Zoho has announced the launch of new software that accelerates the innovation inspired by its 'Made in India. Made for the World.' ethos. The new products include Zoho AppCreator, Notebook and Zoho Writer while the new experience, Gamescope, is being introduced as a new feature in Zoho Projects.
Zoho AppCreator helps businesses create custom mobile apps for their needs – no coding experience required. Notebook is a productivity-boosting, note taking app for mobile device users. Zoho Writer is the company's online word processor, now reinvented to improve collaboration and eliminate clutter from the UI. Finally, Gamescope is a Zoho Projects feature that turns work into a game. Gamescope will be extended to other Zoho applications going forward.
"From the operating system for businesses, we are moving on to become the operating system for work," said Sridhar Vembu, CEO, Zoho Corp. “The wide range of Zoho’s product suite provides the ecosystem for people to accomplish any kind of work. We are now deepening our offerings by creating innovative software in diverse spheres. ”
Zoho AppCreator
Zoho AppCreator is web-based software that enables users to create mobile apps, without knowing iOS or Android programming languages. Some of its key features are:
- Easy creation: Users can create mobile apps by just dragging and dropping fields. They can set up workflows, rules, and schedules, and even add actions to various gestures like left or right swipe, long press, and tap.
- Shareable apps: Users can share the app with colleagues. Zoho AppCreator has a single database for everyone to work with.
- Turn offline data into an app: Zoho AppCreator allows users to turn their data into a cloud-based mobile app. They can simply upload a spreadsheet, and Zoho AppCreator will turn it into a mobile app with a single click.
- Connect to cloud apps: Users can connect data from Zoho CRM, Salesforce, and Zoho Creator in a single mobile app. This feature helps them automate custom business processes and give their team mobile apps tailored to their needs.
- Apps for all platforms: Mobile apps built using Zoho AppCreator are truly native apps that work on iOS, Android as well as Windows devices.
Pricing and Availability
Zoho AppCreator is currently available on request.
Notebook
Notebook is Zoho's note-taking mobile app. Its key features include:
- Create notes: Users can jot down text, create a checklist, capture a photo, and record audio-- all in a single note card. They can also create dedicated text, audio or photo notecards.
- Organize: Users can store their note cards in separate notebooks. Within a notebook, note cards can be pinched together in a stack, and one can flip through them for a quick view. Note cards can be re-ordered, and moved/copied to a different notebook. Users can also colour code their note cards.
- Personalize: Users can create their own custom covers for each notebook, or choose from a host of handcrafted cover designs provided in the app.
- Find notes quickly: Users can search for notes within a notebook or across notebooks.
- Cloud sync and integration: Notebook syncs across devices, so users can access their notes from anywhere and at any time.
Pricing and Availability
Notebook is absolutely free and available immediately on Google Play and App Store in India.
Zoho Writer
Zoho Writer has been reinvented into a minimal and clutter-free word processor. Here are some of its prominent features:
- Minimalistic UI: Zoho Writer has a re-designed interface that is modern, light and distraction free. It has three modes that the users can work on-- Compose (for writing and formatting), Review (for collaboration) and Distribute. The new UI provides "Reader View" that strips away clutter like buttons and background images, and changes the page's text size, contrast and layout for better readability.
- Better collaboration controls: Users can now lock a section of content that is not to be edited or hide sections containing confidential information. They can also pause and resume collaboration on a document, turn off live cursors that track changes during collaboration and mark the final copy as "complete" to close it for further edits. Zoho Writer also allows users to see which collaborators have viewed the document.
- New fonts and templates: Zoho Writer has added 350+ new fonts. It also has predesigned headers and footers, and templates for resumes, invitations etc. that users can choose from.
- Enhanced review features: Users can now get links to specific comments, accept all track changes in one click, search through comments, filter comments according to author, and respond to comments via email.
- Real-time mobile collaboration: Zoho Writer mobile app, available for iOS and Android devices, now supports real-time collaboration.
Pricing and Availability
Zoho Writer is absolutely free for both web and mobile users. A preview of the new version is accessible for all existing users and will be publicly available shortly.
Gamescope
Gamescope is a new Zoho Projects feature that makes project activities like creating and completing tasks more engaging and exciting. It encourages employees to play friendly games with one another and earn rewards. Its highlights are:
- Peer-to-peer games: Anyone, not just the manager, can create a game and invite colleagues to play for a friendly wager. Games like these build a culture of camaraderie and peer respect in the company.
- Immediate rewards: In every game, employees earn points as they complete their tasks. They compete with one another to win trophies within the game. Consistent performers can also win badges for hitting targets.
- Easy customization: Users can alter conditions for winning trophies and badges, which are available already. They can also create new ones.
Pricing and Availability
Gamescope is currently available for all paying customers of Zoho Projects.