Online Collaboration Tools - New Technologies And Web Services - Sharewood Picnic Apr21 08

Online collaboration tools are just popping up at every corner. Very soon, it will be hard to find an application that has no collaboration features. This week, in my explorer bag I have got some cool new collaboration tools ready to be used. For example, if you need to send huge files to your friends, need to share your screen while someone else can control it from a distance, or want have free VoIP calls while sharing pictures in real-time, you may find the toolkit I have put together this week to be right on the spot.

Photo credit: Emin Ozkan

These the eight online collaboration tools I have selected:

1. Adobe Share: Web-based service allows you to upload and share your documents online
2. Mikogo: Free screen sharing and remote control solution for Windows
3. File Dropper: Share any file up to 5GB without any registration
4. ADPhone: VoIP software allows you to have free PC-to-PC calls
5. Ring-to Number: Create a widget and allow people to call you without giving out your number
6. Chatango: Create and embed your own chatroom on your website and interact with your visitors
7. Hello: Picasa plug-in allows you to chat and share any picture with your friends
8. Heysan: Connect on multiple instant messaging networks right from your mobile phone

1. Adobe Share
   
   Adobe Share is a web-based service that allows you to upload and share files. You can distribute the URL for the file to a selected number of users, post the link for the URL on a website, or embed the code for previewing the file in a web page. You have the option to allow recipients to invite others to view your shared files or limit access to only the specified recipients. Requires an Adobe ID.
   https://share.adobe.com/





2. Mikogo
   
   Mikogo is a free screen sharing and remote control software for Windows. After you download the small setup file, you can register and create as many meetings as you want: you can then invite people by giving them the meeting ID which they'll have to paste on the Mikogo homepage in order to join the session. The main features are remote control for any participant, file sharing, presenter switcher, and application selection. Free to download and use.
   http://www.mikogo.com/





3. File Dropper
   
   File Dropper is an online file hosting website that you can use to send large files with anyone. With no registration you can upload any file up to 5GB and, after the upload progress bar has finished, you will be given a sharing link for other people to get the file. Apart from the basic free version, other paid versions are available for password-protected sharing and up to 25GB of space per file. Free to use.
   http://www.filedropper.com/





4. ADPhone
   
   ADPhone is a free VoIP application that lets have free voice conferences between PCs, but also call normal landlines and mobile numbers. You can register to the service for free and download the client to start calling other ADPhones users for free. Plus, the first two minutes of landline calls are free (up to 30 minutes per day), after which you will have to pay very low rates for both landline and mobile calls. Free.
   http://www.adphone.com/





5. Ring-to Number
   
   Ring-To number is a web-site that lets you create a widget that lets people call you directly without giving them your actual phone number. After you register and select a plan (Free or Premium), you just have to insert your real number once, put the widget on your site, and no one will ever need your number again to call you. Instead they need to call a new number that enables them to connect with you.
   http://www.ringtonumber.com/





6. Chatango
   
   Chatango is an online service that enables you to create your own embeddable chat room. You can pick between a private one-on-one chat between one page visitors and you, or you can create a public chat where all the visitors can chat with each other, and with you. As a group owner, you can block people from your group, and delete messages from it. Free to use.
   http://www.chatango.com/





7. Hello
   
   Hello is an addition for the popular Google's picture management software Picasa, that adds a text chat and the possibility to send pictures to your friends. After you install it, you will notice a new friends lists, from which you can open conversation windows: you can then start chatting with the other person, and share any picture you have in your library by clicking a button, no matter how big it is. Hello is free to download and use.
   http://www.hello.com/





8. Heysan
   
   Heysan is a mobile web-based multi-protocol instant messenger. From any phone that can access the internet, you are able to connect and chat with your buddies on MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, ICQ and AIM networks, with no need to install anything on your phone. Just go onhttp://m.heysan.com, type your credentials, and click connect. Completely web-based and free.
   http://www.heysan.com/

Originally written by Nico Canali De Rossi for Master New Media and first published on April 21st 2008 as "Online Collaboration Technologies - New Tools And Web Services - Sharewood Picnic Apr21 08"