Mobile Spot

With a growing portion of the world now living under some government lockdown due to the pandemic, business and personal communication apps have increased communication via video calling.

Several organizations have had to shift business processes, and employees have had work-from-home on a scale never before attempted. Also, social distancing has made friends and family turn to video calling to see and embrace themselves.

How to Make a Video Call

This article highlights a few of the best video call software and a guide on using them.

1. WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a free chat application owned by Facebook to message or call contacts worldwide. 

If you use an Android or iPhone and have the WhatsApp application installed, setting up a video call is simple. You can even add numerous persons to a video call.

Here’s the way to video call on WhatsApp

1. Open the WhatsApp app from your device’s home screen.
2.  Using the bottom menu, click to select the Calls icon (like a phone).
3. At the top of the Calls screen, select the icon on the right resembling a phone and a plus sign.
4. A list of your contacts will appear. Search through the list to find a specific connection, or type in the contact’s name using the search bar at the top. To create a group call, tap “New Group Call” directly under the search bar.
5. Once you have selected contact, tap the video icon to the right of their name.
6. A video call will then begin. Wait until your contact answers.

You can also video call with contact through a message chat. To begin with, open a chat, then, at that point, select the video call symbol at the top. 

2. Zoom

With groups across the world working distantly during the Coronavirus pandemic, video conferencing instruments like Zoom have gotten amazingly famous. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you’ve never utilized Zoom, understanding it very well may be testing. 

To take care of that, here’s a step-by-step guide for utilizing the Zoom app the correct way:

Visit their website and click on the “Join” button in the upper right corner of the screen. Or download the application from the Zoom site for simple access. You can also download the Zoom iOS or Android application from Google Play Store. Join or sign in to Zoom by adhering to the on-screen guidelines. 

A. How to Start a Zoom Meeting 

For Desktop

• Log in to your Zoom account.
• Move your cursor over the “HOST A MEETING” button at the top-right corner of the screen.
• It will redirect you to the Zoom app and start a meeting. You can change meeting settings or copy the “Invitation URL” that you send to the participants.

Adding Members 

• Start a meeting on the Zoom desktop application.
• On the new meeting page, click on the “Invite” button in the toolbar at the bottom.
• The application will give you the option to either Copy URL or Copy the Invitation. You can send these to participants.
• You can also email the meeting details through your preferred email client via the Zoom app itself directly.

For Cell phones 

• Open the Zoom mobile app 
• Sign in to your account.
• Click the “New Meeting” icon that appears on your screen.
• Edit meeting settings according to your preferences.
• Once you are done, click the “Start A Meeting” button.

         Adding Participants

• Once the meeting starts, tap the “Participant” icon in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen to add and manage participants.
• In the Participants screen that opens up, click on the “Invite” option at the bottom left.
• The app will now allow you to share your meeting details via a variety of communication platforms. These include text, email, and messaging apps on your device.

B. To schedule a meeting

• Open the Zoom app.
• Go to the Meet & Chat page and tap on the “Schedule” button.
• Enter the meeting name, date, and time and tap “Done.”
• You will be redirected to your preferred calendar. Enter details like participant names and set the notifications into your calendar event, then tap “Done.”

3. Google Meet

Google Meet is a video-conferencing application. It is one of the two trade applications for Google Home bases; the other is Google Hangout. You can have up to 100 members to the Google Meet video meeting. 

You can add individuals to a video meeting in Google Meet previously or after the gathering begins. If you start a conference on the fly from Gmail, you add individuals after the conference starts. You can likewise remove individuals during a video meeting. You can start another video meeting from your PC or cell phone with Google Meet. The following are the means to schedule and create a video meeting on Google Meet. 

You can schedule a video meeting from the Google Calendar. 

1. Download the Application

• Go to the Google Play Store. 
• Download and sign in to the Google Meet application. 
• On your gadget, tap the Google Meet application to open it. 

2. How to begin a gathering in the Meet application on Android and iOS

• Open the Meet application. 
• Tap on ‘New Meeting’ to begin a Meeting, tap the meeting code, and enter a meeting code.
• Tap Join meeting. 

3. How to begin a meeting with Google Meet on PC 

• If you have a meeting code, enter a code in the “Enter meeting code” space and snap-on Join. 
• If you need to begin another meeting, click New Meeting. 
• Now pick a choice – Get a Meeting Connect to share or begin a moment meeting. 

4. Skype

Skype allows you to make video calls across a wide range of devices. If you have the Skype application introduced, you can decide on video decisions from your PC or cell phone. 

1. Using a Windows PC 

• Check for a webcam. Be sure your PC has a webcam. On most PCs, the webcam will resemble a tiny opening in the top boundary of the screen. On the off chance that you don’t see a webcam, you should buy an external webcam. 
• Install Skype. 
• Follow installer guidelines. The Skype download should begin afterwards, and the installer will control you by introducing the program. 
• Open Skype. 
• Click on a contact. On the left half of your screen, you will see a rundown of connections if you have added any. Click the name to start a call with that individual. 

You will initially need to add the person on the off chance that you have not added any contact. Request the person’s Skype ID, click Contacts in the upper left of the window, click Add Contact in the dropdown menu, then, at that point, type the Skype ID. 

• Start a video call. To begin a video call, you should initially be in contact with the persons. 
• End the call when done. End the call by tapping the red bar on the lower part of the video call window. 

2. Using a Cell phone 

• Check for a webcam. Be sure your cell phone has a forward-looking camera. 
• Install the Skype application. 
• Open up the application. Search for the application on your telephone and open the application. 
• Click on a contact. Under the contacts tab on your screen, click on a friend’s name to begin a call. 
• Start a video call. While in discussion with a contact, click on the camcorder symbol close to the lower part of your screen. It will begin a video call with your connection. 
• End the call when you are done. Do this by clicking the red option at the lower part of the screen.

Note that you will need reliable Wi-Fi or internet speed to have an excellent quality of video calls.

With teams across the world still working remotely and the pandemic still ranging in some parts of the world, video conferencing software will continue to be relevant in day-to-day communication, be it personal or for official reasons.