Moving the site

When I started this site, I was very excited about sharing information with others. Unfortunately, shortly after I started this site, I had some personal challenges that took priority of my time.

A year later, I'm ready to get back into the things. With a new start, I've decided to retire this site and move to a new one: Useful Web Gems (http://usefulwebgems.blogspot.com). As I move the stories to the new site, I'll be removing them from this one until all that's left is this site.

Thanks to all who followed me in the early days - please join me on my new site for exciting Useful Web Gems!

Live chat for your web site

Ever seen those sites that offer you to chat with a live operator? Well, now you can have that too with Google Talk.

Google Talk is Google's messaging service (think MSN Messenger). It allows for typical messaging controls between users as well as voice (Windows only). Google Talk messaging service is available as a stand alone app (Windows only), a widget (which can be posted on any site) and is built into GMail. Now, you can get a Google Talk Badge (http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/New) which allows visitors to contact you from your site without the need for them to login to Google (or even have an account).

Use online forms to add information to your Google Spreadsheet

I love Google docs (http://www.google.com/docs) and now I have another reason: online forms that automatically add information submitted by a user to your spreadsheet.

There's two ways to create your form: you can first create a spreadsheet and then select the Sharing tab. Select "Invite people to fill out a form" and it will then take you through the steps to create your form.

The second method is to go to http://spreadsheets.google.com/newform. Once you login you'll be prompted to create your form.

You can monitor your form's submissions by adding this widget to your iGoogle page. Keep in mind that you can share your spreadsheet so visitors can see what data has been collected. For an example, check out this posting from the unofficial Google Operating System blog.

Online Inventory System

When I was a kid, my family lost all our belongings in a fire that destroyed our house. Trying to make a list of everything you owned and it's value can be a bit of a process, but well worth it if you every find youself in this position. For many of us, we would create a list of everything on our computer - but what if your computer gets stolen?

StuffSafe (http://www.stuffsafe.com) is a free online tool that provides you with a way to store your home/work inventory of your possessions with photos and value information. You can share your list so a group of you can work on keeping the list up to date. In addition to having a secure copy available online, you can also download a copy of the information for your own backup.

Tip: if nothing else, every six months go through and shoot all the items in your house and then upload the photos to an online service like Flikr or Picassa. That way, you'll at least have the photos to help jog your memory when you create your list of items lost.

Online Calendars with Google Calendars

I'm a big fan of Google and one of the neatest tools in their arsenal is Google Calendar (http://www.google.com/calendar). In addition to seeing your own events, you can also view calendars maintained by others. You can manage more than one calendar at a time and if you want, embed calendars on your web site or blog.

Google Calendar has some great features - address are automatically linked to Google Maps, visitors can subscribe to an RSS feed for the calendar, you can have a number of users responsible for updating the calendar and you can add users to a notification list where they will receive reminders by e-mail or SMS.

If you're the coach of a sports team or a leader of an organization like scouts, this is an essential tool for you.

Check out the three videos below for more information:

Other video resources

With more cell phones coming with video capabilities, video sharing is increasing in popularity and so are sites that help do something with those videos.

Previously, we looked at Kaltura for collaborative video editing. YouTube, undeniably the most popular video sharing site, also provides an online editor call remixer (http://www.youtube.com/ytremixer_about) that can use videos you've uploaded.

Another interesting site is Fix My Movie (http://www.fixmymovie.com/). This site uses patent pending technology to enhance and improve your video, which is then hosted on their site. Looking at the sample below, select the icon at the bottom right to compare the before and after enhancements.

Create collaborative videos

Most of us have had some experience working on a document with a number users contributing information (if not, check out Google Docs).

Kaltura (http://www.kaltura.com) provides you with a way to collaboratively work with others to create a video. Individuals can upload there videos and using the online tools you can edit and insert transitions and effects to create your video. When you're done, you can send a link to the site or embed the movie in your own site.

Be sure to check out the tour for more details.

Keep your e-mail private when filling out forms

When we're asked to put in our e-mail address when filling out an online form, we all feel that trepidation - "Should I use my work or personal e-mail?" "Will I get spam if I do?"


Mailinator (http://www.mailinator.com) allows you to provide a "fake" e-mail address where you can still get your message. For example, sometimes when we want to access a web site to get information or download a file, we're asked for our e-mail address where they can send the instructions to. The site now has your information and can easily start sending you their special offers (spam). Mailinator automatically creates read-only public e-mail accounts that you can use instead of your own e-mail address. The accounts are public and require now login, which means anyone can use the account. After 24 hours, the accounts are flushed out.

What's really nice is you can subscribe to an RSS feed to be notified when something comes in.

Easily backup your contacts online with Plaxo

Plaxo (http://www.plaxo.com) is an online tool who's goal is to help keep contact information up to date. When you update your Plaxo information, it automatically updates the information to anyone else using the service that you've indicated should have access to your information.

One of the benefits of the system is that it allows you to ensure your address books are updated in a number of places after you make a change in one area. For example, when I add a user to my Address Book (or Outlook), it updates the information in my Plaxo account. I have three computers that are connected to Plaxo, so all three computers automatically get updated with the new information.

Plaxo can also update the address books of online services too - Yahoo mail, Google, MSN and others. It can even do the same for your calendar.

The most important tool on the web - RSS

For many people, the morning starts off by visiting a number of web sites to catch up on the latest news or blog postings. Wouldn't it be easier if we only had to go to one place to see which sites have been updated and what's been added?

Really Simple Syndication or RSS let's you do just that. RSS is a method of sending information to you; as new content is added to a site, you'll see the information updated in your news reader. This technology is used to publish frequently updated content such as news headlines, blog entries or podcasts.

Although there are applications you can download (including many web browsers) to take advantage of RSS feeds, I highly recommend using an online newsreader like Google Reader (http://www.google.com/reader). Being online means you can access the information anywhere and it remembers what stories you've read as you move from your work computer to your home computer.



Tip: with Google Reader, just paste the URL of the page you want and if there's a RSS feed, it will automatically add it.