FREE FLV PLAYER

Most of the video download sites have videos available in Flash video format ( .flv format). To run .flv files, one requires a FLV player. Applian FLV player, www.applian.com/flvplayer is one such FLV player one can download and use.

So, install the FLV player and start downloading the flv files.

FREE BASIC FLOWCHART DESIGN TOOL - 1888 QUICK FLOW CHART CREATOR

1888 Quick Flow Chart Creator, www.1888softwaredownloads.com is a simple, basic Flow chart creation tool. The advantage is it has lots of shapes available for use and one can do basic manipulation on the flow chart like adding colour, etc.

Not a very comprehensive tool but useful utility for drawing flowchart and you can save it in an image form.

FREE EBOOK SOFTWARE - SWIFTEBOOK

Found out this little tool called Swiftebook. The tool is available at www.gurucreation.com Found it interestingly simple and useful to carry out basic document creation and editing. To start creating an ebook ( they call it that though the saving formats are the usual ones like HTML, rtf, pdf, etc.). Inspite of that, i liked working on the tool, maybe because of the fetaures it provides in a simple way. No doubt the tool is quite attractive.

Once you start with ebook creation, click on New and start typing. While typing click on the Document and Style options and you get a glimpse of the features available. The user may simply click on the feature to apply it to the document.
The Document option allows to add more about the doucument - title, creator, Category, Niche, etc. which would be quite helpful during ebook search.

The Style option provides with the various common formatting option

Hold on, that not all in this tool. There's this useful Reminder option which can help one organise

SKETCH DRAWING SOFTWARE - SKETCH STUDIO

Sketch Studio is quite an interesting and simple software, www.sketchandsmudge.com/download.html
A wonderful hand sketching tool with some real nice, unique features.The interface is very user friendly and immediately one can get started with creating an image using the Sketch pen of varying sizes.

Some of the unique features of the tool are

• Smudging
• Play Sketch Option
• Trace Image Option
• Help Topics
• Tutorials to get started

Trace Image Option can be used to trace an outline from any existing image

Play Sketch Option can be used to play the sketch as was drawn. A very handy option indeed where one can view the skecth in steps

The tutorials are very helpful and additionally the Help Topics are also available.

Once may also save the sketch as a JPEG image.

An image sample of the Lessons/ Tutorial section is shown below. The Lessons are really nice and one may practice skecthing as well.

A nice tool !!

FREE SOUND FILES

www.findsounds.com is quite useful when looking for some sound (files). A good range of parameters helps refine the search further. Though it supports few popular formats but still a useful site. Depending on one's requirement, specific size files could be searched.

A good alternative when trying to create sound with a bad throat !!

TIMELINE CREATION TOOL

Timeline 2.0, www.timeline.cer.jhu.edu is a highly useful timeline creation tool. The quest for finding a timeline creation tool which could export the file in .swf format ended with this tool. Th e tool is quite handy when you want to create timelines depicting history, life span, evolution, important events, etc. for something. It could be history of how computers evolved, famous personalities, and many more.

Once extracted, the Timeline 2.0 folder contains 6 files. This tool could be easily integrated in eXe authoring sytem as the tool generates an .xml file, a .swf file.



Certain precautions to be taken when working on Timeline tool

• Please fill up the Interface Configuration options and then the Events
• Be thoughtful while specifying Sub Bands. A good way would be to specify some key items in the Sub Bands
• Be careful to specify the end dates wherever essential
• When wanting to create multiple timelines, please save them in different folders
• Follow the proper sequence for creating the timlines i.e., first use the Creator.jar file and then the rest
• When trying to integrate the timeline into any othe tool like eXe, attach the .swf and then copy the .xml into the course folder separately ( after exporting it)
• Go through the Documentation properly as it would guide you how to proceed.

A very handy tool, indeed !!!

Offline Browser - PageNest

PageNest, www.pagenest.com is s useful utility tool for Offline Browsing. A need based useful tool that can help save entire website on the hard disk for later viewing. A simple interface where one can specify the website address, specify the levels and just get started with downloading the wesbite. A handy tool when one is hard pressed for time and not able to view the entire website.

The website offers two versions, Free and Pro. The best part about the offering is that the Free version is as good as the Pro ( commercial version) . Free version is free for personal use, for non-profit, for school whereas the Pro version is for the corporates.

A good tool to have when you cannot afford to be online all the time !