Printer Friendly Version

Central Desktop launched a year ago, when we first covered it, and since then it's grown into a respected and much-discussed online collaboration system. Now, with its fall 2006 release, it's adding easy online and phone conferencing, putting it in a class above most other collaboration tools.

Central Desktop is a browser-based instant workplace that runs on Windows and Macintosh PCs. With it, admins can select templates (including one for intranets and departmental sites) to create instant online shared spaces. End users can then create online calendars, contact databases, task lists, project milestones, and much more. The product is built on a wiki engine, and allows people to collaborate on pages as a traditional wiki does.

With this release, users gain the ability to hold impromptu or scheduled meetings directly from the Central Desktop interface, with a tool called Central Desktop Live.

The interface allows users to see which of their colleagues are online, so they can quickly pull people into an online meeting whenever inspiration strikes. Subscribers can also use the calendar tool to schedule meetings, and even create recurring meetings. Invitees receive an e-mail with both dial-in and log-in instructions. (See screen shot below.) Central Desktop Live handles everything on the back-end, so there's no hassle with setting up a phone conference. Users can even conference with people outside the company.

When the host launches a meeting, attendees see the host's desktop and any applications that are open, so the host can share anything on his or her screen. Central Desktop Live doesn't yet have the ability to share only a specific application or window -- that will come in an update planned for November -- so for now users will need to share their entire screens.

Central Desktop's calendaring tool makes it easy to create phone conferences or online meetings, and even to create recurring meetings.

Go to page: 1 2

Printer Friendly Version