Keeping in touch with relations

[Electric_Andy]

I use whatsApp video with my parents, my partner and my sister. It works well. You can also have a 4-way video chat but I don't like them; there's always someone who doesn't want to wait for the person talking to finish before they start their own conversation!

 

[Julia9054]

I'm quite happy to use the phone to keep in touch, don't get the urge to electronically see their faces as well.

I feel the same. In fact, I find it off putting (though that is mainly having to see my own face at the same time!)

 

[Katherine]

We've had 2 family Zoom meetings now. Absolutely wonderful.
The conversations went really well and we all felt better for seeing everyone,especially my mum on her own and me because I'm the only one whose kids are grown up and have their own homes.
2 continents, 3 countries, 7 households, 3 generations, 20 people in total.
We have not managed a physical get together for years without at least one person or family has been missing. - There would have been 10 of us meeting at Easter.
I expect we will continue after this is over though it will be harder with busy lives to get everyone on at once.

 

[cyberknight]

WE have an alexa show which we use to keep in contact with FIL so he can speak to us and grandkids every day so we can keep an eye on him and do his shopping etc.
My mum is old fashioned so we just call and text and i pop around a few times a week ann stand on her lawn to see how she is .

 

[Globalti]

It's difficult phoning Mummy, you have to crenk the hendle and ask the operator for Crompton Gusset 204. They usually sound exasperated and give me a long sequence of numbers starting with five apparently at rendom followed by 395204, which I can just about remember. I've never succeeded in getting Mummy but I've hed some jolly interesting chets with all kinds of people with quaint regional eccents.

 

[BoldonLad]

Mrs @BoldonLad has a brother living in Australia. We also have grandchildren living about 300 miles away from us. So, even before Covid-19, we used FaceTime to "keep in touch".

For "calls" where we want to be speaking to several people in different locations, at same time, we use Zoom.

If it is just a "person to person" call, where I actually want to see them (eg grandchildren) we use Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp, depending on what technology they have at the receiving end.

I may be missing something, but, I don't see any advantage in Zoom for a person to person video call ?

 

[Archie_tect]

WE've used Skyp since our children worked abroad but they have been great setting up Whats App and Zoom conference calls to have board game sessions... we also have a family quiz every Saturday... I lost the previous week so had to set the questions this week- the section on Architecture and the Building Regs didn't go down too well!

We have 'pub night's with friends which are good and a lot cheaper than meeting them in a real pub, thankfully the snack selection is getting more interesting as time goes on!

 

[Milkfloat]

I spend all day at work on Cisco WebEx and now ever since Covid-19 I spend the evenings bouncing around on Skype, Facetime, Zoom, Houseparty Google Hangouts etc depending on who I am talking to. I speak to my family at least 10 times more than before Covid. I would rather be riding my bike.

 

[oldwheels]

I have no aged relatives to keep tabs on. Not sure I should admit this but I am the aged relative everybody else has to keep tabs on. My son and family communicate by phone but they are always at me to get WhatsApp. I have enough apps already so cannot be bothered adding more. Other family members communicate by email which seems to work ok.

 

[Pale Rider]

I have no aged relatives to keep tabs on. Not sure I should admit this but I am the aged relative everybody else has to keep tabs on. My son and family communicate by phone but they are always at me to get WhatsApp. I have enough apps already so cannot be bothered adding more. Other family members communicate by email which seems to work ok.

One advantage of Zoom is it's free - unlimited one to ones on the introductory free tariff.

I like a natter with my brother and mother when he's around her house to supervise mother's phone use.

At the moment I have access to my employer's smart phone and am allowed pretty much unlimited UK voice calls.

But those calls have to be paid for somewhere, so I would be straight on Zoom if I lost the use of the phone.

Another thought is the voice through Zoom/computer is much clearer than the telephone.

I'm hoping mother may prefer it - brother can plonk the laptop in front of her just as easily as the telephone.

We shall see this afternoon.

 

[Pale Rider]

One advantage of Zoom is it's free - unlimited one to ones on the introductory free tariff.

I like a natter with my brother and mother when he's around her house to supervise mother's phone use.

At the moment I have access to my employer's smart phone and am allowed pretty much unlimited UK voice calls.

But those calls have to be paid for somewhere, so I would be straight on Zoom if I lost the use of the phone.

Another thought is the voice through Zoom/computer is much clearer than the telephone.

I'm hoping mother may prefer it - brother can plonk the laptop in front of her just as easily as the telephone.

We shall see this afternoon.

It wasn't quite the Waltons, but the Rider family call proceeded as expected.

Mother grasped it and liked it which is the most important thing.

She can lift the phone when it rings so I will still use that to get hold of her on occasion.

We've booked another Zoom sesh for the same time next week.

 

[Pale Rider]

I should add Zoom has waived its 40 minute limit for group calls on their free tariff.

That might be just for the virus period, but at the moment the free service is darn good.

I think all I cannot do is run a large number group call.

Not too fussed about that - I bet large group calls are not a good experience for the individual participant.

 

[DaveReading]

I should add Zoom has waived its 40 minute limit for group calls on their free tariff.

Are you sure that's true in general, and not just for China?

"Zoom is doing everything we can to provide resources and support to those navigating the coronavirus outbreak, including:

• For our Basic (free) users in China, we’ve lifted the 40-minute limit on meetings with more than two participants, providing unlimited time to collaborate."

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/ar...ss-Continuity-During-the-Coronavirus-Outbreak

This page still mentions the 40-minute limit: https://zoom.us/pricing

 

[Rocky]

Are you sure that's true in general, and not just for China?

"Zoom is doing everything we can to provide resources and support to those navigating the coronavirus outbreak, including:

• For our Basic (free) users in China, we’ve lifted the 40-minute limit on meetings with more than two participants, providing unlimited time to collaborate."

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/ar...ss-Continuity-During-the-Coronavirus-Outbreak

This page still mentions the 40-minute limit: https://zoom.us/pricing

Paley is right. I was using it the other day and at 40 mins, I got a message saying I’d updated the meeting for free.

 

[Pale Rider]

Paley is right. I was using it the other day and at 40 mins, I got a message saying I’d updated the meeting for free.

Yes, I wasn't the host for our meeting, but middle brother who was the host told me he got the same message.

I've also just read it in the terms and conditions somewhere without reference to China, but I cannot now find the link.

There's an awful lot about privacy and passwords becoming compulsory in April.

Seems to me Zoom have become aware of their reputation for poor security and are doing their best to sort it.

I couldn't care less about anyone unfortunate enough to have to listen to my family gossip, but I suppose Zoom want business meetings from companies who may pay for the service who would not want want sensitive commercial chat overheard.