Anyone who works in the web development, design or marketing industry knows that web-based tools and apps are a critical piece of the efficiency puzzle. At Climax Media, we rely heavily on tools like Harvest and BaseCamp to manage time, client communication and resources - but what about all those other cool tools that are relatively unknown and have awesome potential?
It's time to give these developers the shine they deserve!
What better way to bring in the new year than to dig up and showcase some of the coolest, up-and-coming tools and web applications that we think you'll be hearing about in 2012. Now we haven't personally tried all of these tools, so go ahead and check them out and let us know what your experience was like, either via Twitter or Facebook - we'd love to get some feedback!
Bookmarking services can be a real pain in the behind. For people who use the web on a day to day basis, one of the biggest challenges is organizing and remembering certain links, pages and resources for future use. Kippt is a new bookmarking app that takes the most basic online functions, such as bookmarking and saving links, and simplifies it (seriously).
With an intuitive drag and drop interface and the elimination of tagging, Kippt makes it super easy to gather and collect information on the web. Add links to your Inbox or drag them into your Read Later list, the choice is up to you. The interface is elegant and clean, with minimal clutter, and the simple addition of a browser extension/bookmarklet allows you to bookmark on the go.
Project management and collaboration by far one of the most tedious and crucial tasks in our industry. The success of a new website being built often relies on how well the project and team was managed. &! (pronounced AndBang) offers a web-based "collab and organize" service with the less is more approach plastered all over it.
Compared to other more popular services that arrange duties into tasks, AndBang focuses on a top-to-bottom shortlist. Any time you create an item you will click on the lightning bolt icon to let your team know you're working on it. Once that task is done, you ship it (notify your team) by clicking on the little rocket icon. Less feature and more function seems to be what AndBang is all about. Pretty cool!
In the world of freelancers, small businesses and contracting - accounting can be a nightmare. It's hard enough to generate leads, finish the job and collect payment let alone managing your business and personal finances. Crunch is a UK-based company that started with the simple idea of helping business owners automate most accounting tasks, while still being able to speak with a real accountant when needed.
Along side their easy to use bookkeeping software, Crunch provides users with their very own account managers and accountant. Getting set up is as straightforward as plugging in your expenses and invoices online, and continuing running your business. The Crunch team focuses on keeping your books balanced while you focus on doing what you do best.
Are there any awesome tools or apps you think more people will be using in the new year?
Holler!
Photo courtesy of Chris Jagers