It's been nearly 30 years since an aging Marty McFly wearing two ties was fired via a television screen displaying what was essentially a conference call.
Fast forward to the present day and our love of video, livestreaming and messaging means it's common to see people video calling everywhere. Nothing beats face to face, right?
Yet video conferencing for business hasn't taken off as quickly as expected. There are connection issues, concerns about engagement and it's not as much of a commitment as getting on a plane or train.
But this week I was swayed by a set-up I saw at The Meetings Show.
The initial concept from Belgian firm Abbit wasn't anything new. Much like that scene in Back to the Future II, there was one screen showing various faces of people who had connected via video around the world.
The difference was that most of these people were sat in groups which operated like mini conferences as well as connecting via video to the other hubs.
It means that a group of people in Paris can talk to others in Buenos Aires, Hong Kong and Seoul while having an active group physically alongside them who are also there for further conversation and breakfast or dinner. Each hub is set up with cameras, microphones and lighting with technicians and at least one speaker.
Pierre Metrailler of app developer SpotMe said that using this type of technology means meetings are normally shorter, around 2-4 hours, making them more attractive to attend. This is partly because there is less travel involved.
"In a world where we expect everything in quickly, travel isn't instant anymore when you can be out for half a day instead of four or five," a fellow panellist said. She added that people pay more attention when they know they are being watched on a large screen and interaction is improved when you "see faces instead of the back of heads".
Abbit, and some of our Experts, say companies can save money by adopting technology and that "new types of meetings are happening because [with conferences] the distance was too far. So there is less, or shorter, travel but new projects emerge because the technology is enabling it."
More meetings is probably not what most of us want to hear. But less travel, less disruption in work/life balance, more time to 'do your actual job' and feeling you get more out of it may make up for it.