Cisco has released a free BlackBerry application meant to make joining and participating in WebEx online meetings via smartphone an easier and more efficient process. Corporate BlackBerry users who spend a good portion of their workweeks on conference calls and participating in online meetings have a cause for celebration today: Cisco has released the free WebEx Meeting Center for BlackBerry application, which lets users quickly and easily join WebEx meetings by clicking on invite URLs in e-mail or BlackBerry calendar entries. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center for BlackBerry Cisco WebEx Meeting Center for BlackBerry also lets users view shared meeting documents and participant desktops. And menu options within the app provide speedy access to WebEx features and shortcuts for more efficient navigation via smartphone, all using the company’s “Cisco WebEx Collaboration Cloud.” I haven’t had time to put the app through the paces quite yet, but this sounds like a good one. It should be easy to use; Cisco says you just click on a WebEx meeting URL using your BlackBerry, and the WebEx audio conferencing system should call your device shortly thereafter. When you answer the call, the “data-portion,” or the visual component of your meeting, should launch immediately via BlackBerry. WebEx meeting hosts can begin previously-scheduled meetings via BlackBerry, and they can also pass on presenter control to other participants using PCs–presumably that means presenters cannot “control” meetings using just a BlackBerry and no computer. And you can use the app to view shared presentations, applications and participant desktops, all with live annotations, Cisco says. The WebEx BlackBerry app isn’t the first of its kind; Fuze Meeting for BlackBerry offers similar functionality. But it’s designed by Cisco specifically for WebEx, so it will presumably offer a better overall experience–at least for Cisco online meetings. It’s unclear what BlackBerry devices and/or carriers are supported at this point, but I was able to download and install the app on my T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 without any issue. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center for BlackBerry should be available via BlackBerry App World soon, but as of 12 noon EST today, it’s still not listed. For now, you can download the app by simply clicking on a WebEx meeting URL within a BlackBerry e-mail or calendar entry. If your device is supported, you should be prompted to download the app. Or you can download it directly from Cisco via BlackBerry browser at WebEx.com. AS Related content BrandPost The future of trust—no more playing catch up Broadcom: 2023 Tech Trends That Transform IT By Eric Chien, Director of Security Response, Symantec Enterprise Division, Broadcom Mar 31, 2023 5 mins Security BrandPost TCS gives Blackhawk Network an edge with Microsoft Cloud In this case study, Blackhawk Network’s Cara Renfroe joins Tata Consultancy Services’ Rakesh Kumar and Microsoft’s Nilendu Pattanaik to explain how TCS transformed the gift card company’s customer engagement and global operati By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 31, 2023 1 min Financial Services Industry Cloud Computing IT Leadership BrandPost How TCS pioneered the ‘borderless workspace’ with Microsoft 365 Microsoft’s modern workplace solution proved a perfect fit for improving productivity and collaboration, while maintaining security of systems and data. By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 31, 2023 1 min Financial Services Industry Microsoft Cloud Computing BrandPost Supply chain decarbonization: The missing link to net zero By improving the quality of global supply chain data, enterprises can better measure their true carbon footprint and make progress toward a net-zero business ecosystem. By Tata Consultancy Services Mar 31, 2023 2 mins Retail Industry Supply Chain Green IT Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe