Octro: New IM Client w/VOIP support (1.15/1.13 on 4/14/07)
 

Octro Mobile IM Client

1.15/1.13 is out 4/14/07! Now support AIM, ICQ, MSN

Version 1.15 for Pocket PC is out. And so is v 1.13 (unsigned) for Smartphone.

* Preference for displaying every buddy in a single line (it displays as 2 line by default)
* Preference for enabling multiple tabs for different buddy chats. By default, it opens each chat in the same window.
* File Sharing BOT -- unattended file sharing. Can be configured globally, so that anyone on your buddy list can access files shared by you, or for any of your buddies. If configured for your buddies, then can even send files without you having to accept.
* Licensing extended to May 10th, 2007



Hey everyone, this is some new Beta software for IM: Google Talk/Chat, AIM, ICQ, MSN. It's a nice client but it needs to be tested so if you can help out and drop the developers some tips and any bugs that'd be great.

With the demise of Verichat, Agile now charging and other mediocre IM software, the WM5 community really needs something new. Here's your chance to help influence the development of a next-gen IM client.
:thumbleft:

(It won't be free sofware, but it'll be worth it IMO. They are open to the idea of using SMS relay = save mad battery life and other ideas)

--Mal

Download here:
http://www.octro.com/OctroTalk.CAB
also attached here....

Support/Feedback:
support@octro.com

Website:
http://www.octro.com/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Octro, Inc., launches the first mobile Instant Messaging product with full voice integration. Keep connected with your buddies with this Always-On product, and your buddies can reach you whenever, wherever. Works seamlessly over GPRS/EDGE/CDMA/Wifi/Bluetooth data connections, and helps you cut down your phone costs.

Features:
* Always on connected to Google Talk, AIM, ICQ, MSN
* Complete VOIP product. Access to PSTN through partner sites.
* Supports Low Bandwidth Codec (even works with EDGE/GPRS/CDMA).
* Streamlined UI. Optimized for one-handed operation. Today Screen on Pocket PC. Home Screen support for Smartphone coming soon.
* Low CPU usage. Only VOIP product that works on Treo 700w (300 MHz processor).
* BOTs coming soon. Access your computer remotely.


http://www.octro.com/images/picture-03.jpg

cool. i'm curious to see how much the app will cost when octro releases the official version.

Would this work on AIM, YIM, MSN?

Currently, it doesn't work with Y!, AIM, MSN. But it should start working shortly (say 1-2 months).

thanks for letting us know octro. :thumbleft:
~mike

Also 1.02 is out now:

1) Notifications (sound etc. should now work)
2) Preference in Buddy Options Menu to show only "online buddies"
3) SIP working on chat dialog for non-keyboard devices

I still have some issues on notifications (only works when I have Play Sound when actively chatting checked)

But otherwise it is coming along nicely. :thumbleft:

Hey mal and/or octro hit me up on GTalk ... I wanan start using it and be able to help in developing/troubleshooting/etc ... but i unfortunately don't know many people on GTalk ... and would love to try out the VOIP features ... ShawnMix@gmail.com ... hope to hear from ya ... and in the case that octro checks this forum for feedback:

One feature I did not notice working was the sessions tab, at the top you can see the tabs for different people, but when you click on sessions it did not show you current convos ... this is mainly useful for one handed use

Other than that, definately resembles some of the same usability as verichat ... im impressed ... add in some SMS relay and multiple clients ... im sure u will have a market

oh yah and one more add on to the feedback portion ... If i am correct GTalk does support custom away messages right? It would be nice to see a system implemented where we can create custom away messages ...

Smix,

I only use the program for testing purposes so I'm rarely "on".

Speaking of testing, I just use two gmail accounts and go back and forth myself: one on the computer, one on the ppc.

A lot easier to do and you can control more that way...

Gothca ... so I guess we're in the same boat ... LoL ... I don't have a need to have GTalk on on the comp at home ... but that might be a good idea for testing purpose ... to test out some more options ... thanks for the idea Mal!!!

Don't forget, you don't need to install anything for the desktop Gtalk...it's just part of Gmail when you login via the website. It's right there in the lower left.

v1.03 is out. See 1st post.

Notifications are now working.

Bump.

1.04 is now out. Some great new features added. This program is progressing very nicely :thumbleft:

http://www.octro.com/

- Pre-Defined Messages - allows you to reply to a message with some customizable phrases.

- Custom status messages

- Auto Login/Auto Logout - you can now define the time you want the application to automatically login/logout

- Today screen preference - now there is a preference to keep the today screen item always visible. It allows you to launch OctroTalk when it is not running.

- Status maintained if you are disconnected and *auto-reconnect*

- And Yes, OctroTalk will now remain free for use atleast until Jan 31st, 2007.

it looks like the program keeps logging out immediately after logging in, and there was no option anywhere for using voip... i was kinda hoping that it was going to be a skype killer.

I have stayed logged in for over 8 hours with no problems. Even if it looses connection is re-connects itself.

I've already stopped using Verichat and just use this now.

I haven't tried VOIP myself but it is certainly there, you just have to try harder ;-) :

Update: Wow, just tried GoogleTalk. Works flawlessly! So cool. This IS a Skype killer. In fact I'm taking Skype off my phone. This is so much smoother and lighter.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...creen006-2.png

thanks, the problem was that the username login box was doing an autocomplete, looks like it added something to the effect of "@gmail.com" behind my google talk username :-/

i don't have a gmail account, so the program should not have done that.

thanks for posting the screen grab... i found the "call" and "hangup" buttons, but they are grayed out, so no voip capability... and i don't have the "mute" button at all... no "pre-defined messages" or "edit pdm's", either.

i have not sent a message yet, but i did create a buddy with an email address, didn't help.

does this program only voip to google talk people? or can i somehow dial up a number to anyone, like skype does?

o.k., no dial pad, but if you select a buddy name, you can manually enter numbers into the field... i'm getting a 404 error message regardless of how i type it in, but at least i have the call button! lol

how about some noob documentation :-/

i tested the google talk software install on my pc, it requires the buddy to accept your invitation to be called.

i take it that means that this little app here will not function like skype does? skype behaves like a telephone, you can dial anyone, and it has speed dial programming.

I wouldn't say that. Look, you have to go under your account settings and configure some things.

Skype doesn't exactly behave like a phone. You have to accept/ask permission to add "buddies" to your Skype list just line any IM program. As far as speed dial I mean, you have a buddy list...what more you want?

Now, it is true that you cannot make Landline calls but I don't need that...I need Overseas/VOIP. If you need VOIP to call landlines or have landlines call you then no, this won't work. But talk to Google about that not Octro.

Gmail Settings
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...a77/gtalk3.jpg

GTalk Settings
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ta77/gtalk.jpg

ONLY to Google Talk/people with Gmail accounts. That's a Google limitation.

Octro doesn't need to really document that as if you use GoogleTalk you'd already know that :wink:

thanks for the help, i've never used google talk, or any im client for that matter... typical noob confusion(ack!)

one of the people using this phone will need im capability, so i'm trying to get it dialed in.

this is a clean little app, i was getting its capabilities confused with the skypeout client, which is apparently not im software.

one thing i want to test is how the octro audio quality is, as compared to the skypeout network... the latter is not useable at times, even on the evdo network.

I just wanted to say that I am really enjoying this app and even though it is slightly limited on features as compared to say verichat (this will come with time). I think this might be a great contender for the best unified instant messaging app on wm5. yes I said unified, for those of you who don't know, because gtalk is based on jabber you can use a jabber client like psi on your desktop to add the transports for yahoo, msn, icq and aim. these contacts will then show up when you log into your gtalk account. nice!

so far I have had issues with serious device slowdown (only once but bad enough to make me uninstall...for a while) and alerts being slow when the device is sleeping. also there doesn't seem to be any popup notifications when I get a new message from the transports (but I do get the icon). and it would be really nice if the contact list could have a compressed view putting contacts and status on the same line with less wasted space.

overall I think it is a great program and with a few tweaks it will be the best (although there isn't much competition ) the voip sounds great too but I don't have any gtalk contacts so I haven't tested it.

oh, found a little bug. if you have two chats open and you close one session but then try to navigate back to the other (still open) session using the tabs it will somehow reopen the closed session.

it works perfectly with the right softkey though

have you emailed the developers and let them know?

support "at" octro.com

they're usually really good at working these out and would be interested. if you haven't could you drop them a note about it?

email sent

New Version 1.05 is Out Today:

- Autocomplete should now work fine.
- Status on today screen should be the same after a re-connect.
- We also fixed a bug in the close session logic.
- If you are talking to a buddy, and it changes its status, you can notified in the chat screen.
- A few other smaller issues.

http://www.octro.com/


Seems like most of the little quirks have been fixed and is working well.

UPDATE:

So now incoming VOIP calls wakeup the device and ring like its should, autocmplete works and there are some nice enhancments. Coming along nicely.

I was also able to UPX the main .exe file and reduced it by 50% and the program is much faster now. So for those who use UPX4PPC I encourage you to try it on this program as well. I asked the developer to consider pre-UPXing the files by default if there are no side-effects.

Happy Y2K + 7 Mal, Mike and everyone else at PPCGeeks.

I emailed Octro support group about a few suggestions, in particular the SMS chat relay. They know it will be costly but will look into this. Another suggestions I asked for is custom away messages.

With our help, Octro will be a fine replacement for Verichat soon.

Happy new year too...

1) yup, I've mentioned SMS chat relay too. since they'd be the only game in town doing that it would be a huge point of sale for them, lets see if it's cost effiecient/doable for them. I'm just happy they'd consider it. The more people request the more they'd consider it worth their time and effort.

2) Custom Away messages: you can already do this :wink: (it was put in I think 1.03 or 1.04) either way it works very well


http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...creen001-6.png

Hey works preety well !

This is a killer app if you're on EVDO... i'm on x1 and it still sounded nice.

I couldn't figure where u can set the ringer volume and actual ring type.....

goto sounds and notifications under your wm5 settings. it is identified as octro

Settings --> Sounds and Notifications

Octro: Message
Octro: Phone

But be aware I do not think the notification for Phone is configurable...yet. They had some issues with and will hopefully be able to fix in the future. At least now the notifications work consistently (these things are quite finicky on WM5, just ask Bruce at phonealarm :wink: )

Whoops! got beat to the answer :lol:

I don't have the phone option listed


weird........ bug?

I kind of doubt this...

Open a chat with someone (you don't have to actually IM them) and it'll be similar to this picture except now you use the Right soft key instead:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...creen006-2.png

I was talking about the Notification area (where you can select which sound and behaviour for a particular alert)


The other thing they need to fix is Today notification of new messages from users that already have a session

well, if you could make it specific and drop them an email I'm sure they'd be interested (I'm not sure what you mean by a fix for users that already have a session)

If you're already chatting with someone and you leave that chat screen (say go to the today screen), The today screen should show you have a new message like it does when its a first message from a user

Ok i sent them this email

Hello,


Great software, but here are 2 things that really should be addressed:

1) Ringer control from the sounds & notification of wm5

2) If you're already chatting with someone and you leave that chat screen (say go to the today screen), The today screen should show you have a new message like it does when its a first message from a user


Not Bugs but would be nice:

3) An easier way to initiate and more importantly end a call (Also a way to know you are in a voice call, besides the menu, via some sort of a visual q)

4) Ability to choose the earphone instead of the speakerphone for the voice chat (should improve the sound I would think)



Thanks!

Well, I can kinda answer some of those:

1) They are aware of notification customization and will try to figure that out
2) This is certainly something to be considered by them. Good for brining it up.
3) I've mentioned this to them as well and they want to address that
4) This is tricky. I know Skype has never got this to work (it still doesn't) it's either speaker phone or head phone. I think this has to do with how developers have to access the "phone" hardware: simply put, they can't. Much the same reason why "recording" both ways on WM5 devices is nearly non-existent except for 1 or 2 devices which have hardware mods on them. So this is a general WM5/Hardware limitation not a developer short-coming.

Anyways, your feedback is certainly helpful :wink:

Any new updates coming soon ?

So far it's been running very well besides the small problem i mentioned before.