The name says plenty: Instant Collaboration Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd, called InstaColl by the company. “Instant Collaboration” has a nice ring, and this article discusses the product now in beta.
If success breeds success, then InstaColl should have a good shot. One co-founder also co-founded HotMail and cashed out to Microsoft in 1997. Good thing someone has deep pockets, because this company isn’t your typical Silicon Valley software Web 2.0 collaborative social network productivity (sorry, the buzzword valve got stuck open for a second) startup. Bangalore may be the Silicon Valley of India, but it’s a long way from Sand Hill Road.
A downloadable client provides the means for your browser (IE of Firefox) to connect to and create and share documents on the site. Answering a common objection about accessing data when not connected to the Internet, InstaColl promises users can download documents, work when not connected, and the changes will automatically update the next time you link to InstaColl.
Since this announcement just arrived, I haven’t tested it. Good or bad, however, this should serve to remind us that the battle isn’t just between Microsoft and Google. The market will support, and needs, multiple solutions. The more options you have, the more likely you are to find one that works best for you.
