We’ve seen if over and over again in the movies and on TV. A group of individuals are sitting around a table, with one individual wielding a marker at the front. As ideas are shared, they are penned to the whiteboard. If a mistake is made, a quick swipe of the hand (or eraser) and it’s gone. In real life it never really works like that, does it? Dry markers, colored fingers and palms, and the inevitable moment when you need to take your notes to go can all stand in the way of whiteboards being the ultimate collaboration solution. Thanks to Conojo for iPad, we may be rethinking those White boards sooner than expected.
Overview:
Conojo for iPad ($1.99 in the App Store) at it’s simplest form, is a virtual whiteboard for writing and drawing ideas. Unlike other drawing apps, Conojo takes things a step further with it’s unique suite of features.
Like most drawing apps, Conojo features various writing tools (pen, marker, paint brush), and an array of colors (as well as a custom color picker). In addition, Conojo also includes a shape tool and a line tool (both with various options and colors). Like several other drawing apps, Conojo also allows you to insert pictures from your iPad (camera roll or camera), but also allows you to import photos from a Dropbox, WebDAV, or Box account.
Where Conojo really steps out from the other drawing apps is in the way your can share your whiteboard with others. Using the built-in “meeting” tool, other Conojo users (on your local wifi) can join your whiteboard for true collaboration. Not only can they see your whiteboard, but they can also contribute. And if you want to save the meetings discussion and progress with others, Conojo also features a screen+audio recorder, which can be saved to your iPad, YouTube, Dropbox, etc.
In my testing of Conojo, I found that the app tended to lag when I was drawing quickly, and at times appeared almost unresponsive, but other times ran smoothly, which is somewhat expected of a Version 1.0 release. I imagine as updates become available, those kinks will be ironed out.
Verdict: [rating: 3]
The concept of moving the traditional work environment we’ve become accustomed to onto the iPad and iPhone isn’t a new thing, and Apps like Conojo are certainly helping to push us in the right direction. The ability to collaborate in real time, in a way that previously required everyone to be in the same room with a marker and a dry-erase board, is a big step in reshaping the office of the future. Unfortunately at this point in time, Conojo still has some bugs to squash before it can really take on the role of being a true player in the marketplace.
Pros:
- Wide array of drawing tools, fonts, colors, etc.
- Local sharing for collaboration
- Video or Image sharing of Whiteboard
- Dropbox/Box/WebDAV integration
- How-to videos for some drawings
Cons:
- Response to touch was intermittent
- Frequent Lagging and Freezing
- No tutorial on using the app
Conojo for iPad could be the next step in collaboration. Check it out in the App Store.
*The above review was commissioned by the developer in accordance with our app review policy, and has been written in an objective, unbiased fashion.
