Adobe has released a suite of web tools that allow users to collaboratively write, share, and publish documents online. The tools include Adobe Buzzword, ConnectNow, Create PDF, Share, and My Files.

The features for each are below:

Buzzword
Shared document authoring
Ability to export to PDF
Rich document styling

Adobe Connect Now
Screensharing: Share your desktop and invite attendees
Webcam: Show off your face to your attendees
Shared Notes: Share notes with other attendees
Annotations: Write annotations on the screen (will freeze-frame the screen during screen share)
Chat: Private/public chat capability

Create PDF
Upload up to 5 files and create a PDF to be downloaded or saved to the web for access via “Your Files”

Share
Upload or create documents to share with others

Your Files
Store your files online to access anywhere

Acrobat.com on the desktop
If you want to have these tools on your desktop, you can download the Acrobat.com suite and run it using Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR).

Personally, I enjoy using Buzzword for writing long documents, like business plans, which require multiple people. I know some people (like mehwolfy) have had issues with disappearing documents on both Google Docs and Zoho Writer and hopefully the same problem won’t plague Acrobat.com. I’ve been using Buzzword since it was a standalone application released last year and none of my documents have gone astray.

The Buzzword WYSIWYG interface is great for creating stylized documents. Check it out below.

As far as presentations, Acrobat.com doesn’t allow you to create presentations like you would in Google Docs but you can create or share PDFs. I typically create my slides in Photoshop and then export the layers to a PDF. Why? Check it out for yourself: Open a PDF in Acrobat Reader and go to View > Full Screen Mode. Voila! you have a presentation without the hassles of different operating system or program verions (.ppt vs .pptx anyone?).

And finally, as a Flex developer, I have to point out that Acrobat.com is built in Flex. One can only hope that the Buzzword WYSIWYG editing interface will be released as a Flex component in the near future to add rich document editing functionality to more web applications.

Some of the Twelve Horses crew attended the Rich Internet Application Dev Shed 2008 this week and since we would be out of the office both Thursday and Friday, we wanted to hit the road without missing a beat. We rented a van, setup our laptops, and drove five-hundred miles with a fairly speedy WiFi connection.

I have written up some instructions on how you too can free yourself from the office.
This can be done on either a PC or Macintosh, but the directions below are for Mac OS X.

What you will need:

• Laptops with wireless connectivity
• Cellular Wireless Card (We used a Sprint Novatel Wireless Ovation U727)
• AC/DC Power inverter
• A vehicle

How to share an internet connection on Mac OS X 10
I’m going to show you how to share a cellular wireless connection, however this method will work if you want to share an ethernet connection as well.

1. Install the cellular wireless card/usb stick by following the manufacturer’s instructions

2. Follow the directions in the SlideShare presentation below.

| View | Upload your own

Using our Sprint connection, we were able to share a speedy wireless connection amongst three laptops and 3 iPhones, with only an occasional dead spot in cellular reception. I’m not sure how much unlimited data costs for the Sprint Novatel we used but we were definitely wired in the middle of the desert.

Below: Writing this blog post, surrounded by Utah desert

The Twelve Horses gang is in Salt Lake City for the RIA Dev Shed.

Check back more today for live updates.

I’m currently building a Flex/AIR application at work that allows us to integrate with Salesforce.com in order to manage projects and employees.

1:30: Listening to Louie Penaflor. He is presenting on Flash Media Server (FMS). Flash media server offers a lot of opportunity for providing scalable streaming video. It sounds like Scott wants to create a video conference tool in Flex and utilize FMS.

2:49pm: Currently listening to Shelley Browning. She is presenting on Flex Charting and data visualization. The Twelve Horses project management application will have a lot of graphs, charts, and dashboards.

Below: Steve Spencer outside a RIA Dev Shed 2008 session room

My business plan for Voxspot.com has made the final round of the undergraduate Governor’s Cup Business Plan Competition, hosted by NCET.

I will be doing an oral presentation at John Ascuaga’s Nugget on April 21st and winners will be announced in Las Vegas at Green Valley Ranch Station on April 25th.

I will be talking about Voxspot.com a lot here in the very near future so you won’t be left in the dark.

For more information on Voxspot and the other finalists:

http://www.ncet.org/2008-donald-w-reynolds-governors-cup-finalists/

Voxspot is a social networking website that promotes sharing of information and knowledge among users. It allows users to collaboratively teach and learn any topic they desire.

Team Members

· Colin Loretz – Marketing

Faculty Advisor

· Mr. Ted Mitchell

Download the photoshop project photos.

I will be teaching Adobe Photoshop next week at UNR. The focus will be on creating images and mockups for marketing materials like presentations, brochures, and websites. The course is open to anyone, just come ready to learn!

Some Photoshop tutorials will be posted here after the workshop.

When: April 9th, 5:30pm
Where: Ansari Business Bldg, Room 208