What are the applications of Web 2.0?
Applications You Know
- Flickr
- Google Maps
- Blogging & Content Syndication
- Craigslist
- Linkedin, Tribes, Ryze, Friendster
Some Apllications You Don't Know
- Del.icio.us
- Upcoming.org
- 43Things.com
The most promising Web 2.0 Software of 2006
Category : Personal Productivity and Organization
Best Offering : Zoho Planner
Zoho Planner is a very capable Ajax-powered online planner that can handle to do lists, appointments, notes, and more using a very elegant, clean interface. It's now my favorite online organizer and I use it every day. Zoho Planner supports tagging, collaboration, e-mail notification, and much more. There are lots of Web 2.0 online planning products and while some are more detailed or more feature rich, none so far have quite the right feel like this one does. For more details, read my review of Zoho Planner at the Web 2.0 Journal.
Category : Search
Best New Offering : Google Desktop Search 3.0
Although privacy concerns abound, Google's latest version of its Desktop product is slicker and more powerful than ever. And it even offers the eyebrow-raising feature of keeping a copy of the search index of your local hard drive on Google's servers so it can be accessed from anywhere. While other search engines are increasingly moving to social capabilities, Google instead raises the bar on raw features.
Category : Video Storage, Sharing and Search
Best New Offering : Stickam
Video is finally maklng a splash on the Web and though big players like YouTube have virtual domination of the space, new players continue to enter and Stickam is one of the more interesting new entires. Billing itself as an easy to use multimedia tool that "does it all", Stickam allows users to host all sorts of media including podcasts and video on their blog or website. It even supports uploading of media from mobile phones.
Category : Real Estate
Best New Offering : Zillow
The real estate business has been one of the very last traditional brick-and-mortar businesses to fall prey to customer self-service on the Web. Zillow is helping change that and despite criticism for certain quarters, it's actually a pretty compelling application. Zillow gives home buyers and sellers with tools to get estimates of home values and to compare it with similar offerings in the area. Loaded up with deep pockets, if Zillow canjust continue to improve the accuracy of its data, it'll be a huge hit.
Category : Music
Best Offering : Podbop
One of the more innovative music applications to come out this year, Podbop has a visceral appeal that is immediate. A mashup of several underlying services including eventful, Podbop allows users to type in their city and state, listen to bands coming to the area and if they like them, then arrange to go actually attend a concert to listen to them. Sporting over 1,500 bands, Podbop works well, is fast, and seems to have a very appealing mix of music.
Category : Ajax Start Pages
Best Offering : Pageflakes
Supporting multiple pages, an open platform design that allow users to contribute new gadgets, and integration with Zoho Writer and much more.
Other Promising Web 2.0 Software:
CoComment : Keep track of your conversations in blog comments from aroudn the blogosphere in one central location.
ZoomTags : The first tag-based affiliate program that include geo-based targeting, customizable tag clouds, content filters and more.
NewsAlloy : An Ajax-based newsreader with a reputation for speed and results, Newsalloy supports all the feaures you'd expect including river of news, tagging, integration with del.icio.us and digg, and much more.
Springdoo : Talk your e-mails using your computer or phone and never type an e-mail again if you don't want to. Rumor has it that Springdoo will offer video e-mails soon.