oneDrum Brings Real-Time Collaboration to Microsoft Office; Mac Version To Hit Beta Later This Year

A UK company has launched a free application that allows users to collaborate on Microsoft Office files in real time similar to the way they can with Google Docs. oneDrum from a company by the same name is being promoted as a "peer-to-peer desktop application" specifically for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Edits made through oneDrum appear in real time when working online. Offline edits synchronize when connectivity is reestablished. The program includes a chat function to allow users to communicate with each other as they're working on a common document.

"Our goal has always been to reset people's understanding both of what a networked application is and how it should be built," said CEO Jasper Westaway. "We designed oneDrum to be insanely powerful and with as few compromises as possible. Users want files to be accessible and editable offline whilst co-authoring, file sharing and chat messaging are all experiences that people have become accustomed to and need for productivity."

Currently, oneDrum works on all versions of Office in a Windows environment. The company said a Mac version for doing file integration would be beta-tested later in the year.

According to Westaway, the company will release a subscription version of the program in February 2012 with extra features, including backup to the cloud and Web access to files.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • cloud, database stack, computer screen, binary code, and flowcharts interconnected by lines and arrows

    Salesforce to Acquire Data Management Firm Informatica

    Salesforce has announced plans to acquire data management company Informatica for $8 billion. The deal is aimed at strengthening Salesforce's AI foundation and expanding its enterprise data capabilities.

  • stylized AI code and a neural network symbol, paired with glitching code and a red warning triangle

    New Anthropic AI Models Demonstrate Coding Prowess, Behavior Risks

    Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4, its most advanced artificial intelligence models to date, boasting a significant leap in autonomous coding capabilities while simultaneously revealing troubling tendencies toward self-preservation that include attempted blackmail.

  • NVIDIA DGX line

    NVIDIA Intros Personal AI Supercomputers

    NVIDIA has introduced a new lineup of AI-powered computing solutions designed to accelerate enterprise workloads.