GoToMeeting vs Google Meet

2025. Google Meet added AI makeup



Video conferencing service Google Meet finally has added an AI-powered makeup filter for those days when you don't feel like applying real makeup before a meeting. The new feature will help it compete with other video conferencing platforms that already support virtual makeup, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Google Meet offers 12 different makeup options to choose from. Google claims the virtual makeup will stay in place regardless of the user's movements on the screen. So, if the user takes a sip of coffee, the filter will stay on their face, not move to their mug.


2025. Google Meet can now translate a foreign language in real-time



Video conferencing service Google Meet has introduced a new AI-based feature that allows you to translate the speech of your interlocutor in real time – and immediately by voice. So far, it only translates from English and Spanish, but Google promises to add more languages ​​in the coming weeks. The feature preserves the speaker’s original voice and conveys intonation and emotions, which can facilitate international communication. The translator is already available in beta for $20 per month and will soon be introduced in Workspace business accounts.


2016. Google acquired work chat Pie



Google has gobbled up Pie, a Slack-like team communications service based in Singapore. Pie’s basic premise is was very much like Slack — and a host of other, better funded rivals in Asia like Eko and ChatWork — and it tried to differentiate itself by focusing on a very basic experience targeted at non-technical companies. The deal, which is an acqui-hire, has been made to boost a new Google team that will focus on developing products for Southeast Asia in the same way that Google has done in India over the past year.


2014. Google Hangouts now can connect to Polycom, Cisco and other videoconferencing systems



Recently we reported that Google unveiled video conferencing system for meeting rooms Chromebox for Meetings. But the adventures of Google in this area haven't ended with this news. It turns out that Vidyo (the maker of enterprise video communication systems) provides backend for Google Hangouts. And this company added to this backend a new service VidyoH2O, which allows Google Hangouts users to participate in videomeetings with corporate videoconferencing systems - Polycom, Cisco, Avaya, Lifesize and others (supporting H.323/SIP standards). So, there is a great potential for establishing intercompany video meetings. However, this service is not free - it costs from $99/month per concurrent user.


2010. Google may outgo Skype by means of mobile video



Video chat in GTalk (or more exactly, in GMail) has appeared more than a year ago. And we were confident that Skype will get the very strong competitor. Nevertheless, Skype's market share hasn't suffered at all. Even GMail users mainly continue using Skype for video calls. Probably, it's a question of a habit and Skype's great popularity. And perhaps, when Google adds calls to regular phones with the help of acquired Gizmo5 - this won't also change anything. Without offering some new revolutionary features, pushing Skype from the market will be extremely difficult. Especially now, when Skype introduced group video calling. However, it seems Google has a new idea. Today the company announced the acquisition of Swedish developer of VoIP and videoconferencing solutions - GIPS. GIPS technologies are used in Yahoo Messenger, Cisco WebEx and Lotus Sametime. And in addition, GIPS has created the best engine for video chat on Android.