I've used Google Plus Hangout for professional meetings. Worked like a charm. Test it out and consider your backdrop if necessary. Wear pants (or in your case, a skirt.) My colleagues have been generally charmed by my very curious cat, but you might want to sequester yours if that would stress you out.

---

I have various medical problems where if I ever got a tablet an ipad non-mini would be the perfect compromise between size and ease of use. But I don't what the tradeoff is for people with decent eyes and decent ability to use their hands is.

---

Google + Hangout?

Haven't used it much (my Dad and step-mom prefer Skype), but the Hangout that Raq set up for the election watch-and-post last November worked very well.

Consider setting up some extra front-lighting. Without it I find I appear on video chat as a dark head-and-shoulders silhouette with big blue glowing rectangular eyes created by my laptop screen reflecting from my glasses.

---

meara,

get the regular ipad. it isn't really too big (IMO) and there are really nice keyboard attachments that meld with the ipad and are full size for my hands (and I have big hands).

there are really nice cases and carriers for the ipad and not for nothing, but I also use the mac bluetooth keyboard for the ipad if I really am power typing.

---

Google + Hangout?

I use it pretty regularly for meetings, and I've seen a fair number of podcasts that have switched over from other thingies because it's really easy and painless compared to a lot of the options that existed before (and unlike Skype it allows for group video chats without paid accounts). Super easy.

I'm assuming they're setting it all up, in which case you'll get pinged in chat or they'll send you a link and clicking it to join is all you need to do. If you were the one setting up the hangout, first of all, BAD HUFFPO NO BISCUIT THIS IS NOT HOW WE TREAT GUESTS, but after that, it's a matter of going to google plus and clicking "hangouts".

I second all of dcp's tips for video quality -- some thought to lighting and a decent headset or mic will make a huge difference over room light and whatever's built in to your laptop. But that's all true no matter which provider you use.

---

Cool. I'm going to test out the mic I have to make sure everything is still okay, and I've figured out the best place to put the laptop so there's good lighting, a decent angle, and a plain background.

---

Jilli, if you want to test it out later I could hang out with you briefly. I use it all the time for the online class I teach and with my brother. I will be available from 7:30 to 8:30 central time or so. Send me an email at profile Addy with info if you want to try it.

It's pretty easy but you should probably try it once to make sure all the plug-ins and stuff you need are installed.

---

Since I got the iPad mini, the full-sized iPad stays on the refrigerator. The smaller size is just so much easier to tote around. Caveat - my full-sized iPad is first generation, so not a retina screen and probably thicker than newer models, both of which no doubt affect usability.

---

Your roommate definitely should wait a month for the new iPad models to come out.

---

except, they probably will be considerably cheaper than the new models

---