Tech Tools Assessment

1. Delicious 5 out of 5

This social bookmarking website is just that, delicious. I absolutely love how user-friendly it is. It helped me bookmark websites that I needed for several classes and projects, and it also allowed me to share and view bookmarks with other users. The ability to tag, bundle, and add notes on your bookmarks helps the user organize their bookmarks in a proficient manner. Plus, I love the half-bitten cupcake graphics. Simple yet memorable. This is definitely a tool I will continue to use in the long run.


2. Google Applications 5 out of 5

I’m pretty sure I have yet to discover all the wonderful programs and features of Google’s applications, but I have to admit that I have become an avid fan of the Google applications. My e-mail account allows me to chat with on-line buddies while checking my e-mail. It automatically filters out all my junk mail. Plus, I have a variety of page themes to choose from. My account is currently utilizing the teahouse page theme. Google also has an extensive search engine that is useful for research and homework purposes. My favorite would have to be Google’s blog site: blogger.com. Simple and easy to use, it has been one of my favorite recent discoveries. BONUS: if you’re logged onto your gmail account, you are automatically signed onto your blog site if you’re using the same internet browser. Nifty!


3. Moodle 4 out of 5

UOG’s website is structured in a simple and clean manner, leaving no room for fancy graphics and features. Essentially, the website is used mainly as a means to communicate between the instructor and the student. I am able to view the class schedule for the semester as well as the professor’s syllabus. It is also environmentally friendly. Many professors opt to have students upload or submit their work via moodle, by attaching their documents onto the website, instead of turning in a hard copy, thus, reducing the use of plain white paper.


4. Firefox 4 out of 5

This internet browser has a eye-catching icon, but seems to work better on mac computers for reasons unbeknownst to me. The features are pretty standard to other internet browsers, but it does protect the user from picking up viral infections, which is something that Internet Explorer fails to do.


5. Tokbox 4.5 out of 5

Free programs are always fun, and Tokbox is a free program that allows users to video chat as well as send video messages for FREE. Obviously catering to a younger audience, Tokbox has that teenage appeal. You are able to choose various borders, while taking part in a video chatting session or simply sending a video message to a family member or friend. The only downside, like other FREE video chatting programs, is that you need a webcam in order for it to work.


6. Dogpile 4 out of 5

This brightly animated search engine maintains a wink, wink, nudge, nudge stance on current events. The weekend STAR TREK came out, the animated dog featured in the home page was dressed in Trekkie attire. Although it is a decent search engine, it doesn’t find as much websites or images as Google. Still, it only appears that way because it filters out all the unnecessary related searches. It, however, does not pull as much images as Google does, from the internet.


7. Dimdim 4.5 out of 5

This free video-conferencing website appears to be faulty on mac computers, but works efficiently on PC computers. It is useful when doing group presentations especially if you want to stay away from the standard power point presentation. However, using dimdim for class presentations only works when each student has a computer to utilize. Still, the idea of presenting a project through video conferencing remains innovative.


8. Yola 5 out of 5

Another free internet program, Yola, offers users the chance to build and create their own personal website for free. While many website builders burden their users with unclear instructions or tedious procedures, Yola is incredibly easy to use. This website building program enables the user to create a standard homepage in less than five minutes, and then allows them to build from there. The easy-to-comprehend instructions allows the user to create their own website faster than expected.