Definition of Audio

Articulation

refers to the ability to distinguish clearly between syllables, points of emphasis, and discernable accentuations. High ratings on this criterion indicate that the listener can clearly identify a voice or sound with a particular individual or source.

Backup

refers to the alternative channels of communication provided by some products: e.g. text chat, text messaging, signalling (sometimes known as 'hands-up'), voice chat, voice-mail, and webcam support.

Clarity

refers to the clearness of the sound, and the ability to hear a voice devoid of background noises, white noise, or any interference from RFI (radio frequency interference) or other anomolies (e.g. crackling).

Competence

refers to the degree of technical expertise that the user requires to be able to keep the product operating and functioning at or near its peak performance. Some software requires that the user understands how to determine their IP address prior to placing a call. Other software demands the ability to trouble-shoot problems relating to microphone, speakers, and sound card set-ups. Other software requires little knowledge beyond pressing 'Send' and 'Receive'. The need for a high level of technical proficiency diminishes the product's value in distance education. On the other hand, it may be necessary in order to benefit from a product's enhanced functionality. The problem is mitigated if good online and real-time support is available for the product.

Conferencing

refers to online meetings between more than two parties (a dialogue). Tools that provide conferencing by natural provide two-party exhanges also. A 'No' under Conferencing in the site's Features checklist indicates that the software allows two-party exchanges only.

Connectivity

refers to the degree to which the product allows the user to develop a feeling of bonding and being "connected" with the other party/ies.

Cross-Platform

refers to the ability to use the software from multiple computer platforms (e.g. PC, MAC, UNIX/LINUX). All IP Audio tools evaluated on this site have primarily been tested for PC functionality primarily, though some were also tested with MAC. A '?' under Cross-Platform in the Features checklist indicates that the cross-platform capability has not yet been tested.

Delay

refers to unintended stoppages or pauses in the exchange occuring within and between words, syllables, sentences and other sounds. Such delays may be due to internet capacity and/or traffic, computer processor speed, microphone sensitivity or quality, host server speed or capacity throughput, and network accessibility.

Download

refers to the length of time it takes to download the product from the internet prior to installing it.

Educational Tools

refer to the software's provision of extra components such as shared whiteboards, project collaboration, and 'web tours' (i.e. the ability of a session moderator to take control of participants' browsers for the purpose of web page demonstrations).

File-sharing

refers to the software's ability to allow participants in the conference or collaboration to exchange computer files with each other, or to post and view files at a central holding site.

Installation

refers to the amount of effort required to find, download, and install the software. The complexity of the installation process has been tested, noting set-up 'glitches' that required later modifications to the system configuration. This criterion is important in view of the fact that distance education users of such tools sre not necessarily technically sophisticated.

Integration

refers to the software's ability to work with other communication applications such as e-mail. Many IP audio products have their own ability to send notifications, instant text messages, attachement files, and voice-mail. However, some IP audio products fulfil these functions within their proprietary environment alone, while others allow the product to be used in conjunction with external e-mail applications, on a convenient, integrated basis.

Intuitivity

refers to the software's ease of use and user-friendliness. Is it intuitive? Is it as easy to use as a more familiar medium (e.g. telephone, online text chat)? Some products try to replicate telephone instruments (though do not necessarily improve eas-of-use in the process); some software tris to replicate web-page navigation styles; some augments existing styles of use to which their subscriber base has come accustomed; and others create a totally original environment that requires new learning. A 5-star ease-of-use evaluation indicates that use of the tool is as intuitive as making a standard domestic telephone call.

Lag

refers to the perception of an unnatural break or interruption over time between consecutive audio events. The cause of lag, whether on the telephone or the Internet, is purely technical, arising from the quality of the sound compression technology, hareware processing speed, and bandwidth. The traditional telephone standard for perceptual lag is 150 milliseconds (ms). A break of less then 150 ms is beyond perceptual thresholds, and therefore represents no lag.

Stability of Service

refers to availability of a constant standard of operation for the software, as provided by external services (e.g. host servers). Some products may go offline unexpectedly and for indeterminate periods; e.g. when the host server lacks capacity at peak times of internet traffic. The ability to rely on the software for scheduled communication events is drastically impeded by service instabilty.

Status

refers to whether the product informs the user that other parties in the user's contact list are currently online.

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Timeliness

refers to whether the information sent to the user by the product during a conference is received at an appropriate moment, and is therefore informative rather than confusing.