Intel, Web 2.0 Firms Build Collaboration Tool

Six software companies that specialize in next-generation Web applications announced plans to launch a collaboration software suite for business productivity.

NewsGator, SimpleFeed, Six Apart, Socialtext, SpikeSource, and Visible Path are introducing SuiteTwo this week to coincide with the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco. The collaboration software includes advanced Web applications that incorporate blogging powered by Movable Type; RSS courtesy of NewsGator; a search wiki thanks to Socialtext; and new social networking capabilities from Visible Path into a single application.

The services -- hosted by SpikeSource -- are accessed through a single sign-on and rich user interface. Initially, the software suite will be offered in English and Japanese. Resellers can purchase SuiteTwo through Tech Data.

The companies say they saw a need to provide collaboration tools for enterprise-level businesses that could compete with similar products from Microsoft, IBM, and Salesforce.com. By using the RSS, blogging, and wiki platforms, companies could improve a sales team's collaboration, a call center's communications, and speed employee training.

The consortium also noted that SuiteTwo could be used as a high-engagement marketing tool where customers could provide instant feedback via a corporate social network or the ability to sell, market, and recruit more effectively.Intel Capital, Intel's venture capital organization, is putting up the majority of the funding behind the project and was the key partner to assembling the different Web 2.0 components. Intel said its Software and Solutions Group will be responsible for generating SuiteTwo products and bringing it to market.

Intel's investment may pay off in that SuiteTwo as a back-end operation runs on servers that use Intel Xeon chips.

The product is available for demo. Representatives with the member companies are expected to reveal more on Wednesday during a breakout session at the Web 2.0 Conference.