Helpful and Online

Moving the site

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:40:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:55:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:26:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:04:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:11:00 +0000

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:

Create collaborative videos

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:55:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:53:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:53:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:59:00 +0000

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.

Online tasks with Remember the Milk

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:15:00 +0000

If you don't use an electronic organizer, managing your todo lists online seems like a pretty smart idea. And it is - typically as long as you have internet access.

That's where Remember the Milk (http://www.rememberthemilk.com) really shines. Using technology created by Google, RTM allows you to create/edit tasks without needing an internet connection and then uploads your changes when you do. This is ideal for road warriors who use a laptop but don't always have internet access while on the road.

Like many online task managers RTM allows you to assign tasks to different projects, include notes, assign dates and even tags. What's really wonderful is that it provides "... task management in Google Calendar, have an iGoogle Gadget, send reminders via Google Talk, show task locations with Google Maps, and provide offline access with Google Gears." But for me, best of all, is that I can manage my tasks right within GMail!

Take the tour to find out more!

Keep track of news and stories with Google Alerts

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:30:00 +0000

Back in August 2007, my family and I had were at a stopover in Seattle where we found out flights had been delayed because an individual had called in a bomb threat in order to hold up a flight so he could get on it.

Thanks to Google Alerts (http://www.google.com/alerts) anytime the individual's name appears on a news site Google has access to, I receive an e-mail with a link to the story (I can also subscribe to an RSS feed of the info). Google Alerts is a great way to stay on top of information as it becomes posted, whether it's news, blogs, videos or anywhere on the web.

Host your own TV show!

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:49:00 +0000

Do you have a lecture you want to stream to the web? Got a great idea of a series of talks you want to make availalble to a larger audience?

uStream (http://www.ustream.tv) lets anyone with a web camera an internet connection set up their own online broadcast studio. It provides you with the ability to stream your video, as well as a communications centre where viewers can submit questions and comments. Many podcasters use this services to broadcast live while they're producing their podcast. You can often find conference speakers streaming their lectures live (one time, I found a pub in Bangladesh streaming the band that was playing - live). You can archive the stream for later reference and even embed the stream on other pages as well.

See the show and chat room

Put your PowerPoint slideshow online

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:22:00 +0000

For years, Microsoft's PowerPoint was the only way to create and share a slideshow. You could have music and voice play in the background as each slide was presented.

Now you can easily take those slideshows and play them on your web page. SlideShare (http://www.slideshare.net) will convert your slideshow (with voice and music) and provide you with a YouTube like experience where you you can embed or present your slideshow on a web page. Any voice/music included in the slide will be part of the presentation and if wish, users can download the original PowerPoint presentation. You can even use PDFs to create slides as well.

Note: if you're looking for a way to just upload and embed photos, you'd be better off using Google's Picasa.

| View | Upload your own

Adding comments and visuals to images with PhotoCrank

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Ever seen a photo that you'd like to add a comment or caption to?

PhotoCrank (http://www.photocrank.com) allows you to choose a number of talk/think bubbles and other graphics and easily add them to any photo you find on the web. If you run a blog, you can even add this service to your site so users can leave comments/captions for each image you post.

Tip: use a blog like Blogger just to post images to for friends and visitors to use PhotoCrank and make comments.

Cranked by: PhotoCrank

Get help from friends to plan a trip with Google Maps

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:13:00 +0000

If you haven't discovered Google Maps (http://www.google.com/maps) yet, then you're in for a treat. Google Maps does a lot of neat things, but the two really cool functions is the ability to create your own maps with point of interest and the ability to work on your maps with friends.

Next year I hope to take a trip to the Canadian east coast. I've created a map where I've started adding places and related information. I have a number of friends who have lived/visited there, so I'm giving them access to the map as well. As they come up with ideas, they can add them to my map and I see all the different places that they are recommending as well.

The video collection (3 videos) below will show you how some of the features work. Once one is completed, the next video will automatically start.

Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:03:00 +0000

Helpful and online is an informal site intended to provide you with neat and handy resources that you can find online. It's not intended for the uber web user, but for the everyday user. Through this forum, you'll discover handy sites that will help make your life a little less complicated.

Enjoy!

Contact Trevor

noreply@blogger.com (Trevor Beck) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 01:18:00 +0000

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