Make Free Calls from Your PC with Gmail
Aug 26th
Google has launched a new feature that allows you to make free calls from your PC using Gmail. It’s built into their existing “Google Chat”, which recently added voice and video pc-to-pc calling. Now it also includes a “Call Phone” link which opens a phone keypad window that you can use to make calls (plug-in download required). You can simply dial a number, or choose from suggestions it finds in your address book as you type a number or name. According to the announcement in their Gmail blog post, calls to the U.S. and Canada are “free for at least the rest of the year” and minimal rates to overseas.
What’s even better is that this feature will work with your Google Voice account if you have one (now available to the public).
More >
4 Steps to Get Over Your Fear of the Cloud
Jul 27th
With the growing use of web-based software, more of us today are becoming accustomed to working “in the cloud”. Cloud Computing simply refers to the sharing of computer resources using the internet. You are using the cloud when you’re writing an article for your blog on Wordpress.com, uploading your photos to Flickr.com, or entering your customer information into Salesforce.com. Despite the benefits to using the cloud, many people are still uncomfortable with the idea of storing their information in vague locations around the internet. While it’s prudent to be cautious about the online services you use, there is no reason to be fearful of the technology itself. Most people were apprehensive about shopping on the internet during its infancy, but today it would be hard to find someone who hasn’t bought something online at least once. If you’re one of those folks having trouble getting cozy with the cloud, here are a few steps to help put you at ease: More >
Ning Turns Pay-Only, But Free Software Here to Stay
Apr 21st
Ning, a popular online provider of social network platforms, recently moved to discontinue its free service and focus only on paying customers. This has raised questions about the future of free online applications in general. Ning may offer a service that is sufficiently valuable and reputable at this point that they can survive with a paid-only model, but “free” isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. On the contrary, there are more and more free (and free versions) of online applications being offered every day. More >
Zoho CRM: Manage Your Business Information Online for Free
Apr 1st
While most online CRM software providers offer very limited or no free versions, Zoho continues to offer a full-featured Customer Relationship Management software that is free for up to 3 users.
Arguably one of the most valuable of Zoho’s online productivity applications, Zoho CRM allows you to organize and manage all of your sales, marketing, and customer service activities for your business. Their free edition has an abundance of functionality that is more than sufficient for many entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses.
Read more details in my article at MakeUseOf.com: (Read More)
How to Add Your Boss, Parents as Facebook Friends
Mar 29th
Many users of Facebook, after rushing to fill their list of friends, have inadvertently found their previously distinct worlds of family, friends, and work suddenly colliding. Sometimes with serious consequences. When you are connected to hundreds (sometimes thousands?) of people on the social network, it can be easy to forget who can see your boastful tales of ditching work or the photos of your late night escapades.
As a result, some people are becoming more cautious about who they “friend” on Facebook, particularly when it comes to authority figures like parents or a boss. Fortunately, there is an easy way to add “Facebook Friends” with whom you’d rather not share everything.
First, should we consider perhaps that this increased level of visibility that comes with a more social internet give us a reason to examine our words and deeds more carefully? If there are things we wouldn’t want certain people know we’ve said or done, is it possible that those are things we shouldn’t say or do in the first place? Nah. Let’s just find a way around it. Here is a way to keep select people from seeing more than what you want them to see. More >
