Review of Vyew----a Web 2.0 communication tool

Name: Vyew

URL: www.vyew.com

Type: Communication

General impression:

Vyew is a free online communication tool which allows users to start an online conference with other people anytime, anywhere with internet connection; do presentations, teaching, learning, communicating with friends etc. Its functions give users possibilities to conduct an effective interactive online activity.

The most attractive advantage of the Vyew is that it is very easy to use. It is not necessary to install anything to local computer. Vyew is compatible to different system: PC, Mac, Linux. When using Vyew, the users can upload different formats of the files, such as PowerPoint, Word documents, images, videos, mp3's, flash files. In this aspect, it provides various options for the users to share. Besides, it is free, as long as keeping less than 10 people in the group.

Basic Functions:

Inviting:

When the users are ready to start a room, they can login the account and start a new room. Once the room is set up, users can invite other people to their room. Click the “Invite” button on top of the screen and input the email and set some options. Then the invitation will be sent to the people you want to invite. After they confirm the invitation and login, users can start working with the invitees in the “room”.

Here is a short video to illustrate how to send the invitation to people you want to chat.

Sharing:

Vyew addresses different needs of users, such as sharing files, editing, adding text comments, adding voice notes. From this angle, Vyew acts well as an online whiteboard which provides a platform for users to communicate with each other. With this conferencing features, users can upload images, files, documents and videos into a room that they can access and contribute at any time. Users can write or draw directly on the whiteboard using pencil tools, erase the mistakes, add lines and highlight the words or sentences, or draw shapes.

Here is a quick review of basic function of Vyew.

In addition, users can add voice pieces to the whiteboard. Just click the voice button and make sure the position of the tag. Then the users can add the voice notes on the specific position in the file.

Once the room was set up, it was always saved. So users can came back any time to see the log activities, summary and voice-notes. When users log in, they can see the list of room they set up in the past.

Advanced Functions:

Other than write directly on the whiteboard, uploading files from local computer is another useful way to share files through Vyew. Vyew allows users to upload different formats of files to share with group members, such as word, ppt, video, mp3, flash and so on. The speed of uploading depends on the local internet connection. It took me several minutes to upload a ppt file because of the poor internet connection at home. So if you want to upload a large size file, make sure the speed of internet connection is good enough and be prepare to try several times.

The files uploaded to the room is only acting as the background, users cannot edit the original file. They can only add some notes, comments on it, or try to revise the file by write something “on” it. So it may not be very good at doing text editing. But it will be more effective to use in classroom.

Educational Uses of Vyew

With the upload function, Vyew is a good tool in the classroom. For example, we can use it in learning math, language. The whiteboard become a quiz, like this.

It is also a good tool in learning a foreign language in that teachers can insert the comments, explanations to the ppt which has been uploaded into the room.

Here is a short video to illustrate how to use the uploaded files in the Vyew.

As the researchers, we can share the links and findings in the room by sharing screen. When sharing the screen, you will see this on your screen.

After imported automatically to the Vyew, the screenshot will appear in the center. Then you can start discussion.

To sum up, Vyew, as an free online communication tool, provides easy-to-use tools for the users to try and use in their lives. It is a cool sharing tool to share files with friends, colleagues or whoever you want. It is a good teaching tool to use in the classroom. Unlike some expensive sharing tools, Vyew focuses on sharing by using the simple tools which create several possibilities for the users to experiences. Its advantages includes:

1. Easy-to-Use. It is not necessary to have some training courses about it. The tools on the left side of the screen and ready to use at any time you want.

2. Sharing can happened anywhere, anytime.

3. No need to take the flash drive with you all the time. All files uploaded in the Vyew are stored in the rooms online. You can go back to see it any time.

4. Extended possibilities in the educational environment. Other than the math and foreign language, Vyew can be used in other subjects. So create your own ways to use it in the classroom.

Like everything in the world, Vyew is not perfect. The main disadvantages includes:

1. The services depend on the internet connection only. Sometimes, the poor internet connection did affect its services.

2. The eraser is not easy to handle. It didn't act like a real eraser. You need to be very careful to use it without affect the background file. If you happened to point the eraser on the background, you may lose it forever.

3. There is no restore button in the tools to allow users to find the deleted files. Sometimes, it is frustrated when deleted something important and have to start over.

If you have any experiences with Vyew, please let me know. Let's find out the resolutions to these discrepencies and make Vyew serve us better.