The ProVirtual Blog

Keep Tabs on Your Business with Google Alerts

This is one of those web tools that has been around for awhile, but is easily overlooked. Google Alerts helps you keep on top of a news story, company, competitor - you name it - by sending you email alerts every time the key word or phrase you select newly appears on the web, news, blogs or Google Groups. You can set it to alert you daily, weekly or "as it happens".

It's still in "beta" - not sure why, as it has been around awhile and certainly works well... and a great addition to your online marketing toolbox.

Google Alerts

Comparing Office Suite Alternatives

C/Net has a great article that compares all the available alternatives to Microsoft Office. It once was assumed that any office must have the Microsoft standard in place - but that belief is changing fast. Many are questioning whether anyone needs to spend hundreds on a PIM - word processor - presentation - spreadsheet package, when there are less bloated and even free options readily available, many of which are cross-platform and allow group collaboration (such as the free Google Apps). 

As an example, I recently installed the new Outlook 2007, and while it is lovely to look at and has lots of nice features, it's also very clunky and would seize up unexpectedly. Although Outlook supports IMAP mail, it would take 30-90 seconds to process new messages!  So I switched back to my tried and true Thunderbird + Palm Desktop. Both are free - have exactly what I need, synch with my Treo and are lightning-fast.

So if you are reconsidering a MS Office upgrade, first check out the comparative product reviews and feature chart, courtesy of C/Net.