Now Up-To-Date & Contact's simple interface allows Windows and Macintosh users to share group contacts and calendars.For small businesses with a mix of Macintosh and Windows PC users, Now Software has released a new group version of its Now Up-To-Date & Contact software. Long associated with the Mac, this personal information management program offers an alternative to Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook for group contacts and calendaring. It's a functional but not terribly exciting alternative, however.
Meant to be quick and easy, the Now software sports an old-fashioned-looking interface, and the learning curve is undaunting. The included server component makes it easy for Apple and Windows users to share contact address books, schedule meetings, track tasks, and check calendars over the network. But you won't find any unique group organizational features here, and the program lacks integrated e-mail client software.
At $119 per seat (online) Now's product is the same price as Lotus Domino Collaboration Express, a competing program for small businesses with mixed Mac/PC environments. The Lotus interface has a more modern look and includes an integrated e-mail client, making the Now product seem a bit overpriced.
Meanwhile, Microsoft's $99 Entourage X (a version of Outlook for small offices with Mac OS X systems) offers some compatibility with PC users who run Outlook via an Exchange server, but Entourage fails to offer truly full-featured group-calendaring features for Mac users. Now's products have long served the Mac-centric small-business audience, and this update enables such companies that have added Windows PCs to share the same PIM system. These offices will get their money's worth here; otherwise, the product hardly seems remarkable.
Now Software
Simple group contact manager
and scheduler for mixed Mac-PC
companies.
Price when reviewed: $129 per seat;
$119 per seat via online download
Current prices (if available)
Laurianne McLaughlin
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