One of the best things you can do is to share your non-proprietary secrets with your clients. It is always nice to do something helpful and everyone likes to get something worthwhile for free. So in that light, here are my “Best cheap productivity tools from the web”:
Just for Fun:
1. Eventually everyone needs to know how to say something in a language they don’t know. Try Free Translations.
2. If you need to convert a measurement of any kind, visit Online Conversions.
3. How long will it take to get to that cross-town appointment in LA traffic? Start by looking at the Caltans map for sig alerts
4. So you just missed a call. Your caller ID shows a number you don’t recognize. Is it a telemarketer or a new client you should call back now? Try a reverse phone number lookup FREE.
5. Do you have nostalgia itch on your lunch hour and want to know who sang that song you heard on the oldies radio this morning? Look it up in an archive for books, music and other stuff FREE.
6. So you are really bored or need your funny bone tickled? Have a laugh and then another.
7. If you crave news from somewhere other than the commercial networks visit either the BBC or Mcclatchy, (one of the last investigative news organization in the US)
8. If you need a document converted to an Adobe file but don’t own Acrobat, try this free service.
9. If you are still worried about security on Internet Explorer, use Firefox. It handles most web content more effectively and is more secure from the moment you install it. FREE
10. If you need stock photos for any reason, look at the galleries at Istock Photos. If you budget is larger, try Getty Images or you can download and use many high quality photos for FREE at stock.xchng.
11. If you need a program to upload information to an ftp site and you have a Windows computer, use ws_ftp. If you have a MAC, use Fetch.
12. If you need a good html editor that highlights tags and shows you unmatched tags and you have a Windows computer, try Coffee Cup. It is FREE. If you have a MAC try BBEdit They are the best even though they charge for it now.
13. If you don’t own a true photo editing color, you may need a way to identify the code for colors you want to use on your website. This color converter tool should help.
14. If you have video files created in a format that is not web friendly, convert them by using the inexpensive Ojosoft converter.
15. If you have a high speed Internet connection and want to reduce your phone bill, consider a voice over IP option (VOIP). Many international calls are now made with Skype, which is free. There are several companies that provide good support for their programs in the US. Have a look at Vonage and Ooma as examples.
16. If you are having problems communicating with a developer or another business partner, try sharing the information on your computer with them dynamically by using GoToMeeting. There is usually a 15 day trial for the service and if you need to collaborate on technical data including spreadsheets and presentations, this is a must have.
17. If you are wondering how your website performs on other browsers, test it at Browsershots.
And if you have other good sources, please share them.
