Collaboration: February 2010 Archives

Box.net has built-in tools for tracking a document's revision history, but previously none for reconciling separate revisions from multiple writers or editors. Other online document editors offer some degree of collaboration, but usually require editors to check documents in and out to avoid stepping on each other's revisions. The most common way of soliciting comments from several people is to send them all a copy of the file and let them make their changes. That's where TextFlow, a new product from Nordic River, comes in. It's integrated as an application into Box.net and enables users to compare multiple versions of a document side by side and easily choose which edits to accept and which to reject. www.box.net/ http://www.nordicriver.com

Zoho announced that it has integrated Facebook Connect with its Productivity, Collaboration & Business Applications. Now, Facebook users can try Zoho Applications by logging in using their Facebook accounts. A user can map his or her Facebook account with an existing Zoho account, integrating the accounts under a common username. Otherwise, the user can create a new Zoho account by choosing a unique username. The unified login gives Facebook users single sign-on access to all Zoho applications, including Zoho Office Suite and Zoho Business applications such as Zoho CRM, Zoho Meeting, Zoho Creator, Zoho Invoice, Zoho Projects, Zoho Reports, Zoho People, Zoho Business and Zoho Marketplace. This functionality can also be used for sharing documents and other files with friends that have Facebook accounts, as those friends can login with their Facebook credentials to view the shared files without having to create a Zoho account. http://www.zoho.com/

Optical Image Technology’s latest DocFinity software release features DocFinity eForms. eForms can be configured, administered and used within a web-based interface. Part of the browser-based DocFinity suite, eForms is designed to let users to input, store, and access forms securely from any location, and to use those forms to launch appropriate processes using DocFinity BPM (business process management) software. Equipped with a Flash interface, eForms will customize forms while ensuring sensitive information is secure. eForms makes captured information immediately available enterprise wide, and also allows collaboration on form design. Form designs can be checked out electronically by authorized users, who can add, delete, or modify those designs, then check them back in for further modifications or review. www.docfinity.com

Longwood Software, Inc., a developer of marketing asset management systems, announced the release of RevBase Briefcase. Briefcase is designed to offer web-accessible portals for managing sales and marketing content with the ability to share with both colleagues and customers. RevBase is a SaaS solution for marketing asset management and sales support. Briefcase is designed to allow users to add and manage their own sets of marketing and sales materials within their company’s portals, and create collections of marketing assets to meet specific criteria. http://www.longwoodsoftware.com/

Aardvark, a social media search engine, has announced that it has been acquired by Google. Aardvark is now a tool available in Google Labs, and will remain free of cost and fully functional. Aardvark's defining characteristic as a search engine is that once the user's question has been input, it will search that user's social network and attempt to identify a connection who could best answser the question. Under Google Labs, Aardvark is expected to be further developed. http://vark.com/

IBM announced it is bringing its collaboration and social software to the iPhone, iPod Touch and Macintosh computers. Organizations can use enterprise social networking; instant messaging; and securely encrypted email and collaborative applications with the iPhone and Mac. The new software includes Lotus Symphony 3.0, IBM's office productivity suite, providing spreadsheets, presentations and documents free of charge. In addition, new offerings for the iPhone and Mac include Lotus Connections and Lotus Sametime, which can be used to build professional networks with social capabilities such as blogs, wikis, activities and microblogging. IBM's Lotus Social Software can help users share and discover expertise and content on demand, harnessing the wisdom of the crowds. IBM Sametime brings voice, video, online meetings, enterprise instant messaging and community collaboration to the iPhone and Mac. This release brings securely encrypted email and collaborative applications to work with Lotus Notes and Domino Software for Mac and iPhone. Developers can mobilize existing Domino business applications on to devices with xPages through an application development model. IBM is also unveiling the new Lotus Symphony 3.0 beta productivity software for Macs. http://www.ibm.com

Cloud Content Management provider Box.net  announced three updates to enhance collaboration on its mobile platform. Box.net's new iPhone app, integration with the Quickoffice mobile office suite, and new OpenBox Mobile APIs  could help users share and collaborate on business content across platforms and devices. Available immediately for free through the iTunes App Store, Box.net's new iPhone app lets users post, view, and reply to comments around any file or folder on Box from their iPhone. Box.net's iPhone app also features an enhanced interface and is designed for better performance. Box.net's integration with the Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite is designed to allow the creation and editing Microsoft Word and Excel files on-the-go, and then save them back to the Box account directly from the Quickoffice iPhone app. The Quickoffice app with Box.net integration will be available shortly through the iTunes App Store. Box.net's new APIs for OpenBox Mobile enable developers to integrate Box's search, commenting and update capabilities into their mobile applications. http://www.box.net/