The EVO International service (http://evo.caltech.edu) will have a major upgrade soon. Our 60 servers (Pandas) have already been updated. The last piece is Koala (our software client). Now you can test this new version and report any problems encountered before the final release. Version 2 of EVO International is the result of years of development. We hope you will like all the new features and simplified user interface. It is fully compatible with the current production version of Koala so both versions can be in the same meeting.

A few of the new EVO's features and functions are summarized below:

• Improvement of the Koala interface to make it simpler, easier, and more intuitive. A new 'Help & Test' menu provides all necessary help to the user. During a meeting the new 'DashBoard' gives a clear access to all possible actions.
• A new plugin called ExtCall to simplify calling external clients (H.323 and SIP) and MCUs with management of profiles via a new adress book.
• 2 new meeting types: Plenary Session and Broadcast that provide different interfaces and restrictions for simple participants or moderators. An electronic Raising Hand mechanism is available for the Plenary meeting type.
• There are new dash-board icons for controlling functions in a meetings (start/stop audio, video, record, etc...)
• Improvements in the moderation of meetings: mute/unmute/enable/disable any media of each participant, allow/deny of recording, etc...
• First version of an audio echo suppression done in software.
• New multithreaded ViEVO version (EVO Video application), available in all majors OS (Windows, MacOS and Linux)

Feedback from the user community is very important to us. It allows us to make the system more robust and reliable, and enhance its functionality. Don't hesitate to send us email if you are facing any issues or simply to provide comments and suggestions.

All the best,
The EVO Team