From Morris’s blog at InsideRetailer: http://www.insideretailing.com.au/articles-page.aspx?articleType=CategoryView&categoryId=53 

There’s so much fully-sick stuff on the web that it can be overwhelming, so here’s the first of my lists of some of the great, useful and sometimes unusual sites and tools that are out there:

Google Docs – http://docs.google.com

This is part of a growing trend towards free or low cost on line software – also known as Cloud Computing.

Google Docs offers a suite of free business tools that include word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software.

These resemble the Microsoft Office products many people use with the added advantage of being available to you on line anywhere, can be used simultaneously by a number of people and has most of the functions that the majority of users need – there’s a great introductory video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA

Skype – www.skype.com

Skype allows you to make phone calls and video calls from your computer to any other computer or phone in the world. If the person you are speaking with is also on Skype then calls are free, if they’re not calls are very cheap.

Skype is one of many VOIP (Voice of Internet Protocol) providers that offer you inexpensive phone and video calls, using been able to get unlimited local, interstate, international and mobile calls for a fixed fee of under $20.00 per month.

Check out Skype’s other offerings like video conferencing and skype in numbers (local phone numbers in other Australian states or countries).

Blogger – www.blogger.com

One of many sites that make blogging easy and free – another great one is wordpress (www.wordpress.com ). Blogging is a growing communication force that allows you to easily write, speak or video record your thoughts and publish and share them with an on line audience of your friends, colleagues, staff, customers and fans. Why not use a blog to keep your customers up to date with what you offer, show them how to use your products, get customers feedback on your products or prototypes or just have a chat with them and let them know what your up to (my blog is at http://youreyeonthefuture.wordpress.com ). Blogs are also starting to be used as low cost easily updatable personalised websites.

Elance – www.elance.com

If you’ve ever wanted to find an expert, or someone to take on a specialist task or project, but haven’t known where to find them, then start the search with Elance.

I use it to find designers, programmers, PR, word-processing and a host of other consultants and services.

It’s simple to use – enter in your requirements, providers from around the world respond to your brief with their expertise and pricing, choose one of them and you’re off and running.

Living to 100 – http://calculator.livingto100.com

A fun life expectancy calculator that after answering a series of questions will guestimate how long you will live till and importantly if you don’t like the age it comes up with and it’ll give you some hints on how to add on a few more years.

Breath Easy – www.bfe.org

Work stressing you out? Relax and breathe deeply – if you’ve forgotten how to breathe properly then download EZ-Air to your desktop and follow its instructions.

Please let me know your useful and fun websites or on line tools– send links to Morris@MorrisYourEyeOnTheFuture.com and I’ll share them around.