Dear Dan: Business is slow and I’ve had more time to just poke around on the Internet. There still seems to be a huge amount of new stuff. How do I find new services that can help me run my business? – Time on my Hands
Dear Time: Some trendy tech toys of the past have turned out to be costly time-wasters. The best of a new generation of Web-based applications offer free or low-cost ways for you to communicate better, work more efficiently and market or advertise more effectively.
These up-and-coming new sites and apps could be a nice antidote for today’s challenges.
• If you’re among the millions of biz owners who run their lives with “to-do” lists and sticky notes, ReQall could be for you. This is basically a Web-based way to stay on top of everything you have to remember — from meetings and events to the brilliant new idea you had last night. Think of it as extra brain power that you can fire up from anywhere via your cell phone or PC. Some business owners use it like a personal assistant – albeit one who’s always in the office and never forgets to relay a message or reminder.
ReQall uses sophisticated voice recognition software, so you can dictate your reminders via a toll-free call to ReQall. Of course you can also input your info via e-mail, text message, instant message or directly online. The reminders can come back to you the same way.
• Pinger is a new Web-based application that puts a whole new spin on voice mail and text messaging. It’s basically a voice version of text messaging that you access online. The Web connection lets you retrieve messages online (as well as by phone), so there’s no mobile phone call that might trigger a charge.
• Is your business still paying for directory assistance (411) phone calls? Fear not, GOOG-411 is here. In case you hadn’t heard of it (most people haven’t), GOOG-411 is Google’s new 411 service that’s a free, fast and simple way to connect quickly to local businesses. You don’t need a computer, Internet connection or even a keypad on your phone or mobile device. It’s all voice activated. Just call 1-800-GOOG-411 from any phone at any time, state the location and
• Want to avoid traffic delays for you or your employees? Dash Express, from Dash Navigation, is one of the smartest and most innovative traffic-beating solutions around. It uses an Internet-connected dashboard device that provides you with sensor- and GPS-based traffic information from other Dash-equipped vehicles in the Dash Driver Network to provide a detailed, real-time picture of traffic on all roads – not just freeways. •
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at
editor@business.com.
