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><channel><title>AppVita &#187; Stephanie Miles</title> <atom:link href="http://www.appvita.com/author/stephaniemiles/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>http://www.appvita.com</link> <description>Discovering web-based applications that just make life better</description> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:30:52 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <item><title>Taskforce – Convert Emails to Tasks</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/24/taskforce-convert-emails-to-tasks/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/24/taskforce-convert-emails-to-tasks/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:30:52 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Get Organized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business productivity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[collaboration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[email]]></category> <category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[task assignment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[task delegation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[task management]]></category> <category><![CDATA[todos]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8361</guid> <description><![CDATA[In life, there’s a big difference between briefly telling a person about an upcoming event and specifically telling a person all the tasks that he or she needs to complete to prepare for said event. Taskforce is a web-application that operates with the idea that people will get more done in less time when their [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-taskforce.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8362" title="ss-taskforce" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-taskforce.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>In life, there’s a big difference between briefly telling a person about an upcoming event and specifically telling a person all the tasks that he or she needs to complete to prepare for said event. Taskforce is a web-application that operates with the idea that people will get more done in less time when their generic emails are converted into time-sensitive tasks.<span id="more-8361"></span></p><p>If you use Gmail, then you’re already a step ahead of the game with Taskforce because you can download the browser add-on to put Taskforce right inside your Gmail inbox almost immediately. Taskforce will add additional “task” and “activity” buttons on top of your existing emails. Once these are in place, you can convert any email to a new task, or add it to an existing task if you’ve already created one, and set a deadline for when that task needs to be complete. As soon as you’ve converted the email to a task, you can archive the email and move on. It’s that simple. Click on the new task toolbar at the top of your inbox to see an overview of all the tasks you’ve set up so far, along with due dates, comments, and collaborators. When deadlines change or a task is delayed, just change the due date to move the task from the “Current” folder into the “Delayed” folder. Taskforce will automatically move the task back to the “Current” folder when the new deadline approaches.</p><p>The collaborators you select will receive emails from Taskforce notifying them that you’ve set up a task that needs to be completed. It’s worth noting that these collaborators don’t have to use Taskforce to take part in the action. Updates in the status of a task can be made directly through the comments on Taskforce, which cuts down on the number of back-and-forth emails that colleagues and business associates send over the course of a lengthy project.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Convert emails from colleagues into specific tasks</li><li>See an overview of all the tasks you need to accomplish before the end of the day</li><li>Schedule tasks based on the date when they need to be complete</li><li>Share task deadlines and information with colleagues for project collaboration</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Taskforce works for people using Gmail or Google Apps</li><li>Users don’t have to sign into Gmail to add new tasks</li><li>People with iPhones can make use of the Taskforce mobile site</li><li>Collaborators who also use Taskforce will have joint tasks synced to their accounts</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>Taskforce has a number of filters to help people sort through their inboxes</li><li>Delayed tasks are automatically brought back to the “Current” list when their deadlines near</li><li>Taskforce will insert certain messages into people’s feeds or lists automatically</li><li>People don’t have to use Taskforce to collaborate on tasks</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>People who use Outlook or other email services can’t take advantage of Taskforce yet</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>FollowUp – <a href="http://www.followup.cc">http://www.followup.cc</a></li><li>Google Tasks – <a href="http://mail.google.com/tasks">http://mail.google.com/tasks</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: San Francisco, California</li><li>Founded by: Niccolo Pantucci and Courtland Allen</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.taskforceapp.com">http://www.taskforceapp.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Free</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/09/26/remember-the-milk/" rel="bookmark">Remember The Milk &#8211; Never Forget Another Task</a> - If you’ve ever written a to-do list on a sticky note and proceeded to lose it shortly thereafter, then Remember The Milk is for you. ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/06/14/activeinbox-email-based-task-manager/" rel="bookmark">ActiveInbox – Turn Emails Into Tasks</a> - Keeping track of each and every email in your inbox is impossible. Some messages need to be responded to right away, some require action within ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/10/04/lazymeter-to-do-lists-for-the-un-motivated/" rel="bookmark">LazyMeter – To-Do Lists for the Un-Motivated</a> - Looking at a task list that’s a mile long is just plain depressing, and research has shown that people actually get less work accomplished when ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/07/11/scraplr-crowdsource-your-todos/" rel="bookmark">Scraplr – Crowdsource Your Todos</a> - How can you expect to accomplish all the tasks on your to-do lists if you don’t even know what it takes to get them done? ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/04/06/taskant-total-team-management/" rel="bookmark">TaskAnt – Total Team Management</a> - Has your assistant finished scanning the important stack of documents you gave her yesterday? Has your associate finished his part of the major project you’re ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/24/taskforce-convert-emails-to-tasks/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>iMeet – Show Your Face</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/23/imeet-show-your-face/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/23/imeet-show-your-face/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:30:15 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Be Social]]></category> <category><![CDATA[collaboration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[meeting rooms]]></category> <category><![CDATA[personal meetings]]></category> <category><![CDATA[screencast]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team collaboration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[video chat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[webcast]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8366</guid> <description><![CDATA[iMeet is a tool that virtually eliminates the need for businesses to maintain office space and book conference rooms for important meetings. With iMeet, companies of all sizes can host their own personal meetings, where up to 15 colleagues can speak face-to-face using a mishmash of computers, mobile phones, and landlines. If you’re currently hosting [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-iMeet.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8372" title="ss-iMeet" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-iMeet.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>iMeet is a tool that virtually eliminates the need for businesses to maintain office space and book conference rooms for important meetings. With iMeet, companies of all sizes can host their own personal meetings, where up to 15 colleagues can speak face-to-face using a mishmash of computers, mobile phones, and landlines.<span id="more-8366"></span></p><p>If you’re currently hosting weekly conference meetings through Skype of a similar application, then iMeet will blow everything you’re used to out of the water. The first step in setting up a new meeting with iMeet is deciding where to meet. Instead of choosing between Conference Room A and Conference Room B, you can choose a theme and transport yourself virtually anywhere in the world—your conference can be held at a castle, the beach, or on a vista overlooking the city, all depending on which room theme you choose. When you’ve chosen a theme, give your room a name and invite colleagues to join in. For an even more direct approach, you can instruct everyone to turn on their webcams to chat face-to-face. When you look at a conference room screen, you’ll see up to 15 faces staring back at you—each contained in its own virtual cube. Click on a colleague’s cube to find a description of the person, any photos he or she has uploaded, and links to the person’s social networking accounts. iMeet also offers a discreet chat feature that people can use to type messages to each other during the course of the meeting. To share an important file or presentation with the group, just email the document straight to the room. Everyone else’s cubes will disappear except for the person making the presentation, providing plenty of room on the screen for visual charts, diagrams, photos, and videos to display.</p><p>The features that iMeet offers are incredible on their own—and the web-app’s mobile tools are especially useful for professionals who travel frequently for work—however it’s the application’s streamlined look that really makes it unique. Unlike competing conferencing applications, iMeet’s virtual conference rooms are organized in a way that just makes sense. Multiple people can collaborate in meetings without feeling like they’re talking over one another, which is something that can’t always be accomplished even in the real world.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Host your next weekly conference meeting online</li><li>See the faces of your colleagues living across the globe</li><li>Share presentations and slideshows with freelancers who work from home</li><li>Save time by letting people attend quarterly meetings without coming into the office</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>iMeet works with almost every type of webcam</li><li>People in meetings can invite other colleagues to join in with the click of a button</li><li>Documents can be emailed directly to a conference room for quick sharing</li><li>iMeet offers both an iPad and iPhone app</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>Conference rooms are set up so that every person’s face is visible at once</li><li>The discreet chat feature lets people chat with each other without interrupting the group conversation</li><li>Personal cubes glow when a person is speaking</li><li>People can actually host meetings through the iPhone app</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>People who host meetings are only allowed to invite up to 15 guests at a time</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>GoToMeeting – <a href="http://www.gotomeeting.com">http://www.gotomeeting.com</a></li><li>Microsoft Lync – <a href="http://lync.microsoft.com">http://lync.microsoft.com</a></li><li>Skype – <a href="http://www.skype.com">http://www.skype.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: January 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia</li><li>Founded by: PGi</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.imeet.com">http://www.imeet.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>$39/month, plus calls at 2.9 cents per minute</li><li>$69/month, with unlimited phone calls</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/10/28/hipchat-a-cooler-way-to-collaborate/" rel="bookmark">HipChat – A Cooler Way to Collaborate</a> - Say goodbye to kitschy usernames and distracting ads. HipChat is an instant messaging application that does away with many of the features that make apps ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/10/29/groupzap-creative-brainstorming/" rel="bookmark">GroupZap – Creative Brainstorming</a> - &nbsp; GroupZap is a web-based tool that groups of teammates and colleagues can use to host real-time brainstorming sessions. The difference between a meeting that’s ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/10/24/vcita-engage-your-online-visitors/" rel="bookmark">vCita – Engage Your Online Visitors</a> - Custom websites are great for promoting businesses and offering information to potential clients, but that doesn’t always correlate with increased sales. VCita is a tool ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/11/29/lessmeeting-make-meetings-more-efficient/" rel="bookmark">LessMeeting – Make Meetings More Efficient</a> - Disorganized meetings tend to run long and waste time. LessMeeting is a tool that busy professionals can use to expedite their work meetings and make ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/06/24/meetings-scheduling-platform/" rel="bookmark">Meetin.gs – The Effortless Scheduling System</a> - Meetin.gs is a web application that can help people schedule and manage their meetings with ease. Not only can users invite colleagues and clients to ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/23/imeet-show-your-face/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>The Wisdom of Others – Create Inspirational Memories</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/21/the-wisdom-of-others-create-inspirational-memories/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/21/the-wisdom-of-others-create-inspirational-memories/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:30:55 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Be Social]]></category> <category><![CDATA[books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[digital to physical]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fun]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inspiration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[memories]]></category> <category><![CDATA[quotations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quotes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wisdom]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8368</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Wisdom of Others is an online tool that people can use to save and publish their favorite family quotes, sayings, and pieces of advice. In as little as four basic steps, a person who uses The Wisdom of Others can create, write, and order a hardbound book filled with inspirational messages from his friends, [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-wisdomofothers.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8370" title="ss-wisdomofothers" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-wisdomofothers.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>The Wisdom of Others is an online tool that people can use to save and publish their favorite family quotes, sayings, and pieces of advice. In as little as four basic steps, a person who uses The Wisdom of Others can create, write, and order a hardbound book filled with inspirational messages from his friends, family members, and other loved ones.<span id="more-8368"></span></p><p>If you’ve got notebooks filled with recipes from your mom or funny jokes from your grandfather, then you’re exactly the type of person that The Wisdom of Others is looking for. Sign up for an account by entering your email address and you can get to work creating a book from scratch. To set up your book, you’ll need type in who the book is for—maybe a child or a grandmother, for example—decide which question to ask, and pick a theme or design. Next up, you’ll need to start gathering quotes. The Wisdom of Others makes it easy to invited collaborators to contribute to your book via Facebook, Twitter, or by sending an email with the URL. Collaborators who visit The Wisdom of Others site can input the invitation code you’ve sent them to contribute to the book you’ve started. The minimum number of contributions that The Wisdom of Others requires for a new book is 25, and the maximum number is 200, however people with large extended families can make their books longer by contacting The Wisdom of Others for special help.</p><p>When everyone is done collaborating and you’ve edited the book to make it look and sound just how you imagined, you can place an order through The Wisdom of Others site. Order your creation as a hardbound book, an electronic publication, or a PDF. The Wisdom of Others will mail your purchase to your home in very little time. Any of your contributors can order additional copies if they wish, as well.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Create a book filled with your family and friends&#8217; favorite quotes and sayings</li><li>Give a book full of life advice and wisdom to a high school or college graduate </li><li>Share the secrets of having a happy marriage with a bride and groom</li><li>Make a book for someone battling an illness that&#8217;s filled with quotes of encouragement and hope</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Book creators can edit or delete contributions from their friends</li><li>Contributors can preview only the first five contributions made to the book</li><li>Creators can invite contributors through The Wisdom of Others site</li><li>Invitation codes can be personalized, but must contain at least six characters</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>The Wisdom of Others creates heirloom-quality hardcover books</li><li>Family members can pass these hardcover books down through the generations</li><li>People who prefer digital documents can publish their books as PDFs</li><li>Contributors can purchase the books they contributed to</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Book creators can’t re-order the contributions from their families</li><li>Contributors have to sign up for The Wisdom of Others to contribute to someone else’s book</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>Yearbound – <a href="http://yearbound.net">http://yearbound.net</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: September 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: Bellevue, Washington</li><li>Founded by: Ryan Beieler</li><li>Web site: <a href="https://www.thewisdomofothers.com">https://www.thewisdomofothers.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Hardcover books range from $29.95 to $49.95</li><li>PDFs are $9.95</li><li>ePubs are $14.95</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/10/28/any-new-books-never-miss-a-new-release/" rel="bookmark">Any New Books? – Never Miss a New Release</a> - For avid book lovers everywhere, Any New Books? is an application that shouldn’t be missed. The notification service lets users know when new books are ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/03/28/yournextread-intelligent-book-recommendations/" rel="bookmark">YourNextRead – Intelligent Book Recommendations</a> - Finding the perfect book is a tricky proposition. When local bookstores stocked just a few hundred new releases at a time, deciding on a book ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/07/28/blurb-be-your-own-publisher/" rel="bookmark">Blurb &#8211; Be Your Own Publisher</a> - A little more than a few years ago, contemplating the idea of publishing your own book would have seemed far-fetched, at best.  Now with the ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/09/19/goodreads-read-with-friends/" rel="bookmark">GoodReads &#8211; Read With Friends</a> - GoodReads gives you the chance to get together online with people who are reading the same books you are. It’s social networking for book lovers. ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/09/19/librarything-online-book/" rel="bookmark">LibraryThing &#8211; Your Online Book Catalog</a> - LibraryThing is a great site for anyone who loves books. It takes just seconds to sign up and start adding books to your own personal ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/21/the-wisdom-of-others-create-inspirational-memories/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Trippy – A Friendly Way to Travel</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/20/trippy-a-friendly-way-to-travel/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/20/trippy-a-friendly-way-to-travel/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:30:45 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Find Things]]></category> <category><![CDATA[air travel]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business introductions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[business networking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[getaway]]></category> <category><![CDATA[local activities]]></category> <category><![CDATA[recreation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[travel planning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[travel social network]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8364</guid> <description><![CDATA[A paperback travel guide can recommend hotels and sightseeing activities for the general public, but the writers of these guides have no way of knowing what individual readers would most like to see and do. For that kind of personalized information, people are turning to Trippy. Trippy is an application that taps into the experience [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-trippy.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8374" title="ss-trippy" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-trippy.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>A paperback travel guide can recommend hotels and sightseeing activities for the general public, but the writers of these guides have no way of knowing what individual readers would most like to see and do. For that kind of personalized information, people are turning to Trippy. Trippy is an application that taps into the experience of a user’s online friends to deliver spot-on vacation advice.<span id="more-8364"></span></p><p>Whether you’re going on the trip of a lifetime next month or a brief getaway next weekend, you should sign on to Trippy and check out how it can help before you walk out the door. Type in where you’re going and when you’re leaving, then sign in to the site through Facebook. The more information you put in about your trip, the more helpful your friends can be. After you’ve added a description of the trip and a list of the activities you’re dying to try, you’ll want to click on photos of any Facebook friends who might have advice that you’d like to seek out. The friends you’ve selected will see a wall post inviting them to help out with your trip. In mere minutes, you’ll start seeing personalized recommendations about everything from hotels to shopping districts on your Trippy trip page. In addition to your Facebook account, Trippy also ties into your connections on Foursquare and Twitter. When you’ve gathered enough information to make an informed decision, click “Add to trip” and you can make reservations and bookings for thousands of hotels directly from the Trippy site.</p><p>People who download the Trippy mobile app can upload photos to their trip pages from their phones while their trips are still in progress, showing friends just how great their recommendations and ideas turned out. Trippy also has a useful “copy” feature, which lets friends copy entire trip itineraries to use as inspiration for future trips and getaways.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Get hotel recommendations in Paris from friends who’ve visited recently</li><li>Find out which restaurants to check out while you’re in Miami</li><li>Offer information about New York to a friend who’s going next month</li><li>Share photos of yourself enjoying the restaurants your friends recommended</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Trippy users must login with a Facebook account</li><li>The auto-complete tool helps people recommend obscure hotels and restaurants when they can’t remember the full names</li><li>To recommend something not in the Trippy database just type +add after the name</li><li>Anyone who you’ve shared your vacation plan with can view your trip page</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>Trippy helps cut through the online clutter when planning vacations</li><li>The recommendations people get from friends are always going to be more tailored than what they could get from a book or website.</li><li>The mobile app lets people share their adventures on the road</li><li>Friends can copy each other’s trip plans to use when planning their own vacations</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Trippy offers an iPhone app, but not an Android app</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>Gogobot – <a href="http://www.gogobot.com">http://www.gogobot.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Founded by: J.R. Johnson</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.trippy.com">http://www.trippy.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Free</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/01/19/kukunu-effortless-vacation-planning/" rel="bookmark">Kukunu – Effortless Vacation Planning</a> - Kukunu is a collaborative trip-planning tool that lets people create detailed itineraries online. The application offers all the calendars, planning, and scheduling features that a ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/12/10/wanderfly-choose-your-experience/" rel="bookmark">Wanderfly – Choose Your Experience</a> - Wanderfly is a travel application that helps people discover new destinations around the world. Focusing more on the overall experience than the specific destination itself, ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/04/20/triptrace-whereve-you-been/" rel="bookmark">TripTrace – Where&#8217;ve You Been?</a> - TripTrace is a tool that people can use to create their own atlases full of information about where they’ve been and where they want to ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/09/07/plnnr-personalized-trave-planning/" rel="bookmark">Plnnr – Personalized Trip Planning</a> - Plnnr is a tool that people can use to create free, customized travel itineraries that will save them time and money on their upcoming trips. ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/10/16/tripline-creative-vacation-planning/" rel="bookmark">Tripline – Creative Vacation Planning</a> - Itching to get out of the house and try something new? Tripline can help you do just that. The trip planning application offers users a ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/20/trippy-a-friendly-way-to-travel/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>UserFlux – Instant Chat Without the Barriers</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/19/userflux-instant-chat-without-the-barriers/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/19/userflux-instant-chat-without-the-barriers/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:30:26 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Be Social]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[chat sessions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[chat widget]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer support]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Instant]]></category> <category><![CDATA[online chatting]]></category> <category><![CDATA[online support]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Widgets]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8376</guid> <description><![CDATA[People who want quick answers from their friends and colleagues will typically fire off instant messages rather than taking the time to send emails or pick up the phone to call. Now, customers are demanding the same type of real-time responses from the businesses they visit online. UserFlux is a web-app that businesses can use [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-userflux.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8377" title="ss-userflux" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-userflux.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>People who want quick answers from their friends and colleagues will typically fire off instant messages rather than taking the time to send emails or pick up the phone to call. Now, customers are demanding the same type of real-time responses from the businesses they visit online. UserFlux is a web-app that businesses can use to appease customers by integrating a live chat widget into their websites.<span id="more-8376"></span></p><p>Quicker response times equal happier customers, and happier customers always boost the bottom line. Before you can start increasing online sales at your own company, you’ll need take UserFlux for a test drive. Pick a plan based on the size of your company and copy/paste a few lines of code to integrate UserFlux’s widget into your site. When you’re all set up, visitors who click onto your site will see a smartly designed “Live Help” widget in the bottom right corner on every page. Clicking on the widget brings up a Gchat-style chat box that shows the name of the representative on your end of the line. Customers are prompted to type in their question and press ‘enter’ for a fast, friendly response from an employee at your company. In addition to the customer’s question, you’ll also see the customer’s location, operating system, browser, and information about what brought him or her to your website. With UserFlux, you can respond to the customer’s query right away, even if you’re not at your computer. Assuming you’ve already plugged in your GTalk or Jabber account, you can reply to customers with a mobile phone or tablet PC. To expedite the process, UserFlux puts specific tools like special coupon codes and page links right at your fingertips.</p><p>When you get back in the office on Monday, you may want to sign onto your UserFlux dashboard to see what you missed over the weekend. On one screen, you can see the number of chats conducted and the average time a customer waited before getting a response. You can also review archived chat transcripts to see if there’s any room for improvement in your employees’ sales skills.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Answer questions for a customer who is lingering on a product page</li><li>Give coupon codes to nudge shoppers into making a purchase</li><li>Quickly respond to website complaints or concerns from customers</li><li>Direct customers to the page on your site that they’re looking for</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>UserFlux integrates with GTalk and Jabber</li><li>Widgets can be customized to reflect a brand or aesthetic</li><li>Users can push updates to their site through UserFlux</li><li>All chats are saved and archived</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>The Live Help widget is visible on every page of a company’s site</li><li>Businesses can capitalize on current events by pushing updates and information to their sites</li><li>Employers can search for chats in the archive by keyword</li><li>Users with upgraded plans get CSS customization</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Nothing</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>IMified – <a href="http://www.imified.com">http://www.imified.com</a></li><li>Olark – <a href="http://www.olark.com/portal">http://www.olark.com/portal</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: September 2011 (Beta)</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: New York, New York</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://userflux.com">http://userflux.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Solo plan is $19/month</li><li>Basic plan is $39/month</li><li>Studio plan is $99/month</li><li>Agency plan is $149/month</li><li>Corporate plan is $299/month</li><li>Enterprise plan with variable pricing</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/07/05/tringify-click-to-call-for-your-website/" rel="bookmark">Tringify – Chat Up Your Online Customers</a> - If the hits on your website aren't matching up with the sales in your store, then that means you're losing potential customers somewhere along the ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/04/24/olark-instantly-chat-with-your-website-visitors/" rel="bookmark">Olark – Instantly Chat with Your Website Visitors</a> - Olark is an application that can help any business improve its online sales by introducing the one key element of in-store shopping that’s missing from ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/02/28/supportbreeze-organize-respond-to-customer-queries/" rel="bookmark">Supportbreeze – Organize &#038; Respond to Customer Queries</a> - Supportbreeze is a web-app aimed at helping web publishers and other online business owners who struggle keeping up with incoming support requests. When customers are ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/09/04/uservoice-let-customers-voice-their-opinions/" rel="bookmark">UserVoice – Let Customers Voice Their Opinions</a> - UserVoice is an application that makes it easier for businesses to find out what their customers have to say. By letting customers voice their opinions ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/10/24/vcita-engage-your-online-visitors/" rel="bookmark">vCita – Engage Your Online Visitors</a> - Custom websites are great for promoting businesses and offering information to potential clients, but that doesn’t always correlate with increased sales. VCita is a tool ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/19/userflux-instant-chat-without-the-barriers/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Adverse Events – Prescription Safety Information</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/18/adverse-events-prescription-safety-information/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/18/adverse-events-prescription-safety-information/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:30:12 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Find Things]]></category> <category><![CDATA[adverse reactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[allergies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[drug side-effects]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fda]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[prescriptions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[safety]]></category> <category><![CDATA[side-effects]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8379</guid> <description><![CDATA[Adverse Events is a web-application with tools that patients and their doctors can use to find up-to-date information on more than 4,000 FDA-approved prescription medications. The application itself is powered by RxFilter, a special algorithm that analyzes FDA drug safety data and tracks the adverse side effects associated with certain medications. If you’re at all concerned about the [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-adverseevents.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8380" title="ss-adverseevents" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-adverseevents.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>Adverse Events is a web-application with tools that patients and their doctors can use to find up-to-date information on more than 4,000 FDA-approved prescription medications. The application itself is powered by RxFilter, a special algorithm that analyzes FDA drug safety data and tracks the adverse side effects associated with certain medications.<span id="more-8379"></span></p><p>If you’re at all concerned about the medications your physician has prescribed, then it pays to log on to the Adverse Events website and have a look around. Without becoming a subscriber, you can search for information about any drug, medical condition, or prescription side effect. If you’re interested in the possible side effects of a pill you’ve recently been prescribed, then you’ll want to enter the name of the medication in the Adverse Events search bar. Find the correct result on the next page, and browse through a list of the most frequently reported side effects of this medication. You can compare these side effects to those of similar medications with the click of a button. If you find out that people who take a similar pill are less likely to suffer from depression or insomnia as a result, for example, then you can take this information to your physician for a more in-depth analysis. Individuals and organizations that sign up for premium subscriptions, meanwhile, can set up special alerts to find out when new adverse events have been reported by people taking their same medications.</p><p>Although the information that Adverse Events provides was available through the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System in the past, it was organized in a way that was difficult for patients to navigate or understand. Adverse Events opens up this information and improves patient safety by encouraging people to get informed about the potential side effects of any medications they’re taking on a regular basis.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Find out whether the pills you’re taking are making you drowsy</li><li>Do research on the prescription medications your doctor recommends</li><li>Find out if any alternative medications are available with fewer side effects</li><li>Prevent bad drug interactions by finding out which pills should never be mixed</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Premium users can sign up for alerts when adverse effects are reported</li><li>Drugs can be searched for by keyword or by the condition they are intended to treat</li><li>The data itself comes from the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System</li><li>Adverse Events uses a special algorithm to organize and filter the FDA’s data</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>Adverse Events encourages people to become their own advocates</li><li>People who use this web-app can learn more about the pills they take</li><li>Users do not have to sign up for accounts to access the majority of the data</li><li>Adverse Events was created both for patients and their healthcare providers</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Adverse Events is not set up and organized in a way that is easy for the average layperson to understand</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>Clarimed – <a href="http://www.clarimed.com">http://www.clarimed.com</a></li><li>Healthline – <a href="http://www.healthline.com">http://www.healthline.com</a></li><li>WebMD – <a href="http://www.webmd.com">http://www.webmd.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: September 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: Healdsburg, California</li><li>Founded by: Brian Overstreet</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.adverseevents.com">http://www.adverseevents.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Basic plan is free</li><li>Premium plan is $39/year</li><li>Professional plan is $59/year</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/12/08/motherknows-better-medical-management-for-parents/" rel="bookmark">MotherKnows – Better Medical Management for Parents</a> - MotherKnows is a tool that parents can use to save and store their children’s healthcare records online. With the click of a button, parents can ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/07/18/yahoo-upcoming-community-events-come-to-you/" rel="bookmark">Yahoo Upcoming &#8211; Community Events Come To You</a> - On any given day, there are a number of events happening in your area, but most of the time you are probably not even aware ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2009/04/17/joobili-you-say-when-they-say-where/" rel="bookmark">Joobili &#8211; You Say When, They Say Where</a> - Joobili helps you find events that are taking place when you travel. Joobili’s creators recognized an interesting fact about Europe. For a few days every ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/12/03/cake-health-get-medical-expenses-under-control/" rel="bookmark">Cake Health – Get Medical Expenses Under Control</a> - Healthcare costs are rising, and personal incomes are remaining flat. When budgets are tight, every dollar counts. Cake Health is a free online tool that ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/08/27/meetup-connect-with-likeminded-people/" rel="bookmark">Meetup – Connect With Likeminded People</a> - Looking for a way to meet new people in your community? Interested in finding a group of guys and girls just as obsessed with Star ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/18/adverse-events-prescription-safety-information/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>FaxDesk – Send Faxes Online</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/17/faxdesk-send-faxes-online/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/17/faxdesk-send-faxes-online/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:30:17 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Save Time]]></category> <category><![CDATA[faxes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[faxing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[saving money]]></category> <category><![CDATA[small business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[telecommunications]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Telephone]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8382</guid> <description><![CDATA[The time has come to get rid of the clunky fax machine taking up precious space in your crowded office. When you use FaxDesk, you can send and receive faxes without any hardware, software, or expensive equipment. In some cases, FaxDesk users don’t even need a computer. The web-based application lets people send and receive [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-faxdesk.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8383" title="ss-faxdesk" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-faxdesk.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>The time has come to get rid of the clunky fax machine taking up precious space in your crowded office. When you use FaxDesk, you can send and receive faxes without any hardware, software, or expensive equipment. In some cases, FaxDesk users don’t even need a computer. The web-based application lets people send and receive faxes from anywhere in the world when they’re using certain mobile phones.<span id="more-8382"></span></p><p>If you’re tired of paying for expensive cartridges and paper for a fax machine that only works half the time, then click over to FaxDesk and create an account. Although you need to sign up for a paid plan to get access to a dedicated fax number where clients and associates can send faxes full time, you can try out the web-app for free and get a dedicated fax number that expires after 24-hours with a trial account. Once you sign up and get your dedicated number, you can have it printed on business cards and websites just as you would any other business fax number. When associates and clients send faxes to this number, you’ll receive an email from FaxDesk with the faxed document attached. This document can be downloaded and saved or printed immediately. To send faxes through FaxDesk, just email the document to FaxDesk and the web-app will immediately send the fax on your behalf.</p><p>People who use iPhones will especially enjoy the benefits of FaxDesk, since the mobile application makes it easy for people to send and receive documents quickly without ever touching a fax machine or desktop computer. For any business that is looking to trim its budget and reduce its environmental impact, FaxDesk is a frugal and eco-friendly alternative to traditional fax machines.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Send faxes to a client when you’re not at a computer</li><li>Receive faxes directly in your email inbox</li><li>Save money by not paying for fax machine repairs</li><li>Distribute documents to multiple associates with a few clicks of a mouse</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Companies with existing fax numbers can get their numbers ported to the FaxDesk system</li><li>iPhone users can download the FaxDesk mobile app</li><li>Groups with paid accounts can add multiple users to a single plan</li><li>Dedicated FaxDesk numbers are available in 30 countries</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>People who use FaxDesk don’t have to worry about their phone lines being tied up</li><li>The mobile app lets people send and receive faxes without any fax machines or computers</li><li>Companies can work with clients who prefer faxes without spending money on unnecessary equipment</li><li>FaxDesk users can receive an unlimited number of inbound faxes</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Users are limited in the number of outbound faxes they can send each month</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>eFax – <a href="http://www.efax.com">http://www.efax.com</a></li><li>FaxZero – <a href="http://faxzero.com">http://faxzero.com</a></li><li>MyFax – <a href="http://www.myfax.com">http://www.myfax.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.faxdesk.com">http://www.faxdesk.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Free trial</li><li>Preferred plan is $14.99/month</li><li>Exclusive plan is $19.99/month</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/08/15/faxage-your-fax-machine/" rel="bookmark">Faxage – Your Fax Machine, Unplugged</a> - If you travel often, work from home, or don’t have access to a dedicated fax line, you know how frustrating it can be when it’s ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/02/26/docq-ditch-the-fax-machine/" rel="bookmark">DocQ – Ditch the Fax Machine</a> - DocQ is a webapp that aims to make fax machines obsolete by allowing users to edit, annotate, digitally sign, and distribute PDF documents with anyone in the ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/03/25/bill-on-site-send-invoices-from-a-mobile-phone/" rel="bookmark">Bill On Site – Send Invoices On-the-Go</a> - In the past you needed envelopes and stamps to send invoices, then you needed a fax machine or a computer. Now you don’t need any ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/06/16/docusign-digital-document-signing/" rel="bookmark">DocuSign – Signatures Without the Ink</a> - In today's fast-paced business environment, people are rarely sitting at their desks when important contracts come in. So what's a businessperson to do when a ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/02/10/rightsignature-digital-document-signatures/" rel="bookmark">RightSignature – Ditch the Legal Paper</a> - What do you do when you need a document signed ASAP? When meeting in person or faxing the document aren’t viable options, e-signatures have traditionally been ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/17/faxdesk-send-faxes-online/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>ShowYouLikeIt – Show Off Your Style</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/16/showyoulikeit-show-off-your-style/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/16/showyoulikeit-show-off-your-style/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:30:02 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Be Entertained]]></category> <category><![CDATA[entertainment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[facebook like]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fashion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[friends]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shopping]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8385</guid> <description><![CDATA[If you’re wondering which movies to check out in the theaters, which books are worth paying full price for, or which TV shows are worth DVR’ing, then you usually have two options. You could scour the internet looking for reviews posted by anonymous users who may or may not have tastes that are similar to [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-showyoulikeit.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8386" title="ss-showyoulikeit" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-showyoulikeit.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>If you’re wondering which movies to check out in the theaters, which books are worth paying full price for, or which TV shows are worth DVR’ing, then you usually have two options. You could scour the internet looking for reviews posted by anonymous users who may or may not have tastes that are similar to your own, or you could use ShowYouLikeIt to find out what your friends on Facebook are ‘liking’ right now.<span id="more-8385"></span></p><p>Learn what your closest allies are watching on the web and impress your friends with your stellar taste in music, movies, or fashion by connecting your Facebook account to the ShowYouLikeIt app. You can decide whether to make your ShowYouLikeIt information public or private, however you’ll have to choose the public option if you want to get full use out of the app. ShowYouLikeIt will immediate pull information about all your Facebook ‘likes’ into its database. You can then scroll through a list of the ‘most trendy’ music, movies, people, sports, books, games, groups, and places to get more ideas of which ‘likes’ you should add to your own Facebook profile page. Click on a ‘trendy’ movie, for example, and you’ll see a list of all of your Facebook friends who’ve also ‘liked’ the film. Click on a particular friend’s photo icon, and you can see all the other films that he or she has ‘liked’ as well. Change up the filters on the left-hand side of the main ShowYouLikeIt page to get deeper into the web-app’s data: ShowYouLikeIt lets you filter ‘likes’ by timeframe, gender, age, language, or keyword. Using this search feature, you can see the trendiest ‘likes’ of the week or the month.</p><p>Assuming you’ve set your ShowYouLikeIt profile to public, you can use the app as a social network unto itself. Follow the likes of certain friends, and gain insight into what people in your age group are interested in right now. For heavy Facebook users who aren’t afraid to publicize their interests to a larger audience, ShowYouLikeIt is worth checking out.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Find out which books your Facebook friends are enjoying</li><li>Learn more about the interests of your online customers</li><li>See which movies have garnered the most ‘likes’ over time</li><li>Follow certain friends who have excellent taste in music to get more ideas of what tunes to download</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Users must connect to Facebook, but they can decide whether to make their profiles public or private</li><li>Data can be filtered by age, gender, language, date range, or keyword</li><li>Users can follow other ‘likes’</li><li>People who use ShowYouLikeIt can add descriptions to their profiles on the site</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>ShowYouLikeIt is a fun way to show off your great taste in music or movies</li><li>ShowYouLikeIt is really easy to navigate</li><li>Facebook users can get started using ShowYouLikeIt with just a few simple clicks</li><li>People can get ideas of what books to buy based on what other people like</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Users can only follow the ‘likes’ of people they’re already friends with on Facebook</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>None</li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: Belgium</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.showyoulike.it">http://www.showyoulike.it</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Free</li></ul><p><strong>Rating:</strong></p><ul><li>4 out of 5 (great)</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/02/19/glue-social-suggestions-for-movies-and-books/" rel="bookmark">Glue – Social Suggestions for Movies and Books</a> - If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling endlessly through lists of new movies all the while unsure of which one to rent next, then Glue is ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/10/03/fflick-see-what-your-friends-are-watching/" rel="bookmark">fflick – See What Your Friends Are Watching</a> - Curious to hear what other people thought of a movie before shelling out $12 for a ticket at the local cineplex? You could open up ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2009/08/21/flixster-discuss-discover-movies/" rel="bookmark">Flixster &#8211; Discuss &amp; Discover Movies</a> - Flixster is a social network for movie lovers. Now in its fourth year, the site has millions of users and offers a good marriage of ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2008/08/15/friendster-social-networking/" rel="bookmark">Friendster &#8211; Social Networking For Adults</a> - Social networking is all the rage, allowing friends and groups to connect, chat, share photos and videos along with the details of their daily lives. ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/02/02/when-it-drops-never-miss-a-new-release/" rel="bookmark">When it Drops – Never Miss a New Release</a> - When it Drops is a helpful web-app that can make anyone feel like a Hollywood insider. Rather than scouring the web looking for release details ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/16/showyoulikeit-show-off-your-style/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>AfterSteps – Get Your Affairs in Order</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/14/aftersteps-get-your-affairs-in-order/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/14/aftersteps-get-your-affairs-in-order/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:30:56 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Save Time]]></category> <category><![CDATA[death]]></category> <category><![CDATA[estate planning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[family wishes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inheritance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wills]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8388</guid> <description><![CDATA[AfterSteps is a tool that people can use to help get their estates in order before they pass away. The online planning service guides its users through the steps that are necessary to create comprehensive estate plans, financial plans, funeral plans, and legacy plans. By locking these plans into place, people who use AfterSteps can [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-aftersteps.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8389" title="ss-aftersteps" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-aftersteps.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>AfterSteps is a tool that people can use to help get their estates in order before they pass away. The online planning service guides its users through the steps that are necessary to create comprehensive estate plans, financial plans, funeral plans, and legacy plans. By locking these plans into place, people who use AfterSteps can achieve peace of mind and relieve stress on grieving family members after their eventual deaths.<span id="more-8388"></span></p><p>In an effort to simplify and streamline the process of creating a comprehensive end-of-life plan, AfterSteps has put together a series of interactive checklists and informative articles that you can read once you’ve signed up for an account. Using AfterSteps’ checklists, you can start gathering copies of your wills, insurance policies, and healthcare proxies. When you get to a checklist item that you haven’t already completed, such as putting together an advanced directive, for example, AfterSteps will match you up with a vendor who can help you complete that task. The documentation you’ve scanned and stored online will remain safe and secure until after you pass away. At that point, AfterSteps will automatically transfer your plan to the beneficiaries you have designated.</p><p>Some of the unique features that AfterSteps offers are its personalized reminders and alerts. Using these, the web-app will automatically notify users when changes in local regulations require that they make updates to their estate plans and wills. The service will also help users make decisions on what should happen to their online social networking and email accounts when they die. For people who want peace of mind knowing that their loved ones will be secure after their deaths, AfterSteps is a great solution.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Find out what you’ll need to do to create an end-of-life plan</li><li>Get help creating a will or living trust</li><li>Make sure your relatives have access to important records after you pass away</li><li>Store important documents and financial records securely online</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Beneficiaries will receive login information after an AfterSteps user passes away</li><li>Tracking feature shows people how far they still have to go in the planning process</li><li>Insurance and financial documents should be uploaded to the AfterSteps site</li><li>Users are notified when changes have been made to estate laws in their areas</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>People can create comprehensive plans without visiting multiple attorneys and accountants</li><li>Selected beneficiaries are sent login information after a person passes away</li><li>AfterSteps lays out all the steps a person need to take to create an end-of-life plan</li><li>People get alerts when parts of their estate plans need to be updated</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>People who use AfterSteps will still need to visit an attorney for expert guidance when creating a will or living trust</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>ItsMyLife – <a href="http://www.itsmylife.com">http://www.itsmylife.com</a></li><li>LegacyLocker – <a href="http://legacylocker.com">http://legacylocker.com</a></li><li>LegacyWriter – <a href="http://www.legacywriter.com">http://www.legacywriter.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: July 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts</li><li>Founded by: Jess Bloomgarden</li><li>Web site: <a href="http://www.aftersteps.com">http://www.aftersteps.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>$4/month</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2009/04/17/legacy-locker-a-safe-for-your-digital-assets/" rel="bookmark">Legacy Locker &#8211; A Safe For Your Digital Assets</a> - It’s not hard to see the need for a service like Legacy Locker. In fact, the surprise is that it doesn’t already exist. Legacy Locker ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/09/18/learnvest-smarter-finances-for-women/" rel="bookmark">LearnVest – Financial Freedom Through Education</a> - LearnVest is a website that offers information and support for women looking to take control of their finances. In addition to an array of money-related ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/12/03/cake-health-get-medical-expenses-under-control/" rel="bookmark">Cake Health – Get Medical Expenses Under Control</a> - Healthcare costs are rising, and personal incomes are remaining flat. When budgets are tight, every dollar counts. Cake Health is a free online tool that ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/06/16/docusign-digital-document-signing/" rel="bookmark">DocuSign – Signatures Without the Ink</a> - In today's fast-paced business environment, people are rarely sitting at their desks when important contracts come in. So what's a businessperson to do when a ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/08/03/simplee-simplified-healthcare/" rel="bookmark">Simplee – Simplified Healthcare</a> - Health insurance is confusing, there's no way around it. As if managing multiple deductibles, premiums, and co-pays wasn't complicated enough, families today are also struggling ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/14/aftersteps-get-your-affairs-in-order/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>SnatchCode – Instant Site Safety</title><link>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/13/snatchcode-instant-site-safety/</link> <comments>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/13/snatchcode-instant-site-safety/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:30:51 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Stephanie Miles</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Save Time]]></category> <category><![CDATA[backup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[failover]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hackers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hacking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[protection]]></category> <category><![CDATA[website backups]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appvita.com/?p=8391</guid> <description><![CDATA[SnatchCode is a tool that people can use to ensure the security and safety of their websites – with virtually zero effort – thanks to the web-app’s automatic backup system. SnatchCode is not the first company to help people prevent having their sites taken down by hackers, of course, but it is unique in its [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-snatchcode.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8392" title="ss-snatchcode" src="http://www.appvita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ss-snatchcode.jpg" alt="" width="454" height="344" /></a></p><p>SnatchCode is a tool that people can use to ensure the security and safety of their websites – with virtually zero effort – thanks to the web-app’s automatic backup system. SnatchCode is not the first company to help people prevent having their sites taken down by hackers, of course, but it is unique in its devotion to maintaining a simple and straightforward experience for users who want to protect their systems without getting bogged down by unnecessarily complicated workups.<span id="more-8391"></span></p><p>If you’ve got your FTP details and five minutes to spare, then you’ve got everything you need to get started protecting your site with the help of SnatchCode. Select a pricing plan based on the size of your site and hand over the information SnatchCode requests. In most cases, this is as simple as typing in your FTP details or MySQL database information. SnatchCode will begin taking site backups automatically each hour or each day. You’ll receive an email each time your data is backed up, and the information itself will be stored securely in the cloud. If your site is hacked or another catastrophic event occurs, just head to your SnatchCode dashboard and request the latest backup of your site. In no time at all, your website will be back up and running.</p><p>Users with upgraded SnatchCode Plus and SnatchCode Pro accounts also get access to the web-app’s Undo Feature, which helps eliminate human error and easily lets people replace broken files with their latest daily backups. Site owners who login to the SnatchCode dashboard and click “undo” will automatically see their broken files replaced with data from the latest backup. For people who want to protect their sites from hackers but aren’t sure where to start, clicking over to SnatchCode is a step in the right direction.</p><p><strong>Practical Uses:</strong></p><ul><li>Keep up with website safety protocols and maintenance</li><li>Safely store your site data in the cloud</li><li>Undo any mistakes you make to your site</li><li>Backup the data from your WordPress blog</li></ul><p><strong>Insider Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>SnatchCode stores its users’ FTP details in an encrypted form for protection</li><li>People with WordPress blogs can use the MySQL database beta feature</li><li>Users receive an automated email every time their files get backed up</li><li>People can delete their FTP details from SnatchCode at any time by clicking “Delete”</li></ul><p><strong>What we liked:</strong></p><ul><li>SnatchCode is a great option for publishers with limited tech knowledge</li><li>Websites can be completely restored with a single click of the button</li><li>SnatchCode works on any platform</li><li>Automated backups eliminate the need for people to remember to backup their files</li></ul><p><strong>What we didn’t like:</strong></p><ul><li>Nothing</li></ul><p><strong>Alternatives:</strong></p><ul><li>Drop My Site – <a href="https://www.dropmysite.com">https://www.dropmysite.com</a></li><li>EVBackup – <a href="http://www.evbackup.com">http://www.evbackup.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Company Info:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched: September 2011</li><li>Privately Held</li><li>Headquarters: India</li><li>Web site: <a href="https://snatchcode.com">https://snatchcode.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Costs:</strong></p><ul><li>Free plan</li><li>SnatchCode Plus is $7/month</li><li>SnatchCode Pro comes with custom pricing</li></ul><p><strong>Rating:</strong></p><ul><li>5 out of 5 (wow)</li></ul><div id="seo_alrp_related"><h3>More to Read</h3><ul><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2009/12/13/backupify-%e2%80%93-back-up-your-online-accounts/" rel="bookmark">Backupify – Back Up Your Online Accounts</a> - You might back up the information on your hard drive every week or month, but when was the last time you backed up the data ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2009/09/18/carbonite-keep-your-data-safe/" rel="bookmark">Carbonite &#8211; Keep Your Data Safe</a> - It happens when you least expect it. You turn on your computer, and there’s nothing but a black screen and a flashing cursor. If your ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2010/11/02/backupelf-com-never-lose-a-file-again/" rel="bookmark">BackupElf.com – Never Lose a File Again</a> - BackupElf.com just might be the simplest way to backup all types of computer documents. Forget downloading files onto a CD each month or installing complicated ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2011/07/25/splarchive-digital-file-management/" rel="bookmark">Splarchive – Save, Search, and Store PDF Files</a> - Everyone could use a little more space, especially when it comes to online document storage. Luckily, Splarchive is a web-app that anyone can use to ...</p></div></li><li><div class="seo_alrp_rl_content"><p><a href="http://www.appvita.com/2009/03/06/syncplicity-online-backup-made-simple/" rel="bookmark">Syncplicity &#8211; Online Backup Made Simple</a> - Online backup doesn’t get much simpler than with Syncplicity. It’s a great way to sync, save, and share your files while ensuring they are available ...</p></div></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.appvita.com/2012/01/13/snatchcode-instant-site-safety/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>
