Here [below] is a list of the online tools, resources, and related devices that I use most often, depend on, or just really like - they are mostly new, Web-based, and free. My list is probably unique in the universe - almost like a fingerprint - and you probably have a unique list too. [See "reprint" about Fingerprint Computers in previous TLT-SWG blog posting: "Fingerprint Computers" vs. Standardization [Revisited].< http://tlt-swg.blogspot.com/2006/07/fingerprint-computers-vs.html>
If after reviewing my list you think I am missing some terrific tool or new Web-based resource - one of your favorites - please share that info with me and others by adding a comment to this posting. If you would like to add your own separate list, let me know and I will give you editing access to the Writely document I use to accumulate/modify my own list.
In the list below, I've indicated the tools/resources I rely on most frequently, completely with a "*". I've marked those that were new to me in the past year with a"&". Those that are free - or almost free (legally!) are marked with "-$". Those that have a significant but reasonable fee are marked "$". The list that follows has 4 sections; within each section the items are listed in alphabetic order - not in order of preference or quality:
1. MOST DEFINITELY - WILL FIGHT TO KEEP THESE! - Free or very inexpensive
2. MOST DEFINITELY - WILL FIGHT TO KEEP THESE! - Significant but reasonable fee
3. STANDARD – FOUNDATION TOOLS, RESOURCES
4. NOT SURE YET – BEGINNING TO USE MORE OFTEN
5. DEVICES
6. SERVICES
1. MOST DEFINITELY - WILL FIGHT TO KEEP THESE! - Free or very inexpensive
Amazon.com * -$
Audacity *& -$
Bank of America online banking * -$
Blogger *& -$
Bloglines *& -$
eBay -$
Feed2JS *& -$
Google * -$
Google Desktop *& -$
Google Local *& -$
Google Maps, Directions *& -$
MERLOT - collection -$
MERLOT - sharing tools -$
-$ Print FedEx Kinkos
Skype/Skylook [free/inexpensive phone via Internet + dial from Outlook contacts + record directly onto computer] *& -$
Solitaires (Spider, Free Cell, ...) * -$
Spybot Search & Destroy -$
Yahoo Widgets [analog clock; weather; wireless meter *& -$
Writely *& -$
2. MOST DEFINITELY - WILL FIGHT TO KEEP THESE! - Significant but reasonable fee
Flashlight Online * $
Income Tax Software (TaxCut) * $
iVocalize *& $
RoboDemo (or equiv...) $
SecondCopy * $
Skype + Skylook *& $
3. STANDARD – FOUNDATION TOOLS, RESOURCES
AOL * $
AVG (virus protections, etc.) * $
MS Windows Media Player * $
Quicktime Player *
Adobe PDF *
Google Pack http://pack.google.com/ *
Microsoft Office Suite * $
FrontPage
IE
PowerPoint
Outlook
Excel
4. NOT SURE YET – BEGINNING TO USE MORE OFTEN
Acez & -$
Concept Mapping -$
CrystalTech & $
Digital Voice Editor 2 & $ [Sony Digital Voice Recorder]
Feedburner & -$
FeedForAll & -$
iTunes & -$
MS Money $
Photo editing software (e.g., Picasa2) -$
Trillian Pro & $ (easier management of multiple IM "channels")
Voice Recognition - cell phone? $
Voice Recognition - transcription $
Voice Wizard Editor & Voice Wizard + [Digital Voice Recorder] $
5. DEVICES
Laptop * $$
Cell Phone
PDA
Digital Camera (stills, videos) * $$
*&Treo 650 - Cell Phone + PDA + Camera * & $$
*Digital Voice Recorder * & $
*Telephone recording adapters * $
*Internet-Phone Gizmo * $ [Links Internet audio sessions with telephone conference calls]
*Headsets * $
Headset - Bluetooth & $
Copier/Scanner/Printer/Zoom * $
6. SERVICES
Telephone conference calls * $
Telephone conference calls toll free * $$
Skype/Skylook * & [$]
I love Picassa 2 - especially with the Bananalbum plug-in. For a free tool it does an excellent job of organizing and providing a visual overview of all my photos and videos. I use it regularly to send photos in email (Picassa automatically adjusts size) and use the bananalbum plug-in about once a month to VERY quickly and easily create a flash-based web photo album.
ReplyDeleteHi, very interesting list (how did we ever survive without the Internet :-). I'd not heard of Writely before so went and checked it out. Did you know they are not taking any new registrations? They say no new accounts "until we move Writely to Google's systems" whenever that may be.
ReplyDeleteA couple of other things I use not on your list: Flickr for photo sharing/storage/tagging (you can add a Flickr "badge" to your blog/web site which will show random images from your Flickr account)
Also, LibraryThing . This lets you easily build a catalogue of your books. It also provides social networking in the form of tags, ability to see who shares books with you, posting reviews, ratings etc. It's free for the first 200 books, but lifetime membership is a mere $25. You can also add a "widget" to your blog/web page that will show random books from your collection.
Although not inexpensive, I've become dependent on a great web-based conferencing tool, Elluminate Live! (from elluminate.com). It's outstanding for hosting webinars, but it's real benefit is in its capability for virtual 'office hours' (via very robust application sharing). It's based on JAVA webstart and appears to be very efficient in use of Internet bandwidth.
ReplyDelete-Bob Blackmun, NC Community College System
Great list with new curiosities to explore.
ReplyDeleteDel.icio.us has become indispensable to me. It's free and fabulous. Not only does let me organize and sort my bookmarks which I can access online from anywhere, but I am also building resource pages of links that I can share with anyone. To say nothing of networking/sharing oppurtunities with the social aspect of finding folks with similar interests.
http://del.icio.us/mrw