

To get started go to https://meet.google.com Click Start a meeting. Then invite friends who are free. Learn by exploring options on the screen one by one. Happy online meetings!

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