Adobe Does It Again!

Adobe’s at it again (in a very positive sense!). I’ve just (minutes ago) signed up for and started “playing with” Adobe ConnectNow (beta) and Adobe Buzzword (beta). Let the reviews begin!

Adobe ConnectNow is a new (and FREE) version of Adobe ConnectPro – a web conferencing program that I have used a bit. This one (ConnectNow) has an interface that seems cleaner, is easier to use, and enables me to set up a meeting in minutes! I can share my desktop, upload files and images to share and, enable other participants to do the same. I am certain there are limitations and I will find them and report them. However, I am too excited at the moment and simply want to get the word out: GO SIGN UP FOR ADOBE CONNECTNOW – now! http://www.adobe.com/acom/connectnow/

Update: as I was writing this, I left a meeting room logged in. I received this message: “You were alone in the room for 20 minutes, and you have been disconnected. You can still access your notes and chat history before closing the application window. If you would like to start a new meeting session, click Restart.” Well, that’s one limitation: don’t occupy space – alone – for more than 20 minutes!

Update 2: There is a Marketing approach to this: the meeting is limited to three participants INCLUDING the host (you). I’m thinking, in order to incent people to REALLY try it and use it and BUY the business version, enabling a group of 10 or 15 certainly wouldn’t hurt Adobe’s business model. Three participants!? Well, I’ll still use it awhile however, I seldom hold meetings with me and two others, so I won’t be able to evaluate how it works in real meetings.

Adobe Buzzword is an on-line word processor. It’s a collaborative tool (if you want it to be) and a simple-t-use word processor (can you say “legitimate competitor to MS Word!”?). And, as above, I am only minutes into experiencing this and want to get the message out. It’s another worth a trial. https://buzzword.acrobat.com

I began writing this in Word and suddenly had the realization that I was writing an review about a new, on-line word processor using MS Word. Duh. So, I copied, pasted and closed out of Word and am now using Buzzword for this review!

The “menu bar” displays only four choices: Document, Edit, Insert, and Help. The ribbon below it is very unusual (that’s a point, isn’t it!). Each choice expands horizontally to display sub choices. And the sequence is odd (only insofar as I have been using MS Word since version beta). Reading from left to right: Font, font color (you have gotta see this one!), Background Color, Paragraph, List, Image, Table, Comment, and Docs. I won’t detail all now however, I will in the near future.

At this point in time, I highly recommend getting access to these two and trying them out. There’s something going on at Adobe and someone is moving in the right direction!