Video conferencing, instant messaging and real-time file-sharing and collaboration. These the three online collaboration areas for which I have some new tools to have you test out. You can have video conferences with up to ten people, instant message your team members right from within Firefox and share and collaborate in real-time with others on documents, presentations and more.

Photo credit: Globe and Mail

Here the eight online collaboration tools we have selected for you this week:

Online Collaboration Technologies - New Tools And Web Services

Video Conferencing





1. PalBee
   
   PalBee is a web-based collaboration tool that allows you to have video conferences with up to five people. To start a meeting, just type a name for your room and click start. You can then lock the room with a password and invite people by providing their email. Its main features are a text-chat, whiteboard, file uploader, and also the possibility to mute/unmute other people in the meeting. Registration is needed. Free to use.
   http://www.palbee.com/





2. Oovoo
   
   ooVoo is a webconferencing software available for Windows and Mac. After a quick registration, you are able to communicate with people through text-chat, video-audio conference (up to six people) and also to record video messages. You can also share up to 20 files at once to as many contacts as you want, up to 25 MB per file. Still in beta, it is free to download and use.
   http://www.oovoo.com/





3. Paltalk
   
   Paltalk is a free downloadable video conferencing software that you can use to video call your friends. You can create your room, where you can invite up to ten people that can text-chat, video conference, and also show what's going on on their screen. You can also invite people from AIM, Yahoo! and ICQ networks. It works on Windows machines only and it's free to download and use.
   http://www.paltalk.com/






Instant Messaging





4. AllPeers
   
   AllPeers is a Firefox extension, and therefore compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, that allows you to chat, share files and web pages, and also to download torrent files. After a free registration, you can add all of your friends, chat with them, and send them files and web pages by drag&dropping them on their name. Free to download and use.
   http://www.allpeers.com/





5. Social.im
   
   Social.im is a new instant messaging service that allows you to connect with all of your Facebook contacts. It doesn't matter if they have Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype, Gtalk...You can all have text-chats on social.im just using your Facebook's accounts. It offers a really clear buddy list, and completely integrates with Facebook's events. Free to download and use.
   http://www.social.im/






File Sharing





6. File.io
   
   File.io is a free online service that anyone can use to create an online folder (or more) where you can upload and share your files. After you give your folder a name and a password, with no registration process, you can start upload your files in your 150MB online folder. You will then need to share with your team the name and the password for that folder so that they can access and download them. Free to use, no registration needed.
   http://file.io/





7. Stixy
   
   Stixy is a web-based application that enables users to create tasks, appointments, notes, bookmarks, and to upload files and photos that can be organized in whatever way makes sense to them in "Stixyboards". Then they can share Stixyboards with friends, family, and colleagues, who can view/edit these files. Currently in beta, it is free to use.
   http://stixy.com/





8. Driveway
   
   Driveway is an online file sharing system that allows you to share big files, and also to collaborate with others on documents, presentations, spreadsheets. You can upload an unlimited number of files, up to 500 MB, and share them with everyone via email or by giving them a URL, in read only or in edit mode, inviting your team's members to review all of your .doc, .xls, .ppt files. To start using it, no registration is needed and it is free.
   http://www.driveway.com/

Originally written by Robin Good and Nico Canali De Rossi for Master New Media and first published on January 21st 2008 as "Online Collaboration Technologies - New Tools And Web Services - Sharewood Picnic Jan21 08"