When it was first introduced, the iPhone immediately intrigued us as a potential platform for collaborating on rich media. With its larger screen size, support for Safari (the “real web” as Apple puts it) and touch screen interface, it seemed like it would be the ideal convenience for creative people on the move. Now with faster Internet access of the new version, the device is even more compelling.

Unfortunately, our initial enthusiasm for the iPhone was somewhat dampened by the lack of Flash support which forms an important component of our collaborative interface (not quite the “real web”). Depending on who you listen to, this omission is simply a temporary limitation of the platform/software (the party line) or else it’s a strategic move on the part of Steve Jobs to thwart the wide adoption of the Flash format as mobile standard in favor of their own solutions.

In any event, we’ve always made the effort with Cozimo to be technology agnostic and so we continue undeterred with our efforts to develop a unique collaborative mobile solution. We only use Flash to collaborate and for multi-file upload so most of Cozimo worked out of the box. As a second step, it is now possible to review images together with their annotations and notes (which are displayed in a format better suited to the smaller screen size). This means that you can now review the feedback you receive while on the go and also respond using the built in messaging system. Moving forward we will next introduce functionality for uploading images from the iPhone (perfect for dealing with on-site problems) as well as provide basic annotation tools so you can collaborate in real-time with your team members.

Last week was our chance to get out from behind our computers for a while and get in front of customers by attending not one – but two back-to-back conferences in Boston.

The big event of the week was the annual convention of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This major conference and tradeshow attracted over 15,000 architects from around the US who came to participate in continuing education and learn about the latest products and services. The theme this year was “We the People” with the focus on the responsibilities of architects to engage the public in designing for a more sustainable world. This is a theme close to our hearts and over the course of the three-day event we had the opportunity to speak with many participants about the benefits – both in productivity and sustainability – of using Cozimo for online review and collaboration. Most of the architects were extremely receptive with many expressing how they’ve been looking for exactly the type of service that Cozimo offers. For a profession as traditionally entrenched in paper as architecture, it’s an encouraging sign of progress.

In conjunction with AIA convention was VisMasters Design Modeling and Visualization Conference. This event was a far more intimate affair, attracting 350 specialists involved in design visualization for the architecture and building community. This group is ahead of the curve when it comes to using fully digital workflows and Cozimo is, in fact, already used by many of the leading firms who were present. In the more informal setting of this conference, we had a good opportunity to engage current and prospective customers in discussions regarding their needs and our priorities for future development. Kudos to Jeff Mottle and the crew at VisMasters for organizing a great event.

Text Annotation

The new Text tool lets you add text directly to the image. This is useful for shorter comments that you want to draw attention to. You can still use the Note tool for longer comments or for providing the opportunity for response. To add text, select the “T” icon in the Tool palette (or use the T shortcut), click the mouse on the image where you want to begin your text and type your text. You can use the enter/return key to add multiple lines. The text takes the color, opacity and size parameters from the Tool palette. And, like in the note and chat messages, phrases that look like web addresses are automatically converted to web links.

Color Picker and Custom Color Selection

Now you can choose a specific color from the image you are reviewing to make your annotations. To select a color click on the eyedropper icon in the Tool palette and drag your mouse over the image. Once you find the desired color, click the mouse to add it to your palette. You can also set a specific color by expanding the color palette (click “color”) and typing a hexadecimal color number in the input field provided.

Customers have requested easier ways to add people to workgroups. Previously, you were required to invite people and have them register and accept your invitation before you could start sharing your content with them. We have added the option to let you register the accounts for new people you want to add to a workgroup. The new collaborator is automatically added to the workgroup and receives an email with the username and password you specify. If you need to establish many new accounts, you can simplify the process and import a .csv spreadsheet file to create up to 50 accounts at a time.

Also, workgroup members are now added to your contact list so they can be easily added to new workgroups. And if one of your collaborators forgets their username or password a new function on the workgroup tab allows “staff” members to email it directly to them.

Last week, I had the pleasure of participating in a special Technology Day at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. The theme of the day was the “Teaching and Learning in Four Dimensions” and focused on the impact that emerging 3D prototyping and immersive technologies are having on the world of fashion and education. The Keynote speakers were W. James Au and Janine Hawkins. James gave an engaging presentation about the principles of Second Life (SL) and how the various user groups interact. Janine is the Editor of Second Style in SL and spoke more specifically about the top designers in SL and how many talented international, especially Japanese, designers are using it to gain recognition and promote their work. I was really struck by just how quickly and profoundly the virtual and real worlds of fashion are converging in the design, commercial and educational realms. You can find an excellent summary of the day’s events on Elaine Polvinen’s Virtual Fashion Technology blog.

The event was organized (exceptionally well, I may add) by Beth Harris, a professor of art history at FIT and a leading proponent of technological innovation in education. Beth originally discovered Cozimo through the web and contacted us to learn more. Since then we’ve developed a close relationship and Beth has shared her considerable experience and passion on the needs of educators. Dealing effectively with rich media is one of her primary concerns and she immediately jumped at the opportunity to experiment with Cozimo’s new WordPress plugin on smARThistory, a blog she maintains with her colleague Steven Zucker.

Thanks to Beth’s invitation, I had the opportunity to meet educators from FIT and other institutions who attended Technology Day. We’ll be setting up full Cozimo accounts for a number of courses in the upcoming semester and we’re looking forward to supporting other educational initiatives they are working on.