New Media Picks Of The Week: Sharewood Picnic 57

Photo credit: I M Birchall

1. Picasa's new feature allows you to create photo albums and store them online
2. Join, listen and broadcast a live or recorded multi-person conversation and podcasts
3. Send video clips directly from your mobile phone to popular video sharing sites
4. Online service lets you send SMS text messages as emails
5. Create your own online desktop and access it from any computer
6. Collaborative editor supporting multiple documents in one session and a multi-user chat
7. Instant messenger for portable devices allows you to access to the most popular IM networks
8. Create a new RSS feed from several existing feeds
9. Community that provides real time support for tech-related issues by connecting people via IM
10. Online calendar that allows you to organize your events, publish your own calendar on your web site
11. Create private chat rooms and invite people to join them
12. Organize photos, video clips and communications within private group web sites
13. Online community enables you to connect with others and share knowledge about every topic

The Sharewood Picnic is Robin Good's weekly collection of the most interesting new media tools and resources he has run into during his daily research and online explorations.

1. Picasa Web Albums
   
   
   
   Picasa Web Albums is Picasa's newest feature, designed to help users post and share their photos quickly and easily on the web. Picasa Web Albums offers one-click web upload using Picasa's new "Web Album" button, free storage space to post and share approximately 1000 photos, with the option to upgrade to more space. End-to-end photo management makes it easy to download uploaded photos back to your computer. Picasa Web Albums is available by invitation, along with the latest downloadable version of Picasa. Free to use.
   
   http://picasaweb.google.com/





2. Talkshoe
   
   Talkshoe is a web service that enables you to join, listen and broadcast a live or recorded multi-person conversation, discussion group, talk show or podcast, led by a host with active participants and listeners. These conversations are called "talkcasts" and people can join them by phone or by computer. Talkcasts can be either public or private. Once the talkcast has begun, the host has total control over it and can use features such as "See-who's-talking", mute phone or chat and selectively allow users to talk who have "Requested-to-talk". Users can also earn money by hosting talkcasts: check out the TalkShoe Bucks Host Program to know more. Talkshoe is a free service.
   http://beta.talkshoe.com/





3. Umundo
   
   Umundo is a service that enables users to send instantly video clips directly from their mobile phone to popular sites such as MySpace, My Yahoo!, Google, iTunes for easy viewing and sharing. Umundo service is available worldwide, however the service outside the US is only available via email from the cell phone. Umundo is free and does not require registration. You only have to pay for your phone and MMS services to your mobile operator.
   http://www.umundo.com/





4. sms2email
   
   sms2email allows you to send SMS text messages as emails. Send an SMS to the gateway number 07766 40 41 42 and type as the first word of the SMS the recipients email address. The SMS will then be relayed to the recipient via email almost instantaneously. sms2email does not require sign up and it is free to use (with only the standard charges from your network operator for sending out the SMS).
   http://www.sms2email.com/





5. CosmoPOD
   
   CosmoPOD allows you to create your own online desktop and access it from any computer. Once you have signed up for an account, you download a small application that provides you with the means to connect your online desktop. Once you've logged into your desktop, you'll see a list of applications, among which there is an office suite that allows you to work with Word and Excel documents seamlessly. The free ad-supported version of CosmoPOD gives you a free email, 1GB online storage, a full office suite, an instant messenger and much more. CosmoPOD requires registration and download. CosmoPOD client is available for Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Solaris, PlayStation 2 and iPAQ. Free to use.
   http://www.cosmopod.com/





6. Gobby
   
   Gobby is a collaborative editor that allows you to edit text documents over a network. All users can work on the file simultaneously, without the need to lock it. The parts the various users wrote are highlighted in different colours and an IRC-like chat is also included. Gobby is completely cross-platform, therefore it runs on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and other Unix-like platforms.
   http://gobby.0x539.de/





7. Agile Messenger
   
   Agile Messenger is an instant messenger available for virtually every networked portable device that allows third party software to be installed. Agile Messenger enables you to access to MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, and ICQ. Supported platforms include: Symbian Series 60, Symbian UIQ, Microsoft Smartphone, Microsoft Pocket PC, Palm OS 3.5+ and J2ME. Agile Messenger requires download. Free to use.
   http://www.agilemobile.com/agile_messenger.html





8. Feed Mix
   
   Feed Mix is an RSS editor, which lets you create, edit and publish an unlimited number of RSS feeds. Feed Mix is also able to create a new RSS feed from several existing feeds. Feed Mix gives several useful tools, including a WYSIWYG feed editor, a built-in RSS reader, a blog client, an HTML editor, an image editor, an XML editor and an FTP upload facility. Feed Mix costs $25.95 for a single computer license. Free trial.
   http://www.extralabs.net/feed-mix.htm





9. Qunu
   
   Qunu is a community that provides real time support for tech-related issues by connecting people in trouble with experts who are passionate and willing to help. With Qunu you don't have to wait around for your answer: you can ask the expert directly and get your answer immediately. In addition, you can ask follow-up questions, again, in real time. Also, if you're an expert in something and want to provide help to others, Qunu requests come in through your existing IM client software. Registration is not required to use the service. Qunu is completely free.
   http://alpha.qunu.com/





10. EventSniper
    
    EventSniper is an online calendar that allows you to organize your events, add multiple external feeds to your calendar and publish it on your web site. You can subscribe to your calendar with a desktop application like Mozilla Sunbird or Apple iCal, as well as to any online calendar published using the iCal standard. Free to use.
    http://eventsniper.com/





11. ChatCreator
    
    ChatCreator is a web-based service that allows you to instantly create private chat rooms and invite people to join them. You simply have to choose a name for your chat room and ChatCreator will automatically create it and host it on its server. In order to invite people you need to copy the link that ChatCreator will generate and give it to them. ChatCreator does not require registration and it is free to use.
    http://www.chatcreator.com/





12. SnapJot
    
    SnapJot is a scrapbooking service that allows you to organize photos, video clips and text to tell stories about the important events of your life. Each SnapJot story can be private, group or public. When an author invites people to a story, only the members of this group can view, comment on or contribute media to the story. With SnapJot you can easily upload your material and publish high quality photo books, DVDs presentations, prints and photo merchandise for you and your group. Free registration.
    http://www.snapjot.com/snapjot/





13. Answerbag
    
    Answerbag is a community that helps you connect with others and share knowledge about every topic. If you have a question, you can submit it to the other members and get an answer. Every bit of info on this site can be voted on, so only trustworthy answers are promoted. Answerbag is a free service and requires registration.
    http://www.answerbag.com/