We’ve made a few improvements to our print tool. To start with we’ve made it more visible and accessible with a new link on the collaborate page. The print function will format a report showing the displayed item together with the annotations. The notes will be printed with their time stamps below the image and numbered to correspond with the pin on the image. Any chat thread will also be included after the notes. If the item contains multiple pages or video then all the pages or frames with annotations will be included in the report. Annotations and notes of collaborators that are “hidden” will not be included in the report.

On a Mac you can print the report to a PDF file if you’d like to save the report and archive an offline record of the feedback you’ve received. On a PC there are a number of free tools available (such as www.pdf995.com) to do the same.

To enhance Cozimo’s scope and effectiveness for reviewing documents we’ve added a number of new formats to the Cozimo lineup. Now you can upload MS Office files in their native Word (.doc), Excel (.xls) and Power Point (.ppt) formats for online review and collaboration.

To facilitate the annotation of MS Office documents (and PDF files as well) we’re also introducing a new tool for highlighting text. Simply select the Text Highlight icon from the tool palette and then click and drag your mouse over the text you want to highlight. You can then add a note or new text to indicate any specific changes or instructions you would like to make to the text you’ve highlighted.

The latest enhancements to Cozimo relate to tracking item activity. From the file tab you can can click on actions>view history for any file and be shown a complete history of actions taken on that item since it was uploaded. The history will show the date, time and name of the person who performed the action. In addition, staff members in the workgroup will be notified by email automatically whenever a collaborator undertakes any activity on an item.

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.

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.