Version 6.3 - August 2024

When you're ready to upgrade to SideSpeak Premium, we've made it fast and easy. 

Introducing our revolutionary QuickStart system for instant subscriptions. Now you can register, subscribe, and checkout in just one click! This streamlined process works seamlessly for both local and SSO (Google & Microsoft) accounts.  Click on https://meet.sidespeak.com/subscribe and start your SideSpeak Premium journey today.

Never wonder which SideSpeak edition you're using again! In the top right corner, you'll now see a color-coded label indicating your current edition: Free, Premium Guest, or Premium.

Click the label for quick access to relevant information:

• Free Edition: See a clear comparison of features to explore upgrade options.
• Premium Guest: Easily transition to a Premium plan and unlock the full potential of SideSpeak.
• Premium Edition: Access your personal account management page.

SmartCapture is not your normal screen capture tool. With just a few clicks, you can effortlessly capture any screen, tab, or window. Whether you need to share a quick snapshot during a meeting or save important information, SmartCapture makes it simple and efficient.  This is a Premium edition feature only.

Sharing your SideSpeak meeting room just got easier! A new "copy" button now sits conveniently next to the room name at the top of your meeting window.

With a single click, the unique room name is copied to your clipboard, ready to be pasted into emails, chats, or anywhere you need to invite participants.

Now, by popular demand, you can enjoy colorful toolbar buttons with customizable sizing. This major breakthrough allows you to preserve your custom color and icon size preferences for a dynamic toolbar tailored to your style and needs. 

We've added a customized "hang up" button within the toolbar, making it easier to exit meetings. This improvement ensures a smoother, more user-friendly experience when wrapping up your sessions. 

To ensure the fastest and most secure experience, we've incorporated the latest Jitsi release, the foundation of SideSpeak. This update continues our focus on delivering high-speed, secure meetings, protecting your communication and data without compromising performance. 

Welcome to SideSpeak Version 6.0! This latest release introduces two significant updates designed to elevate your Premium experience.

We've added Join Alerts. Exclusively for Premium users, this feature lets you set up instant text alerts for your 'favorite' meetings. With this enhancement, you can monitor who joins a meeting in real-time, keeping you informed wherever you are. From you Dashboard, simply select the 'Alert' checkbox next to any of your favorite meetings and receive instant text notifications, complete with the meeting link, when someone starts or joins that meeting.  

Here are few examples:

1. Team Collaboration: If you're waiting for team members to join a virtual meeting, "Join Alerts" can alert you instantly when they arrive, allowing you to join the meeting at the right time without having to constantly check.

2. Sales Calls: For sales professionals, this feature is invaluable when a prospective client joins a virtual meeting. You get an instant alert, allowing you to prepare and jump into the meeting promptly.

3. Training Sessions: For trainers or instructors hosting virtual sessions, these notifications let them know when participants have arrived, enabling them to start the session promptly without unnecessary delays.

4. Customer Support: Customer support teams can use this feature to receive a notification when customers join support meetings, allowing for quick response times and enhanced customer service.

5. "Consulting and Advisory Services: For consultants who have back-to-back meetings, "Join Alerts" provides instant alerts when clients join, ensuring a smooth transition between meetings.

Never miss that important or impromptu meeting again.

We've added more Toolbar customization, allowing Premium users and Premium Guests the ability to change the color, size, and even language of the toolbar. Create a setup that matches your style and makes your SideSpeak experience uniquely yours. 

Go to the "Preferences", under the Main menu, and easily customize these options.

SideSpeak's version 5.9 introduces significant updates that enhance its functionality and user experience. Here's a summary of the key features in this release:

1. Mobile Toolbar Mode: A new mobile toolbar mode has been added, which can be toggled on or off in the Preferences. This feature is designed to optimize the toolbar's layout and accessibility on mobile devices, ensuring a smoother user experience.
2. Demo Mode: The demo mode is another toggleable option introduced in this release. Available through the Preferences, it focuses on presentations, minimum toolbars, for a clean interface where the participants can focus entirely on your message.
3. Advanced Toolbar Menu for Premium Users & Guests: The update introduces advanced (bonus) toolbar menu options exclusive to Premium users and guests. These additional features enhance the toolbar's functionality, offering more customization and flexibility. Additionally, the update adds additional toolbar buttons.
4. Volume Control for Individual Participants: SideSpeak now enables you to adjust the volume of each participant during a meeting. To access this feature, click on the blue box located in the upper right corner of the participant's picture. Within the menu that appears, the final option is a volume slider. You can slide this control upwards to increase the volume or downwards to decrease it, allowing for personalized audio levels that suit your listening preferences.
5. Separate Storage for User Toolbar Profiles: Unlike previous versions where user toolbar profile data was stored in a combined format, version 5.9 distinguishes between Premium users and guests. Premium users' toolbar profile data is now stored in the Cloud, ensuring secure and accessible data management. On the other hand, guest users' data is stored locally in the browser, providing a tailored but temporary experience.
6. Improved User Interface (UI): The UI has been updated to respect the separation between Premium and guest profiles. This distinction allows for more precise tuning and customization options for each user type. 

Overall, version 5.9 of SideSpeak focuses on enhancing user experience through improved server stability, more flexible toolbar options, and better data management and customization for different user types. These updates aim to make SideSpeak more adaptable, secure, and convenient for its users.

1. Extended Sign-In: Enjoy the convenience of 30-day sign-in for Google and Microsoft accounts.

2. Advanced Toolbar Menu: Explore bonus toolbar menu options for even more customization.

3. Auto-Load Toolbar Profiles: Switching between public and private servers? Your toolbar profiles will now auto-load for a smoother experience.

4. Mobile Toolbar Mode: Introducing the new mobile toolbar mode (-mt) for enhanced mobile functionality.

5. Enhanced Notifications: Push notifications on both desktop and mobile have been fixed for seamless communication.

6. Fixed Timezone Info: Your Account Dashboard now shows accurate timezone information.

7. Jitsi Update: We've integrated Jitsi version 9164 (released on Dec. 23, 2023) for improved security and performance.

8. Code Cleanup: We've tidied up the code for better stability and even faster performance.

*Please note that the mobile toolbar and advanced profile features will continue to evolve based on your feedback and specifications. 

SideSpeak Premium users can now access their accounts in even more convenient ways. Alongside email and Google login options, we've introduced Microsoft login support. Enjoy the flexibility of choosing the login method that suits you best. 

You can now create meeting names with pre-set parameters to bypass the lobby and auto-populate participant names when joining sessions. This eliminates unnecessary clicks and typing when joining meetings. Join faster by adding your multi-word name after "-n=" at the end of the meeting name in the URL. 

Examples:

https://meet.sidespeak.com/meet/sarahmeeting-n=Sarah

https://meet.sidespeak.com/meet/salesmeeting-n=Steve%20Smtih

We've added the ability to preselect any of our saved Toolbars through each meeting's URL parameters. Whether you want the clean mobile toolbar or a customized toolbar for a special project, just add "-t=[name]" to pull up that toolbar by default when joining a room. 

Examples:

https://meet.sidespeak.com/meet/sarahmeeting-t=mobile

https://meet.sidespeak.com/meet/salesmeeting-n=recording

You can combine customizable name and toolbar fields within a single URL using parameters like "-n=" and "-t=". Generate a personalized link that enters your name and desired toolbar automatically upon joining. 

Examples:

https://meet.sidespeak.com/meet/sarahmeeting-t=mobile-n=Sarah

https://meet.sidespeak.com/meet/salesmeeting-n=recording-n=Steven%20Smith

Recognizing that 91.4% of SideSpeak meetings involve screen sharing, we've taken a significant step to simplify this process. For you Premium users, we've placed a convenient 'Share Screen' shortcut button at the top of your meeting interface.

By default this feature is turned off  however, if this sounds like a timesaver for you, simply access the main menu, choose 'Preferences,' and then check the 'Share Screen' box. 

This enhancement ensures that sharing your screen is now quicker and more accessible than ever before. Additionally, since the majority of users prefer to share their entire screen, we've made 'Entire Screen' the default view, eliminating the need for extra clicks.

Also, remember that there's no need to hassle with granting screen-sharing permissions in SideSpeak. All participants in your meeting share equal rights, creating a seamless experience. And here's the kicker – not only can everyone share their screens effortlessly, but multiple users can do it simultaneously. This means you can enjoy side-by-side views of screens, making collaboration a breeze and taking your meetings to a whole new level. 

Prepare for a smoother, more efficient demo experience for both hosts and participants. Introducing our innovative "Demo Mode." By appending "-dm" to your meeting's name, you trigger a transformation that benefits everyone involved. 

This mode streamlines the process, minimizing unnecessary prompts, and optimizing the toolbar to create a distraction-free environment. The result? Your demos are faster, easier, and more productive, allowing everyone to focus on what truly matters. 

At SideSpeak, we're committed to your privacy and security. Our servers are continually fine-tuned with the latest security updates to ensure your online meetings take place on the most secure platform available. Enjoy peace of mind, knowing that your conversations are shielded by cutting-edge technology. 

[Premium Only] This new release elevates your Dashboard experience with refined data syncing, allowing you seamless access and interaction with your room’s essential features and data points. 

[Available to Premium and Guests] Forget the hassle of setting up your toolbar every time. The system now automatically recognizes and loads your last used toolbar profile, making your experience smoother and more personalized. 

[Available to Premium and Guests] Stay informed and secure with SideSpeak's added informational and delete warnings for toolbar preferences, ensuring you have full transparency and control over your user experience. 

[Available to All Users] To offer you a secure and smooth operating environment, our private servers have received crucial updates enhancing their security and performance. We continuously aim to provide a secure, reliable, and efficient platform where users can confidently communicate and collaborate.

These enhancements include:

• Advanced Security Protocols: To safeguard user interactions and data, we have refined and fortified our security protocols, ensuring that every conversation remains private and protected.
• Optimized Server Performance: Our server’s performance has been polished and optimized to guarantee fast, seamless, and reliable service, allowing you to focus solely on your discussions without any disruptions.
• Frequent and Proactive Updates: We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of service and security by routinely upgrading our systems, preempting vulnerabilities, and staying abreast of the latest in security and technology advancements.

By staying ahead in security and service optimizations, SideSpeak aspires to offer you not just a platform for communication but also peace of mind, knowing that your conversations are secure.

One of the standout features in this update is the revamped toolbar customization, allowing our Premium and Premium Guest users the flexibility to design their own workspace.

Whether you're hosting a brainstorming session or presenting a quarterly review, you can now tailor up to 10 unique toolbars, ensuring you have the right tools at your fingertips for every meeting scenario. Say goodbye to a cluttered interface and hello to a workspace that's uniquely yours.

In many video chat tools, the participant preview area, or 'filmstrip', is static — you're stuck with whatever view options the platform gives you. With our responsive filmstrip, you have full control. Your video chat experience just got a lot more personalized. In our latest update, we've supercharged the filmstrip feature. To adjust the participant preview area, simply click the bold line on the left side of the filmstrip and drag it to your desired size — whether you want to enlarge, reduce, or even minimize completely. Dive into a more tailored video chat with SideSpeak and control how you view your participants. 

The new feature, "Personalized Toolbar Icons," empowers SideSpeak Premium users with the ability to customize their toolbar icons according to their individual preferences and workflow. This enhancement provides a more tailored and efficient video chat experience for users.

To access this feature, users can navigate to the "Preferences" option located under the main menu. Clicking on "Preferences" opens a settings panel where users can manage their toolbar customization.

Behind the scenes, the implementation involves several key technical aspects:

1. User Interface Customization: The SideSpeak application interface includes a settings option within the main menu, labeled as "Preferences." Selecting this option provides users with direct access to the personalized toolbar icons feature.
2. Icon Management System: The backend infrastructure of SideSpeak incorporates an icon management system that handles the customization process. This system maintains a collection of available icons, manages user preferences, and dynamically renders the toolbar based on the selected choices.
3. Persistent User Preferences: To ensure continuity across sessions, user preferences regarding toolbar icons are securely stored and linked to their SideSpeak account. This enables users to maintain their customized toolbar layout across different devices and login sessions.
4. Real-Time Rendering: The SideSpeak application utilizes real-time rendering techniques to dynamically update the toolbar based on user preferences. When users make changes to their selected icons, the application instantly applies the updates, reflecting the customized toolbar layout without requiring a restart or interruption to ongoing video chats.
5. Compatibility and Responsiveness: The personalized toolbar icons feature is designed to be compatible with a wide range of web browsers and devices. The responsive design ensures seamless user experiences across various screen sizes and resolutions, adapting to different viewing contexts.
6. Savable Profiles:  You can now Save, Delete, and Load unlimited profiles, ensuring that your video chat toolbar settings are perfectly tailored to multiple meeting needs. 

Note: The personalized toolbar icons feature is exclusively available to SideSpeak Premium users, delivering an advanced level of customization and personalization.

Introducing the new "One-click to Full Screen" feature in SideSpeak. With this convenient addition, accessing full-screen mode is now easier than ever. No need to navigate through menus or search for the right option on the toolbar. Simply look for the shortcut icon located on the top right of the meeting stage, and with a single click, toggle your meeting to full screen mode. 

In the latest update of SideSpeak, we've added an important enhancement to the 'Send Reminder' phonebook functionality. Now, when you're managing your text names and numbers in the phonebook, you'll have more control and peace of mind.

Previously, deleting a name or number from the phonebook happened instantly, without any confirmation prompts. However, with this update, we've introduced a confirmation prompt that appears before deleting an entry. This extra step ensures that you can review and confirm your actions, preventing any accidental deletions.

Introducing Lightning-Fast Screen Sharing: Sharing your screen has never been quicker with our enhanced feature. We've listened to your feedback and made 'Entire Screen' the new default option in the screen selection dialog box, ensuring a seamless and accelerated screen sharing experience. Effortlessly showcase your ideas and collaborate with ease using SideSpeak's faster screen sharing feature.

We've revamped the settings experience in SideSpeak with our latest update. Say hello to the new 'Settings' dialog box conveniently located in the toolbar. Now, you can access and customize all your meeting settings effortlessly through an intuitive vertical menu. Enjoy faster and streamlined control over your meeting configurations, empowering you to personalize your SideSpeak experience with ease. Try our enhanced settings feature and take full control of your meetings like never before. 

With our improved 'Send Reminder' phonebook feature, you now have even more control and convenience. We've added a 'delete' option to effortlessly manage your contacts and keep your phonebook organized. Additionally, we've alphabetized the list, making it easier for you to find and select the desired contacts for reminders. 

Our dedicated development team has successfully identified the cause of the mouse flickering issue during screen sharing. After thorough investigation, we found that the problem originates from the Chrome browser itself.

In the meantime, we have implemented a temporary workaround to ensure a smooth screen sharing experience. Simply select the 'Window' option instead of 'Entire Screen' when sharing your screen. This will alleviate the mouse flickering problem until Google resolves the underlying issue.

Rest assured, we are actively monitoring the situation and collaborating with Google to find a permanent solution. Your satisfaction and seamless user experience remain our top priorities at SideSpeak.

We've made the switch to make your meetings easier to remember. The new, secure, URL is now https://meet.sidespeak.com. But don't worry as both the new and old URL's bring you to the same meeting pages!

Our latest release takes your meeting experience to the next level with significant improvements in audio latency and video image quality. We've measured our success using Google PageSpeed and you will be thrilled with the results. 

For Premium users, we've made significant improvements to the "Reminder" feature with the addition of a phonebook where you can now easily add names and contacts for storage convenience when placing calls or sending messages. 

Our development team has been hard at work optimizing the code to bring you faster load times and improved meeting quality. We know how important it is for your meetings to run smoothly, so we made it our priority to improve performance.  SideSpeak now loads over 60% faster than other chat software, making it the perfect solution for those who value speed and efficiency. 

As a SideSpeak Premium user, sending files to your guests has never been easier. Skip the hassle of emailing and stay within your meeting with our "File Transfer" option located under the main menu. In this release, we've simplified the process using our SidePanel technology. It opens a private window directly within the meeting, allowing for seamless file transfers. Say goodbye to interruptions and hello to smooth collaboration with SideSpeak. 

SideSpeak's premium users can now easily integrate a whiteboard into their video chat sessions for improved collaboration and productivity. With this embedded feature, all participants have equal permissions and can brainstorm, draw, and share ideas in real-time, making it ideal for small group discussions and remote meetings. 

When you access the Whiteboard, it will show on all participants screens.

To access this feature: 

1. Go to the Toolbar, 

2. Click the '...' button 

3. Select 'Show whiteboard'. 

To hide the whiteboard: 

1. Go to the Toolbar, 

2. Click the '...' button 

3. Select 'Hide whiteboard'. 

With the new '-x' parameter added to SideSpeak, starting or joining a meeting has never been faster. Simply add '-x' to the end of your meeting URL and bypass the usual prompts. If used, you will skip the "Lobby" mode, skip the "Invite" window, skip any notifications and 'nudges' and finally minimize the "Filmstrip".

Try it on your next meeting to see how it's the perfect feature for those who value speed and efficiency.

This -x parameter is not case sensitive.

For Premium users, when using the new "Preferences" menu option, you can fully customize your chat experience by selecting your preferred language, hiding alerts, and skipping the lobby screen.  To access "Preferences", click the main Menu and select 'Preferences'.