SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 322 - CadFaster

CadFaster:

This podcast is an interview with Tuomas Holma, VP of Marketing for CadFaster, the company behind realtime collaboration tools for AEC and the MCAD market and soon on iOS.  Topics covered:

- CadFaster backgroud and market experience

- Current product line

- Workflow for CadFaster Collaborate as a SolidWorks User

- Technical aspects of the Collaborate tools

- How CadFaster Collaboration is different from other remote meeting services.

- Roadmap for iOS client (to launch on the App Store in April 2011, approval pending).

- Plans for other platforms (mobile, desktop, AEC/MCAD tools)

- Trial and payment model

- Other tech talk about the industry

What a fun show!  Tuomas and I discuss CadFaster the company, products and overall solutions they provide. You might remember some buzz about CadFaster right before SolidWorks World 2011 when many of the blogs were talking about their up and coming iPad application for sharing SolidWorks models over the web.

CadFaster's philosophy is high performance with simplicity for the user without the requirement for high-end hardware.  CadFaster has been in the market for 10 years with their viewer tool (CadFaster QuickSTEP) but has been developing collaboration tools since 2009.  Their approach is different than traditional screen sharing since they host the annotation layer (comments, markups, etc.) while the client drives the visuals created by the self-executable output.

The iOS version of the client will be free in Apple's App Store in April pending approval but will deliver this same viewing and collaboration capability in a mobile device.  I want to thank Tuomas and CadFaster for coming on the show and sharing their vision of how product reviews can be in the future.  ~Lou

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