Last week, our good friend Alec Saunders asked Sheryl and I to look at something new. Alec and the iotum team are giving a facelift to the fabulous iotum Free Conference Call service on Facebook. It's getting a complete new name and look.

Welcome to:

The user interface for the Calliflower conference call service is new, fresh, bright and cheery.

It features a complete newly-designed user interface that doesn't look like every other Facebook application. It's a tool with a personality all its own. Some of the naming conventions have changed to make this a real-world application for participation in calls. It's more like a dashboard, giving you control and access to everything. Calliflower also includes some other neat features:
* Caller visualization: See names, pictures and caller status in real time as everyone joins, participates and leaves the call. Callers are identified as they join the call, with their names and (if desired) pictures. The status of their lines (mike open, closed, hand raised to ask a question) is also visible to everyone.

• Intuitive conference controls: Participants can access conference controls, the live wall and more from a simple Web interface.
• Interactive chat: Participants can engage in a group chat before, after and during the call to share information without interrupting the flow of conversation. From sharing a link or an image to asking a relevant question, the multiparty IM opens a second channel for participants to have richer and more engaging calls.
• Call archives: Handouts, agendas and links to files can remain accessible to the right people, long after the call is over.
• Invitations and reminders: Receive call invitations and reminders by e-mail or SMS with all the information moderators and participants need.
• Easy calendar integration: Manage call invitations, updates and RSVPs with an attached iCal that integrates with any major calendar solution.
• PINless connectivity: The participating caller's phone number becomes the personal PIN, which seamlessly connects callers to every call from anywhere.
• MP3 recordings: Moderators can record any call from the Web interface or from the phone. Recordings are available to every participant as MP3 files seconds after the conference is over or the recording is stopped.

While the features haven't changed in major ways from the initial iotum Free Conference Call app, the look and feel is fresh and new. It's distinctive and sets iotum apart from other Facebook app developers.

Take a clook at Calliflower when it goes live on Wednesday. It's a great voice services tool

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