Article written by Dian Schaffhauser.
Citrix Systems has released a new version of its GoToMeeting Web conferencing software that works specifically on Apple’s iPad. It has also begun mixing its technology into the work done by an acquired company that combines work with social networking.
At its annual customer conference in San Francisco this week, Citrix began showing GoToMeeting HDFaces for the iPad, which combines video conferencing, audio conferencing, and screen sharing into a single window viewable on the iPad. The company’s GoToMeeting software is a Web conferencing program that lets groups of people meet, do demonstrations, and otherwise collaborate online. One feature is HDFaces, which allows up to six attendees to show their webcam images in high definition.
The company has also officially taken over branding of its April acquisition, Danish company Podio, including integration of GoToMeeting features in that software as well. Podio is a cloud-based service that provides team collaboration through Facebook-like commenting, setup of workspaces, and creation of workflows. Podio has more than 600 pre-built apps and the capability for users to add more. These apps are templates or forms for controlling how work proceeds and configures how documents are stored and shared. The GoToMeeting integration allows users to schedule, set up, join, launch, and manage meetings online.
Eugene Jones, Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at the North Campus of Broward College in Coconut Creek, FL, said believes that Podio has “great potential” for use in his college’s programs. “The feedback we get from employees is that students can never have too much training in team environments. They have to realize that it is the work environment–it’s not an extra assignment.”
A big plus with Podio, Jones noted, was the fact that it keeps “social” and “work” separate and still offers an environment that younger workers, at least, will feel comfortable in. “What I’ve observed is that if you’re trying to recreate your work environment on Twitter or Facebook, you need to have pretty focused people. The natural tendency is that once you get out of your work environment, the social tends to creep in a little more than the work. With Podio you get to work in a social environment that you might be more comfortable with. We’re going to look at that closely to see whether we can put that into the curriculum.”
