BlackBerry, Smartphone Users Get FUZE Conferencing Service from CallWave
CallWave's new Web-based collaboration and conferencing service will enable users to employ any Internet-connected computer or smartphone to share high-definition (HD) images, audio and video, as well as make local and international conference calls and send secure instant messages.
CIO — A new Web-based, high-definition (HD) collaboration service from CallWave, named FUZE, brings high-end content sharing and conferencing to any computer or smartphone with Web access, and it's the first service of its kind that'll work on mobile devices like the BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Nokia handsets. That means mobile professionals can now use their smartphones to share documents, images and video clips from wherever they may be to increase productivity and cut down on tedious travel time.
FUZE is a device- and browser-agnostic service, according to Jeff Cavins, CallWave's chief executive, which means that it'll work on any computer or mobile device with a glass display and a Web connection. (The desktop version of FUZE is browser-based, but a "thin," or small mobile app is required for use on mobile devices, Cavins says.)
All of FUZE's HD content sharing and conferencing features are now available to users with desktop and laptop computers, but the service, which is still in the beta release stage, does not yet allow smartphone users to share synchronized high-resolution video (clips of a presentation or procedure, for instance) and other media--though it will by the end of the year, according to Cavins. CallWave is, however, demonstrating the mobile video-sharing service on Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone at both the Web 2.0 EXPO and Interop 2008 events in New York City this week.
FUZE's conferencing, instant messaging and "managed presence" features, which offer information on users' statuses, are all available to BlackBerry and Nokia device users immediately. Support for the iPhone and Windows Mobile smartphones will be available "soon," CallWave says.
"Major sociological and economic forces are dramatically changing the way global professionals work," Cavins said in a press release. "Being able to do everything you need in real-time from your BlackBerry or other device takes it to the next level, enabling mobile professionals to truly collaborate from anywhere at any time with anyone in the world."
Because FUZE's Web Messenger technology integrates with Microsoft's Office Communication Server (OCS)--the company acquired Web Messenger last month--enterprise users with mobile devices have access to a wide-range of traditional desktop-functionality. For instance, FUZE syncs with Microsoft Outlook, giving mobile users access to coworkers' presence or status information, as well as to their calendars. The integration with Outlook allows users to schedule conferences and distribute invitations to meetings via FUZE
