Making family video calls easier: a phone and tablet tried together

Start with the people who want to talk

Pulenaz helps a family prepare for a video call with a relative overseas. They agree on a time that suits both households and make a short practice call before settling down for a longer conversation. One person near Pulenaz is unsure how to answer or tell whether the other side can hear them, so she sits beside them and lets them try the controls.

At first the overseas relative can see the room but not the person speaking, and the family can barely hear the reply. Pulenaz and the family prop the device so its camera faces the chairs and turn up the playback volume until the reply is audible. The overseas relative still cannot hear them, so they check the local microphone and find it muted. Once they unmute it, each side says a few words and hears the other reply. The relative who was unsure answers the next practice call without Pulenaz taking over.

Phone or tablet? Try the same call on each

The family already has a phone and a tablet. Pulenaz compares them with the same less confident relative, using the same room, connection and overseas caller. On each device the relative answers a call, finds the mute control and ends it. On the phone, the familiar size is easy to pick up, but the relative has to hold it steady and the other faces look small.

For the tablet attempt, they rest it on a stand at the same table. The caller is easier for this relative to see and both local chairs fit in the picture, but the relative hesitates over the controls on the larger screen. Pulenaz points to the answer and end controls, then asks them to try again. The second attempt connects without prompting. The family chooses the tablet for seated group calls and keeps the phone for times when someone wants to move around.

This choice is about the devices and the person in that room. The tablet offers a comfortable shared view on its stand; the phone is easier to carry. The repeated answer-and-end task matters more here than a specification list, because it shows where help is actually needed.

Make space for an ordinary conversation

For the longer call, the family shifts the tablet until both people are visible and moves a noisy object away from it. They leave a pause after a question instead of filling every silence. The conversation starts with a shared photograph, then moves on to the week’s news; nobody has to keep asking whether the microphone works.

Ohio University’s videoconferencing guide recommends a trial call, framing the people in view and checking that microphones are not muted or obstructed. It also suggests speaking naturally and avoiding interruptions.

References: Ohio University

Sources and attribution

1. Ohio University

   Videoconferencing Etiquette and TipsPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 30, 2026