The new and improved Amazon Chime version 5 for Windows, macOS, and web clients is coming to all users!
The Amazon Chime 5 clients for Windows, macOS, and web deliver an enhanced look and feel including light and dark mode, and accessibility improvements across the entire app (chat and meetings). The new meeting experience is powered by Amazon Chime SDK with high quality audio, video, and screen share features for an engaging and inclusive meeting experience. We added features such as a device preview to select and test audio and video devices before joining your meeting; support for up to 25 video tiles; active speaker name and video tile highlighting; un-dockable screen share and video tiles for improved multi-monitor support; and a floating call control to view important meeting details and quickly return to the meeting window.
Many of our features remain the same — auto-call for scheduled meetings, quick actions like starting a call from a chat, Instant meetings, roster status, and meeting features. This article provides an overview of some of the new features, navigation, and media layout options to familiarize you with the experience.
The Main Amazon Chime Window
When you open the Amazon Chime Windows, macOS, or web app (https://app.chime.aws) it should look pretty familiar. Meetings and Calls, Chat Rooms, Favorites, and Recent messages are still along the left, the launch bar is still across the top, and Quick actions are on the right. The User menu, accessed by clicking on your name in the upper left, has more options including the ability to Add a custom status message, navigation to all your Settings, and Sign out. With Amazon Chime 5, when an update is available for the client, you will be presented with a summary of changes and a prompt to Restart Amazon Chime.
Joining a Meeting and Device Preview
You told us that you wanted a green room — a way to make sure your devices were all setup and ready to go before joining a meeting — and a way to join your meetings muted. We added our Device Preview into the join flow and included audio and video options like join muted and turning on background blur. Now you can choose and test your video and choice of audio including computer, dial-in, and Call me, for each of your meetings. We will remember your devices and settings for the next meeting join and give you the option to join fast by checking the Skip this dialog when joining meetings option.
The Meeting Window
There have been significant adjustments made to our Meeting window in order to provide you with more screen real estate for video and screen share viewing and improve access to the various controls. The roster (now Attendee panel) and meeting chat have been moved to the left along with the Media Layout and More menus.
The Active Speaker is displayed above the Attendee panel with three dot menus for individual attendee actions. The attendee status sections can now be collapsed and expanded.
The lower control bar is where you manage your audio, video, screen share, and leave or end the meeting. When the Audio, Video, or Screen Share icons are blue/highlighted, they are on and the text description below each item indicate the action that will occur when you click on it. The carrot menus next to each item provides device pickers and actions that are available so you can quickly change devices, or adjust settings.
Media Layout and Video
With Amazon Chime 5 you manage your own layout. Hide or display the attendee panel and chat (don’t worry, we will show unread count next to the chat icon). When there are only two attendees with video on — your view is optimized with a picture-in-picture display. Feature up to two video tiles (inspired by our customers to feature their sign language interpreters), hide another attendee’s video tile, hide or display your own video tile, hide all video tiles (to conserve bandwidth or screen real estate), decide if you want video tiles displayed on the top or bottom of featured content (screen share or featured videos), undock all videos and display in a row or column, and choose if you would like us to sort the active speaker into the video tile view.
Screen Viewing and Sharing
You control your screen share view layout. You can optimize for screen share viewing by expanding (hiding all video) or displaying them again, zoom in and out or choose to undock the window — even when you are using the web app.
Our new screen share is built using Amazon Chime SDK Content Share and offers a higher quality sharing and viewing experience with increased frame rates and faster load times. You can display a preview of what is being shared with your attendees and view the active speaker, and alerts for new chat messages and raised hands.
Amazon Chime 5 is coming soon to everyone. Watch for the update and your opportunity to use the latest features and improvements.