Google+ Hangout Test Tonight
Hi all,
I’m going to run a little test with Google+ Hangout tonight, and I’d love it if you can stop by. I’m looking at this as a way to replace my GoToWebinar for my Live Trainings, which is awesome but costs a LOT of money per year to run. Hangouts now allow you to share your screen, and also allow a couple of things you can’t do with GoToWebinar — namely, share just a portion of my screen, show my face (which I’ve had to work around), and also to let me see and talk to you!
I have only been in a few hangouts so some of you probably know more about it than I do, and these are the questions I’ll be trying to answer tonight (if you know these answers, please feel free to chime in on the comments).
- Is there a duration limit? I’m sure I’ve seen hangouts an hour or longer, and I aim for 45 minutes, so I don’t think that’ll be an issue.
- I forget how many people can be on screen with me at once (ten maybe?) but as those people drop off, others can jump in, right? So I’d have that there for user questions at the end, asking people to show their faces only if they want to ask a question, then to drop off when they are done, freeing up their slot.
- Is it easy for the audience to switch between participating and just watching?
- Is there a limit to how many people can watch live?
- I’m not even sure once I start a hangout, how to broadcast that… I know it shows up on my G+ page, so maybe that’s what I have to do… just share the link to my G+ page and say “come here at such-and-such time”?
So, let’s test this out. Tonight at first will be just about figuring out some of this, but then to make it worthwhile, I’ll be answering some Aperture questions. Let’s put it through the paces and see what happens!
I hope to see you there. My Google+ page is here (someone tell me if there’s a better way to get people there), and the ApertureExpert G+ page is here, although I think it’ll show up on my personal page?
Monday March 12, 5:00 pm PDT
Google+
If you plan to be there, or can answer any of these questions now, do let me know in the comments. Although you can just show up, too ;-)
Comments
on March 13, 2012 - 5:05am
I’ve never even heard of Hangout! I’ll try to be there and check it out! Thanks Joseph,
Bob
on March 13, 2012 - 5:38am
Sounds cool. Will try to drop in.
on March 13, 2012 - 5:42am
I think the max in a hangout is 8 or 10. But for some accounts with large followings and active Hangouts Google has given them Hangout Live, which is a live feed of the hangout. It’s like overflow. So first 7 or 9 get screentime with you then the rest of us would be able to watch but wouldn’t be able to get on camera to ask questions, or use the interface to type questions. Might need to post questions on the page. I’ll try to make it though!
on March 16, 2012 - 2:32am
How did the test go? I don’t really want to sign up for G+, but may have to if this is the way forward for the live training sessions.
on March 16, 2012 - 2:35am
Michael,
It went very well, except that I don’t have the access to go “live on air” yet. I can share my screen, but only talk to 10 people at a time. I’m trying to get that changed.
And just because you have a G+ account doesn’t mean you have to do anything else with it… and if you already have a google login, then you have an account — you just have to turn it on ;)
-Joseph
@PhotoJoseph
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