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Iubenda - Website, Privacy, Policy, Generator

Mike Foster — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:45:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

Iubenda is a privacy policy generator for use with personal and business websites. Privacy policies protect your website from legal action and outline how exactly you use the data of your visitors, and Iubenda makes creating a detailed and site-appropriate privacy policy just a little bit easier. The application provides you with an embeddable button users can click to access your policy.

Iubenda lets you enter the various services provided by your website, your (or the site owner’s) information, then builds a custom privacy policy based on your specific needs. It even gives a custom privacy policy icon. The application supports multiple languages and remote updates.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

Iubenda launched in February 2012 to rave reviews from site owners that needed a simple method for building privacy policies into their websites. Since then, the policies generated by Iubenda have seen over six million views—Iubenda had over 4,000 people on its waiting list soon after its initial reveal. With such a massive surge in users in just a few months, it looks like Iubenda will continue to grow at a rapid pace.

What are the differences to other apps?

Iubenda is the web’s only one-stop solution for generating a custom, easy-to-read and legally valid privacy policy. The application has been tested thoroughly to ensure that it provides effective, relevant and readable privacy policies with as little effort as possible on the part of the webmaster. More importantly, the privacy policies it creates stand up to strict legal scrutiny.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

Iubenda’s three-step process makes building a privacy policy incredibly simple. First, you enter the services your website provides. Next, you enter the relevant contact information for the site administrator or business owner. Finally, you customize the icon displayed on your site. You can copy the code directly out of the interface, or email it to your web developer.

How does the registration process work?

To register for Iubenda, all you need is an email address and a password. A confirmation email is sent, but you do not need to interact with it in order to build your privacy policy. You can upgrade your registration to the “Pro” level at any time.

What does it cost to use the application?

Iubenda’s basic membership is free and lets you build a privacy policy addressing up to four individual services. The paid membership, which runs $27 per year, allows for an infinite number of services (including custom services) and a logo-free icon for embedding.

Who would you recommend the application to?

Webmasters and business owners often overlook the importance of the privacy policy they display on their websites. Iubenda should be used by any web application or service site that wants to ensure its privacy policy is legally correct and accessible for readers. If you can’t afford to have an attorney build a custom privacy policy for your site, Iubenda is the way to go.

Nogeno - Music, Presentation, Website, Publicity

Mike Foster — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:15:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

Nogeno is a simple utility that bands and musicians can use to create striking, appealing websites with a few click of a mouse. The application supports all of the necessary functions for sharing music, such as album uploads, track listings and artist biographies. Musicians can also elect to offer their music free of charge, or request a small fee for downloads.

The application provides users with a fully customizable website integrated with a number of popular social networks, making it easy for bands and musicians to share their content with followers and fans.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

Nogeno launched in 2011 and is based out of Israel, and hosts hundreds of band websites. Amateur and aspiring musicians are represented via Nogeno, as are more established acts looking to expand their online impact.

What are the differences to other apps?

Nogeno gives the user complete flexibility of design. The application makes creating an attractive and unique website easy, and allows musicians to share their music with the world in a much more straightforward and simple manner. The application is packed with powerful tools that allow for full album uploads, Facebook embedding and social media synchronizing. The interface’s ease of use means bands can update their own sites without having to fuss with HTML or a web editor.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

The creation page at Nogeno is split into simple tabs that do the bulk of the web building, and uses simple forms for site creation. All the user needs to do is copy his or her biography and social media links, then paste them directly into the appropriate spaces in Nogeno. Everything is laid out very plainly—the focus is on usability over aesthetics. Even web newcomers will feel comfortable building a site with Nogeno’s step-by-step guidance.

How does the registration process work?

Musicians interested in registering with Nogeno can login directly via Facebook, or by entering an email address and selecting a password. Once inside, users will be prompted to choose between two separate memberships—automatic or manual.

What does it cost to use the application?

If the user selects the “Manual” option during registration, Nogeno is free of charge. The “Manual” option requires the user to handle the importing of videos, songs and other details. The “Automatic” membership costs $4.99, but will automatically import songs, albums and other information directly from an existing Bandcamp or MySpace profile.

Who would you recommend the application to?

Nogeno is a very strong application for any band or musician that wants a sleek, effective website that’s easy to manage and easy to create. Users who want to stay in touch with fans and spread content across multiple platforms will be well served by the application’s social media integration. Finally, the flexibility and simplicity of Nogeno are simply unrivaled when it comes to free website services.

JustSell.me - Selling, Share, Social, Network

Mike Foster — Mon, 28 May 2012 16:50:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

JustSell.me is a web application designed to help users sell old, unwanted items, digital goods or personal services. However, instead of offering the items up to just the general public, JustSell.me relies on the user’s personal network to help accelerate the sale. Posts are automatically shared via Facebook to ensure that user items receive the highest amount of visibility possible.

The app uses PayPal to close each sell, taking a 2% cut from each successful listing and sending the rest directly to the user’s account. Listings are designed to be easy to complete and move.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

JustSell.me has over 1,000 Facebook likes. The company is based out of the United Kingdom, and the application was pushed public in April of 2012.

What are the differences to other apps?

JustSell.me is similar to other online classifieds listings, but focuses on social media as a method for promoting the user’s items. When an item is listed for sale, the application’s Facebook integration means that a post is instantly sent to the social networking site, and thus shared with the user’s friends and family. Additionally, JustSell.me is built to be easy to use, requiring only a bit of information and no complex registration process.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

JustSell.me’s interface will be familiar to any user that has previously tried to sell an item online. Forms are provided for describing, titling and tagging the item, and images can be uploaded with just a few quick mouse clicks. Users can also add location data to make the sale more relevant to nearby social network members.

How does the registration process work?

Registration begins when the user lists an item. After entering the information necessary to create the listing, the user is asked for his or her personal information and the email address tied to the user’s PayPal account.

What does it cost to use the application?

JustSell.me is free to use—the only time the application takes money is if an item listed sells. When a sale is completed, JustSell.me takes a flat 2% fee off the transaction.

Who would you recommend the application to?

JustSell.me is an excellent web application for users looking to unload old items or find new clients, especially if those users have exhausted more traditional avenues. Also, users with large social networks will see more success from this service, as it relies on social media for enhanced sale odds.

MySocialCloud - Simplify Internet Surfing Experience

Adam Brown — Mon, 28 May 2012 16:20:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

You can use MySocialCloud to help store and keep track of online passwords for various sites. When using the app, you automatically enter the sites you regularly visit without having to remember and type in your various passwords. All information sent through the app is encrypted for your security. The app mainly serves as a greater measure of convenience and security for people who surf a large number of sites on a regular basis.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

MySocialCloud was founded in May of 2011 at the University of Southern California. It is run by Chief Executive Officer Scott Ferreira and Chief Technical Officer Shiv Prakash. Mr. Ferreira said he started the app when he found other password-saving apps were either costly or awkward to use. The app raised funding from high profile investors including Sir Richard Branson and Twitter investors Jerry Murdock. Within a year of its founding, the app has received positive coverage in Tech Crunch and other major media.

What are the differences to other apps?

The ease and speed of use makes the app stand out among password-saving apps. Another distinguishing feature of the app is the strong emphasis placed on security. Top level encryption, use of Norton, and other features ensure that the app is a secure place to store passwords online.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

The app is remarkably simple to use. A clear three-step process lets you add new sites to the app and quickly generate new passwords. A six-item menu in the upper left-hand corner of the main screen of the app clearly presents you the options for using MySocialCloud. Clicking on Add a Bookmark in the upper right corner of the app's main screen allows you to add a site to your secure list. After clicking the bookmark button, you simply fill in the URL and, optionally, a password.

How does the registration process work?

To register, you click the sign up button on the main page of the app. You will then have to fill in your user name, an email address, and your chosen password. You will then be sent a confirmation email which you must click within 72 hours. Once back in the app, you can immediately start adding the sites you browse to your list of sites within the app.

What does it cost to use the application?

The app is free to use.

Who would you recommend the application to?

The app is useful for anybody who surfs multiple sites on a daily basis and has trouble remembering passwords. It is also a great app for the security conscious, as encryption and other security features are built into the app. The app is also very simple to use, making it suitable for people who want convenience in an app instead of a multitude of features.

Invoice Ocean - Invoices Reports Fast Safe

Dorothy Distefano — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:55:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

Invoice Ocean is an online invoicing tool. It may be used to create invoices, recurring invoices, and sales reports.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

There is no information regarding the company on the site, nor anywhere online. It is presumably a new app, so perhaps improvements will be forthcoming.

What are the differences to other apps?

Other apps, notably Invoicebus, are superior in presentation and options. Invoiceocean simply does not allow the user to personalize, has a bug with the language options, and is a very basic, colorless, interface. The instructions are poorly written and the app is inferior to others of its type.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

Once logged in, the user is taken to a page with tabs for Invoices, Clients, Products, and Reports. This page is the Invoice page and an invoice can be initiated from here. There are also links for contacting InvoiceOcean via chat as well as providing feedback.

There is a spelling error at the top of the page for "number" (It says "Numer"). This should indicate the invoice number. There is an area for the date of the invoice, the seller information including: tax ID, bank account, bank name, postcode, city, street and number. The area for buyer information includes: tax ID, postcode, city, and street. After completion, clicking "more" at the end of the section reveals that country, email, www (presumably for web address), fax, and phone are required for the seller section.

At the bottom of the page is the Invoice entry area. This has a space for name, quantity, net value, tax percentage, net total, and gross total. There is a dropdown menu for payment type and due date as well as notes. Users have the option of adding a status, amount paid, order number, and other information that it unable to be determined as it is partially in Polish, though the language preference is set to English. Languages include English, Dutch, French, and Polish. All Buyer and Seller information is saved for future invoices.

Clients may also be added via the client tab. Again, the user may need to rely on Google translate as the page is in Polish, though the selected language on the first page was English.

To add a product, the user enters the product name, description, code, net price, tax, and gross price. There is a blank for one time sale amount and the unit used to describe the item (lb., ft., etc.).

Users may generate monthly sales reports, daily sales, monthly count, and daily count (presumably of the number of items sold).

This is a very simple tool, however the inability to set the language and know it will continue correctly throughout the process make this more difficult to use. Several spelling and grammar issues were found throughout the site.

How does the registration process work?

To register, a user needs a login name, email account, and password. Next, the user chooses a domain: xxxx.invoiceocean.com.

What does it cost to use the application?

All accounts come with a 30 day free trial without credit card information required. The Micro account is free and comes with a 3 monthly invoice limit; unlimited clients; unlimited products and services; invoice, pro forma invoice, and corrected invoice; print to pdf feature; email invoice feature; invoices statuses: issued, sent, paid, delayed, partial payment; payment audit; Polish and English language invoices; many companies (undefined number); SSL, and access to some report features.

The Start Account costs $8 per month and includes all of the above with a 100 monthly invoice limit and 1 automated sale service or feature; SSL, and API.

The Pro Account is offered at $18 per month and has no limit to the number of invoices. It also includes advanced report features; two additional users; a custom invoice template; recurring invoices; warehouse options; own template of sent emails; a panel for clients; partial own system appearance; autopayments via PayPal; timesheets; and 25 available sale or product service listings.

The Max Plan is $29 per month and includes own appearance of system; additional options for customers such as integrating reports, SSO, new options, etc.; no limit to availability of products/services on the site, and the users own domain.

Who would you recommend the application to?

This application needs to work out some bugs, polish up the look of the app, and make sure everything works properly before it can be recommended.

OpenStudy - Educational Study Group Networking

Adam Brown — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:25:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

OpenStudy brings the social network experience to an educational setting. The network allows students to seek help with study questions. It strives to connect learners and educators to make the learning experience collaborative and successful.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

The site was founded in 2007 by Georgia Tech professor Ashwin Ram, Emory University dean Preetha Ram, and former student and CTO Chris Sprague. OpenStudy is funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the Georgia Research Alliance.

What are the differences to other apps?

Students from any school, including students who are studying independently from Open Courseware or other independent study materials can find collaboration and assistance on OpenStudy.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

A user’s home page includes easy links to ask questions, view groups and topics, and read new questions. The Help menu offers several helpful videos for using the various tools on the site. OpenStudy would benefit from a FAQ section that clarifies some of the basic tools, terms, and information. For example, users are invited to create a Studypad, yet until setting one up, it is unclear what the function of this tool is. In review, it is found to be a real time collaborative tool for either public or invite only members to use for projects.

Users may join study groups to meet members with common interests so that you can ask questions, create Studypads, and collaborate with your group. Many features are still in development, such as the ability to import spreadsheets, images, and documents.

Some pages are slow to load and are not completely intuitive. An example would be that apparently each question generates a Studypad for collaboration on the answer. This begs the question, why are there two separate buttons for asking a question and creating a Studypad? Users may be rated for their helpfulness in answering.

Overall, OpenStudy is on the road to being a very good resource. With the addition of a FAQ section, the ability to upload items, and a faster interface, this application will be much more useful.

How does the registration process work?

Users can login with Facebook or create an independent account by providing a username, email, first and last name, and password. Users are then directed to upload a profile picture, indicate their school, and provide a brief bio. Options for joining study groups and adding friends are offered.

What does it cost to use the application?

OpenStudy is free to use.

Who would you recommend the application to?

This is a very handy application for students in high school, college, or anyone studying independently. It’s a great way to connect with other students and get help with subjects.

MailBliss - Converts Email to SMS

Adam Brown — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:00:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

MailBliss is a very simple app that allows you to receive emails in the form of SMSs to your phone. You can use it to basically give your phone an email address. Email addresses are easier to remember than SMS addresses so it may also make it easier for friends to contact you through your phone.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

The app was launched by Timeless Technologies Inc. in March of 2012. The company, based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, is a software development and web site design agency. The launch of the MailBliss app was met by a series of positive reviews and media coverage for the app's simplicity.

What are the differences to other apps?

The app is much simpler than most other apps. It allows you to receive emails in the form of SMSs to your mobile phone. As such, the interface and usage is as simple as an app can be. The entire app can be viewed and understood on a single web page.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

The app is extreme in its simplicity. To start receiving emails in the form of SMSs to your mobile phone, simply fill out two boxes with your chosen email address and your phone number. From there, you can start benefiting from the app. The email address you must use for your phone will end in one of six extensions, including .mailbliss.com, .mailosplash.com, .cellslice.com and more.

How does the registration process work?

No registration process is needed. On the main page of the app, you must fill in two boxes with your chosen email address and your cell phone number. From there, you are not only registered - your have completed configuring the app.

What does it cost to use the application?

The app is free to use.

Who would you recommend the application to?

The app can be recommended for anybody who either can't receive emails on their mobile phone or who doesn't like to access their traditional email inbox from their mobile.

HelloFax - Online Fax Management Platform

Shel Gatto — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:35:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

HelloFax is an online fax management application that lets users manage faxes without an actual fax machine. The user can send documents and receive them online. The service offers more advanced features that also let users fill out forms and add signatures to documents that are faxed. Users can request signatures from others as well. The application supports templates that let users upload a document, add a signer role, apply custom text fields that require a response and choose where each role signs. HelloFax also comes with convenient third party integration. Users can connect to their Google Drive account as well as Dropbox. HelloFax lets users manage all their faxes in one place without buying any hardware or components.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

HelloFax was founded by Neal O’Mara and Joseph Walla. The application was designed to make document management even easier for users. HelloFax eliminates the need to buy fax machines and waste paper on printed documents. The application has received plenty of attention so far, especially from business related websites and blogs. It is primarily promoted as a free fax alternative that works for professionals and casual users.

What are the differences to other apps?

The web has presented numerous ways to send a fax without an actual fax machine. HelloFax is yet another but one that offers far more bells and whistles than some of its competitors. The application offers a professional design that looks much more reliable than other fax websites. Users can also integrate with popular third party applications and add signatures to their documents. HelloFax also supports other text fields that let users’ complete entire forms that can be faxed online

How does the web app look and feel to use?

HelloFax can really win some professional users over with its stylish appearance. The application adopts a familiar business-themed color scheme with relaxing blue contrasted by a white background. The user interface is tidy, allowing the user to navigate easily with minimal effort. The application offers an excellent balance of unique features, functionality and an eye-catching appearance. Users who are not familiar with web applications or fax machines will have almost no trouble learning how to utilize HelloFax.

How does the registration process work?

A new user can get started by trying HelloFax for free. The registration form appears along the right side of the homepage. The user is asked to provide an email address. After submitting the form, the user is automatically logged in and can begin updating profile information or sending faxes. A button is available at the bottom of the homepage registration form for users who prefer to sign up with a Google account.

What does it cost to use the application?

HelloFax offers users four subscription plans to choose from. The first is a free plan that includes up to five free faxes total and a fee of 99 cents per additional fax. Free users receive unlimited signed emails and up to five free signature requests. The Basic plan costs $4.99 per month and includes up to 50 fax pages per month, a local fax number and up to 10 signature requests per month. The Premium plan costs $9.99 per month and includes up to 500 fax pages per month, unlimited signature requests and the ability to fax to multiple recipients. The Ultimate plan costs $69.99 per month and upgrades to 2,000 fax pages per month. Each paid plan includes a 30 day free trial.

Who would you recommend the application to?

HelloFax is a valuable resource for anyone who sends faxes. The free account is great for casual users who only need to send one or two faxes every now and again. The paid memberships scale up with economic pricing that works for small to medium size businesses that do light to mild faxing. The service may not be cost effective for large companies with heavy faxing demands, but it works for just about everyone else.

Genealogy.com - Online Family Tree Search

Shel Gatto — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:15:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

Genealogy.com is a family history search resource. Users can visit the homepage and begin looking for documents and data by name and U.S. state. A free document search through Fold3 is offered so users can get started without signing up for a subscription. News is listed on the homepage as well so users can see recently added features and search options. Specific document collections are also showcased on the homepage, such as international and passenger records and the U.S. census records. Users can begin building a family tree and share it with others online. The user can start with a basic first and last name search and later refine their search with dates of birth and death and/or a middle name.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

Genealogy.com is a part of the Ancestry.com network. The service offers users access to a number of data bases as well as a basic free search function. So far Genealogy.com has not made a strong impression with users. It has gone mostly unnoticed, and it is easy to see why. The service doesn’t feel well organized and seems to be more of a traffic driver for other services within the Ancestry.com network.

What are the differences to other apps?

The main difference between Genealogy and other services is its rather unorganized design. The application offers users many of the same exact features found on other ancestry research websites. Users can look for family members by name and begin building family trees. The main difference is that Genealogy.com seems to be more advertisement than individual application. The site mostly directs users to other related services.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

Genealogy.com greets users with a cluttered interface that could benefit from some wide open space. Some elements are strong, such as the traditional logo with feather pen and elegant font. The rest of the page feels squeezed together, with links and search fields for the site and other sites. The user never really knows if they are navigating to another area on Genealogy.com or leaving for another site when clicking a link or performing a search.

How does the registration process work?

New users can join the Genealogy.com community by clicking the gold “My Genealogy.com” button in the upper navigation bar. The use can click the “My Profile” link in the left hand side bar followed by the blue “Register for Free” link at the top, center of the next page. The website really asks for far too many clicks just to access the registration form. Once the user has finally jumped through enough hoops to access the form, they are required to supply a first and last name and email address. The user is automatically logged in after submitting the form.

What does it cost to use the application?

Genealogy.com offers users three subscription plans to choose from. The first is a Basic plan which costs $69.99 per year and includes access to the family tree maker and the Genealogy Library. The mid-range Deluxe plan costs $99.99 per year and adds the World Family Tree tool. The Gold plan costs $199.99 per year and upgrades to include access to U.S. Census records as well as international and passenger records.

Who would you recommend the application to?

Genealogy.com is difficult to recommend to any family history researcher. The service may be helpful as a secondary research tool, but users may find that it is not user friendly. There are many services that come with a more convenient design and better quality service overall for the same price or less. Genealogy.com could benefit from an interface makeover and improvements in general website functionality.

CollabFinder - Online Collaborative Project Network

Shel Gatto — Mon, 28 May 2012 13:50:02 +0000

What can you use the app for?

CollabFinder is a network of skilled individuals offering their services and knowledge to become part of a collaborative project. The website breaks its community down into four main categories, including developers, designers, illustrators and writers. Users can also search across all categories with the “Everybody” tab. The website also provides further filtering options by letting users explore people or companies. Each individual profile can include an image, interests, experience, skills, mutual friends and a text entry field that lets users pitch their idea to the user. Company profiles show the user location details, number of people associated and areas and industries related to the company. CollabFinder helps users find the people and organizations that have the skills and resources to work on a collaborative project.

What is the history and popularity of the app?

CollabFinder was created to help professionals and companies get together and make things happen. The application holds a lot of promise, however it still needs to grow into the shoes it is trying to fill. The community is active and covers a lot of geographic ground however some locations are still untouched by CollabFinder. Other places only have two or three professionals listed. The site was re-launched in April of 2012 to offer a modern environment and convenient collaborative partner search solution.

What are the differences to other apps?

CollabFinder is a basic listing website that focuses entirely on collaborative projects. There are many other sites that users can explore to find website designers, developers, illustrators or writers. The main difference is CollabFinder’s focus on the collaboration. Users sign up with the intention of being a part of a collaborative project. The community is still growing but may be very useful to individuals with good ideas but a lack of skills in certain areas.

How does the web app look and feel to use?

CollabFinder keeps things simple with a bold red and white color scheme. The design is very clean with no visual distractions or other obstacles to slow the user down. The user profiles are somewhat plain. The user can spice things up by adding a photograph or image, but this is still rather limiting. The up side is that visitors can easily find the information they need thanks to the basic layout.

How does the registration process work?

New users can join the CollabFinder community by clicking the blue “Sign Up” button along the right hand side of the homepage. Doing so takes the user to the Facebook login area. After logging in, the user must give the application access to their profile. This is the only registration option currently available. Users who do not wish to link their Facebook accounts will not be able to join.

What does it cost to use the application?

Anyone can join CollabFinder for free. There are no subscription fees and the user doesn’t have to pay to communicate with other members. This allows the application to include a wide range of individuals without restricting or deterring anyone. Users can sign up with Facebook and begin inviting people they know or exploring a community of new, skilled individuals and companies.

Who would you recommend the application to?

CollabFinder is a helpful tool for anyone that needs skilled professionals to work on a project. Users can browse individuals or companies and invite the people they know through Facebook. The service is also appealing to companies who are in need of specific skills as well as those who might be interested in helping someone get their idea up and running. The service is free and the website is user friendly.