Spark is a gorgeous Campfire experience for Windows 8

Spark

Campfire is an excellent chat and collaboration service from 37signals (www.37signals.com), enabling businesses to host multiple chat rooms for employees to engage with one another and improve workflow and productivity. Running the web customer on Windows 8 is an accented cakewalk and feels native enough, simply what if you're using a tablet? This is where a Metro app comes into play. Unfortunately, 37signals accept failed to provide such an app on the Windows Store.Cue Spark.

We've come up to expect cute applications from Windows and Windows Telephone developers and Spark doesn't disappoint. The unofficial Bivouac customer for Windows viii pulls down the service and wraps information technology in the Mod UI, adding numerous features to arrive worth the rather expensive price tag. That said, if you rely on Campfire for work and business concern, y'all'd be willing to invest in a quality solution to connect with colleagues when mobile.

Windows 8 Spark

To give yous an thought as to just how much is packed into this client, check the characteristic listing beneath:

Fast and intuitive interface — works bang-up in snapped mode
Advanced notifications settings (sound, live tiles, toast, unread counters) — customizable per room level and per each keyword
Upload multiple files at once, paste files from clipboard or take and upload photo using camera
Inline previewing of images — whether from uploads, image links, or from a number of other sites (YouTube, Dropbox, Instagram, Imgur, Twitpic, 9 GAG and many more than)
Support for multiple Campfire accounts
Full emoji and Campfire sounds support and auto-complete
Highlights any messages that mention you
Ignore enter/leave messages
Favorite rooms
Built-in search and transcripts back up
Share to Campfire room using share contract
Testify user avatars (from gravatar service if avatar is not specified in Bivouac)
Customizable time zones - based on Campfire server time zone or local device time zone
Animated GIFs support
Real time streaming of messages for instant notifications
Background support - get notified even if app is not running
Roaming support - get consistent experience across all your devices

That's quite the feature prepare. What'south more is the developer has managed to bundle everything together into a sweet experience, taking full advantage of Microsoft'south Windows 8 UI. It doesn't experience overwhelming or chaotic with functionality. The more important gene in a Campfire client is speed. You don't want to exist sabbatum at that place waiting for the app to catch upwardly with the quick fire conversations held through the Campfire service, just Spark doesn't disappoint here. The app is both fast and sports an intuitive interface to help yous become where yous need to be.

Spark

Launching the app for the start time, you lot're prompted to log into your 37signals account, just equally you would with the website. The principal view is carve up into two panes. The left-manus sidebar lists chat rooms your business relationship has access to, alongside favourite conversation rooms and ones that are active. The middle pane shows the electric current chat room selected, which should expect familiar to what'south available through the web interface. Finally, in the right-hand side bar we take the list of accounts currently connected to that conversation room.

Swiping up from the bottom (or top) of the screen volition open up new options, including invitee admission, view latest files, editing topics, pinning said chat room to the Kickoff screen (with notifications) and leaving the room birthday. On top of those options, yous're also able to search through transcript history, check out the emoji crook canvass and head into the settings expanse to configure the app to your liking. Yep, yous tin fifty-fifty turn off Campfire sounds. Wait, at that place'southward fifty-fifty more.

Spark Notifications

The Live Tiles for Spark are indeed live and kicking, showing messages that mention your proper name, as well every bit any other rules you choose to set up. It'due south super neat because you could take numerous keywords that alert yous when published in any chat room. Oh, did nosotros mention the GIF support? Check the above feature list for the brief run through and see if all that functionality is worth the price tag. We've been using Spark for a brusk while hither and we're super impressed by the solution. Highly recommended.

You lot can download Spark for Windows 8 from the store for $13.99. It's an expensive cost tag but well worth it should you rely on Bivouac.

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