IBM announced a new version of Lotus Sametime

New collaboration and instant messaging software integrated with Microsoft Outlook, Office office applications and Linux server support, Macintosh clients . will be available in the second quarter of this year. Notes and Domino 8 products were also introduced in February.

Built on the Eclipse platform, Lotus Sametime enables the development and deployment of open applications. With the newly integrated television feature and extended software, IBM's new product is rated as flexible platform software and has many features for unified collaboration and communication environment.

In the new version, the TV feature instantly extends the flexible collaboration capabilities of parts in Lotus, including exchange, communication, email and team collaboration software. With a simple webcam, the address-based TV tool helps Lotus Sametime users to enhance the discussion features with instant messaging or IM in the form of VoIP with the same quality as when talking directly.

New features of Sametime 7.5.1 include : address-based television (Point-to-Point Video), allowing users to easily expand from an exchange in the form of instant messaging to form conversation with audio and images with other users; Tabbed Chat (Tabbed Chat) allows users to simplify the screen and handle multiple conversations more easily by concentrating conversations on a single Lotus Sametime window; Compatible with Microsoft applications: a breakthrough integration tool that allows businesses to use Lotus Sametime features such as instant messaging, voice and video communications or via the web directly within Microsoft Office and Microsoft Outlook applications. The product also supports Linux servers that allow businesses to deploy Sametime on open source platform at a cost .

Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino 8 public Beta are in the final beta phase that includes standard text editing, RSS editing (Real Simple Syndication) and complex application support. Other features of IBM Notes and Domino 8 include: easy access to essential business applications, the ability to run Lotus Notes applications in the new version without editing, open standards and support support multiple operating systems with the original interface . The improved feature of Domino 8 server is to enhance server performance by reducing the use of hard disk and CPU, expanding service support and how much including limited use license for IBM Tivoli Directory Integrator software, used to synchronize with the Domino Directory in an organization with multiple divisions.

IBM also said the company and Ricoh set up a joint-venture company for printers. The agreement between the two technology corporations, Ricoh, will initially hold a 51% stake in the newly established InfoPrint Solutions company and buy the remaining 49% in the next 3 years when the joint venture develops into a business completely owned by Ricoh.

IBM will receive $ 725 million in cash, including $ 35 million of management fees after the transfer of the printer. Cash received includes 51% of the shares held by Ricoh, part of the prepayment for the remaining 49% and the payment for the services IBM will provide to InfoPrint Solutions later. . The remaining funds for this transfer contract will be decided at the end of the third year based on the financial statements of each party. The first phase transfer is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2007.

InfoPrint's joint-venture company, located in Boulder, Colorado (USA), will benefit from IBM's worldwide access to distribution and sales systems as well as continuation. use IBM's InfoPrint brand. Sales from IBM's printer division totaled about $ 1 billion in 2006. IBM expects total pre-tax profits for transfers with Ricoh to be between $ 175 million and $ 275 million. During the transfer period, pre-tax profit is expected to fluctuate between USD 100 million and USD 150 million. The difference between the forecast will be determined after 3 years when Ricoh buys 49% more shares of IBM in InfoPrint Solutions. However, the exact profit level has not been determined and will be notified when the transfer contract is completed and when there is sufficient information. The unknowns that affect the final profit level include the valuation of net assets at the end of the contract, the valuation of other agreements signed with the joint venture, the costs associated with transfer contract and business operation.

Xuan Kim