Business News
Adobe Unveils Adobe Connect 8
Monday 01. November 2010 - Major New Version of Enterprise Web Conferencing Solution for Delivering Rich Collaboration Experiences
Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Connect 8, a significant update to the companys Web conferencing solution for powering effective and engaging Web meetings, online training and webinars. Based on the virtually ubiquitous Adobe Flash Player software, the latest version provides enterprises and governments worldwide with broad capabilities for delivering rich experiences across multiple devices, while maintaining easy, reliable meeting entry.
“Were seeing the adoption of Web conferencing as a core collaboration technology for everyday use accelerate rapidly,” said Andy Nilssen, senior analyst, Wainhouse Research. “In addition, were also seeing enterprises increase expectations for their Web conferencing solution. These organizations want to go well beyond everyday meetings and seminars to enable myriad and divergent use cases, easily extend solution capabilities with key new functionality, integrate with existing infrastructure such as video conferencing room systems, and support meeting access via a wide choice of mobile devices. All while providing meeting participants with a great user experience.”
Key new features of Adobe Connect 8 include a simplified interface for greater usability, expanded and more flexible collaboration capabilities for sharing ideas more freely, and enhanced audio and video integration for richer multimedia experiences. In addition, Adobe Connect 8 offers a software development kit (SDK) for greater extensibility, a new, optional desktop client based on the Adobe AIR runtime for easier meeting management, and support for a range of mobile devices to extend reach and enhance productivity.
New Features and Benefits
More intuitive user interface that provides meeting hosts, presenters, and participants with even easier access to capabilities; allowing presenters, for example, to quickly and flexibly adjust meeting room layouts in real-time, as needed.
Enhancements to sharing, chat, video, notes, Q&A, whiteboard, and other functionality “pods” to facilitate collaboration.
Addition of two-way Universal Voice that allows customers to bridge audio from any conferencing provider into an Adobe Connect room and provide two-way communication between participants on both VoIP and telephone audio.
Integration of Adobe Connect1 with existing video conferencing systems, enabling meeting hosts to bring live audio and video broadcast streams directly into an Adobe Connect room.
Enhanced collaboration SDK, with support for Adobe Flex, Adobe Flash and Adobe ActionScript 3, which allows developers to create custom pods or integrate Adobe Connect with other systems.
Adobe Connect Desktop, based on Adobe AIR, which lets users set up and manage meetings right from the desktop. The optional application also allows users to download recorded sessions for offline viewing.
Adobe Connect Mobile enables participants to view meetings on mobile devices. Adobe Connect Mobile works on Apple iPhone and iPad, as well as Google Android and other mobile devices enabled with Adobe Flash technology.
Quotes
Arun Anantharaman, vice president and general manager, Adobe Connect
“Adobe Connect 8 is a transformative release. It enables organizations to standardize on a single Web conferencing platform to support a variety of use cases. Presenters can completely tailor their meeting environments prior to and during meetings, thereby dramatically improving collaboration. In addition, the product is highly extensible, enabling organizations to leverage third-party pods, as well as integrate with existing systems. No other solution on the market comes close to offering the ease of meeting entry, richness of interactions, or extensibility.”
Al Paz, manager, Global Learning Solutions & Applications, Xerox Corporation
“Adobe Connect provides a mission-critical, real-time collaboration solution for enterprise environments. The enhanced features and functionality in Adobe Connect 8 eliminate technology barriers for all users, by providing an engaging, intuitive, rich user interface.”
Denise Fleming, program assistant, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Office of Public Health Preparedness, Michigan Department of Community Health
“We are continually expanding our use of Adobe Connect. The easy-to-use interface lets new users get productive in Adobe Connect faster, while enabling our most experienced users to do even more in their Web conferences.”
La Tricia E. Austin-Downer, customer support specialist, ADNET Systems, Inc., in support of Federal Highway Administration
“Adobe Connect continues to deliver a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution for Web conferencing – offering a set of features that stands apart from other Web conferencing solutions.”