I have recently been personally experimenting with Google+ and the Hangout feature where up to 10 people can use their webcam and microphone to live chat. So far I have held several Hangouts all with great results and feedback. I am even perfecting a way to not only show my face but also switch to my video screen to show something if needed.

Now I am expanding this personal social media experiment and setting up an a series of 30 minute Google+ Hangout experimental chats on August 18th,2011 to further explore this fun casual discussion option to connect with others. I will setup perhaps two Hangouts to allow for easier attendance by those in other time zones depending on the form feedback. I may also hold multiple Hangouts if the popularity and number of sign-ups are large since there is a hard limit by Google+ to ten participants. Depending on how it goes we can hold these a few times a month to discuss technology, Autodesk, Autodesk products, and what's going on out in your part of the world and industry.

There is nothing like a real discussion seeing and hearing multiple people just as if we were sitting in a casual lounge somewhere.

Update:

I have two main concerns;

1. Too many people will want in the Hangout and not be able to. There is no way to really set a RSVP for people to be in the channel unless I add peoples Google+ account names to a circle then only invite those in that circle to the Hangout. We might do that in the future but this will be taking the method first in wins. Please be considerate that there are only 10 spots at any given time. Please make sure you really want to participate in a live video/audio chat session. We will be talking all things Autodesk, Technology and what is going on in your part of the world or cubicle for about 30 minutes, perhaps longer.

2. It is new technology on a new social media and something weird could happen especially without any microphone locking.

Given these concerns weighed against the benefit and fun I will hold another test session tomorrow at: 12:00 p.m. PDT 19:00 GMT

How to join the Hangout

Go to my Google+ profile to visit for the Hangout at 12:00 p.m. PDT 19:00 GMT: https://plus.google.com/116394483850315269455

Cheers,
Shaan

Shaan Hurley
Technology Evangelist
Autodesk, Inc..
www.autodesk.com

Twitter @mrcadman 
Google+ https://plus.google.com/116394483850315269455