Sametime 8.5 brings many new features to the Sametime client and to online meetings. These include the addition of a browser-based chat client, an Apple iPhone Sametime client, as well as increased functionality for Blackberry and Windows Mobile device clients. Our goal is to introduce you to some of these features so that you may understand how the new features might apply to your environment.
Since many of you may work in many different locations such as office, home, or laptop, Sametime 8.5 now provides a browser-based chat client. What does this mean? It means that from a web URL you can login to Sametime without having to download any software to your computer. This is a very flexible option for those who work from kiosks or workstations that have no administrator privileges. Simply type in the URL that your Sametime administrator has provided you, click on the Launch Sametime button, and you'll see the new Sametime 8.5 browser client login screen!
You'll notice that the login looks very similar to the Sametime Connect client login. You can set your availability from the login button.
Just like in previous versions of Sametime, your contact list resides on the server, so even when you login with the browser client, your Sametime contact list will be available to you. You can invite others to your chats and Meeting Rooms, modify your privacy settings, and send announcements. The availability settings for yourself and others have not changed.
The announcement of Sametime 8.5.1 included the availability of additional support for new client platforms including Blackberry 5.0 devices, Windows Mobile 6.5 devices, Windows 7.0, Macintosh 10.6, and Linux (SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED), Ubuntu, and Red Hat Enterprise Desktop (RHED)).