We anticipate that in time the threaded news client will allow backwards compatibility with servers running less than version 1.5. According to sources, Hotline 1.5 also boasts a number of handy chat features such as improved general chat, and private messaging. As each user logs into a server, the new version of hotline will display their nickname and time of login in the chat screen, similar to internet rely chat, one source said. The feature can also be deactivated at the users preference. Private messaging has also been greatly improved.
Users now have the ability to automatically refuse incoming messages and chat invitations.
Furthermore, users can set a custom away message to auto-respond to messages when they are away. Of course Hotline 1.5 will feature support for multiple, searchable trackers, as we've detailed in the past. A tracker list manager supports multiple trackers at the same time, allowing users to create multiple tracker bookmarks, similar to the process of creating a server bookmark. In addition, the new version features a slightly altered user list, and supports custom text and background colors in both the chat and news. While a public beta is somewhat overdue, according to previous statements from Hotline Communications representatives, we should expect to see some major announcements in the coming months.