Technology / Media / Web
Free Blog/RSS/PodCast Point Paper - Click here to download a point paper discussing how your church can use these technologies.
Here is a list of free / low-cost applications that planters can download:
1. Google account (sign up for free) – www.google.com. Consider the following applications:
- Google Gmail – http://mail.google.com - Free email account with great spam filtering built in.
- Google Reader – Free feed reader for monitoring blogs / RSS feeds
- Google Calendar – Free calendar program
- Google Blogger – Free blog creation and management application
- Google Docs – allows you to share your word processing or spreadsheet documents with other people in real-time
- Google Toolbar – prevents pop-up windows in your browser and provides many useful productivity functions
- Google Picasa – http://picasa.google.com - free picture / photo album management software allows users to setup photo albums online that can be used in other applications, uploaded for printing, or shared with other people
- Google Desktop – provides search capability for all files on your computer. Great for finding old emails and files that contain the key words of your choice
- iGoogle – personal web pages that are fully customizable with a large selection of plug-ins
2. Jott – www.jott.com – Jott allows users to call an 800 number, leave a voice message, have the voice message transcribed to text, then have the text delivered to an email address of the users choice.
3. itunes – www.itunes.com – free music and podcast management software from Apple.
4. Firefox – http://www.getfirefox.com - A smaller, faster, more secure, customizable web browser.
5. ZoneAlarm – http://www.zonealarm.com - A free firewall providing better security for your Windows PC.
6. SpyBot Search and Destroy – http://www.safer-networking.org - A free spyware removal tool. Helps keep your PC free from programs you didn't intend to install that slow your computer down and pop up advertising.
7. X3Watch – http://x3watch.com - Accountability software in regard to online integrity.
8. Miranda IM - http://www.miranda-im.org - Chat client software that works with all the major chat networks.
9. Skype – http://www.skype.com - Software that also allows voice communications from your computer to other computers or to standard phones very affordably.
10. LogMeIn – http://www.logmein.com - Free software you can use to remotely access a computer from any other computer online.
11. Adobe Reader - http://www.adobe.com – free software for viewing PDF files
12. Foxit Reader - http://www.foxitsoftware.com/ - Free, small and fast software allowing you to view PDF files.
13. Foxit PDF Creator - http://www.foxitsoftware.com/ - Very affordable software allowing you to type text and edit PDF files.
14. Windows Live Writer – http://writer.live.com – free desktop software for posting and maintaining blogs. Good overall functionality. Allows you to manage a blog from your desktop without having to login to an online account.
15. SPX Instant Screen Capture - http://www.moodysoft.com/spx/index.html - great little inexpensive program for creating graphic images by capturing all or parts of whatever is on your screen
16. Constant Contact – http://www.constantcontact.com – Simply one of the best group email programs on the market. Well worth the small fee. Make sure to get the non-profit rates.
17. Audacity - http://audacity.sourceforge.net – Free audio recording and editing software. Best overall value around for making basic audio recordings on your computer. Many people use this software for making podcasts.
18. FreeConference - http://www.freeconference.com – Free conference calls. Simply schedule a time, define an access code, and let your team know the call-in information. It really is FREE!
19. Firefox Add-ons - http://www.mozilla.com/en-US - tons of free plug-in / add-ons for Firefox.
20. Wordpress - http://wordpress.org/download - install the Wordpress blogging application on your web site….free. Takes some technical abilities but well worth the FREE price tag given the extensive functionality and plug-ins.
21. Wordpress Plug-ins - http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins - tons of extra add-ons for Wordpress. These applications give Wordpress a wide range of cool functionality
22. Feed Reader - http://www.feedreader.com – free desktop RSS feed reader with solid functionality and viewing capabilities.
23. FeedDemon - http://feeddemon.com – RSS feed reader loaded with functions. This low-priced software is worth its price.
24. Blog Lines - http://www.bloglines.com – free subscription to manage blog posts and RSS feeds via an online account.
25. FeedBurner – http://www.feedburner.com – free online service for creating RSS readable feeds from any blog. You simply create a free online account, enter your blog address, create a RSS feed name, and let FeedBurner do the rest.
26. TechSoup - http://www.techsoup.com – non-profits get HUGE discounts on name brand software through a donation program
27. Hipcast – www.hipcast.com – A low-cost, reliable audio and video podcasting service.
28. Lookup – www.lookup.ws (register.com) – very low cost web site hosting and domain registration. Your account lets you easily purchase new domain names and setup numerous web sites all under your one account. Price and ease of use are great.
29. Melissa Data - http://www.melissadata.com/lookups - tons of free “lookup” information about your community. Very useful in gaining insight into your community.
30. Windows Media Player - http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/ - free media player by Windows
31. Tucows - http://www.tucows.com/ - comprehensive site for freeware / shareware software
32. Woot – http://www.woot.com – daily special on one product. Typically a very good price.
33. Flickr - http://www.flickr.com – free online photo sharing.
34. YouTube – http://www.youtube.com – Huge, growing collection of free online videos.
35. Myspace – http://www.myspace.com – free social networking account
36. FaceBook – http://www.facebook.com - Facebook is a social utility that connects
you with the people around you.
37. DSL Reports Bandwidth Speed Test - http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest - free speed test of your broadband connection
38. istockphoto - http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php - free online account with extremely low cost high resolution photos for use in your marketing and design work
39. Planning Center Online - http://www.planningcenteronline.com
