Online Storage, Backup, Access Files & Share - 50GB Free Online Storage

Online Storage, Backup, Access Files & Share - 50GB Free Online Storage with ADrive

Summary of Basic Services

50GB Free Online/Cloud  Storage

Upload & Store Files

Access Files Anywhere

Share Files

Edit Documents Online

File Transfer Protocol

Basic Features File & Document Options

Move To: Moves this file to another directory within your account.

Copy To:  Copies the file to another directory in your account (leaves the original).

Share:  Selects the file for sharing and adds it to files in My Shared Files.

View Inline:  Views this file in your web browser (depending on browser).

Download:  A direct download of the file is started.

Rename:  Rename the file.

Delete: Deletes the file (a popup dialogue will make sure that you’re sure)

Basic Shared File & Document Options

Unshare:  Unshares the file and removes it from My Shared Files.

View Inline:  Views this file in your web browser (depending on browser).

Download:  A direct download of the file is started.

Email a Friend:  Opens the Email a Friend page, where you can send a link to your shared file to a friend by email.

Basic Search Options

Search through Files - searching through file names.

Search through directories - searching through folder names.

Compatibility with ADrive
ADrive currently supports all operating systems (OS) Windows, Mac, and Linux but has some limitations to their list of supported Internet browsers and currently provides FULL support with Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox (working on adding Chrome). You may also need to adjust some of your browser settings (enable cookies for the ADrive site, adjust security setting while using, turn on JavaScript and for IE enable ActiveX.

They also provide a desktop client - ADrive Desktop - (not included in the free version) which allows users to upload, download, and schedule backups to files/folders automatically on their local computer to their ADrive account. This feature also provides users access to their ADrive account directly from their desktop but is not a requirement to appreciate the many features and advantages ADrive has to offer.

Getting Started
Upload and Sharing Files

Click on the "Upload Files/Directories" button which will bring you to the Upload Tool. Follow the instructions on this page to locate files on your computer that you wish to upload to ADrive. 

After the file is uploaded, you will have several options when you right click on the file or view the options at the bottom of the page. 

You can also click on "Create Directory" to create a directory (folder) that can contain multiple files.

ADrive also has a built-in feature that allows you to upload multiple files or directories (folders) at once.

You can even upload a single file containing 2 GB (2048 megabytes) and up to 1000 files!

The available file types currently include documents, spreadsheets, photos, music, and videos. 

Sharing Files

One option is “Share” which moves the file to your "My Shared Files" directory and a unique web link will be generated so that you can share with anyone on the Internet (they do not need an ADrive account).  The recipient of your shared files only needs to click the link to download. You can also use the "Email-A-Friend" feature. Just right click on your shared file and click on the button, enter the desired email address, and the email will be sent to your friend providing a link to download the shared file.

Public Shared Files- Expire within 14 Days
Files that you create as "Public Shared" as part of the Free account will expire after 14 days from when the file was originally shared. You are still able to re-share these files as many times as you like, although the links will change (unlike Google Docs- you are providing a link for others to share and not "publishing the file/document as a we-page).

Edit Documents & Files Online
Select to rename, copy and move any of your uploaded files by right-clicking on the selected file/document
ADrive has also partnered with Zoho® to offer users the ability to edit Word and Excel files online (IE & FireFox currently). All you need to do is right-click on the file and click the “Edit in Zoho” button option. Make any desired changes and then save the file before closing the Zoho® program. This also provides users with the ability to save as the uploaded or edited document as a PDF by selecting the "Print Option" while still using the Zoho® program (Zoho® feature currently only available to edit Word and Excel files).
For other file types, you could select to download the desired file to your computer, make any edits via your desktop software program of choice, save and then upload the file to ADrive for safe keeping and access.

Limitations & Enhancements
We have been using ADrive for a couple of years and appreciate the amount (50GB) of storage but as more applications become available it will be important for ADrive to enhance their VIEW document settings.  It would be nice to be able to open a page (regardless of the created format) and simply view without requiring to download.  We also appreciate that FREE user accounts are NOT deleted, even if no recent activity on the account has occurred. We have used ADrive primarily for uploading large amounts of archived files and it is nice to know that ADrive promises "not to expire or delete any confirmed accounts or user files".

Learn More @ ADrive Home Page

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Free Web-based MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint - Create, Edit & Share

Free Web-based Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & OneNote - Create, Edit & Share using Office.Live.
Although a little slow moving to the cloud, Microsoft has finally put together their answer to Google Docs and Zoho Writer by providing their famous Office Suite experience on the web as Office Web Apps - Office.Live.

Office.Live Basics
This Microsoft Office Web App will help you get more things done virtually - anywhere, anytime from any computer. Many people may like this due to the similar layout and functionality of their desktop version of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.  Now you can upload, view, edit and create using your favorite MS programs directly from your Web browser. Because this is completely web based, so you can use it from any operating system (Windows, Linux, or Mac) and does not require that you have a software version of Office installed on your computer.

Personal Use
Office Live is available free for personal use and you can also access and view your files from your mobile device.

Collaboration
Improve working together with everyone on your team, regardless of what version of Microsoft Office they use and whether they work on a PC, Mac or Linux.  Easily make any documents (or files) accessible only to you, share with a chosen few, assign passwords or publish to the world. You are in control to provide access to your files and documents.

Windows Live SkyDrive
Integrated with OfficeLive is Windows SkyDrive which offers 25GB of online file storage FREE!
Provide online backup and online storage solutions, secured access, ease of use, and all the file transfers are done using SSL, making them very secure.

Online Photo Storage
You can use Skydrive to store your photos online. In fact, Skydrive offers some special features for photos management, such as album creation, big thumbnails, caption, and comments.

Working Office Line

The ability to open your web-files in your desktop application directly from Office Web Apps is available on computers running Microsoft Office 2003 or a later version of Office.

Online Backup
SkyDrive also offers an effective solution for online backup but currently does NOT provide a tool for syncing folders or documents on different computers as of yet.

Getting Started
To start- you need a Windows Live ID (if you don't have one you can register for free by providing an email address) to begin using for personal use.
You will also need an appropriate device (computer/smart phone), an Internet connection, and a supported Web browser - Minimum Versions - (Internet Explorer 7, Safari 4, Firefox 3.5, Google Chrome)

Brief Demo Video Below

Learn More @ OfficeLive Home Page

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FREE Flash Graphics for Blog or Website

Flash up your blog or website with FREE Flash Graphics - No Download or Technical Knowledge Required. with FlashVortex

Need a fresh new look or enhance the eye-appeal of your website or blog??? We found a site that offers some great effects, integrative menus, tool bars, and icons to make your products and services standout from your competition!!!

FlashVortex Basics
Simple select from the Banner, Text, Menus, Buttons, Clocks Templates
Customize the colors, text, size, fonts, link actions, etc by scrolling down the fields in each template for a perfect match to the rest of your website or blog.
Once you have provide the desired changes, select Generate and view your new flash graphic.
Now just copy the code provided and place on your website or blog.
No coding required and hundreds of samples provided.

See something that still needs some adjustments after your first attempt? Go back on your web-page and make the minor changes until you get it just right. Then copy and paste the code on your website or blog.

No Sign-up or Downloads Required
Their basic service is FREE!
If you want to remove the small promo plug on the bottom right corner of your flash object, an Annual Membership is less than $30.00!!
You can also select to download and host the flash on your own server if you wish.
Video Demo Below

Learn More @ FlashVortex Home Page

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Publish Your Docs & Presentations as an E-Book

Publish your flyers, brochures, presentations and more as an (Electronic) and Interactive E-Book

Simply Upload your Documents, Presentations and PDFs and create as online book for Free!
Convert your presentations online as an E-Book to promote your programs and services, ideas and more in this eye-catching format that looks just like your are reading a book (page turning sound included)...

No Software Compatibility Issues
No issues with software compatibility (as a when you create a PowerPoint in Office 07 but viewers with only 03 cannot view) now you can also upload your marketing materials (newsletters, brochures, presentations, handbooks, instruction guides, etc) as an online Electronic Book and anyone with an Internet connection and view.

Additional Features
Voice Integration - add audio by reading part or all of your published projects.
Online Library - create an online library collection of all your publications so your users can easily find more items your have created.
Subscription Links - allow viewers to subscribe to your online publications.
Feedback - allow others to write comments and provide feedback.
Share & Promote - allow others to share your creations and spread the word.
Notifications - receive email messages when others read your creations, provide comments and more.

No Downloads
All of the services are provided FREE and utilize a web-based application so there is nothing for you to download or install on your local computer.

Learn More @ MyEbook Home Page

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Publish & Collect Online Registration Data for Events & Trainings

Publish & Collect Online Registration Data for Events & Trainings with Eventbrite

Publish and Allow Online Registration for your Events & Trainings - no downloads, customizable data fields, include location maps, event info and instructor/speaker bios, insert links, documents and information, and more!

Eventbrite Basics
No more excuses for not providing online marketing and registration for events and trainings. Many new programs are available but we found one in particular that stands out from the rest.
This web-based program does not require any downloading of third party applications.
Simply sign-up (for free) and create an account.

Conducting Meetings, Trainings, Workshops, Conferences
If you are hosting an event of any kind an not charging attendees - then everything is free (for you and your attendees!)
You can customize your events page with colors (select from templates or create your own), customize attendee fields and information and select which to make required fields, include bios about the trainers/facilitators, include maps and directions, include an "add to event to your calendar" option for participants, create specific start and end dates for the event so you do not need to manually create and send on the same day.

More Features
Manually add attendees, edit attendee information (participants can also edit their information), print attendee sign-in sheets, name badges, ability to cap the number of attendees, creation of links to send via email, post on your website and to other sites such as Eventful or Google Calendars, etc.

Charging for Events
You ONLY pay when you create an event/training that also requires payment from participants.
The program offers some great event-registration functions (extend PayPal's or Google Checkout's payment functionality), discount codes and creation of different ticket levels...

Video Demo Below

Learn More @ Eventbrite Home Page

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Create Contact, Feedback, & Other Online Forms

Fully customizable contact us, feedback, survey, order/payment, job/contest applicant, etc forms for your website or blog with MyContactForm.

The Sky is the Limit
A great web-based application for creating contact forms, email forms, feedback forms, questionnaires, surveys, order forms, polls, or any other type of web form simple, fast and free!

No Technical Knowledge Required
The process is guided by an easy-to-use online wizard that helps build your forms. The wizard prompts you for required information in an easy step-by-step process with easy access to editing and altering as you go or later in the process.
Once completed- copy and paste the html code on your website, blog, etc.
No Special Server Setup- the application's server will processes the form data and then redirect the user back to your page without the user ever knowing they left your site. This ensure that the form data collected will work on any type of web server.

100% Customizable

You have No limits on the number of questions/fields you ask or the types of forms you create.
View from Templates Provided or create from scratch, utilize an online e-mail message center with export functionality, contact management system, upload file attachments, utilize hosted forms if you don't want to provide on your site, export collected data to Excel spreadsheets/other similar formats and many more options....

Service Options
The basic service (which is anything but basic) is FREE but if you want access to all the available functionality- the ANNUAL price with all the extras is less than $30 a year!!!
Learn More @ MyContactForm Home Page

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Online, Remote Data Backup & Access to your Computers

Online, Remote Data Backup & Access for Windows & Mac with IDrive
Remote data storage features include automatic backup, true archiving and versioning, continuous and selective/mapped drive backup and much more.

List of Useful IDrive Features:
Automatic Selection
During initial setup, a default selection of most commonly backed up data including Documents, Pictures and Videos is created with a random after hours schedule. You can customize the selection and schedule a time that is best for you.

Continuous Data Protection (CDP)
The system automatically recognizes the modified parts of file(s)/folder(s) and backs them up every 10 minutes, thus offering hands-free backup of data.

True Archiving / Sync
No data is deleted from your online account until you manually delete or run sync to match your desktop data to your account. You control your backup data.

Open/Locked File Backup
Perform reliable backups of open/locked files like Outlook files (.pst), QuickBooks, MS-Excel and so on.

Mapped Drive Backup
Supports backup of mapped and external hard drives - even if your system is logged off.

Your Virtual Drive
You are offered a 'virtual drive' view of your account to access and restore backed up data. You can drag-n-drop files for restore from your online drive to the local system.

Search and Restore
Fast search and restore of your data from your desktop or web interface.

Time-Line Restore
Restore option with time-line choice for a set of data. This helps in restoring related data as of a point-in-time.

Versioning
The system retains and allows you to restore the last 30 versions of all files backed up to your account, to any location on your local computer. Better yet, your storage is computed only for the most current version; historical versions are stored free!

Retrieve Data from ANY Location
Login via any web-browser to your account to access backed up data, view log reports and restore data on the local system.

Web Based Backup Management
Manage your Backup set, its schedule and view backup logs from any browser.

Manage Multiple Accounts
Create and manage multiple accounts from a single account, via the web

Free Account Information
The IDrive FREE account starts with 2 GB backup space with absolutely no catch! Great for personal use for safe-guarding your photos, media files and other important documents.

In the event the 2 gigs are not enough- then select from the Pro Personal, Family and Business Accounts ranging from 50 to 1000 GB.

Check Out the Brief Demo Video Below


Learn more @ IDrive Home Page

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Simple Online Polls

Simple Online Polls with Vorbeo
This is one of the quickest and easiest poll creators we've seen.

How Vordeo Works:
Go to their website
Type in your question and add different answers each one on a new line
Choose your color and size of text
Copy the code and paste on your web page or blog to publish.
Users simply click on their answer and click vote and they are taken to a new page to see the results.
All user responses are anonymous.

Simple & Easy but Not a lot of Features
This platforms does not have a lot of added features that might exist with others but it is really simple, quick and easy for anyone to create a simple online poll. You don't even need to register or supply an email address.
You can create only one questions and answer on your single poll but can create unlimited number of separate polls and place on your webpages.

You are also limited to the type of answers you collect - no answers by asking for text/comments and you must provide the selected answer (yes, no, never, often, etc)
You can adjust the color and size of the poll to match your site or blog but do not have access to change the format or style of the questions (multiple choice, drop-down, etc)
Once a user has answered the poll- they can view how others have responded but will not be notified if their answer was correct.

Sample Ideas and Use 
As all responses are anonymous, this is a great tool to offer to collect some honest feedback
You can create opinion polls based on videos from YouTube (just embed the video and poll questions in your blog page) or text.
You can use it to get some feedback on your blog from your readers.
You could use as a comprehension tool with your online text audio or video activities that are on your website or blog.
Learn more and create your online poll @ Vordeo Home Page
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Online Digital Editor - Photos, Audio & Visual Effects

Online Digital Editor - Photos, Audio, Visual Effects & More with the Full-Service Application from Aviary
"Make the world's creation accessible"is the mission statement of today's highlighted Internet application that offers a free full-set of image and audio editing tools on an intuitive platform packed with features, guides and community of users to access completely Free!

The site serves as a complete online digital editing software application to manipulate photos and images, or create your own.
Although this tool might be best suited for people who already have some knowledge of digital image manipulation there is plenty of features and help for the novice or for those that do not want or cannot afford some of the similar high-end software tools.

The website features many tutorials that offer user-friendly, basic guides, videos and graphic displays to illustrate how to use the different applications while highlighting the many features of each.
Aside from creating your works as a means to promote ideas, products, etc you can also find or create groups with others using the applications with similar interest, share your works and/or build from the work shared by others. Chat with members, invite your friends or create a following of you own.

Aviary Applications & Features:
Image Editor:
From basic image retouching to complex effects, their image editor delivers the key features of a desktop image editor with the simplicity and accessibility of a web-based application.
Rich editing tool set - Edit your images with undo and redo, brushes, magic wand, and blend modes.
Powerful layers- Work with layers, groups, and layer masks. Intuitive drag and drop interface.
Share and learn- Collaborate with other users. Follow step-by-step tutorials to learn new skills.
Import from popular photo-sharing sites - such as Flickr, Picasa, and Facebook.

Color Palettes:Used alone or in conjunction with our other creation tools, their color palettes tool offers the features you need to inject color into your creative process.
Pick and analyze- Choose up to 20 colors per palette using color association rules or an uploaded image.
Color associations- You can even see a color deficiency preview.


Audio Editor:
Use to remix music tracks and audio clips. Apply sound effects and record your own voice or instruments!
Powerful Clip Editing- Trim, Loop, Stretch and Reverse your audio clips, width editable loop points, and interactive time stretch capabilities.
Automation- Easily add fade-ins, fade-outs, pan from left to right, and modify gain over time, with editable control points.
Effects- Add non-destructive effects to your audio clips including Pitch Change, Reverb, Delay, Parametric EQ, and more. files.
Import/Export- Import your own audio files, or search one of our provided libraries. Mix it down and export directly to your desktop or publish back to your account.

Visual Laboratory:
Experiment with pixel-based images in completely new ways.
Node-based UI- Drag, drop, and connect generators, effects, resources, and controllers.
Combine terrains, patterns, computational effects, and more to create stunning art.

Vector Editor:
Create fully scalable vector art appropriate for logos or tee shirt designs.
Powerful path engine- Work with paths, lines, curves, and objects. Control stroke, fill color, and gradient.

Image Markup:
Quickly capture images and web pages from your browser and crop, resize or mark them up.
Screen grab the web- Using their Firefox extension, you can screen grab and edit instantly.
Quick cropping- Resize, rotate and crop images easily. It's a perfect tool for bloggers and designers.
Snag web colors- Click any part of a picture to instantly get its color. Great for matching designs files.
Blazingly fast- Loads instantly, even on slow connections. Jump right in without annoying wait times.
Simple visual markup- Draw arrows, rectangles, text and doodles on any image. Adjust colors, outlines and size.
Brief Demo Video Below

Lean More @ Aviary Home Page

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Online Spreadsheet, Chat & Collaborate from Any Computer

Online spreadsheet, chat, collaborate, access from any computer with EditGrid
EditGrid is a free web-based online spreadsheet which allows you to create and share spreadsheets documents. You can create Unlimited spreadsheets & have an unlimited team members & even send to others to view or edit without any need for others to register for an account!

Basic Functions
Collaborate with your team, grant read-only access or allow other to edit. Share your spreadsheets with a public community to get feedback and utilize what others have created or keep your sheet private.

Send to Others that Do Not Have EditGrid Accounts
We like EditGrid as an online spreadsheet service because you can send to others to edit or view without requiring that they register for an EditGrid account (this is different from Zoho and Google Docs which require user accounts before someone can contribute to your spreadsheets).

As with similar online spreadsheet programs- you receive notifications when others you have granted access are online and the edits are in real-time and you can view and edit from the browser (no need to download the document first).

If you or someone else making edits accidentally closes the browser or power is cut while viewing/editing, the program automatically saves the last edits. You can email a web-link of your spreadsheets to others or place on your site. The same link capturers any changes made to the information so no need to provide additional links after the spreadsheet has been created.

Upload from Excel with Math Formulas Intact
We have also experienced issues with other online spreadsheets retaining formatted cell structure (mathematical formulas, conditional formating, etc) once uploaded from your computer to the online service but not with EditGrid.
We love how easy EditGrid captures all of the relevant formatting once uploaded and how any alterations/enhancements to the online version are also easily exported back to a program of choice on your computer (if you ever need or wish to do so.)

Account Options
They provide personal and organizational options- both Free!
Unlimited number of spreadsheets (2mg and 8 mg upload limit respectively)
Organizational level also provides shared workspaces, account administration, spreadsheets management, custom login page and a unique namespace.
Both services provide Live Chat to assist with your team tasks also.

Lean More @ EditGrid Home Page

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Sync & Share Files with Mobile Access Across any Operating System

Sync & Share Files with Mobile Access Across any Operating System (OS- Mac, Windows, & Linux) Online with Dropbox

Dropbox Features:
Syncing Files & Backup
File Sync- sync your files online and across your computers automatically.
2GB of online storage for free - up to 100GB available to paying customers.
Sync files - of any size or type
Sync with Any OS - Windows, Mac and Linux computers
Automatically Syncs - when new files or changes are detected.
Work on files when offline - even if you're offline, your changes sync once your computer has an Internet connection again.
Dropbox transfers - will correctly resume where they left off if the connection drops.

Fast Service
Efficient sync - only the pieces of a file that changed (not the whole file) are synced. This saves you time.
Bandwidth settings - Doesn't hog your Internet connection. You can manually set bandwidth limits.

Granting File Access

File Sharing- Sharing files is simple and can be done with just a few clicks. Allow several people to collaborate on a set of files.
Work in real-time - see changes made by other instantly.
Public Folders - rather than try to manage individual documents, create a "Public" folder which allows you to link directly to files in your Dropbox.
Access Control -  designate users that can access your shared folders (including ability to kick people out and remove the shared files from their computers).

Share Photos
Create shareable online photo galleries from folders of photos in your Dropbox.

Online Backup- back up files online.
Automatic backup of your files.
Undelete files and folders.
Restore previous versions of your files.
30 days of undo history - with unlimited undo available as a paid option.

Web Access- A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device.
Desktop Features - manipulate files as you would on your desktop - add, edit, delete, rename etc.
Search - your entire Dropbox for files.
"Recent Events" feed is displayed showing a summary of your Dropbox activity.
Create Shared Folders - directly from the web and invite people to view or edit.
Recover Previous Versions - of any file or undelete deleted files from any of your computers.
View Photo Galleries - created or located from any computer linked to your Dropbox.

Security & Privacy- Shared folders are viewable only by people you invite.
All transmission of file data and metadata occurs over an encrypted channel (SSL).
All files stored on Dropbox servers are encrypted (AES-256) and are inaccessible without your account password.
Online access to your files requires your username and password.
Public files are only viewable by people who have a link to the file(s). Public folders are not browsable or searchable.

Mobile Device Access- The free Dropbox iPhone app lets you:
Access your Dropbox on the go.
View your files on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
Download files for offline viewing.
Take photos and videos and sync them to your Dropbox.
Share links to files in your Dropbox.
View interactive photo galleries.
Sync downloaded files so they're up-to-date.

Brief Video Demo Below:


Learn More @ Dropbox Home Page

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Whiteboard - File Options, VOIP Conferencing

Whiteboard, Share Online, File Options, VOIP Conferencing, No Downloads or Registration Required with Scriblink

A free digital whiteboard that users can share online in real-time. Similar to using a pen and paper (but saving the tress) and utilizing the web to be able to access and share at anytime from anywhere.

How Scriblink Works
The homepage immediately opens to the main whiteboard, which is free and requires no registration or login. Great for your next collaborative professional project, for brainstorming, layout planning, concept diagramming, tutoring a friend in math, or just having fun this application has something for you. Once on the Home Page you can begin your project/discussion.

Scriblink Useful Features:
Privacy: the board is all yours, open only to the people you choose to invite
Dynamic Tools: use shapes, hundreds of colors, a size bar, a text feature, and a grid to help guide your drawings
File Options: gives you the ability to print, save, and email your work
Image Uploader: upload an image onto the whiteboard as the background, allowing you to share it, mark it, deface it, or highlight key elements
In-Screen Chat: when working with others, no need to sign in to third party software, simply use our in-screen chat
VOIP Conferencing: if you have a mic for your computer, you can automatically connect with your collaborators (no software necessary) and talk for free for as long as you like
File transfer: when emailing is too much of a hassle, simply transfer files directly to anyone you're working with

Use with iPhone
If you have an iPhone they also have a group messaging app that is a simple, yet powerful communication tool that allows you to create, join, and manage groups on your

Designed specifically for a smart-phone, this app aims to promote effective networking and communications with the groups and communities that matter to you.
The app provides all of your groups access to four powerful tools:
A message board
Live chat room
GPS-enabled map
and Member directory.
Whether they're friends, colleagues, or people who share your interests, the app provides you with a complete framework to collaborate, communicate, engage and discover with people.

Learn more about this Whiteboard & Collaboration Tool @ Scriblink Home Page

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More about the Smart Phone App @ App Home Page

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Online Word Processing - Create, Connect & Collaborate

Online Word Processing - Create, Connect & Collaborate with Zoho
Zoho Writer is one of the most complete online word processors and easily rivals desktop word processors for day-to-day usage. In addition to having a WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) editor and over a dozen fonts, Zoho Writer has the ability to insert tables, links, html, and images into documents.

How Zoho Works
Zoho Writer works just like a regular word processor. You can start with a blank page, or import HTML, DOC, DOCX, SXW (Open Office), ODT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG and text files, with a 10MB maximum file size. You can also export documents to a similarly wide range of formats, as well as publish documents and share. A useful History feature lets you revert to any previously saved versions. It also can show you the differences between the versions. The result looks similar to revisions in MS Word — highlighted and underlined — but it does not identify the name of the user that provided the change.

Sharing & Collaboration
Easily share your documents online, with friends on an individual basis and in group. Collaborate on them in real time. Publish as a link, grant read-only or edit privileges (note that to edit- others will be required to create a Zoho account- which is also free).

Offline Support 
Through the use of Google Gears, Zoho Writer allows you to work offline, so you can save your docs to your computer. Access and edit existing documents even without an internet connection. Offline document edits will be synchronized when you are online.

Post to Blog 
A nice way of sharing documents with the whole world. Make use of Zoho Writer's feature rich WYSIWYG editor for publishing your documents to your blog. The publish utility supports Blogger, LiveJournal, WordPress and TypePad.

Import / Export Documents
Upload documents from your desktop, Google Docs or anywhere on the Web. Download and save them to your computer too.

Page View Editing
Write your documents in a real paper like environment. Edit them the way you wish to see in print. You can also utilize the "tagging system" which will allow you to organize your documents by tag and create folders from any tags your create.

Template Library
Build your document by picking up from a collection of readymade templates from their template library or start from scratch.

Brief Demo Video of Zoho Writer Features

Learn More @ Zoho Writer Page or Many More Features @ Zoho Home Page

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Android App Inventor

Google Labs project - App Inventor for Android.
The project is designed to let anybody (as in non-developers) create Android Apps. This could go one of several ways. It could fade away into the graveyard of Google Labs projects that never became full-fledged products, it could get a handful of users, or it could change the web, the mobile industry, and user interaction with both very significantly.

Would you create your own mobile apps if you didn't need developer skills to do so?
It's a simple concept, with enormous implications (even for non-Android users). The introduction of App Inventor has provoked a great deal of discussion around the web and with good reason. The product basically puts app creation into the hands of everyone (though you will still have to learn how to use App Inventor itself, as Jason Kincaid points out. Think Dreameaver for apps.)  Businesses will be able to create apps on the fly. Consumers could be able to create apps that cater to their personal preferences, and therefore make their devices more useful.

"To use App Inventor, you do not need to be a developer," says Google. "App Inventor requires NO programming knowledge. This is because instead of writing code, you visually design the way the app looks and use blocks to specify the app's behavior."

Simplification often leads to wider adoption. Look at what blogging platforms did for online content creation. Look at what Twitter is doing for news consumption (essentially what RSS has been doing for years). If people have a simple way to create apps quickly that can be used by users of any Android device, they are probably going to take advantage, and those apps will get users, and inspire more app creation.

Bad Apps
Users ultimately decide what apps to put on their phones. It's not like using the web. Your Android device is not going to be spammed with so-called bad apps. Android is an operating system, not the web. You don't use Android like you use the web, you use the apps themselves that  you decide to use like you use the web.

Personalization
Still, bad apps are going to exist regardless. In a discussion about this on our Facebook Page, a fan called these garbage apps. However, what one person might consider garbage, someone else might love. One person's garbage may even be garbage to everyone, except for the creator and one other person, but if that garbage can deliver a useful and personalized experience for these two people (or perhaps between these two people, doesn't that make Android all the more useful? Especially when you consider that there may be thousands of these two (or more)-person scenarios? That's personalization. You don't have to use my app but it's perfect for me or for me and my friend to use. You can have your own. In this respect, it's not much different than creating a web page.

Innovation
If an infinite number of people have access to app creation, how can that not inspire innovation? Even if there are tons and tons of "garbage" apps as I'm sure there will be (yes, there will be plenty that aren't even useful to the people who created them), there will also be some that are useful, popular, and possibly even revolutionary. This is a chance for people with great ideas (that may lack in developer skills) to shine.

Maybe these apps won't be as sophisticated as those created by the real developers, but maybe they will encourage the developers to make better versions. MG Siegler made a great point in that maybe App Inventor gets non-developers messing around with app creation and they become more interested, actually learn the skills and make their own app ideas more sophisticated and innovative.

More Than Just Android
It's hard to say whether Google's competitors in the mobile space will follow the precedent Google is setting here, but there's no question that they have to take notice. Even if they don't all immediately jump on it, some may. The more that jump on the bandwagon, the harder it's going to be for others to stay off. For example, let's say down the line,  Android, BlackBerry, and Microsoft offer products that follow this concept of simplified app creation. They're going to not only have the ability for users to create their own apps, they'll potentially have a much greater amount of apps for users to access than other competitors like Apple.

We're just speculating on the future here, but you can see the potential this has for the mobile industry, which is already growing significantly in terms of users, which means your business is going to have to pay more and more attention to reaching mobile users.

More Than Just Phones
This is very much about phones, but really that's only part of the picture. You're going to see more and more Android-powered devices become available eventually. Tablets. Google TV's Android integration (which also has massive potential in itself). How about devices that will initially be powered by Chrome OS (like Netbooks)? Google suggested at its developer conference in May that Android and Chrome OS could conceivably merge one day (just a possibility). Who knows what other devices or appliances Google will put Android into in the future?

Will People Create Their Own Apps?
There are a lot of unknowns about this product right now. It's not only in beta, but it’s in Google Labs. There's a chance it won't ever become a full-fledged product, but it seems like too big of an idea not to, if you ask me. That said, there are probably plenty of details Google itself doesn't have worked out yet, and there is no doubt that Google would put in a significant amount of time into ironing them out as they see fit to make this a better product. It will be be improved upon. We're only in the first week right now. The more people use it, the more they will share their experiences with others, and more will be learned. Bugs will be fixed. People will get more used to it.
Brief Demo Video


Maybe nobody will use App Inventor and none of this will pan out (we are after all, still waiting for the potential of other Google products like Buzz and Wave to be realized). But it could. How many people use programs like Dreamweaver to create web pages? How many people use social media to create profiles and content? WordPress or other blog platforms to publish blogs? If there is one thing we've seen over the past decade on the web, it's that people like to create, for better or for worse. The easier that creation process is made, the more people understand it, and the more people will take advantage. That's what I think. What do you think?
Learn More @ App Inventor for Android Home Page

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Office Suite Programs in the Cloud - Create, Edit, & Share

Office Suite Programs in the Cloud - Create, Edit, & Share with Anyone from Anywhere using Google Docs
A web-based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service from Google. Upload and save documents from your desktop, edit them online from any computer, and invite others to read or edit your documents collaborating together in real-time. Data storage for individual accounts is currently up to 1GB.

Google Docs is Google's "software" version of an office suite but is accessed online and no need to download and install or update as you would on a traditional software program such as MS Office. Documents, spreadsheets, forms and presentations can be created within the application itself, imported through the web interface, or sent via email. They can also be saved to the user's computer in a variety of formats (ODF, HTML, PDF, RTF, Text, Word, etc).

Uploaded and New Documents 
Once uploaded from your local computer or created online, documents are automatically saved to prevent data loss, and a revision history is automatically kept. Documents can be tagged and archived for organizational purposes.

Operating Systems and Browsers
The service is officially supported on recent versions of the Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome browsers running on Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux operating systems.

User Accounts
Individual user accounts can have documents that do not exceed 1GB, embedded images must not exceed 2MB each, and spreadsheets are limited to 256 columns, 200,000 cells, and 99 sheets. What this amounts to is roughly a total of 5,000 documents and presentations, 5,000 images, 1,000 spreadsheets, and 100 PDFs without the need to delete or place on an external drive resource.
To get a Free Google Docs account you will need to create a Google Account but this is also free and will entitle you to many more applications and services available from Google for Free.

Cloud Computing - Business & Educational Popularity
Google Docs one of a handful of cloud computing document-sharing services but is among the leaders and is FREE.  The majority of similar document-sharing services require user fees, which has also enhanced Google Docs growing popularity amongst businesses. In addition, Google Docs has become very popular among students and educational institutions.

Mobile Google Docs
Mobile phone users can browse their Google Docs documents in a mobile browser. Users can view documents and view and edit spreadsheets. Versions of Google Docs for the iPhone and Android include ability to edit spreadsheets and view presentations, along with an interface designed specifically for the mobile device.

Updated Features:
Real time collaboration: See updates from other collaborators as they edit the document.
Higher-quality imports: More consistent imports from your desktop into Google Docs.
Chat with other collaborators: As you make your edits, you can chat with other document editors about the changes, from within the document.


Brief Demo Video Below

Learn More @ Google Docs Home Page

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Email Manager, Block Spam & Unwanted Messages

Email Manager to Reduce Overload, Block Spam and Unwanted Messages with Boxbe

Here is a free service that helps reduce email overload by working with your existing email addresses, reducing clutter, and makings sure you get email from the people that matter to you.

The program starts by working with your current contact list but then builds upon it, extending priority to contacts of those you "trust".

The program actually learns as it goes and personalizes itself to work best for you.  Easy integration is set for accounts such as Gmail (including various Google Apps), AOL, and Yahoo!

When you sign up for your FREE account, you easily set up a Guest List of emails of who is important to you. New "guests" can be added to your Guest List with a simple approval step.

Mail is only delivered directly to you as per the conditions you establish for your Inbox as described in the examples below:

* you have added the sender or the domain as a guest or
* the sender makes a simple robot-proof request
* the message is under your customizable junk rating threshold
* the message is from a contact of a friend

Otherwise messages will be placed in to your 'Waiting List' (for about 30 days) or left in your standard spam folder, depending upon authenticity and content.

Updating your list is completed automatically each time that you send someone as email by placing the address in your Guest List. You can also add guests in bulk or individually, and special convenience links will appear in email you receive.

Another nice feature is that your friends and contacts are NOT required to sign up as your friends will have already been pre-approved as part of the process when you are signing up for your initial account.

Emails received that have not been pre-approved receive an invitation to join your Guest List- (not sign up for an account or service). The invitation requests that the sender type character confirmation to confirm they are not a spambot. Once completed, the email is delivered. This 'test' is similar to the ones used on many websites to prevent spam entering networks as the required characters (called CAPTCHAs) which cannot be read or reproduced by spam and other computer software programs automatically.

The program offers better control and security than spam filters because most filters are imperfect.. at best.  Most unwanted emails can easily evade ISPs and the senders are constantly getting better at defeating them, despite the investment in technology solutions to deal with this issue.

Learn more @ Boxbe Home Page

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Social Poll-Questionnaire

Social Polls and Questionnaires with Urtak
Creating Social Polls and Questionnaires - Sending URL Link via Email or Embed on your Website
A web based social polling application that enables you to very quickly and easily create online polls and questionnaires.  Get started by registering for free with only an email address.

The polls are simple and easy to use. Just type in 'Yes , No' questions or statements and then click Enter.  Give your poll a title and instructions and your are finished.

There is no limit on the number of questions you as in your poll and once you have created your poll you can either link to it via a URL (for emailing to others) or embed it on your web page.

Once the poll is live anyone who sees the poll can answer it without having to log in or register. Viewers can even add additional questions or statements to the poll but they will be required to register first.

Once users vote they can compare their answers to other people who have used the poll.

The poll gives a feed out of information on the right and you can even cross tabulate answers to different questions.

Your poll will not provide the ‘correct’ answer but shows the most popular answers selected. As the admin of your poll, if others add a question that you do not like, you can easily delete.

Aside from embedding on your web site you can embed your with other web based applications rather than just a stand-alone poll.

Any poll that you create is added to the application's directory, so your polls are not 'private' so you do not have a mechanism for creating and isolating the results to a certain group.

It might also be recommended to set the 'disable option' to prevent people from adding questions to your poll unless you frequent your poll often as you be sure that some content might be added that is not relevant to the topic, within your target market, acceptability/approval, etc.

Because this is not a secured poll and if you use the URL method, be mindful that the full directory of polls may also contain some information that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Generally speaking, fun and easy tool that integrates with other web applications to improve web designs, materials, and interactions while gaining viewer insights and collecting some easily research to incorporate in reports, marketing, workshops and conference presentations.
View the Short Demo Provided Below


To learn more about visit the Urtak Home Page

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