Central Desktop today unveiled version 2.0 of its set of online tools, including project management, document collaboration, and web meeting scheduling capabilities.
There are a lot of options out there for companies looking for online collaboration software, acknowledged chief executive Isaac Garcia. But while competing startups claim to be comprehensive, most of them are focused on one area and tend to be weaker elsewhere. For example, he said, while Box.net includes project management and workflow features, it's still primarily a document-sharing service.
Pasadena, Calif.-based Central Desktop's target clients are companies with between 100 and 1,000 employees, Garcia said. In many cases, they're using 37Signals' project management application Basecamp, but are ready to move to a platform that has more features and is more secure.
In version 2.0, one of the big features is actually similar to something Box.net launched last month -- an online document viewer, so documents can be opened quickly, and you don't have to worry whether someone you're sharing a document with has the correct software. Garcia emphasized that the range of files goes beyond your basic business documents, to include things like architectural CAD drawings, with 189 file types supported in all. Other improvements include a PDF creator, the ability to mark a page as your favorite, and user avatars that let you easily see relevant information about team members or coworkers.
Pricing starts at $25 per month. Central Desktop raised $7 million in funding two years ago, and says it has nearly 3,000 paying customers today.
