Google Hangouts' New Features Make Work Meetings Slightly Less Annoying (cnet.com)

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Google Hangouts' New Features Make Work Meetings Slightly Less Annoying (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on Thursday March 9, 2017 @07:20AM from the remember-google-talk? dept.

Google is rolling out two new features in its communication and messaging app, Hangouts. From a report: (Unfortunately, neither tools help decrease the utterances of such phrases like "How will this scale?" and "Run it up the flagpole.") The first is a video conferencing feature called Hangouts Meet. Meet allows people to hop on meetings via a web link through their laptops or mobile app. This link can be shared in an email or directly through a Google Calendar invite. Colleagues who are traveling without Internet can use a dedicated dial-in phone number. The second feature is Hangouts Chat, which lets coworkers message each other in dedicated chat rooms.

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real indo-chimps by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:31 · Score: 0

use Skype to manage their outsourced street shitting chimps with phony degrees in PhD.
1. Re:real indo-chimps by colinrichardday · 2017-03-09 07:53 · Score: 1
  
  with phony degrees in PhD
  I'll admit that a degree in PhD would be phony.
2. Re:real indo-chimps by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:00 · Score: 0
  
  with phony degrees in PhD
  I'll admit that a degree in PhD would be phony.
  PhD = Ph ony D egree
3. Re:real indo-chimps by invictusvoyd · 2017-03-09 08:07 · Score: 1
  
  Pichai earned his degree from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in Metallurgical Engineering.[19] He holds an M.S. from Stanford University in Material Sciences and Engineering and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,[20] where he was named a Siebel Scholar[21][22] and a Palmer Scholar, respectively.
  
  This guy seems ok, Mr. Trump.
4. Re:real indo-chimps by colinrichardday · 2017-03-09 08:19 · Score: 1
  
  And what does that even mean?
5. Re: real indo-chimps by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 09:04 · Score: 0
  
  so, after realizing that shity indian jungle degree does not work, that chimp went to study elsewhere. OK, obviously a mistake in Trump's judgement.
Uh.. by nightfire-unique · 2017-03-09 07:32 · Score: 1

Never heard the phrase "run it up the flagpole" but if you find the question "how will this scale?" annoying, you may want to choose a new line of business.

--
A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
1. Re:Uh.. by lgw · 2017-03-09 07:46 · Score: 1
  
  Never heard the phrase "run it up the flagpole" but if you find the question "how will this scale?" annoying, you may want to choose a new line of business.
  The full phrase is "let's run this up the flagpole and see who salutes", i.e., let's propose this and see if they buy it. It's a very overused turn of phrase. Say something clever like "let's pass out these matches at the kindergarten and see who ends up in the burn ward".
  
  --
  Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
2. Re:Uh.. by TechyImmigrant · 2017-03-09 07:57 · Score: 1
  
  Never heard the phrase "run it up the flagpole" but if you find the question "how will this scale?" annoying, you may want to choose a new line of business.
  Indeed. It's a primary question you need to answer when proposing any new technology or solution.
  If you ask me how my stuff scales, I'll give you the area/power/performance tradeoffs that are available in the design parameterization.
  
  --
  I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
3. Re:Uh.. by magarity · 2017-03-09 08:23 · Score: 1
  
  At the end of the day, I don't hear "how will this scale" all that much.
4. Re:Uh.. by StickyKeys · 2017-03-09 11:01 · Score: 1
  
  Is that because you've left work at that point?
5. Re:Uh.. by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 16:44 · Score: 0
  
  Never heard the phrase "run it up the flagpole"....
  One of my old bosses used to tell that to his secretary.
6. Re:Uh.. by jandersen · 2017-03-09 21:23 · Score: 1
  
  Never heard the phrase "run it up the flagpole" but if you find the question "how will this scale?" annoying, you may want to choose a new line of business.
  Couldn't you catch this kind of thing with the obscenity filter?
webex by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:33 · Score: 0

So google developed webex? What am I missing here?
1. Re:webex by TechyImmigrant · 2017-03-09 07:57 · Score: 1
  
  So google developed webex? What am I missing here?
  Skype for Business too.
  
  --
  I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
2. Re:webex by A5un · 2017-03-09 08:38 · Score: 1
  
  It's free and perpetually in Beta!
3. Re:webex by Topmounter · 2017-03-09 09:51 · Score: 1
  
  And sometimes it actually works.
GotoMeeting and webex by gatkinso · 2017-03-09 07:34 · Score: 3, Informative

have had this for years.

--
I am very small, utmostly microscopic.
1. Re: GotoMeeting and webex by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:38 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, welcome to 2012 Google...
2. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by nine-times · 2017-03-09 07:42 · Score: 2
  
  Yes, apparently they're repositioning Hangouts as a product. Instead of being Google's competitor to Apple's consumer-grade Facetime and Messages, they're positioning it as a business-grade competitor to WebEx and Slack.
3. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by jafiwam · 2017-03-09 08:12 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Don't worry.
  Google will fail to finish it or pull it out of beta and will drop the project with 2 months warning at some random time between 1 and 4 years in the future.
  All is well.
4. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by neo-mkrey · 2017-03-09 08:23 · Score: 1
  
  Zoom has it too.
5. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by stephanruby · 2017-03-09 09:06 · Score: 2
  
  Yes, but on a desktop computer both GoToMeeting and WebEx required you to open full sized windows before you would be able to access the associated chat room. In other words, the chat room was only secondary to the actual video/audio conferencing, and the chat room history would get reset each time there was a new meeting.
  And last but not least, GoToMeeting and WebEx didn't have a super cool sounding one syllable brand name associated with that feature. Speaking of which, a cool name for that product on GoToMeeting would be Goo. And a cool name for that same product on WebEx would be Wee.
  GoToMeeting and WebEx, I just saved you millions on consulting fees for finding those new product names for you. You're very welcome !
6. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by thegarbz · 2017-03-09 09:20 · Score: 1
  
  Not to mention any enterprise who have office will likely have the same thing already in the form of Lync or Skype for Business, and then at least it's under control of the sysadmin.
7. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by fred6666 · 2017-03-09 10:11 · Score: 1
  
  One major difference could be that Hangouts is still free?
8. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 11:14 · Score: 0
  
  Google Abandons Their Google Hangouts API
9. Re:GotoMeeting and webex by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 14:12 · Score: 0
  
  Google project = absolute no go for anything but a personal project, and even then, with extreme reluctance.
silicon valley innovates again! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:39 · Score: 0

Such mind-boggling futuristic features. I never thought I'd live to see the day. You young whippersnappers have no idea how hard it was to get along in my day. This is hot-digiity-damnazing.
Now get off my lawn.
Playing buzzword bingo by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:41 · Score: 0

gets you lambasted. I quickly quell buzzword speak in meetings. Crap like "herding cats", "nailing jello to trees", "synergy", "boom goes the dynamite", get you leered at here. Followup phrases get you called out. I expect and demand plain English in meetings. People think they sound connected and informed when they use buzzword phrases. It makes people sound fake.
- Pivot
- Curate
- Vertical
- Take it offline
- Do you have the bandwidth / He doesn't have the bandwidth
Just hop right off by chrylis · 2017-03-09 07:42 · Score: 1

The phrase "hop on" is vastly more infuriating than either of those canards. It's a reliable tell that the person who's using it doesn't have to do any stateful work that gets derailed in an environment of constant pointless interruptions.
Nonsense by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:43 · Score: 1

"Google Hangouts" and "Less Annoying" should NEVER be in the same paragraph, let alone the same sentence.
1. Re:Nonsense by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:45 · Score: 1
  
  Allow me to correct myself:
  "Just about any other product is less annoying than Google Hangouts."
2. Re:Nonsense by TechyImmigrant · 2017-03-09 07:59 · Score: 1
  
  Allow me to correct myself:
  "Just about any other product is less annoying than Google Hangouts."
  Except maybe the NIST CSRC Statistical Test Suite: http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/ST...
  I think that is the most annoying software.
  
  --
  I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
3. Re:Nonsense by TooManyNames · 2017-03-09 09:29 · Score: 1
  
  Agreed... Wonder if they'll ever get around to adding a reasonable status feature, such as the ability to specify "Do Not Disturb." Oh, who am I kidding?
  
  --
  "Is not a sentence" is not a sentence. Well damn.
Except for Gmail Google services are a joke by future+assassin · 2017-03-09 07:43 · Score: 3, Interesting

I had my business listing show up on the side and at top of search when people searched online for a service like mine in my area. This was for Google business/maps or whatever the hell they call it every 6 months. Had a good Google+ page. Use to get quite a few calls from my shop showing up on the search. Then one day it just disappeared. I got a bit busy with the shop for a few months and was like ok someone did a better job then me and got listed first now BUT not so, somewhere again Google changed their fucking Local Business crap and fully deleted my shop from their social media shit services and maps. When I logged in it stated my listing was removed for some violation which they wont tell you what it is, as they say it might help people to game the system.
When you submit a review it asks you to link to the page on Google maps/Business BUT when they remove it there is no link as its all been deleted by them.
Anyways after going WTF it was easier to just deleted the whole account and start over.

--
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
1. Re:Except for Gmail Google services are a joke by Mikkeles · 2017-03-09 10:50 · Score: 2
  
  Even GMail sucks. Our sorry story:
  Off to Italy, having done our communications and reservations, etc. with a GMail account.
  Arrived in Rome and attempted to use it to provide/get further information.
  Oh noes! You're using your account from a different location! Nobody ever travels or gets a GMail account to be universally (earthily?) accessible!
  You must send us your cell phone number (we don't have one) or your home e-mail address so we can ask for confirmation. We can't access that. In fact, we used a GMail account so as to not bother with setting up a web access.
  Fortunately, I saved the previous e-mails, created a new GMail account and used that to communicate. Most people just reply, so we got the responses on the new account.
  Summary: GMail sucks.
  
  --
  Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
2. Re:Except for Gmail Google services are a joke by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 19:13 · Score: 0
  
  Wait till you try to pull the travel trick with fuckbook. They will ask you to upload your passport.
3. Re:Except for Gmail Google services are a joke by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 21:35 · Score: 0
  
  Oh dear god, and I guess there are a lot of people out there dumb enough to actually do it.
Google reduced to hiding truth? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:45 · Score: 0

See my subject & KNEEL! I cut off GOLD "your kind" craves. Your SOUL = controlled - I cut off the GOLD - no more infecting, tracking & slowing us WHIMPS!
* I put a stop to THAT with the quickness (extreme quickness in kernelmode, NOT slower usermode from "so-called 'solutions'" like AlmostALLAdsBlocked you BRIBED to not even WORK anymore - you can't buy me OR suppress me worms.
The 'great technical minds' of Joogle can't outsmart me? Of COURSE not - they're OpenSORES thieves of others work (as your kind has ALWAYS been thru history).
APK
P.S.=> That's RIGHT advertiser PURSE STRING PULLER here on /. - you don't run me (you MAY run ole' "LOGE" our host here, but not I & you NEVER will but I PWN YOU easily - so much so, you have to resort to bogus downmods to hide it, lmao)... apk
1. Re:Google reduced to hiding truth? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:23 · Score: 0
  
  so, uh, earth has a 4 corner simultaneous time cube?
Confused by darkain · 2017-03-09 07:46 · Score: 1

Wait, what's changed then? Text based chats have been around forever. I've been using Hangouts to add people via phone numbers for years. So now the hangout has the ability to dial into it? So they just added the opposite connection direction? Is that literally it? Because as far as URL goes, you've always been able to send someone the URL of a Hangout once it is started, and anyone can join that way without a formal invite inside of the hangout. Additionally, Hangouts have already supported calendars this entire time. If you set the end time to years in the future, the same Hangout URL will work until that time expires. I've set this up with a short URL redirect to the same Hangout chatroom years ago that has never changed that my friends all know about. We all just pop in a casually chat it up whenever we're bored. Everyone knows the same short URL, and it just redirects to the full longer Google Hangouts URL.
1. Re:Confused by nine-times · 2017-03-09 08:08 · Score: 2
  
  Hangouts has been a single unified app that gives consumer-grade IM, voice calls, and video conferencing. They're now splitting the functionality into two products: an audio/video conferencing app, and a text-based chat app. Further, each of those applications are have features added in the hopes of competing with existing business-grade solutions. The audio/video conferencing is getting some features to put it more in line with WebEx, while the text-based chat is being changed to be more like Slack.
  That seems to be the basic idea, at least, as far as I can gather.
  
  I've been using Hangouts to add people via phone numbers for years. So now the hangout has the ability to dial into it? So they just added the opposite connection direction?
  Yeah, that seems to be the idea. I think they're saying that they've just streamlined the process for inviting people and allowing them to join Hangout meetings, with the aim to make it look more business-y so that businesses that use WebEx and GoToMeeting might use Hangouts instead. I don't use Hangouts enough to know all of what changes they'd need to do to make that happen, but they've been signaling for a while that they want to turn Hangouts into a business-oriented component of the G-Suite, in order to compete better with Office 365.
2. Re:Confused by nasch · 2017-03-09 16:03 · Score: 1
  
  Can you join a hangouts meeting without signing in to a google account? It sounds like that will be possible with this new feature. Or if that is possible today then yeah I don't see what the new feature is besides dialing in.
3. Re:Confused by rot16 · 2017-03-09 23:57 · Score: 1
  
  The dialing in thing probably is not new, I saw LibreOffice design team using it over a year ago. That said, I am not entirely sure if that was standard feature or some smart fellow doing the thing.
KNEEL to me Joogle! apk by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 07:48 · Score: 0

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APK
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1. Re:KNEEL to me Joogle! apk by mrbester · 2017-03-09 07:51 · Score: 1
  
  Mr APK, welcome back. We missed you.
  
  --
  "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
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I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine. Your software is well written, functional. The Host File Engine performs exactly as promised by mmell

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P.S.=> I enjoy seeing Rabbi Brin & Eric SHIT kneel... apkb
The only way to make meetings less annoying by Opportunist · 2017-03-09 08:01 · Score: 1

If it has a Bullshit Bingo app that also keeps scoring, bonus if it uses the mike to listen to the drivel the markedroid drones on about and make sure nobody cheats.
NEWSFLASH, managers and markedroids: Nobody gives half a shit about your speeches in meetings. "Can we bring our laptops to your presentation so we can do some meaningful work while you hold your speech?" is the ONLY honest question you'll EVER be asked by a tech when it comes to your presentation.

--
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
1. Re:The only way to make meetings less annoying by xxxJonBoyxxx · 2017-03-09 08:04 · Score: 2
  
  Also, a big clock that starts a 3-minute count down as soon as it recognizes a new voice would be great.
  
  Or a "mumble meter" that would tell the mopes camping the local meeting in the background to speak the fuck up.
2. Re: The only way to make meetings less annoying by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 11:07 · Score: 0
  
  I would pay for both of features, so much money!
No, that's backwards by computational+super · 2017-03-09 08:02 · Score: 1

How in God's name is that supposed to make meetings less annoying?

--
Proud neuron in the Slashdot hivemind since 2002.
So It Is Now Just Like Skype and Zoom? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:10 · Score: 0

meh. :-/
Ah, std. modus operandi via unidentifiable ac! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:34 · Score: 0

See my subject & KNEEL Joogle! "Rinse, Lather & Repeat" bitches. U FAIL using downmods vs. https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10344969&cid=54008615/
* You make me laugh - my p.s. does even moreso below hahahaha!
APK
P.S.=> What's it like KNOWING "Lil' Ole' ME" is outsmarting your NOT so 'best & brightest' Joogle? It's just (& you KNOW I've just GOTTA say it as per my usual inimitable style) "too, Too, TOO EASY - just '2ez'" & always is vs. Take away their GOLD & they ARE CONTROLLED joogle, lol... apk
1. Re: Ah, std. modus operandi via unidentifiable ac! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:42 · Score: 0
  
  Oh shit, APK is off his meds again!
What's new? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:47 · Score: 0

This sounds like a description of Google Hangouts. What's new here? Is it just putting the features that have long been in the browser interface into dedicated apps? Even that isn't clear.
Silence JOOGLE minion: Quit projecting! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 08:49 · Score: 0

See my subject & KNEEL to me Joogle (rotflmao) troll via unidentifiable offtopic anonymous reply https://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10344969&cid=54008615/
* R o T f L m A o @ U, Joogle... bigtime!
APK
P.S.=> So much for your "OpenSORES" PhD codethieves eh? Can't outsmart "Lil Ole' ME" technically, can you?? Nope - just more "Jooglewry" bullshit, lol... apk
Goog by fluffernutter · 2017-03-09 08:54 · Score: 1

In a business climate where corporate espionage can be so damaging, I can't understand the decision to use hangouts and give your proprietary knowledge to Google. Imagine what they could know about the internal workings of corporations just by scanning meetings.

--
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
1. Re:Goog by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 14:22 · Score: 0
  
  almost every single non-profit uses them too. Docs, Forms, GMail, Hangouts, every last piece of every organizations planning, communications, and documentation. Add to that the fact that they make a point of having execs on all sorts of government advisor panels. Scary shit indeed. How people are so stupid and oblivious and just hand everything over, I'll never understand.
2. Re:Goog by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 21:40 · Score: 0
  
  But it's in the cloud! The cloud is good, right?!
Additionally: I don't do JOOGLE Heroin meds by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 09:26 · Score: 0

See my subject & Google execs like their HEROIN their bogus ads pay for https://www.google.com/search?q=Google+and+Heroin+and+Prostitute&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1/ eh?
* Make yourselves SICK, I stop JOOGLE doing that to our computers via their bogus ads that infest, track & slow us, kill yourselves (don't worry, I'm helping you there too DRYING UP that AD GOLD, lol!)
APK
P.S.=> I am LAUGHING @ U Joogle - real "SMART GUYS" you have working for you (Junkie scum)... apk
Heroin helps during Joogle covert meetings by Anonymous Coward · 2017-03-09 10:09 · Score: 0

Real "smartguys" you "OpenSORES" codethieves have working for you I see https://www.google.com/search?q=Google+and+Heroin+and+Prostitute&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1/
* REAL "honorable" family man too (not). Guess it helped him in his COVERT MEETINGS w/ a fucking drugged out junkie prostitute too!
APK
P.S.=> I own your asses JOOGLE - shall I also point out the greatest RACISTS of them all too? Ask - go on "guilt me" & we'll see what is what from your OWN book of law... apk
technology by DrYak · 2017-03-09 11:02 · Score: 1

WebEx is a horrible pile of java that isn't very portable (relies on binary JNI libraries for audio/video) and thus doen't work reliably on Linux 64 bits.
Adobe Connect is an aweful Flash monster (requieres freshplayer plugin layer under Linux) that crashes at the slightest disturbance (whenever the network devices or the mic sources change).
Meanwhile, all the various "meet"-type services (hangout meet, jitsi meet, etc.) rely on pretty standard HTML5/WebRTC. It works on anything under the sun that is compliant.
(Skype is in a middle ground. The older app might get problems when trying to run. And web Skype relies on ORTC, microsoft's own nih reinterpretation of the standards. So Microsoft Edge-only for now, but efforts are underway to bring it to linux).

--
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
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