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Web 2.0 tools for Learning (continued . . .)

I was reading the Web 2.0 tools entry (dated 29th August, 2008) and I decided to add to the list (Pat Doyle, TCD)….

Digsby (Windows XP/Vista) and Fring (mobile devices)

Digsby helps you manage all your IM, email, and social network accounts from one easy-to-use application. The list of accounts includes AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Google Talk, Jabber, and Facebook Chat Accounts for Instant Messaging; Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, AOL/AIM Mail, IMAP, and POP accounts for Email; Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn for all your Social Networking needs. At the time of writing it is only available for Windows but Mac OS X and Linux versions are set to follow.

Fring is an alternative to Digsby for your mobile device. It enables you to access & interact with your social networks on-the-go, make free calls and live chat with all your fring, Skype®, MSN® Messenger, Google Talk™, ICQ, SIP, Twitter, Yahoo!™ and AIM®* friends using your handset’s internet connection. You can download Fring for all the major handsets (an extensive list is available from the dowmload page). Before using Fring i would advise that you purchase an Internet add on from your provider because it is continuously connected to your social networks when running. You will notice your mobile’s battery charge decreasing when using Fring so I would suggest using Fring in tandem with Digsby (Digsby for the office and Fring when out and about).

Jing (Windows XP/Vista and OS X)

Use Jing to instantly capture and share images and video…from your computer to anywhere. It is based on the software used within Camtasia and as such is an extremely impressive tool. When capturing images you can add annotations, highlight areas and arrows. When capturing video you can record audio and the completed movie is presented with an embedded player.
NOTE: Install .NET Framework Version 3.5 before installing Jing.

Peeraware (Windows 2000 or newer) and Acrobat.com (Web app)

With Peeraware you can:

  1. Create a workspace for your school-class and invite friends to connect and chat
  2. Create a company workspace and invite colleagues to share presentations and report
  3. Share photos and view other people’s shared images in a slide show
  4. Share documents and files of any type and size. Search or browse for files shared by others
  5. Draw together on the shared whiteboard.

It is free for workspaces of up to 10 users. For workspaces with more than 10 users you need to license.

Acrobat.com is a suite of free web applications from Adobe Systems that allows users to create and share documents (using Buzzword, Create PDF and Share), communicate in real time and simplify working with others (using Adobe ConnectNow). Users need to sign up for an account in order to use these services. All of the applications are based on Adobe AIR runtime and are extremely flashy. There is one caveat – Adobe ConnectNow is temperamental and rarely lets me sign in. This is a shame because if it worked smoothly it would be an invaluable tool for communicating. Let’s hope Adobe iron out the rough spots fairly soon (this is a beta service and as such it may not play nice with college / workplace proxy settings).

Scrapbook and Ubiquity (Both Firefox add ons)

Add ons have enabled Firefox to move beyond the humble beginnings of internet browsing. Two clear illustrations of this are Scrapbook and Ubiquity.

Scrapbook is an archiving tool which helps you to save Web pages and easily manage collections. This reviewer (andyprough) encapsulates its importance:

The ability to download hundreds of web pages into well organized folders, and to make the whole group portable is invaluable. Scrapbook turns internet research into a useful, well-organized activity. The ability to export entire research projects to a USB drive or CD adds tremendous value. I’ve used Scrapbook for over three years, and could not get by without it.

Ubiquity is an experimental Firefox extension that gives you a powerful new way to interact with the Web. You’re used to telling Firefox where you want to go by typing Web addresses into the URL bar. With Ubiquity installed, you’ll be able to tell Firefox what you want it to do by typing commands into a new Ubiquity input box. Ubiquity is a beguiling add on and if you embrace its nuances it will change how you interact with your browser.

November 18, 2008 · Filed Under Web2.0

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