Set up Instant Video Chats and Conferences with Appear.in

Distance learning isn’t as easy as it seems. It seems like I discovered Appear.in a tad too late because I’m just a few semesters away from graduating with my Master’s degree, but you might find this service useful.

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Appear.in basically lets you have a video conference, chat, whatever you want to call it, with up to eight people online. All you have to do is log on their site, create a room, share the link with others, and go.

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There’s no need to register for any accounts, log in, or install any software. This makes it perfect for project discussions and group sessions where not all members have Skype, WebEx or other similar messenger-type programs installed on their devices. The only requirement is that users have a webcam or microphone and the latest version of Chrome, Firefox or Opera.

You can find more info and try Appear.in here.

[via RedFerret]

Source: OnLive undergoing buyout in wake of dire financials, laying off ‘at least 50 percent’ of staff

After a lot of back and forth from the rumor mill and official OnLive channels, we now have what we believe to be a far clearer view of precisely what is happening right now at OnLive headquarters in Palo Alto. We’ve spoken with a (now former) employee of the gaming service who ran down today’s events for us. According to the account, a meeting was held at OnLive’s offices at 10AM this morning, wherein the company’s CEO announced a massive staff layoff — at least 50 percent of the staff, according to our source’s numbers. The layoffs come as part of across the board cuts to the company, and all those out of a job will have their key cards deactivated as of 4PM local time today. The source was understandably baffled by the abruptness of the news, along with the added blow that no severance will be offered and stock holdings are essentially worth nothing.

The move apparently comes as OnLive is being purchased by an unknown party. Those being kept on have reportedly received offer letters from the new company. Why the sudden move? The source believes it may have something to do with the company’s massive operating costs, which we’re told are around $5 million a month. Certainly those concerns line up with a story dug up by Kotaku highlighting the company’s plans to file for Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors as a result of the company’s troubled financial situation. We’re still gathering information as to the nature of the buyout.

Update: According to our source, the writing wasn’t on the wall at the company per se, but OnLive had reportedly been entertaining acquisition offers ahead of the news from companies including HP.

Update 2: Our source has offered up some additional information on the matter, putting the average concurrent user number for the service at 1,100 to 1,500, peaking at around 1,800 on a given day — not exceptional by any means in the face of reported $5 million a month operating costs. The number of layoffs, meanwhile, may well be greater than originally suggested, with our source putting the number of employees staying on board at around 10 to 20 percent.

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Source: OnLive undergoing buyout in wake of dire financials, laying off ‘at least 50 percent’ of staff originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook and Walmart to ‘deepen’ involvement, won’t rollback FarmVille prices just yet

Facebook Credits at Walmart

The involvement between Facebook and Walmart is about to get a lot cozier than gift cards in aisle three. Facebook says it wants to “deepen” its connection to Walmart and hopes to learn from the big-box retailer’s skill in building a long-term business; that’s rather important when the social network is still young enough for the ink to be wet on shares from its initial public offering. To that end, Facebook’s entire executive team will meet with Walmart at its Arkansas headquarters on July 20th in the hopes the two companies will be singing kumbaya when all is said and done. Knowing that both companies have taken a bruising in their public images from time to time, we can understand why some might be apprehensive about the idea of any tighter collaboration — not until they can buy FarmVille harvests for 88 cents, at least.

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Facebook and Walmart to ‘deepen’ involvement, won’t rollback FarmVille prices just yet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 18:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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