Jive releases Social Business Software 4.0, iPhone app, and BlackBerry and smart phone functionality

Portland-based Jive Software is currently in the midst of their first ever user group, Jive World. And as such, it seems that

there is no better time to launch new products—especially when you’ve got all of your most fervent users together in one room.

So that’s just what they did. Not only did Jive upgrade their core product to Social Business Software 4.0, they also made it more accessible by releasing an app for the iPhone and functionality for BlackBerry and smart phones.

Perhaps the biggest part of the new version of SBS is the release of Jive Connects for Microsoft Office, a plugin that gives people the ability to work in Office documents while accessing some of the social features Jive offers.

SBS 4.0 is all about closing the gap between the way business tools MAKE people work and the way we WANT to work. And let’s face it, most of us work within Microsoft Office. Jive recently announced a new content management strategy with Microsoft SharePoint integration as a first step. But for SBS to be adopted broadly in enterprises, that social layer has to reach not only across content silos, but also to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the like. So we’re going the next step to integrate with Microsoft Office to help its 600 million users be more social.

Making the new software more accessible from the desktop is good, but making it accessible from popular mobile platforms is even better. That’s why Jive has also spent time to develop functionality for BlackBerry—the de facto business platform—smart phones, and an iPhone app.

Just to overstate the obvious, the apps are designed to give users access to the Jive functionality, no matter where they are. Although it appears that the iPhone app—which was designed by Portland-based iPhone shop Small Society—provides a richer experience for users.

No doubt there are other features and tweaks which will please existing Jive users. In any case, it’s impressive to see Jive continue to improve upon its core product while adding functionality that has the potential to expand its use.

For more information on the new release, visit Jive SBS 4.0 or read the press release. For more on the company, visit Jive Software.