Looking for a simple and effective way of creating a list or capturing data on your website? Don’t have the technical skills or time necessary to develop a backend database to capture data from an online form? Fortunately you no longer have to as there are several tools that make it extremely easy and convenient to collect data on your site.

If you want your website to work for you then you should also be using it to capture information. Whether this information is a simple contact/feedback form or a poll on your site, it can be an excellent instrument to bring you and your audience closer together.  Most Internet Marketers know the value of creating a list, which if used correctly can be of great value. So if you haven’t yet implemented or discovered the value of a list here are some quick and easy options for you to use on your website.

Google Docs

Here is just one example of the collaborative power of Google Docs. By simply making a spreadsheet you have the option of adding a form which adds all the available columns and provides the HTML code to embed into your website. Then as your audience fills out the form the data gets collected in your Google Docs spreadsheet. Google is also building in some analysis features which will try to give you a better insight to the data collected.

To try a live example of this go to the Thinkworx home page to sign-up to be notified when the new site is available (form powered by Google Docs). I will try to publish a brief tutorial describing the steps to set-up and customize your form. Subscribe to the RSS feed to be sure not to miss it.

• Pros – Completely free, easy to use, no limitations on number of responses, easy data extraction
• Cons – No built in option to customize the format or styles on the form. No form security, limited field types, no payment integration and no automatic notification options.

Wufoo

For your more complex form requirements for more than just building a simple list there are other solutions to make it easy. One of the first that I came across is Wufoo, offering enough features to meet just about any form requirement.

• Pros – Full website integration including available themes or custom CSS and XHTML markup allowed, reporting tools, notification tools and payment integration. Free version option (limited to 3 forms, 10 fields and 100 entries/month)
• Cons – Free and paid models have limitations on entries/month

JotForm

A web based WYSIWIG form builder that’s aimed at making form building easy. Build your form without an code.

• Pros – Unlimited forms for free
• Cons – 100 submissions/month limitation for free account (paid account gets unlimited submissions)

PollDaddy

Recently purchased by Automattic (makers of  the WordPress blogging platform) and aimed at making online polls and surveys as easy as possible.

• Pros – Free account giving you unlimited polls/month with unlimited votes/month, also unlimited survey’s/month limited to 100 responses. Styling customization available with skins or your own CSS.
• Cons – Survey’s are limited in responses relative to program model. Usage is not intended for general forms or list capture.

So why do people typically not have a reliable backup of their content? It could be that they mistakenly believe that the dreaded risk of a hard drive crash will never catch-up with them or they may just be procrastinating the day that they will do the backup. While this may be the case for many I think the majority of people are just lacking an adequate technical solution.

Take me for example, if my laptop hard disk crashed today or if my laptop was stolen I would be devastated by the loss of so many projects, many of which currently in progress, my wife would have me beheaded for losing our digital pictures and videos and in addition I would be bewildered by the uncertainty what other critical information will be unrecoverable from this event. Sure I have done several attempts over the years at backing up some portions of my hard disk contents, but I can’t be sure of which versions were saved, where exactly they were saved and, if saved to CD or DVD, if they are still legible.

If you are like most people you may be unaware that good back-up solutions are now available. Lets take a look at just a few options that I would recommend:

• Mozy Remote Backup *
  Simple client application lets you set what you want to back-up and works in the back-ground to back-up your files to their remote servers without noticeably slowing down your PC. A virtual disk is listed under your System Resources from which you can navigate your backed-up files and through simple selection you can easily restore individual files or entire directories. Available for both Windows and Mac
  Mozy offers 2GB of free storage or unlimited space for only $4.95/month. Simple monthly payment allows you to even try it out first to see if works for you.

• Elephant Drive *
  Elephant Drive also offers 2GB of free storage or unlimited space for only $4.95/month(with 2 months free). Easily store, share and automatically keep your data backed up on remote servers.
  I still have not tried it out yet, but I am anxious to do so to compare how easy it is to automatically keep your data backed-up and to see how easy it is to restore your files.

• Dropbox
  Beyond having just a remote back-up you would also like to synchronize your files between 2 or more PCs then try out Dropbox. Local client application creates a Dropbox folder the contents of which will then be stored on a remote server and will also be synchronized with other associated computers. Modification of this file from any source will then have the newer version distributed and updated on all other computers. Available for Windows, Mac and Linux
  Get 2 GB for free otherwise upgrade to 50 GB for $9.99/month or $99/year

• Jungle Disk
  Powered by Amazon S3, through the local client you add Jungle Disk just like another hard drive in your computer. Drag and drop, copy and delete, use it just like your existing hard drive. Supports Windows, Mac and Linux. Add as many computers as you like without additional charges.
  Unlimited storage for 15 cents per GB. Best part is that you only pay for what you use!

Fortunately I have not yet had to live through the experience of losing my hard disk contents and now, I am happy to say, that I don’t expect I will ever have to. Thanks to online backup services backing up your system could not be easier, all you have to do is simply set it and forget it. Decide what you want to keep backed up and it will do the rest, keeping your back-up up to date with the latest versions of your files. If you are still procrastinating using a backup solution follow one of the links above and try it out before its too late.

Fring: Fring is an easy way to connect to all your social networking services. It supports Skype, MSN Messenger, ICQ, Google Talk, SIP, Twitter, AIM, and Yahoo, all over WiFi or your data plan.
Most phones, most operating systems

This looks like a great application for those wanting to chat on their mobile or to make cheap phone calls through SkypeOut or other SIP services. It is easy to setup and is especially great for those with integrated Wi-Fi, allowing you to use your mobile phone without a SIM card!

I was, however, disappointed that you can’t make free Skype calls to your Skype contacts, apparently you can only make SkypOut calls. It is also limited as a Twitter application as it only allows you to send updates and not view those of others.

HelloTxt – HelloTxt is an aggregate of microblogging services through which the user can insert their messages on all main microblogging services in a simply and simultaneous way.

Useful service to post updates from your mobile device directly to a series of common social network platforms. One post can be sent to Twitter, Facebook, Bebo and many others. The other nice feature about HelloTxt is that it allows you to see other updates from within the same application.

Have other useful Windows Mobile applications? Let me know about them!

Google announced the introduction of Google Sites as part of Google Apps. This is a nice addition to the free suite of Google Apps services. Here is a brief introduction to Google Sites:

It’s an online application that makes creating a team web site as easy as editing a document. You can quickly gather a variety of information in one place — including videos, calendars, presentations, attachments, and gadgets — and easily share it for viewing or editing with a small group, their entire organization, or the world.

Google Sites is very similar to an application that Microsoft began offering in its Office XP suite, SharePoint Team Services. An excellent tool for creating team websites and also company intranets. Microsoft offered two flavors of their SharePoint services, the SharePoint Portal and SharePoint Team Services. The Portal version aimed at large enterprises was a full document management system, much beyond the scope of Team Services. Since its original release the two versions have merged into the one current system, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.

Team websites are useful tools for different types of groups. They offer a portal website to share information and to collaborate on projects. The primary value of Microsoft’s SharePoint services has been its integration with their Office applications (Word, Excel and PowerPoint). For this reason it was initially released as a part of the Premium version of Office and now includes Office in its name. Microsoft has continued to extend the accessibility to SharePoint documents from directly within Office and better facilitating this in Windows Vista and Windows Mobile 6.

Google Sites helps round-off Google’s suite of office applications. It offers easy integration of Google Docs, Spreadsheets and Presentation files, together with your Picasa images and Google or YouTube videos. Its a nice offering for the price, FREE, but as with their other office applications they are very simple and limited versions to their rival equivalent from Microsoft.

I was very disappointed in the available themes and page layouts from Google Sites . The sample sites that Google gave look like they were designs taken from a 1998 website competition. Making them look at least more visually appealing, using modern Web 2.0 designs, could have made the service come across as a modern and fresh idea.

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Related Resources
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The preparation kits of 70-431 and 350-030 ideally include 220-602 as well to make it easier for 70-640 students.

The Good

To try and keep on a positive note, let’s start with the new features and benefits of WM6.

• HSDPA
  The biggest advantage for WM6 on the Palm Treo, as mentioned, is the increased data transfer rate. Although already a UMTS phone, the HSDPA protocol was not include with Palms release for WM5. The increased speed is noticeable, however not as significant as expected.
• Mobile Office Application Improvements
  The mobile office suite included in WM6 has made some significant improvements.  
  • Outlook: Nice new features for those with Exchange 2007 (I especially like that there is the out of office assistant), view HTML email, nice new calendar views
  • Word, Excel and PowerPoint: view and edit documents with original formatting, including tables, images, and text.
• Windows Live Services
  For those of you using Windows Live services (oh come on, there has to be somebody out there) apparently a new rich set of services are available. Maybe this will be a good reason to finally check out Windows Live!?
• Lots of New Shortcuts
  Press and hold the H key to view them
• Prettier Graphical Interface
  Moving from WM5 to WM6 is like going from XP to Vista (obviously without Windows Aero)  
  • Here I almost wrote improved graphical interface, however I don’t see any value being added in the new interface, it is just prettier
  • Theme is similar to Vista with the reflective glass look on toolbars and Vista icons
  • Windows Media Player has a new black skin
• Easily accessible in-call features
  Buttons have been added to the in-call message box to activate/deactivate speaker phone and to mute/unmute microphone. Previously available on WM5, but under the menu button option list
• Contacts with Context
  Call history is now placed where it belongs, in each individual contact card.

The Bad

• Battery Life
  Battery life was never great with WM5, but it gets much worse with WM6. I would like the option to give up the graphical effects for the improved battery performance.
• Multimedia Support
  Same Windows Media Player version (10.3) – I was really hoping Microsoft would make some much needed improvements in the mobile media player. So far all I see is a change in the skin. Changes I was hoping to find:  
  • Resolve catalog issues – When using expanded memory of several gigabits full of content the catalog management system runs into multiple issues, potentially causing serious problems on your expanded memory (I have stopped using it entirely on manually open files or albums)
  • MP4 video support – Most video podcasts on the publish in mp4 format which isn’t not supported by the mobile Windows Media player, creating a strong limitation for Windows Mobile to enable a competitor for the ipod.
  • Ability to navigate the catalog using buttons rather than touch screen
• Application Compatibility
  Many mobile applications for WM5 still are not available for WM6. This is a big drawback for me as I get a lot of my value in the Smartphone from 3rd party applications.
• Closing Applications
  Maybe I am the only one that thinks this, but I hate that when you hit the X in the top right corner to close an application that is actually just “minimizes” the application. Fortunately there is the Magic Button application that resolves this issue, but I was really hoping Microsoft would fix this directly in the OS.

The Verdict

The new features of WM6 definitely don’t blow me away, which is disappointing. I will continue to try out the new OS for a couple weeks before I actually decide if I want to keep it. At this point my decision revolves around battery life and data transfer rate. Do I want shorter battery life, but with high transfer speeds (WM6) or longer battery life with decent data transfer (WM5).

Let me know your thoughts about upgrading to WM6 along with any valuable features that I failed to mention.
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Related Resources
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The exams of 220-601 and 70-291 are complex for a 646-204 student, whether he has done 70-649 and 70-620 or not, as deemed by 642-901 professionals.

• Expression Web – Design tool to create modern, standards-based sites
• Expression Blend – Design tool to create engaging web-connected experiences for Windows
• Expression Design – Illustration and graphic design tool
• Expression Media – Asset management tool to visually catalog and organize all your digital assets

These products, plus a new site about design at Microsoft make it clear that Microsoft is trying to get serious about design. Clearly none of these applications are revolutionary, making it difficult for them to compete against industry favorites such as Adobe, but it will be interesting to see how much of the market they can win over. Without releasing a Mac compatible version I don’t see them going behond standard home users.

If you use YanCEyWare reader or YanCEyDesktop (Desktop reader) you can find an abundant list of free classic novels to download at http://www.neicul.com/yanceyware.php?page=project or an extended list of LDS titles at http://www.yanceyware.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=18. My thanks to those involved in making these titles freely available!

• TIM with the Blackberry 8700g
• Vodafone with an HP iPAQ hw6515.

After a test drive of the 2 devices here are some of my thoughts.

Blackberry
The sleak design and stunning display quality immediately grabbed my attention and fortunately my excitement didn’t stop there. The Blackberry was a true gem, impressing me with each functionality tested. The devices ergonamic design, clear interface and absolute responsiveness convinced me that that it works as it should. Here is a quick summary of what I found to be the pros and cons:

A good reason for Blackberry’s extreme popularity is their well thought out interface and design. Its simplicity and ease of use makes it truely enjoyable to use. Browsing and scrolling can easily be done with one hand, fitting well into the palm of the hand. Thumb scrolling is natual and is surprisingly a fast method of navigating through menus and options. The lack of a touch screen makes the navigation less intuitive at times, the additional option would be a nice feature. For faster navigation keyboard shortcuts are required. I found them to be useful, however not intuitive and some what frustrating at the beginning.

HP iPAQ Pocket PC

Packed to the brim with all the goodies, this device is dressed to impress. I was excited to find some nice updates/improvements made to the latest Pocket PCs. It made me wish that my own Pocket PC had the integrated phone service, primarily for the ability to connect to the Internet, even though the connection was only a GPRS connection. HP iPaq Pros and Cons:

What I enjoyed was the long list of features, including GPS and digital camera missing from the Blackberry. Unfortunately a long feature list isn’t everything, especially when my list of cons match the pros.

Conclusion

Both are excellent devices and offer all the essentials for a mobile solution. The Blackberry’s EDGE connection and push technology services make it by far the better option for mobile email. The lack of proper email synchronization with Outlook however doubles the amount of email to sort through, once on the Blackberry to read and cancel items and again on the desktop to organize and archive important messages. The HP iPaq is less responsive, bulky with poor battery life and with a slow GPRS connection, plus it heats up too much. Fortunately ir runs on the Pocket PC platform ensuring proper synchronization with Outlook and Exchange and permits you to view attachments in their original format. At this point you do the math and let me know what you decide.