Great Google offers high profile applications that aren’t necessarily the best. You may want to check out the alternatives. Many load faster, bristle with more functionality and simple offer more usability for the average Joe.
Calendars
1) Remember The Milk. This bizarrely named but smoothly designed app focuses on three lists- tasks due tomorrow, due today and simply overdue. The locations for the jobs are pinpointed on a Google map and allows you to share delegation with other Milk users. With Google Gears support, you can take them offline and sync with a Windows Mobile Phone.
2) Planzo. Similar to Milk and Google Calendar, good ole Planzo shares your itinerary with the web browsing public. The service throws in the basic to do lists and notebook features at you.
Document Creation
3) Think Free. It looks like MS Office and sure acts like it. There’s a Word, Excel, and Powerpoint variant which clones the MS Office interface. Throw in real time collaboration and 1GB storage and you’ll wonder what’s so smart about forking $340 for MS Office!
4) Zoho Office. Like Thinkfree, Zoho behaves just like MS Office. There’s a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, database and word pad program. Now the service goes beyond and bundles in CRM, project management, poll taking, wiki and even web conferencing facilities! With it’s 1GB storage, your laptop will run leaner and meaner by offloading those megabytes to the company’s server.
File Storage
5) Scribd. The service is the Digg of documents and takes in Word, txt, PDF, PPT, excel and a host of other files for public and private sharing. Forget rapidshare. Scribd’s got more functionality and security.
6) Windows Live Skydrive. Create and account and be awarded 500MB of storage that you can keep private or share with others. You’ll need a windows Live ID for this baby.
Forget the bloat of boxed software. Are you ready to migrate online?
