An interesting new tool currently in beta is Tom’s Planner. This tool allows you to create gantt chart online completely within the site. Your charts are saved locally to a text file (no online storage on offer with the server) and you also have options to export your chart to an image or into a format that can be imported into Microsoft Project.
The site is clearly labelled beta however from what I experienced that is more from a functionality point of view than stability. The site operated flawlessly and very quick. In terms of functionality, it is perhaps a little lacking. I created a gantt chart relating to a project I am working on, but found that needed to export the data to Microsoft Project to really finish it off. Given the current beta label this may be addressed in future releases.
Currently there is no published pricing plan. Accounts are free with an indication that anyone using during the beta period will receive a free one year subscription when they go live.
How useful is this? Realistically if you are looking for a tool to create gantt charts this doesn’t compete with commercial offerings just yet. However, this fully-web based application would bring some advantages for the ad-hoc gantt chart creation where other software was not available.
The export process is one of its main strengths at this point given the limited functionality. The process of getting the data into Microsoft Project was fairly easy although it defaulted my project start date to 2049! Nothing that couldn’t be fixed easily however.
I would recommend checking these guys out (particularly during their beta period) and see if it fits your gantt chart creation needs.
URL: http://www.tomsplanner.com
Twitter: @tomsplanner
If you are in the habit of taking notes from whatever mobile device you are carrying (i.e. WinMo, iPhone/Touch…. I would also say Android these days but can’t really cover it with any great authority, however I would assume given the growth of the app store for the platform that the same could be said) and want to sync them back to your PC (sorry Apple people, this is unashamedly a Windows orientated site), Evernote was really the only option. However no more! Mobilenoter has entered the scene.
Offering synchronisation between the Microsoft OneNote product and the iPhone, it appears to be a challenger to Evernote. Don’t get me wrong, I have used Evernote in the past for this function and generally speaking love it. But being an Office user, I missed the integration with other Office apps that OneNote offered. Now with Mobilenoter, there appears to be an option.
This application comes in two flavours; either cloud based of wi-fi based. Each option requires a small application to be installed onto your PC to perform the synchronisation. As with Evernote, there is a fee for service but it is generally comparable. There are options for synchronisation which can either be set to automatic (at specified interval) or on a manual basis.
The iPhone app is free and the site offers a free 7 day trial for the service. If you are a OneNote user and user Evernote because you are an iPhone user I would recommend giving Mobilenote a try!
Enjoy
URL: http://www.mobilenoter.com
COMPANY: MS Team
Categories: Software, Technology
The problem with a lot of software designed to tell you what is happening on your computer is that it is usually written for someone who could probably find out without using the utility. LookInMyPC tries to do something about that.
Certainly there is only so much simplification to be made about what is happening within your computer; they are by their very nature technical. However, this utility seems to be written with the non-expert in mind.
Installation is very simple with a single dialog box for the interface. From this one dialog box you just select the reports you want to run (or alternatively run them all, it is fairly quick) and determine if you want to display the report immediately in Internet Explorer, or have it emailed to an external address. This feature itself makes it perfect for anyone doing any remote computer support for a relative.
Next to a number of the terms and reference made in the report are hyperlinks to Google searches on the term or a Wikipedia page.
The utility is free and part of the report displays some advertising, but it is fairly unobtrusive and doesn’t detract from the report at all.
URL: http://www.lookinmypc.com/
COMPANY: Solid Oak Software
