Freelancing Tools and Tips

Many operating systems come with default keyboard shortcuts to perform screen capturing along with other useful features which let you add sketches and text, upload image online, audio capturing, dimension-specific capturing and more. Here are some of the good screen capturing tools offered by some popular operating systems.

Jing

This is a Free screen capturing tool for windows and Mac users. It allows you to capture screens and share them with connections instantly.  You can grab a screen shot you want and upload to your Flickr and You Tube account.

Skitch

Another Free tool helping Mac users in capturing screens and sharing them with people. It lets you capture screens, add notes, play with it by including swanky graphics, and share it online. You can even use your own FTP, Flickr, or Mac account to share it .

Evernote

It’s a multi-platform tool to capture screens of your choice. You can use them for iPhone, Windows Mobile and even websites. Everything you capture is automatically processed, indexed, and made searchable. If you like, you can add tags or organize notes into different notebooks.

ZScreen

This is an open-source screen capture tool for Microsoft Windows. It can upload screenshots, pictures, text & files and put the URL in your clipboard in a single keystroke. You can even drag & drop files and it offers an in-built image editor that lets you quickly add changes to your screenshots as required.

Websnapshot

This Adobe AIR application helps you in taking snap shots. It captures the visible page in the window but the entire page including all design elements. The captured image can then be edited, resized and annotated before being output to a graphical file. It enables you to take a print put or send that screen as an email. It automatically resizes the screen to specified dimensions.

Backdrop

It is a Free tool that lets you  take screenshots of one or many windows without having to clean up your desktop. It supports multiple monitors and also fills your screen with a color or image.

Snagit

This tool lets you capture both still images and grab frames from video. You can capture your entire screen or portions of it instantly. You can also upload this screens to a server by creating your profile. It offers an built-in editor for annotating your screenshots and adding basic effects.  Along with screenshot organizer keeps your grabs in order with date, name, and tag-based searching.

XscreenCapture

Using this tool you can capture an X11 dump from any Linux clientwith X11 port open. It will also convert and save automatically the result picture in the desired compress format (default PNG).

Paparazzi!

It is a small utility for Mac OS X that helps in taking screenshots of Web pages. Just enter the URL and click Capture. You will see the page in a preview window (showing the full length within the window, with the image’s width shrinking as necessary to fit in the window). Then just click the Save button to save the image in a file format of your choice (JPEG, PDF, TIFF, or PNG).

WebKut

It is an AIR application that allows you to capture web pages, or parts of them in a very simple way. It provides you 3 capture options: the entire page, the current view, or only a selection.

We hope these tools will help you in taking a quick screenshots and share them with your network efficiently. We welcome your feedback and suggestions as always.

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Some days back we wrote a post on ‘useful iphone application for freelancers’ which received some good feedback and comments. Continuing the trend, this time we thought of highlighting iphone apps for creative writers. Here are some  great iPhone applications providing you the complete freedom of writing anytime from anywhere.

Documents To Go

It is an interesting application to create, view, and edit Microsoft documents. Using this application you can easily sync files from desktop to boot. It lets you view PDF, PowerPoint, iWork & other files as well. You can also check your Gmail attachments and edit them whenever required.

Air Sharing

Using this application you can view a wide variety of documents, including Windows docs, Mac and Linux docs, HTML, PDFs, and more. It allows you to mount your iPhone or iPod touch as a Wi-Fi drive on your computer (Mac, Windows, or Linux) or connect from your computer’s web browser. You can easily Drag-drop files between your iPhone or iPod touch and your computers.

BookShelf

It is an easy-to-use electronic book reader for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It lets you read any text or HTML file, older Palm OS reader files, and ePub books. It enables you to download many file types from websites directly to your iPhone. You can even download any web page and read it later without having the Internet connection.

Screenplay

It is the world’s first fully-functional mobile screenwriting application. It allows professionals and web workers in writing complete movie and television screenplays directly on the iPhones. You can create and edit properly formatted screenplays using quick navigation tools and sync them with your computer.

IdeaPad

This application keeps a track of your insights and ideas to act and work upon them quickly.  You can instantly jot down and save an idea in seconds. It also enables you to prioritize and manage your list of ideas. You can even email your idea to your connections  instantly.

WordBook English Dictionary & Thesaurus

This iphone application is a comprehensive, quick and intuitive dictionary and thesaurus for writers. It lets you browse through 150,000 entries with more than 220,000 definitions, 70,000 usage samples,  23,000 root word origins (etymologies),  120,000 pronunciation guides in International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and other notations.

Jott for iPhone

This Free application lets you record your notes and messages and also transcribe them easily and instantly.  You can use Jott voice-to-text conversion to send emails and texts to your iPhone contacts and Jott Groups. Also take notes, set reminders, and manage your lists. It also allows you to post to Google Calendar, Twitter, Facebook, and more web services.

EasyWriter Pro

It ensures quality of your write up as it helps you write emails faster and more accurately. This application checks spelling to ensure your emails are error free. It automatically text clips, which saves time and helps you write professional emails quickly. It also use text clips to choose from multiple signatures.

Storyteller

This inspirational application helps you come up with a great write up every time.  It offers thousands of character ideas, plot suggestions, story settings and themes. You can also find more specific suggestion by choosing from one of four different categories at the bottom of the applications.

Wikipanion

With this application accessing Wikipedia becomes faster and easier. This applications has been specially designed to search, navigate and browse through Wikipedia entries. Its features include dual language searching and language switching, bookmark, including bookmarking individual sections of pages, history, grouped by last visit date and full in-page searching.

We hope these useful iphone applications will enhance your iphone usage in every respect. Please share with us your suggestions and feedback as always.

Related:

• 15 Useful Android Applications
• 25 Useful iPhone Applications For Freelancers

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Android is one of the popular mobile operating systems across the globe and loved by many web workers. It has been used by big Internet giants like Google, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Samsung, LG, T-Mobile, Nvidia, and Wind River Systems. It offers a long list of applications which can be used to store data, connect with clients, upload images, browse social media websites and more…

Here are some of the useful android applications which can be used by everyone:

Titanium Backup

It is a backup tool that allows you to take backups and restore all applications while protecting them with their data and their links. It also helps in saving phone settings, including the Wi-Fi access point list  etc. You can take several back ups of each application.

Mobisle Notes

It is a free application from android which allows you to write plain text notes or checklists and switch seamless between them. You can easily send these lists of notes to anyone though email or SMS.

myDAY Journal

It helps you keep a chronological record of what happened throughout your day! It also lets you keep calendar passwords with AES-128 encryption. It offers a variety of font typefaces, sizes and colors.

MAndFileBrowser

This is an open source Android file browser. It works as a simple file browser with cut, copy and paste options.

Searchify

It allows you to translate, calculate, covert unit, search wikipedia, calendar entry and more just by typing in searches into the main search box on Android (1.6 or higher). It’s easy and lets you do all these tasks without even opening the application.

MiKiZaZa

This is an interactive content application for android users. It lets you create easily interactive content made from videos/sounds/images etc. It also offers an editor for Windows XP/Vista which lets you create and edit content seamlessly.

AndroSync

It lets you easily sync your music, videos, documents and photos wirelessly. It enables iTunes support!- Sync photos- Sync videos- Sync documents- Sync music via playlists. Its features include calendar, contacts, bookmarks, colornote Sync etc.

PicSay

This is an award winning application for Android mobile phones. It adds extra effect to pictures in your mobile phone by enabling you to add text, graphics, effects, and more. You can also share them with your friends, family or the rest of the world via e-mail, your blog, or the popular photo sharing sites on the web.

fBook

It is an Android application that lets you browse through your facebook profile instantly and easily. In addition to the features available from Facebook’s iPhone web app, fBook adds several important new features.

Evernote

This application from Android lets you capture your ideas, experiences, and inspirations as they happen. Then easily search and find all your notes, even those created using Evernote on your desktop. It features include text notes, snapshots, voice memos, and attach files.

IMEasy

It is an instant messaging based application designed especially for android mobile users.  It allows handwriting input, video chat, map marking, graffiti and multi-share, IMEasy offers a fresh mobile chatting experience .

Image Transfer

Using this application from Android you can wirelessly transfer all your images to any computer with the click of a button! It supports Mac, Windows and Linux computers that have a shared folder on the same network. All network storage devices using (SMB/CIFS) are supported.

WaveSecure – Mobile Security

It is a security application which is the complete mobile security service that lets users protect mobile data, ensures privacy in the event of theft and enhances the possibility of recovering the phone. It also helps in tracking SIM changes, locking, backup, wipe & restoring your data.

Twidroid

This is the industry-standard twitter client for android and among the most used twitter applications across all platforms. You can get its free and commercial pro version that supports all well-known twitter features as well as functionality.

Astrid

It is a to-do list and task tracking system for Google’s Android platform built with your productivity in mind. It helps in staying productive and get tasks done easily and simply.

We hope these android applications will be helpful you in speeding up your productivity, and also in connecting with you clients from anywhere across the globe. We welcome your feedback and suggestions on the same.

Related:

• 25 Useful iPhone Applications For Freelancers

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There are lot of factors that strengthen a brand and can contribute to increasing the perceived value of it. It can be visual as well as non visuals. Among the visual ones, probably, Logo is one of the strongest elements that contribute in increasing the brand value as well as brand recall.

If you have an idea and looking to design logo for your brand, try some of these online logo designing tools. These are really helpful. Listing here some of the useful online logo designing tools in no particular order:

Logo Maker

It is a custom-built design tool for entrepreneurs to design a creative log in just three simple steps. It lets you choose the image from icon gallery, color tools, add text and design in your own logo for free. They offer more than 10,000 images for you to use as a base in your logo.

CoolText

This is a free graphics generator for web pages and anywhere else you need an impressive logo without a lot of design work.  They offer over 300 million free images, logo style and button designs to choose for your logo.

Logoworks

Another logo designing tool which helps in producing original, custom logos you can afford for free.  It provides Professional logo designers in-house and freelancers to create a successful logo for you. It also lets you design brochures, websites, and more with your logo.

LogoYes

It is the leading tool for creating a logo and other premium design products for small businesses around the world. It lets you customize you own design by choosing your area of work, symbol of your choice, adding your name and creating a logo design complementing your field of business.

Logodesignengine

This logo design tool allows you to select  matching logo template, select fonts, colors  and create your company logo instantly. All you have to do is to select your preferred Logo Design from our logo template collection, submit your company details, select fonts and colors and save your company logo.

Businesslogos

It provides a comprehensive database of expert designers to create the best logo for your business.  Also  check out some additional logo design portals, including various informative articles, tips and other information.

thelogoloft

This tool will deliver anywhere from one to six design concepts, and you’re allowed an unlimited number of revisions. Concepts arrive within three to four business days, and final designs are handed over once you’re satisfied with the revisions.

thelogocreator

With more than 300 logo elements and 50 built-in fonts, you can create logos in just a few steps. The Logo Creator software also includes 75 logo templates and can import your personal fonts and images.

Logoease

This free logo design tool offers intuitive and simple design interface that lests you create your own free business logo designs easily. You will receive various electronic files for both web and print use including the vector source files. File formats include eps, png, jpg and tiff.  It enables you to save and download as many as 10 free logo designs at once.

logosmartz

It is a desktop logo creation software that can turn out high-quality corporate business logos and emblems instantly. It offers over 700 pre defined logo templates for your logo.  it aloows you to play with the color, fonts and symbols according to preference. Over 4000 high quality graphic symbols and over a 300 fonts. System fonts can also be imported.

Hope these tools will help you develop an effective logo for your business. Please share with us your comments and suggestions on the same.

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• Tips for a Winning Logo Design

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The Internet is the world’s largest network which connects you to thousands of other unfamiliar networks. In that case the security of your network and system becomes essential as it provides both physical and information security to paths, links, and databases. There are many tools and resources available on the Internet to secure your network and help in executing your major tasks within a protected environment.

Email Spam-Blocking Software

MailWasher- A powerful spam filter software that allows you to check and manage your e-mails before downloading them. It eliminates the spam by checking and stopping unwanted viruses and e-mails. It works with Outlook, Outlook Express, Incredimail, Thunderbird, Windows Mail, Gmail, Hotmail and every other email program.

Spamihilator- It examines the emails before downloading from the servers and delete unnecessary messages. It uses a Word-Filter that searches messages for known keywords. You can identify certain words and expressions and add them to the program.

SpamBayes- The project is working on developing a bayesian anti-spam filter, initially based on the work of Paul Graham. The major difference between this and other, similar projects is the emphasis on testing newer approaches to scoring messages.

Encryption Software

Ddcrypt- It is a small and fast utility tool that will help you in encrypting files and folders. It allows you to delete the files after the creation of the encrypted files. The files created by the software will create a file with an extension .ddc, that you can decrypt just browsing.

PGP – This tool offers basic PGP encryption capability for messages and files. It is acomprehensive data protection system that accurately reports to satisfy compliance needs. Whether sensitive data is stored on USB thumb drives, laptop computers, servers or mainframes, or sent to business partners via email or file transfer.

EyeMage IIE- This security tool allows you to securely encrypt any file or text into a bitmap image. Using this you can easily hide photos in photos, zip files in images and Word documents in diagrams then send them.

Intrusion Detection (IDS) and Prevention (IPS) Software

Snort- It is an open source network intrusion detection system that allows you to do traffic analysis and packet logging on IP networks. It can perform protocol analysis, content searching/matching and can be used to detect a variety of attacks and probes, such as buffer overflows, stealth port scans, CGI attacks, SMB probes, OS fingerprinting attempts etc.

AIDE (Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment) - It creates a database  from the regular expression rules from the config file. Once this database is initialized it can be used to verify the integrity of the files. It has several message digest algorithms (md5,sha1, rmd160, tiger, haval,etc.) that are used to check the integrity of the file.

Prelude –Another innovative Hybrid Intrusion Detection system which collects  normalizes, sorts, aggregates, correlates and reports all security-related events independently.

Port Scanner Software

SuperScan- It is a TCP port scanner that includes a variety of additional networking tools like ping, trace route, HTTP HEAD, WHOIS etc. Its features include TCP SYN scanning, UDP scanning, HTML reports, built-in port description database; Windows host enumeration, banner grabbing etc.

Shields Up- It alerts you  whenever your ports is opened through their firewalls or through their NAT routers. The utility can scan the most common file sharing ports, as well as all service ports.

Firewalls.com Port Scan – It is a free port scanner which is does simple yet informative web based scan. The results are accurate but in no way reflect what a complete network scan can do.

Anti-virus Software

Clam Antivirus –This is a Free Antivirus for Microsoft Windows NT/98/Me/2000/XP/2003. It features include high detection rates for viruses and spywar, scanning scheduler, right-click menu integration to Microsoft Windows Explorer.

McAfee Stinger – Another stand-alone tool helps in detecting and removing specific viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist administrators and users when dealing with an infected system.

Avast Home Edition- It is a free antivirus software for home noncommercial use. It scans for viruses, worms and Trojans on disk, CDs, in E-mail, IM and P2P. This small, fast and reliable tool offers you  updates of virus database twice a week.

Hope you would utilize these tools to protect your network from all kinds of internal and external security threats. Please provide us your feedback and suggestions on the same.

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• Increased Fraud Protection on LimeExchange
• Customer Feedback – Sharing Survey Results

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The New Year begins with new thoughts, aspirations and expectations. We plan new things and strategies for personal and professional life to achieve success in all spheres of life. Freelancers also look for new opportunities and plans for the coming year. So, now before you set a plan for this year we would like to suggest you some tips which might help in making 2010 a year of success.

Profile completeness

An online profile is the one of the most important aspect for winning a freelance project successfully. Profile Completeness, is a must for all service providers to acquire more freelance jobs and to become an established workforce at LimeExchange. Since there is no physical contact between you and the buyer, it is your profile that speaks for you. Your profile is the essential information, which a buyer would be interested in knowing before considering you for his project. Information about company, skill set, education and work experience of your outstanding employees are the key elements to acquire good projects. Hence the more detailed information you will provide, the better will be the understanding of your skills.

Online skill tests

There are hundreds of skill tests available online across a wide range of categories. Online Skill Test results, which are publicly visible, validate your credibility online manifold. When a buyer would take a tour of your profile, he would be impressed if it is validated with Online Skill Test Certification. So to win over the attention of buyers, the service providers as well as small medium need to take the online skill test in their area of expertise as certified service providers manage to get access to some real good projects faster.

Education & credentials verified

Verified educational credentials have an edge over unverified credentials. Buyers these days look for genuine providers through an authentic source to avoid fraud and get their requirements completed successfully. Having a profile containing a verification seal brighten the chances of winning a freelance job simply and immediately.

Participate in Q&A

Share, learn and ask questions to build a network with the people from same field of work. You can raise a query, answer questions, and share knowledge with people from across the globe. Sharing knowledge will not only help you in enhancing your skill sets but also in connecting with people from similar of different areas of freelancing business.

Promote your profile

One more suggestion for this year is to promote your profile using your affiliate id. Join the affiliation program, refer friends and earn through activity they would perform on the platform. Not only this you can also earn money while showcasing your profile link on different websites. You just have to simply create a Text/Anchor link to showcase your LimeExchange Profile, Portfolio, Certifications and Earnings.

Hope you would take these suggestions into consideration before setting an agenda for 2010. Please share with us your feedback and comments as always.

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• How to Enliven your Creative Spirit?
• Why is Freelance Career so Exciting?
• How do I execute the project on an online services marketplace?

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