Category: Functionality

Trimble acquires SketchUp from Google

My mind is still a bit boggled with today’s news that US-based IT giant Trimble is acquiring SketchUp from the search giant Google (normally, we hear lots of stories about the latter buying businesses – it’s less common for us to read about it disposing of technologies). This moves the simple-to-use modelling software to the …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/04/trimble-acquires-sketchup-from-google/

BLL 2012 launched

Nearly four years ago, I first had a look at BuildLondonLive, and – after a two-year hiatius – its champion, UK-based construction collaboration technology vendor Asite, is organising another 48-hour virtual design collaboration competition next month, 21-23 May 2012, this year hosted at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. As before, the event showcases new …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/04/bll-2012-launched/

Clippings adds company profiles and ‘collaboration’

Two months ago, on my construction PR and marketing blog, I wrote about Clippings.com, a Pinterest-style architectural and interior design scrapbook service (see post). An email today tells me this AEC-oriented social media service (from the same people behind OpenBuildings – post) has diversified to offer a company profiles service and “collaboration”. Clippings will allow …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/04/clippings-adds-company-profiles-and-collaboration/

Immersive visualisation in Denmark

Sometimes a tweet is all it takes to grab my attention, particularly when the link provided takes me to something intriguingly interactive. I got a message from Tomas Skovgaard (@EndlessCities on Twitter) telling me about a prototype interactive 3D environment that could be used to help communicate new building designs. Copenhagen, Denmark-based company Utopian CityScape (@UCSMicro) …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/04/immersive-visualisation-in-denmark/

Meeting McLaren, talking SaaS and on-premise

McLaren-logo

McLaren, now incorporating CTSpace, is building a compelling offer to owner-operators and EPC contractors wanting SaaS or on-premise collaboration, and adding AEC-specific experience to the proposition. Last week I visited the City of London offices of Idox plc to meet Tim Taylor, chief marketing officer of subsidiary McLaren Software, and talk about the business’s merger with …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/04/meeting-mclaren-talking-saas-and-on-premise/

Cafe4tune – a new 3D social network

Cafe4tune is a new, free social network which enables individuals and organisations worldwide to interact in virtual, 2D and 3D web environments. Quietly introduced to the market last year, it’s been launched today in Beta with companion iPhone, iPad and Android apps, and claims over 20,000 members in 35 countries. From a construction-oriented business-to-business perspective, Cafe4tune …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/03/cafe4tune-a-new-3d-social-network/

Bye-bye, BIW. Hello, conject

I visited the Woking office of SaaS construction collaboration technology vendor BIW Technologies recently and there was a very tangible sign (literally! – right) of an impending change. As anticipated 15 months ago when Munich, Germany-based conject acquired BIW, the UK business is – like previous conject acquisitions – being rebranded as conject. The process actually …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/03/bye-bye-biw-hello-conject/

Mace adopts BIW Commercial Management

Woking, Surrey, UK-based Software-as-a-Service construction collaboration technology vendor BIW Technologies has re-launched its Commercial Management application (formerly BIW Financial Control), with Mace one of the first major construction businesses deploying the module (see news release). Essentially, BIW Commercial Management supports both site-based staff with responsibility for overall management and control of individual project finances and …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/03/mace-adopts-biw-commercial-management/

NEC3 partnership by Sypro and UNIT4

UNIT4 Business Software’s SaaS construction document collaboration solution Business Collaborator is being teamed up with Sypro Management’s NEC3 management platform, the two companies have announced today. The launch of the partnership has been timed to coincide with the annual NEC User Group conference at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London. The ‘fit’ is straightforward. …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/03/nec3-partnership-by-sypro-and-unit4/

think project! revisited (and visited!)

Already highly configurable, think project! functionality is set to expand over the next year, with BIM and mobile access high on the agenda. When I profiled Munich-based Software-as-a-Service construction collaboration technology vendor think project! last month, I said I would be taking a closer look at the platform. In fact, I was invited out to …

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Permanent link to this article: http://extranetevolution.com/2012/03/think-project-revisited-and-visited/

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