Dallas is halfway to a Stanley Cup. Here are the biggest trends so far and which will stick in the next rounds.
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Unfortunately, this is the final chance of the NFL season to win money in FOX Sports’ weekly, FREE-to-enter contest called the “FOX Super 6”. Since the NFC title game is on FOX, the Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers is the only game in the contest.
All you need to do is answer six questions, predicting team and player performances through the FOX Sports App. Points are accrued for all six picks. Here are the official rules and some FAQ’s for the FOX Super 6 contest.
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Detroit’s defense is quietly one of the best at stopping the run. Opponents are averaging just 3.8 yards per carry vs. the Lions, which ranks fifth in the NFL. My hunch is Detroit coach Dan Campbell takes away San Francisco’s ground game and forces Niners second-year QB Brock Purdy to make plays in the air.
Whether or not that happens, we’ll see. Furthermore, San Francisco’s weakness on defense is stopping the run and Detroit’s offensive line is one of the best in the NFL. In an effort to reduce possessions, I can see the Lions “establishing the run” Sunday.
PICK: 49ers QB Brock Purdy
I’m assuming everyone who plays in the contest will put Niners RB Christian McCaffrey atop of this list. CMC is the presumptive 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. McCaffrey is just as dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield as he is running it.
Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs is second for me in this pool because he’s a younger version of CMC. Gibbs is as much of a threat in the pass game as he is on the ground. In the divisional round, Gibbs had 13 touches for 144 total yards and 1 rushing TD.
With that in mind, Lions RB David Montgomery is at the bottom of this list. Montgomery had only 47 total yards on 13 touches. He’s been Detroit’s goal-line running back all season but Lions third-string RB Craig Reynolds got a 1-yard TD run last weekend.
Let’s sandwich Detroit WR Amon-Ra St. Brown between Gibbs and Montgomery since I’m projecting the Lions to utilize their rushing attack more so Sunday. St. Brown can go off but San Francisco’s has an elite secondary and pass rush.
PICK: 1- 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, 2- Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs, 3- Detroit WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, and 4- Lions RB David Montgomery
It’s surprising that 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk is the third-most popular pick for this question. Aiyuk led San Francisco in several receiving stats during the regular season such as targets (105), catches (75), and receiving yards (1,342).
Niners WR Deebo Samuel left the divisional round early with a shoulder injury and is “questionable” for the conference championship. If Deebo misses Sunday, Aiyuk should have even more targets. Plus, Detroit has two of the worst outside cornerbacks in the NFL.
PICK: San Francisco WR Brandon Aiyuk
Obviously, the Aiyuk pick correlates with the third question so no reason to discuss that further. St. Brown and Lions TE Sam LaPorta are a toss-up for the second pick here. But, I’ll go with St. Brown because he’s been a game-breaker lately.
For instance, St. Brown has at least 106 receiving yards in four of the last six games dating back to the regular season. He’s caught a TD pass in five of those games. The Sun God’s worst game was last week where he caught 8 passes for 77 yards and 1 TD.
San Francisco WR Jauan Jennings being at the bottom of this list makes sense when you compare his numbers to the other guys. On top of that, Detroit’s only good cover corner is rookie nickelback Brian Branch who will lineup against Jennings in the slot.
PICK: 1-Niners WR Brandon Aiyuk, 2- Detroit WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, 3- Lions TE Sam LaPorta, and 4- San Francisco WR Jauan Jennings.
Speaking of “game-breakers”, Gibbs might be the most explosive player on the field in Lions-49ers. His 31-yard TD scamper in the fourth quarter last week put Detroit ahead for good vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday.
This is also a quasi-leverage play. A majority of the FOX Super 6 contest entrants are picking CMC. So I can gain some ground on the field if Gibbs has the longest rush in this game. Finally, since Gibbs is a threat in the passing game, he might be running against lighter boxes.
PICK: Detroit RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Lions win or lose by 6 points or fewer | 49ers win by 7 points or more
Typically, this is where I’d “fade the FOX Super 6 contest”. That said, the Niners aren’t seven points better than the Lions. San Francisco’s defense is overrated and Detroit’s top-tier offensive line can keep Jared Goff upright.
Moreover, Campbell is one of the best playcallers in the league and Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson switches up his strategy weekly. Everyone assumes the Lions won’t be able to stop the 49ers but Detroit’s offense will have success too. Lastly, given Detroit’s dynamic offense, the Lions could sneak in the backdoor with a late TD in garbage time.
PICK: Lions win or lose by 6 points or fewer
Video conferencing isn’t going anywhere. It’s been growing in popularity for years, and COVID basically caused the industry to explode. Now, everyone’s doing it and there are tons of options. The only question is, which video conference meeting option is right for your business.
When it comes to choosing a video conference meeting option for your business, you need to consider a number of factors. These are factors that all businesses need to think about, regardless of type or size. Consider the following:
Answering these questions before you start your search will make it much easier to decide. Let’s look at the top options.
Slack upped its game in the video conference meeting arena over the years. It’s pretty basic, but if you already have it and use it for other things, definitely give it a shot for video conferencing. There is no need to add something else if what you have will already work. However, if you find it just doesn’t fit the bill, you have plenty to choose from. Also, don’t get Slack just for video conferencing. That isn’t it’s main selling point.
Prices start at $8 per month for the standard plan that includes video calls along with unlimited chat archive and priority support.
Now part of Verizon as of April 2020, the cute name is still hanging on. It bills itself as “the meetings platform for the modern workplace,” and the name comes from the desire of the founders to make it as comfortable and casual as possible. They focus on instant connections. The platform uses a mobile or desktop app straight from the browser. There is no download requirement.
After the acquisition, Verizon lowered prices and added a lot of new features. There is background noise cancellation, integration both with conference room systems that are hardware based and options like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Facebook Workplace. There are also plenty of collaboration tools including screen sharing and whiteboarding.
There’s a free trial. After that, there are 3 plan options that you can pay monthly or annually if you want a 20% discount. The standard plan is $12.49 per meeting host per month and supports up to 50 in attendance. It also supports 5 hours of meeting recording, but does not integrate with message apps like Slack. Prices and features go up from there.
The big pull for Webex is the virtual whiteboard feature. It also has crisp audio, but is known for usability issues. It can be a good fit, but with options like the virtual whiteboard Miro that you can use while you are on a call, it’s really not necessary for most to use Webex solely on the basis of the whiteboard option.
Prices start at $14.95 per host per month for up to 50 people per meeting and 5GB of cloud storage.
This option is top notch for Google users. Its deep integration with other Google apps can be useful. Just create a meeting in Google Calendar and get a link that you and other attendees can click to join the call instantly.
Live captioning is also a big plus on the accessibility side. It works well for English, but not so much for any other languages that may be on a call.
It’s free for up to 100 participants for up to 60 minutes. For more than that, packages start at $6 per month as part of Google Workspace Basic.
Zoom is arguably the best known video conference meeting option in this post-COVID era. It was making headway before, but when the world was sent home to work where possible, Zoom was thrust into the spotlight virtually overnight.
It boasts a wealth of features, including free 1:1 calls with no time limit. Group calls are free for up to 100 people for up to 40 minutes. Then, the paid plans allow up to 1,000 on a call at one time. The best part is that Zoom is super reliable. Even with a bad connection, it can usually keep the video going.
Those on a call can text chat with the whole group or talk individually. Screen sharing, call recording, and advance scheduling are also part of the package.
Zoom is free for up to 40 minutes if you have 100 people or fewer on the call. The pro plan is $14.99 per month per host.
One thing you do not want, if you can help it, is to get everyone used to one option then have to switch. Also, don’t think about which one is best for just right now, but which one works now and will keep working into the future as your business grows. Consider each one carefully in light of the questions above, do your own research, then take the leap. And remember, if you are already using video conferencing, you may already have what you need. Don’t fix it if it isn’t broken.
The post Top 5 Video Conference Meeting Options for Your Business appeared first on Credit Suite.
ESPN.com’s college basketball experts pick a winner for all 31 men’s conference tournaments.
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Just a decade ago, conference calls were challenging to set up and manage.
But today, I can click a few buttons and hop on a call with my entire team in a matter of seconds from the comfort of my home while my teammates stay safely in theirs.
However, the best conference call services go beyond basic phone calls.
They also offer a suite of collaboration and connectivity tools that make our current situation easier to navigate… together.
As the demand for remote connectivity rises, new services are popping up left and right.
Plus, there are already hundreds of options to choose from, making it feel impossible to choose the right conference call services for your team.
So to help make your life a bit easier, I looked at dozens of options and narrowed it down to my top eight recommendations.
The best conference call service for you and your team depends on various factors, including the size of your business, the level of security you need, and extra features you’re interested in.
It may help to start with a comprehensive list of everything you need. Then, you can use that as you go through the decision-making process.
And as you create your list, don’t forget to include the following considerations.
A conference call with ten people is vastly different than a conference call with hundreds of participants.
So, it’s essential to consider your team’s size and the number of participants you expect for any given meeting. Some service providers include low limits, while others allow thousands of participants depending on the plan you choose.
Whether your meetings are confidential or not, security is an important feature to consider. Furthermore, it should be a priority rather than an afterthought.
So, make sure you consider:
Furthermore, pay attention to how the provider stores your data and what they’re allowed to do with it if you use their services.
The world is more mobile and more distant than ever before. That said, mobile access is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a conference call service.
Giving employees and other meeting attendees the ability to join using their mobile device is convenient for everyone involved. And it may mean fewer cancellations plus more of the right participants joining in, even if they’re not at their desk.
So, ensure the service provider you choose includes mobile access.
A conference call with low audio and video can be incredibly frustrating. So, it’s crucial to choose a service provider with top-notch video and audio quality.
Of course, your internet connection plays a role. But you should carefully consider choosing a conference call service with HD video and audio capabilities for a smoother experience all around.
If you need other features, like a virtual phone system or the ability to host webinars, you can bundle conference calling services with software specializing in something else.
You may also want to consider other features, like:
It’s also important to consider if you need to buy new equipment to handle a conference call service you’re considering. Some software integrates directly with the hardware you already have, making setup and everyday use a breeze.
However, others may require special equipment or something newer than what you currently use. And they may require professional installation, as well, depending on the number of users you need.
Some may work with your employees’ personal phones, mitigating the need for separate business phones.
There are two main types of conference call services: assisted and reservationless.
The one you’re probably most familiar with is reservationless. It’s the most common and easiest to use because you can do everything on your own. All you have to do is create a bridge and then share the link with anyone you want to join.
It’s perfect for small, informal meetings and regular conference calls.
Assisted conference calls are much more formal. However, they require you to rely on someone else to organize. Assisted calls are most commonly used for large events with attendees all over the world.
The operator organizes the call and may even help invite the right people. Plus, they usually greet attendees when they join and help manage the flow of your meetings.
While an actual human being traditionally does this, today’s technology has helped automate the process.
As such, many conference call services offer an auto-assistant to greet callers, create custom joining experiences, gather caller contact information, store it, highlight action items, and more.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use online conference call software, go with GoToMeeting. It’s an excellent option for both small and large businesses alike. Plus, it’s incredibly simple to set up.
In fact, you can host or join meetings in one click from your phone, your laptop, a conference room, or any remote location.
Furthermore, you can easily host and join audio, video, and web meetings as well. So, whether you’re the administrator or an attendee, it’s a smooth and seamless process for everyone involved.
With GoToMeeting, you get a ton of influential conference calling features, including:
Plus, meeting participants can join using commuter mode, which helps them save mobile data and provides a distraction-free experience on their mobile devices.
Unlike most of the other options on this list, GoToMeeting doesn’t offer a free plan.
But their paid plans are incredibly affordable and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Those premium plans include:
Start your 14-day free trial to see if GoToMeeting is right for you!
RingCentral is an all-in-one business communications platform encompassing instant messaging, video, and phone. So, it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a comprehensive communication tool.
Furthermore, it’s secure, easy to use, reliable, and accessible on any device.
Plus, you’re in excellent company with more than 400,000 customers worldwide.
And the best part? They offer an incredibly robust free plan for video conferencing. With it, you can meet with up to 100 participants (for up to 40 minutes) anytime from anywhere on any device.
The free plan also comes with incredible features, including:
And their premium plans include advanced features like phone support, reporting, single sign on, and advanced team messaging tools.
RingCentral’s all-in-one office pricing is a bit expensive, with plans starting at $19.99 per user per month. However, those plans come with a ton of extra features, including everything you need to streamline business communications.
So, it’s an excellent choice if you need everything from SMS messaging and video conferencing to business phones and internet faxing for your entire team.
Alternatively, you can upgrade to a paid conferencing-only plan with RingCentral Meetings. Their Meetings plans include:
Sign up for a free forever plan to get started with RingCentral today!
Webinars are an excellent way to demo products, deliver online training, and host online events. They’re useful for everything from marketing and sales to education and large meetings.
So, if you’re looking for a tool that offers webinar capabilities and conference call features, ClickMeeting is your best option.
However, it’s a bit expensive, so I only recommend it if you plan to use it for both purposes.
The software comes with a ton of excellent features for both conference calls and webinars, including things like:
Furthermore, they offer an extensive knowledge base so you can learn everything to make the most of your new software without calling customer service.
However, keep in mind that all plans cap conference calls to 25 participants.
ClickMeeting offers a free 30-day trial, but there isn’t a free forever plan. There are three options to choose from, including:
Start your 30-day free trial to take ClickMeeting for a test drive today!
Grasshopper is a bit different than the other options on this list. Their software is a simple way to turn your personal phone into a business phone without worrying about buying new hardware.
So, if you’re a solopreneur or small team looking for an easy way to set up business phones for your team, Grasshopper is an excellent choice.
However, I don’t recommend going this route unless you actually need a virtual business phone system.
The software is incredibly easy to set up. All you have to do is select your phone number, choose a pricing plan, download the app, configure your settings, and you’re good to go.
It seriously takes just a few minutes and is incredibly easy to use. Aside from conference calling, you also get access to powerful features, including:
While most of the app features are incredibly easy to use, conference calling is a bit less traditional than the other options listed here. Rather than participants joining your call, you have to call them, making it more aligned with old-school conference calls.
But you get unlimited conference calls with up to ten participants and the added business-phone functionality all for an extremely affordable price.
Grasshopper’s paid plans include:
Sign up for a free 7-day trial to see if it’s right for you today!
As more people shift to remote work, Zoom has become a household name.
It’s one of the most popular video conferencing tools on the market—and for a good reason.
Their robust free plan is more than enough for most users, making it an excellent and budget-friendly option for individuals and small businesses alike.
Their free plan includes unlimited meetings with up to 100 participants for up to 40 minutes and unlimited 1:1 meetings with a 24-hour time cap. Furthermore, you also get free access to features like:
All for free. So, if you’re looking for a robust and intuitive conference call service without paying a penny, Zoom is definitely one of the best options on the market today.
However, if you outgrow the free plan and need something more advanced, you can upgrade to one of their paid plans, including:
Sign up for a free forever plan to see if Zoom is right for you and your team today!
Google Meet is the upgraded version (and replacement) of Google Hangouts.
And if you’re an avid Google fan and already use G Suite, Google Meet is entirely free for you to use, making it an excellent and affordable option for businesses of all sizes.
Furthermore, you don’t have to do anything to sign up if you already have a G Suite or Gmail account. All you have to do is head to the Google Meet page to open up a meeting room.
Doing so automatically pulls in your contacts and information, too.
The best part is that all of Google’s tools and software integrate seamlessly. So, you can quickly and easily jump straight into a video chat from their Chat tool, your calendar, or even your mobile device.
Plus, the free Google Meet tool includes intuitive features like:
On the Basic G Suite plan, you can host calls with up to 100 participants. If you need more than that, you’ll need to upgrade to the Business or Enterprise plan, which supports 150 and 250 participants, respectively.
If you already use G Suite, head over to Google Meet to get started!
If you’re interested in hosting formal, assisted conference calls, Vast Conference is the way to go. While they also offer reservationless meetings, their assisted conference call features are where they shine.
Operator-assisted calls require a bit more planning in advance. However, all you need to do is call their reservation desk to set up a time and date.
From there, you can choose the level of assistance you need for your event.
Operators can help with the planning of your event, show up live during your event for technical assistance and call quality, and deliver call recordings and participant lists afterward.
It’s like hiring the assistant you never knew you needed. On top of that, operator-assisted calls may also include:
These types of conference calls start at $0.16 per minute per line for a standard event and $0.19 per minute per line for premium events. Plus, there are no contracts or obligations as these are managed separately from their reservationless meeting services.
Vast’s reservationless plans are quite expensive compared to other options on this list. So, I don’t recommend it unless you’re using their operator-assisted services.
Choose your plan to start planning your operator-assisted event today!
If you need meetings with crystal clear sound quality, Bluejeans Meetings is definitely the way to go. Every plan includes Dolby voice audio with built-in noise reduction, spatial audio, and dynamic leveling.
Plus, you also get HD video, so you never have to worry about low quality.
Besides excellent sound and video quality, you also get access to a ton of influential conference calling features, even on the lowest-tier, including:
Bluejeans is one of the most feature-rich options on this list. However, that comes with a steeper price point and fewer meeting participants allowed on each plan.
Plus, keep in mind you get excellent crystal-clear audio and video quality, making it feel like everyone’s in the same room. It also helps reduce dialog delays and ensures everyone speaks at the same level.
So if that’s something you need, the extra price is well worth it. Their pricing plans include:
Try it free for seven days to see if Bluejeans is right for you!
GoToMeeting and RingCentral are my top recommendations for most people because they’re simple, affordable, and effortless to use.
Plus, they include a ton of intuitive and powerful features that make connecting with coworkers and colleagues more straightforward than ever.
But that doesn’t mean they’re the perfect choice for you.
So, don’t forget to consider the features and must-haves we talked about as you go about finding the best conference call services for you and your team.
Which conference call software do you prefer?
The post The Best Conference Call Services (In-Depth Review) appeared first on Neil Patel.
The Big Ideas For Success Workshop Conference Registration