APPS SPECIAL............... WEB APPS FOR THE SMART WORKER

 WEB APPS FOR THE SMART WORKER



Broadband connections and present-day internet technologies have allowed for a whole new generation of web apps.

The best thing about these online serv ices is that you don't need to install them on your PC, and this also means that you can access them from anywhere in the world through a browser window.

Additionally, many of these tools allow you to collaborate with friends and colleagues on projects and presentations... for `free'.

GETTING PRODUCTIVE

 If you have a Google account, you can obviously use its office suite at drive.google.com for all your productivity needs. Alternatively, you could consider rollapp.com.

This online service lets you select between its OpenOffice and Libre between its OpenOffice and Libre Office productivity suites to edit your documents in Writer, work on spreadsheets in Calc, create presentations in Impress, or produce diagrams and drawings in Draw.

The best part is that both, OpenOffice and LibreOffice, have a user interface that's almost similar to the old MS Office, so most users will be able to work seamlessly right from the beginning.

When working with applications in rollApp you can open, edit and save files to Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and 4shared (in order to be able to save your files you need to be connected to at least one of these cloud storage services, which will then appear as folders in your account). your account).

Besides, rollApp also gives you access to Inkscape (a vector graphic software) and Scribus (page-making and publishing).

WORKING WITH PDFS

PDF files are an inherent part of the workplace. They are viewable across computing platforms; retain original formatting; cannot be tampered with without leaving an electronic footprint; and even allow for very good compression that results in smaller file sizes.

The PDF format is ideal when you want to create professional-looking Curriculum Vitae, for digital photo albums comprising multiple pictures, brochures, project reports and manuals.

To create a PDF, you can try out smallpdf.com and pdfburger.com.

Simply upload a `.doc' or image file ­ or enter the URL of the web page you want to convert ­ and these sites will present you with a PDF version within minutes; you can combine multiple PDFs, and also convert from PDF into a .doc file.

SmallPDF even lets you upload an existing PDF to create a compressed version of the original that can be e-mailed, or shared on the web.

You can also create a PDF of a web page via e-mail using web2pdfconvert.com. Just send the URL to submit@web2pdfconvert.com with the subject `Convert' and you will get a reply with an attached PDF at once.

EXTRACTING TEXT FROM IMAGES

Digital content comes in many forms. And sometimes, you might find yourself needing to extract text from an image file.

Now, if you have a digital scanner at hand, you could use its OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities to do this.

But did you know you could also use http://www.free-ocr.com? Upload the image file you want to convert, and smart algorithms on the site turn it into editable text.

You will, of course, need to check the text for accuracy. But it beats having to type out the complete document.

CONVERTING FILES

 When collaborating with colleagues on a project, there might be times when you have to work with file formats that are not supported by the software you have installed on your PC.

Instead of fretting, go to http://www.freefileconvert.com or http://www.zamzar.com.

Using these web apps, you can convert almost any document, image, audio and video file to another format. Just up load your file, and these sites will work on remote servers. Once the conversion is complete, you are provided with a link to download your compatible file. The sites auto matically destroy your origi nal, as well as the converted file after a stipulated time.

Currently, you can use these websites to work with more than 80 different digital formats.

MAKING GRAPHS, PRESENTATIONS

 No presentation or documentation can ever be complete without graphs and charts. But not all of us are equipped to handle graphic software to create these. Well, http://www.onlinecharttool.com and http://www.chartgo.com to the rescue. All you have to do is head over to the site, pick the type of chart you want ­ bar chart, line chart, pie chart or area chart; whether 2D or 3D ­ type in your data, and click the create button. Voila, your chart is ready to download; can be e-mailed or even be shared on social networks.

But what if you need cliparts?
Well, go to openclipart.org and findicons.com for a treasure trove of images that are free to use.

To create presentations, however, very few free services are as good as http://www.powtoon.com.
This cloud service boasts of an extremely intuitive user interface, coupled with some welldesigned templates ­ including personal resume, product introduction/launch, promotional video, product showcase, sales pitch, and infographics ­ to help you create animated videos.

A free account lets you create 5-minute presentations, with the Powtoon watermark, that you can upload to your YouTube account, and even embed into your website.

Sign up for a paid account, and you are guaranteed longer presentations, extra animations and sound effects, and more.

TRANSFERRING FILES WITH EASE

Sending files to friends and colleagues usually requires you to use e-mail or a cloud service.
However, both impose restrictions on file size, type and require you to register with the service.
send-anywhere.com is the exact opposite. You can upload any file ­ a contact, photo, audio, app (apk file), video or an entire folder ­ of any size without having to sign in to the service.

Before the file is uploaded, SA creates a six digit code. Recipients can download the file by using this access code on the website. Apart from the code, the service also has the option to create a QR code or share a link via e-mail. For immediate transfers, data is sent directly and securely over an encrypted connection to the receiver.

For deferred downloads, the service stores the files for up to 24 hours.

Additionally, you can also use Send Anywhere through its apps for Android and iOS devices ­ and as people in your phone contacts install it on their handsets, it will include their names under “Friends' Devices“ in the app as well.

Savio D'Souza

TOI 140628