In today’s Internet driven society, there is this constant push on being more interactive, more transparent and more mobile. It seems every time we turn around there is some new application that promises us true connectivity no matter where we (or our clients) access it from.
The question remains, though – which Internet applications truly aid you in freelancing or starting a business? We have a number that we use here in the office, and quite a few that we have tried out along the way. Below, you will find our list of Placeless Office Applications!
- Kluster.com – A great project management suite (seriously, check it out.)
- Quickbooks Online Edition – Anytime, anywhere accounting. No longer are you tied to the desktop to keep on top of your finances.
- Skype.com – Great VOIP services, chats, collaboration, and plugins. A real life saver for those long distance clients and associates!
- Freshbooks.com – A great invoicing tool that allows your clients to pay off or online through Paypal!
- Toggl.com – A very nice time tracking utility, perfect for a freelancer or developer.
- Timexchange.net – A free online timesheet for projects, teams, and individuals. Great for remote office groups or outsourced work.
- Project2Manage.com – a free project management tool that rivals a lot of the other paid access ones. You just have to live with a few ads..
- GoToMyPC – Access your PC from anywhere (when you do have to get on it).
- KBpublisher.com – Knowledge base software (a knowledge based CMS).
- LogMeIn.com – Another remote access PC application. We particularly like this one because of the tools that come with it.
- Goplan.info – another online project management suite. It’s very nice and works real well.
- Near-time.net – An industrial strength wiki-based collaboration platform.
- Hamachi - Quick and easy virtual private networks. It installs like an instant messenger and makes your applications and files accessible anywhere!
- Gmail.com – the old standby favorite for email.
- Google Docs and Spreadsheets – What ‘Placeless’ List would be complete without Docs and Spreadsheets
- Microsoft Office Workspace – the online extension of Microsoft Office
- Thinkfree.com – another online office app
- Zoho.com – a plethora of online applications to suit your needs.
- Send2Fax – For those few times you do need to send a fax…
- Iomega IStorage – Access and share files and pictures from anywhere in the world.
- 37Signals.com – Home of these utilities:
- EditGrid.com – A pretty cool spreadsheet application that lives online.
- Carbonite.com – automagically backs up your files and stores them remotely.
- Picnik.com – lets you edit your images without a desktop program.
- Remember the Milk – Helps you manage your tasks and sets up alerts in conjunction with your favorite online apps and smartphone.
- Box.net – a great online storage service that integrates with other applications like Zoho.
- Echosign.com – Lets you attach digital signitures to documents
- Freewheel - View CAD files in a browser
- ProjectOffice.net – an online project management solution that offers some extended functionalities for time tracking, expense tracking, etc.
- Onstage Project Portal – Quick and easy team collaboration
- Fax2Email – A simple fax to email system
We couldn’t have a placeless apps list without mentioning where all of this will be going, can we? With technology like Google Gears and Adobe Air that make the Internet and our desktops more fluid, you are going to see a number of these online applications make the leap to your own local computer. They will automatically update your online portolfios and sync up whenever necessary.
For more information on Gears and Air, check out the following links:
- Offline access to Google Docs
- Another app using Gears for Windows Mobile
- Google Analytics goes desktop with Adobe Air
- Adobe Air makes its way to Linux
If you can think of any other noteworthy apps, please let us and our readers know! We plan on keeping this list going, but we’re sure we forgot a few that deserve to be here.
To your success,
Jason
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I’d never heard of kluster before. I went to check it out and it looks potentially very interesting. Have you actually participated over there? Started a project, contributed? How worth while did it seem?
You should also check out ProjectOffice.net, an online project management solution that offers some extended functionalities, such as: project and task management, time management, expense management, issue tracking and wikis for knowledge sharing.
It is an excellent, intuitive and easy-to-use tool that is applicable to the needs of both an experienced project manager and a pm first timer.
Try it and let me know what you think.
All the best,
Biljana
Jason,
This is a great list you’ve put together. I would like to add the collaboration tool we’ve been using: OnStage Project Portal. I’ve only been using the free version with my group but it has certainly helped us achieve a paperless office.
@ Brian – I have just started playing with it. It seems like a great idea with some very cool features, but I haven’t run any serious projects out of it. Once I do, I will make sure to post a review of it!
@ Biljana – Thanks! I will have to check it out. A good project management suite is invaluable in any type of online business :0)
@ Jason Drohn – I completely agree with you that every business is dependent on a solid project management solution. We started developing ProjectOffice.net as a result of our own need to have our projects well planned and organized. Since then, using ProjectOffice.net has made our work well organized, without misunderstandings, with improved team collaboration…
It is still in Beta, however it’s fully functional and so far we are more than happy with the great user feedback.
Sincerely,
Biljana
If you would like a UK fax to e-mail number take a look here:
http://aql.com/telecoms/site/fax2email.php
Regards
Stephen
@ Julie – Thanks for the addition! I will get it added in right now. Having a paperless office is amazing once you get it working correctly. In fact, there are often times I am looking for a quote or a case study in a book, and think “If I could only hit Ctrl and F.” With a paperless office, you can do just that!
@Biljana – I added it to our list above, and I hope some of our readers give it a try! I am going to play with the app this coming weekend!
@Stephen – Thanks for the link! Definitely a cool service..
Thanks for the list, we have used a good few of them. Currently liking remember the milk. As a recommendation, check out 1time (http://1timetracking.com). For online project time tracking, its one of the easiest services to use with some great features.
Hi Jason,
Is been like a year since we last talked. I apologize for that.
Anyway, the list you’ve put together is amazing. I love it and hope you don’t mind me adding a link to my blog.
You’ve also chosen my 3 favs: Timexchange, NearOffice and Project Office which i love them.
Again…amazing list.
Carol
Nice list man. I am going to try Kluster because you are really emphasising it!
Well its a nice comprehensive list of all the online applications, one can definately start using them to improve their productivity by many times depending on their efficiency to use the products. Amongst the online office suites listed above like Thinkfree, Zoho, I would like to list another called eDeskOnline-Free Online Operating System, which is, in my view better than the others.
We’re using Wrike for project management. I’ve seen many project management tools and I think this one is unique, as it’s got amazing flexibility. It’s e-mail integrated, lets us track time spent on our tasks, lets us visualize plans and share them with clients. It’s a great solution and I think it deserves to be added to your list.
Jason, you might want to take a look at our all-in one online project management solution – http://www.comindwork.com. New features are developed and released every week, users actually vote on the features. Last week we released the login integration with OpenId, Yahoo! and Gmail accounts.
Arturass last blog post..Project Initiation Document – COMINDWORK
Amazing article! Detailed and very interested. I am going to recommend this blog to my friends.
i like the picnik one. always nice to be able to touch up your photos
-jack
I think http://www.comindwork.com would fit nicely on this list.
8 June 2009 – TimeXchange.net has improved its commerce and collaboration network for people who work in virtual project reporting teams. Version 3.0 was launched last week and includes a simplified navigation and new features such as a timer for project tasks and a more robust tracking of time submitted for approval. Additional third-party affiliates with tools such as mobile companion devices were also announced.
I have found Google docs as the best place for students and young enterpreneurs, if you don't need any project management works. But also I would like to know whether all this tools are available for free.
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